Roskelley won’t seek another term
Spokane’s mountain-climbing County Commissioner John Roskelley announced Thursday that he won’t be seeking another term.
Roskelley said that he is proud of what he’s done in office, but that it’s time for new challenges.
“I have accomplished many of my personal goals for county government and, even though there is more to be done, I feel the time has come, while I’m at the top of my game, for me to climb other ‘mountains’ in my professional life,” he wrote.
In particular Roskelley said he’s pleased with the work he did to bring Spokane into compliance with Washington’s Growth Management Act, finish the county’s comprehensive plan and development regulations, and bring dignity to the commissioners’ office.
“All in all I think we’ve done very well as far as respecting each other,” Roskelley said of serving with fellow Commissioners Kate McCaslin and Phil Harris.
“It’s been fun working with him,” said Harris. “The three of us, even though we didn’t always agree, we ran a pretty tight ship. We were a good team.”
Harris will be the only existing commissioner on the board come January. McCaslin has already announced that she is not running for another term.
Roskelley has been in the minority, the only Democrat on the three-member board.
His press release warned voters of the “Dark Side” – certain Republican candidates for commissioner.
“Special interests, those who stand to make a profit from the community’s loss, have already selected their candidates. Some of these candidates have lobbied to eliminate development regulations needed to protect your neighborhoods and one is presently a professional lobbyist, who lobbied our state legislators for years to protect two of the largest tobacco companies in the United States from regulatory action,” he wrote, taking shots at candidate Mark Richard, a lobbyist for the Spokane Homebuilders Association running for McCaslin’s seat, and former Washington legislator Todd Mielke, a former tobacco industry lobbyist running for the seat Roskelley is vacating.
Roskelley’s current term representing the northeast Spokane County expires at the end of this year. He was first elected in 1995 to complete former Commissioner Skip Chilberg’s uncompleted term, and then re-elected to two full terms.
He’s well-known locally for his mountain-climbing exploits, including summitting Mount Everest last year with his son, Jess.
He drew praise from fellow Democrat and former congressional candidate Bart Haggin.
“Of all the public officials, I don’t think anyone surpasses him in integrity,” Haggin said. “I would have liked to see him be county commissioner for life.”
Roskelley said he’s uncertain what he will do in the future, but acknowledged that he is seeking a gubernatorial appointment to the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board, a paid position.
Roskelley thanked his constituents: “It’s been a wonderful privilege to serve the people of Spokane County who have three times honored me with their approval of my candidacy. I know if I had chosen to run they would have rewarded my candidacy once again. For that, I will always be grateful.”