Al French selected to chair county commission for fourth time

Al French was elected as the chair of the board of county commissioners for the fourth time Tuesday, becoming the face of the county’s governing body for 2020.

The three county commissioners have traditionally taken turns as chair of the board every three years. Commissioner Mary Kuney was chair last year.

The chair represents the commissioners at public events and on regional committees. They also lead meetings.

French, who has been a county commissioner since 2011, said the board rotates to give every commissioner a share of the “joy and the pain” of leading and attending community events on the board’s behalf.

Before French was a county commissioner, he was a Spokane City Council member and has sat on dozens of regional boards for transportation, clean air, criminal justice and economic development.

Kuney was absent from the Tuesday meeting, so Commissioner Josh Kerns nominated French and the two voted to make French chair. French then nominated Kerns to be vice chair, and Kerns seconded his own nomination before the two voted to make him vice chair.