Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
DAVENPORT—Lincoln County Commissioner Mark Stedman, a 10-year veteran of the seat, sat on the board at a regular meeting for the final time Monday, Dec. 19. That is, until the meeting was recessed to next week to interview Stedman’s possible replacement.
Stedman, 75, is retiring and moving to the Kalama area to be closer to family. His retirement is effective Dec. 31.
The longtime Mohler resident was on the Board of Commissioners for 10 years and spent the previous 12 years as superintendent for the Sprague and Harrington school districts, respectively.
“Thank you for all you’ve done for Lincoln County, both as commissioner and superintendent/educator,” fellow commissioner Scott Hutsell told Stedman Monday. “We’ll be recessing this meeting until next Tuesday the 27th to try to appoint someone at our first meeting in January.”
Four from District 1, which includes the Odessa, Sprague and Harrington areas, applied for the vacancy by the Dec. 15 deadline, according to Lincoln County Republican Central Committee chair Mary Blechschmidt.
The Committee is responsible for interviewing and selecting three candidates to present to the Commissioners. The Commissioners can then interview those candidates and make an appointment, or make an appointment directly after the three are presented.
Blechschmidt said the Committee hasn’t interviewed the four applicants yet, but hopes to have the full process completed between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
The Commissioners recessed their meeting to Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 10 a.m. for further discussion. The first meeting of 2023 is Tuesday, Jan. 3. Hutsell said Monday he hopes Stedman’s replacement will be appointed and sworn in that day.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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