Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Local likely first female on board
Newly appointed interim commissioner Jo Gilchrist is interviewed for the position Monday, Jan. 23.
DAVENPORT - After the three finalists forced the current Lincoln County Commissioners to make what they called the toughest decision of their tenure, Jo Gilchrist was appointed to fill the recently-retired Mark Stedman's vacated District No. 1 county commissioner seat Monday, Jan. 23.
Gilchrist is believed to be the first female county commissioner in Lincoln County history.
"I'm honored to be the first woman to serve on Lincoln County's board of county commissioners," Gilchrist said. "I'm extremely proud to be joining a growing number of strong Republican women who are being elected to represent and serve the communities they live in and love."
Gilchrist was selected after current commissioners Scott Hutsell and Rob Coffman interviewed the three Republican Central Committee-selected finalists appointed for consideration in a public meeting Monday. She was the third candidate interviewed after Brett Bishop, a private forensic consultant from Edwall, and Kelly Watkins, who retired as Lincoln County undersheriff last summer.
"We had three very qualified candidates," Coffman said. "Every one of them could do an outstanding job. It was very difficult to pick the best one in this circumstance."
Candidates were pressed on several opinions and issues by Coffman and Hutsell in their interviews, including their hopes for serving on the board long-term, opportunities to serve on various state committees, the county's 1% cap on increasing property taxes each year, the candidates' experiences working with unions and their opinions on what the commissioners called "over-reaching mandates" by the state and federal government.
Gilchrist, who is familiar to the county after retiring from a 23-year career with the Sheriff's Office at the end of 2022, told the commissioners she believed she'd been "interviewing" for a spot on the board since she was appointed 911 coordinator by former Sheriff Wade Magers in 2008.
She was hired by Magers' predecessor, John Coley, in 1999. She spent time working in District Court before Coley appointed her to lead dispatcher in 2001, where she worked until her promotion to 911 coordinator in 2008.
"I was really fortunate over 24 years to have two amazing sheriffs that let me grow and thrive," Gilchrist said. "They used my skills to the best of my ability and let me run the department like I wanted to."
Coffman moved to nominate Gilchrist after an hour-long executive session that followed the three candidate interviews. Hutsell seconded and approved.
"Her expertise as the 911 coordinator is going to be a huge plus," Hutsell said.
Coffman said Gilchrist has knowledge of the county's budget operations and union-related activity, which he said helped make her an ideal candidate.
"Everyone brought their own unique expertise," he said. "That's what made it a tough decision."
Gilchrist will take office Wednesday, Feb. 1. Her first regular commissioner's meeting is Monday, Feb. 6.
"Now, maybe I can sleep at night," Coffman quipped.
Gilchrist will hold the seat through 2023. Per state statute, she must run for re-election this November for a one-year term to finish out Stedman's term, which expires at the end of 2024. If she desires a further career, she would run for a four-year term in 2024.
"I would not be sitting here if it was just for one year," Gilchrist told the commissioners Monday.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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