Former Spokane deputy mayor Jack Lynch dies

Jack Lynch, a former Spokane city administrator who served as chief of staff for three mayors in the early 2000s, has died, according to reports in his hometown newspaper, the Montana Standard. He was 70.

Lynch arrived in Spokane in 2001 from Butte. He was known as a tenacious administrator, skills he honed during a long career in public service that included running Butte-Silver Bow County as chief executive for a decade.

The Butte newspaper reported that Lynch’s family said he had been ill with pneumonia and had a pre-existing lung condition.

Former Mayor John Powers first hired Lynch to manage City Hall. When Powers lost his re-election bid, Lynch remained in his role for the next mayor, the late Jim West.

West appointed Lynch deputy mayor. Lynch then temporarily served as acting mayor of Spokane after West took a leave of absence and ultimately was recalled by voters.

When Dennis Hession became mayor in December 2005, Lynch again stayed on with the city as deputy mayor.

Hession fired Lynch in February 2007 after Lynch took many weeks of unexpected leaves of absence from his job.

Lynch and his wife, Paula Rotar Lynch, continued to live in Spokane. They have three children.