PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Monday elected its first female board chair.
District 3 Commissioner Kathleen Kler, 63, received unanimous support from her fellow commissioners, District 1 Commissioner Phil Johnson and District 2 Commissioner David Sullivan, who made the original motion.
“It does mean something, but it is a shame that it has to be recognized,” Kler, a Quilcene resident, said.
“We need to get past the ‘first’ and go straight to ‘equality.’ ”
Kler said she expected her presence would not substantially change the tone of the board other than injecting levity “and a sense of the absurd” like her predecessor, John Austin.
“We are coming out of a recession and some hard times,” she said. “We have the opportunity to move from reactive to proactive, where we are moving toward specific goals rather than reacting to crises.”
Upon taking the gavel, Kler referred to herself as “Chair Kler.”
As part of the motion, Sullivan pointed out that the board had never been chaired by a woman, later stating that Kler’s abilities had nothing to do with her gender.
“Kathleen’s very capable,” Sullivan said. “She’s chaired other boards and has plenty of experience.”
That Kler earned the chair in only her second year as commissioner is not unusual, Sullivan said.
Johnson assumed the chair in 2005 right after his first election and served in the spot for three years.
As a commissioner, the chair has the same responsibilities as the other two, Sullivan said, while also acting as board spokesperson and signing documents that don’t require all three to do so.
“You get to sign your name more often,” Sullivan said of the chairmanship, which he is now relinquishing.
The chair meets more frequently with the county administrator, Sullivan said, and has more input in shaping the agenda than other commissioners.
Kler was the second woman elected as a county commissioner, after Wendi Wrinkle’s District 3 victory over Pat Rodgers in 2002.
Wrinkle resigned after five months for health reasons and was replaced by Judith Mackey until a 2003 special election where Rodgers prevailed.
In Jefferson County there is an informal selection of a chair for the board of commissioners each year, where one of the three commissioners is voted into the position by the other two.
In many cases, boards do not name those who are running for re-election to a chairmanship as a campaign can add stress to the job.
Sullivan’s and Johnson’s terms expire this year, and both said Monday they have not made a decision to run again.
“This will be a family decision,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said he married Veda Wilson of Quilcene on Dec. 31 in a private ceremony at Manresa Castle officiated by Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.