By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – While the Lewis County Board of Commissioners just days ago selected Scott Tinney to finish out the term of retired Lewis County Clerk Kathy Brack, the local Republican’s first choice for the position signaled her intentions today to run for the post next year.
Tinney is a Lewis County resident, and comes from the Thurston County Clerk’s Office. He began his new job this week.
Brack vacated the elected office in mid-September, two years into a four-year term. Because she served as a Republican, her party had a role in the process of replacing her.
Carla Shannon was their top pick, among three names the party forwarded to county commissioners.
She registered today with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission as a candidate to run for for Lewis County clerk in a special election next November.
Shannon is a deputy clerk in the Lewis County Clerk’s Office, where she has worked almost five years. She serves as the courtroom clerk for Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt.
Her campaign treasurer-manager, her husband Jim Shannon, said she’s following up on the commitment she made when she submitted her name to the local Republican party at the end of this summer as a potential replacement for Brack.
He said she congratulated Tinney and also sent a letter to the Republican precinct committee officers to thank them. She got 27 of their 29 votes, he said.
The Lewis County clerk serves as the official record keeper for the Lewis County Superior Court. The job pays $75,108 a year.
The county commissioner’s Vice Chair Gary Stamper said they formally appointed Tinney on Monday.
Stamper said he felt all three candidates were very good and did a great job in the interview process, but they could only choose one.
Tiffini Walker who previously was a deputy clerk in the Lewis County Clerk’s Office was the Republican’s second preferred choice. Tinney was their third.
“Through my questioning and information I received, he had a real broad base and experience in every area the questions centered around,” Stamper said. “And had perspective coming from another county.”
The elected position will be on the ballot again in November 2018, for a regular four-year term.
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For background, read “News brief: Three vying for Lewis County clerk job” from Wednesday November 2, 2016, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
A vote for Bo is a vote for corruption at its finest!! NO ON BO!!
He is not a deputy.
Even though I don’t know Mr. Tinney I bet he can do the job as well as any of the other candidates the pco’s had chose. All I see is people complaining about how the person they wanted in, didn’t get chosen. I have lived in this county my whole life and know how much of our government is who’s friends with who. It’s always who you know not what. So, I am very happy that for the first time they went off of experience. From what I understand Mr. Tinney has lived in LC for over 20 years and knows what is going on. I am very proud of the commissioners for choosing the most qualified. Carla has worked there for a few years and was not chosen. Maybe they weren’t that impressed. Maybe she can do the job, but if I’m running the county I want the best for the job and its patrons. We voted them in to work for us; we should be give them a little credit for who they chose. Maybe those in charge of the Republican Party should really to get to know the candidates before endorsing another puppet. Best of luck Mr. Tinney.
Im pretty sure her husband is a deputy….. Probably why she didn’t get it.
I was at the meeting. Interesting that we were FORCED to vote for 3 candidates, we could not take our single pick. So, the reality is that Tinney was not well received by the PCO’s, but only got the 3rd spot because we had to vote for someone for 3rd. Good luck Carla.
lewis county republicans are really thurston county democrats. It’s how they keep state funding diverted to other counties. Like our judges,… Republican on the outside liberal on the inside.
I don’t support any of these people. WRITE BO RUPERT IN FOR COUNTY CLERK!
That’s why kissing cousins offsprings eyes are so close together.
“Perspective coming from another county” according to commissioner Stamper. Great! We can always use a further dose of thurston county liberalism here. Thanks county commissioners! “Republican” commissioners choosing the last choice of local republicans. Well done.