Friends And Family Help Kate Mccaslin With Oath

A trio of judges and a passel of supporters helped Spokane County Commissioner-elect Kate McCaslin prepare to drop the “elect” from her title.

McCaslin assumes office Jan. 1, taking the position she won from Commissioner Steve Hasson.

But McCaslin has no authority until she takes the oath of office and Tuesday was her last chance to do that during a public meeting.

County commissioners will not hold regular weekly meetings the last two weeks of the year, since they would fall on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

More than 100 friends, family members and campaign workers packed the commissioners’ hearing room for the ceremony.

Donna Meidling, McCaslin’s mother and political mentor, held the Bible as her daughter was sworn in by District Court Judge Mike Padden. Padden was flanked by two more friends of McCaslin’s: Superior Court Judge Neal Rielly and District Court Judge Sara Derr.

McCaslin asked the crowd to “please, as time goes by, do not hesitate to call me and tell me what you think” about issues.

“The job of county commissioner far outweighs the ability of any one person - at least this person,” she said.

Since the ceremony came during a commissioners’ meeting, Hasson was in the crowd. He smiled broadly as his political foe took the oath.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo