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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tompkins Won’t Run Again For CV Board

Linda Tompkins, a 12-year member of the Central Valley School Board, decided Thursday not to run for re-election, setting her sights instead on a Spokane County Superior Court judgeship.

Although Tompkins said she would not run against a sitting judge, talk of two upcoming retirements and another possible position funded by county commissioners encouraged her to make her interest known.

“I’m waiting for an opening to take place,” Tompkins said Thursday. “I spoke with the governor, and I feel confident he’d look at my appointment with a positive flair.”

But, she added, “You have to have your ducks in a row, even on an appointment basis.”

Having her “ducks in a row” means focusing solely on her law career and not getting wrapped up in a campaign for reelection to CV’s school board, she said.

Still, Tompkins said she does not want to leave the board in a lurch. After checking filings for her position and seeing the name of a person she supports, Tompkins said she felt comfortable withdrawing her name.

“It’s been 12 wonderful years,” she said. “It’s been a part of me for a long time.”

Tompkins, 43, is a Spokane attorney and principal with the firm of Lukins and Annis, P.S., focusing on employment, business and municipal law.

She was appointed by the governor to the Washington State Transportation Commission in 1993 and currently serves as vice president of the commission. She’s been president of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of directors of Momentum Spokane and the Valley Center for Sharing.

Tompkins has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Idaho and a law degree from Gonzaga University. She is married to attorney Tony Tompkins and has two daughters, Rachel, 20, and Sarah, 18.

, DataTimes