Three appointed to County Parks panel

A former Spokane County employee who ran unsuccessfully for a county commission seat a dozen years ago will get a say on the county’s Parks Board.

Lunell Haught, a management consultant, was one of three people appointed to the board Tuesday by a unanimous vote of the county commissioners. She was out of town Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.

Haught, a former county Planning Commission member, was the county’s training manager from 1990 to 1996.

Phil Harris easily defeated Haught in the 1994 Republican primary for county commissioner. Harris went on to win three terms, but lost an attempt for a fourth last year against Democrat Bonnie Mager.

Haught gave $250 to Mager’s campaign, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. In 2004, Haught made a $50 contribution to the campaign of Republican Commissioner Mark Richard. She is on the executive committee for Republicans for Environmental Protection.

Also appointed to the Parks Board were Pat Osborn and Russell A. Thompson.

Osborn, a University of Wisconsin graduate in political science, is an accountant for Inland Power & Light, according to his application.

Thompson worked for the National Park Service for 30 years at six locations, including Yellowstone, Lake Roosevelt and Gettysburg.

The new members replace Randy Barcus, Jim Huttenmaier and Charles O’Connor, whose terms ended at the end of 2006.

Commissioners also decided Tuesday to reappoint Doug Kelley, an Avista regional account executive, to another four-year term on the county’s planning commission.