Handy steps down as election’s chief brings back memories of port fiasco

The announcement that Nick Handy is stepping down as the state’s chief elections officer brings back memories of his retirement as Port of Olympia director.

Handy served as director of the Port of Olympia from 1996 through 2003.   He left under a financial cloud forcing Thurston County taxpayers to pay him an $80,000 bonus for sticking around and bumped up his retirement pay by as much as $20,000 over the normal retirement pay.

He took the “golden handcuff” bonus and the state retirement pay and went on to additional employment with the Secretary of State’s Office as the director of elections.

Now, at 62, Handy has said that he may not fully retire, leaving open the door that he may once again tap into the taxpayer’s wallet.