Rick Shanley replaces Diane Taniguchi-Dennis, who is retiring following reports of lavish spending

A Clean Water Services agency leader has been appointed acting chief executive officer of the agency following the resignation of its beleaguered CEO earlier this month. 

Rick Shanley, chief engineer and water technology officer for the sewer and stormwater services agency, was selected to fill in for CEO Diane Taniguchi-Dennis, whose last day on the job is June 6. 

The agency has been under intense scrutiny for excessive spending. The Oregonian/OregonLive previously reported that executives from Clean Water Services stayed in luxury resorts during annual business trips to Hawaii that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Over a period of five years, the agency spent $440,000 on local and travel meals — four times as much as its two metro area counterparts combined spent on food during that time.

Having first joined the agency as a treatment plant service manager in 2013, Shanley has more than 30 years of experience as an environmental engineer, including experience with research, planning, design, and construction of infrastructure for wastewater conveyance and treatment, according to a Clean Water Services news release.

“Rick’s wealth of experience in the water sector paired with the wide array of employees and groups he’s worked with during his years at Clean Water Services made him the clear choice for acting CEO/general manager,” Kathryn Harrington, Washington County commission chair, said in a statement. “The board is grateful to Rick for stepping into this role to provide stability for this essential services agency, its staff, and ratepayers as we begin the process of recruiting a new executive leader.”

The Clean Water Services board of directors is made up of the five Washington County commissioners.

The agency works with Washington County and 12 partner cities, providing sewer and stormwater services in the urban areas of the Tualatin River Watershed, serving more than 610,000 customers and businesses.