Climber Ready To Scale Political Peaks Roskelley Says He Is Seeking To Fill Vacant District 1 Seat

Saying “climbing will take a second seat,” mountaineer John Roskelley on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the District 1 position on the Spokane County Commission.

The 46-year-old Democrat said he hopes to focus the energy that helped him scale peaks in the Himalayas on the problems he sees in county government.

The Spokane County native graduated from Washington State University in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in geology.

He currently works as a selfemployed photographer and motivational speaker.

Roskelley holds seats on the county parks and recreation advisory committee and the county planning commission, both of which are appointed by county commissioners.

While he has never held elected office, he said during a news conference that climbing mountains has prepared him for running county government.

“Both need long-range planning, but when under pressure, the ability to land on your feet,” said Roskelley, who made his remarks before about 30 supporters at the Ridpath Hotel.

Roskelley said he would seek immediate appointment to the seat being vacated by District 1 Commissioner Skip Chilberg, who will resign at the end of the month to take a position on a state board.

Commissioners Steve Hasson and Phil Harris, both Republicans, decide who will replace Chilberg. They are expected to make their choice by mid-June.

The appointee will fill the seat until the fall elections, when it will be up for grabs.

Dale McLeod, a retired state trooper from Otis Orchards and a Democratic precinct chairman, also has expressed interest in the appointment.

Whether he’s appointed, Roskelley said he would run for the seat this fall.

Inefficiency in law enforcement and the judicial system and a lack of planning for population growth are two concerns that must be addressed immediately, Roskelley said.

There are enough cops on the street but not enough judges to hear cases, he said. The candidate said he would try to get one more judge position in Spokane County and study whether the county needs more jail space.

An alternative to adding expensive prison beds could be more social programs for less violent offenders, Roskelley added.

On planning, Roskelley said the state’s Growth Management Act provides “the tools we need to plan an infrastructure that keeps pace with growth and allow us to utilize urban areas more efficiently, while protecting the character of rural areas.”

A committee made up of representatives from the 11 cities and towns in the county, as well as the county commissioners, is working to implement the provisions of the act.

Roskelley, who lives with his wife and two of their three children on 40 acres near Newman Lake, said he respects private property rights but added that some regulations are necessary to protect the common good.

“We must begin to consider ourselves stewards of the land, not users,” he said.

Roskelley said he is prepared to butt heads with Hasson and Harris, both of whom have expressed skepticism about growth management.

“I’m not afraid to dive into it,” he said.