Commissioner Pos. 1
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Rorie | 2,036 | 64.01% |
| Jim Joss | 1,145 | 35.99% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
The Candidates
Andy Rorie
- Age:
- 60
- City:
- Greenacres, WA
- Occupation:
- Commissioner
His words: “I bring a lot of experience to the table, and I’m a consensus builder. I’ve really enjoyed my time with District 8. We passed a levy and there will be a lot of changes pushed forward by that.” The levy will go toward staffing all stations with paramedics, 24/7.
His Pitch: “The levy in itself is a challenge – one-third of citizens didn’t support it. You have to very carefully take the needs of the people who didn’t support the levy into consideration.” Rorie says the district covers a variety of neighborhoods from urban to rural farming areas with very different needs, and they all must be covered.
Notable experience: Appointed to the commission in October 2013. Battalion chief with the Spokane Valley Fire Department, where he’s been employed for 24 years and has gained experience in budgeting, financial planning and labor and management relations.
Education: Earned bachelor degrees at Eastern Washington University.
Jim Joss
- Age:
- 55
- City:
- Spokane, WA
His words: “I have a huge issue with a chief from Fire District 1 (Spokane Valley Fire Department) making policy decisions for both District One and District Eight – that’s nearly unethical. It’s one of the main reasons why I’m running.”
His Pitch: “I bring a citizen point-of-view and a business-owner point-of-view to the board. It’s been interesting to learn how government works; I want the poor little taxpayer to have a say on the commission.”
Notable Experience: Owns Joss Enterprises, a systems management business. Volunteer firefighter with District 8 for more than ten years.
Education: Attended Spokane Falls Community College.
Complete Coverage
Firefighters battle three house fires Friday
Firefighters in Spokane, Spokane Valley and Spokane County Fire District 8 rushed to three house fires Friday evening. The most serious fire was reported at 6819 S. Meadows Road in District 8 at 6 p.m. The homeowner, who escaped the blaze unharmed, told firefighters the fire started on the patio and spread into the house and the attic, said District 8 Deputy Chief Greg Godfrey.
Fire agencies team up, will send nearest crew
Four of the largest fire departments in Spokane County announced an agreement on Monday that will send the nearest fire or medical crew to emergency calls regardless of jurisdiction. No longer will department brass have to make a formal request for mutual aid across fire service boundaries.