Amend Says He Respects Voters’ Wish

Spokane County Coroner Dexter Amend said Wednesday he’ll respect the county’s overwhelming support for a medical examiner.

“We’re just going to comply with anything the voters want,” Amend said in a telephone interview.

More than 82 percent of voters Tuesday supported the switch from an elected coroner to an appointed medical examiner system.

County commissioners will determine how that system will be set up. They have almost two years to make decisions, since Amend will be allowed to finish his term.

Commissioner Steve Hasson said he’d like to see Amend step down.

“He’s got a super-majority extraordinaire that have said it’s time for change,” Hasson said. “He should respect that.”

But the other two commissioners said they’d never ask an elected official to resign.

“He’s stated in the past that he’s not going to resign,” Commissioner John Roskelley said. “We have to move forward …”

Amend declined to answer when asked if he would consider resigning.

, DataTimes