PORT ANGELES — Steve Tharinger shared laughter and tears with his fellow Clallam County commissioners during his last county meeting as he reflected on his 12 years of service in county government.
Tharinger received a two standing ovations Tuesday — one before casting his final votes as a District 1 commissioner and another at an impromptu retirement program at a reception in his honor.
Tharinger, 62, will continue to serve his constituents and many others as a state representative for the 24th District, which covers all of Clallam and Jefferson counties and about half of Grays Harbor County.
When his first legislative session concluded last spring, Tharinger announced he would not seek a fourth four-year term as a county commissioner. He cited the time constraints of working both jobs simultaneously.
Tharinger participated in county business meetings, public hearings and work sessions by speakerphone when the state Legislature was in session.
“It’s obviously a little bittersweet for me to be moving on,” Tharinger told a crowd of about 100 at the reception. “I think it’s just the election cycle, the way it worked out. It was just the right thing for me to do.”
Sequim Republican Jim McEntire defeated Sequim Democrat Linda Barn-father in the November election to fill Tharinger’s post as the county commissioner for District 1, which covers the eastern third of the county.
McEntire will be sworn in Dec. 30.
“Giving the voters an opportunity to make a choice was the right thing to do,” Tharinger said. “But it is hard for me to leave this level of government.”
Tharinger became emotional when thanking Commissioners Mike Doherty and Mike Chapman.
“With these two commissioners, it’s been wonderful,” he said.
The current Board of Clallam County Commissioners has been intact since Chapman took office in 2001.
“My life’s better for having worked with Steve for 11 years,” Chapman said. “I’ve learned a lot from him. I have great respect for his ethics, his integrity, his work ethic.
“You may disagree with him. You may agree with him. Lord knows, I’ve done both on multiple issues.”
Chapman and Doherty said their colleague’s battle with lymphoma cancer in 2004 and 2005 stood out.
Doherty recalled visiting Tharinger when he was undergoing chemotherapy in Seattle. The conversation usually revolved around county government.
“He had to keep working on public policy,” Doherty said. “His heart was really in that.”
Chapman presented Tharinger with a photograph of he and Doherty shaving their heads in a show of solidarity.
Close to a dozen North Olympic Peninsula political leaders stood to thank Tharinger at the reception.
The list included state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, Port Angeles City Manager Kent Myers and Jamestown S’Klallam Chairman Ron Allen.
“What’s really been good about Steve and the rest of the commissioners is they’ve provided the leadership to find common ground,” Allen said.
Van De Wege said his colleague in the state House of Representatives “has proven to be a great problem solver and a great ally.”
Chapman said Tharinger can’t be replaced.
“We watched Steve battle cancer,” Chapman said. “We watched him go through three elections. We watched him run and serve in the state House concurrently.
“I’ve been most impressed with your commitment, your work ethic, your steadfastness.”
Doherty said Tharinger stood out as a leader at the local and state level in issues such as natural resources, conservation and restoration, tribal relations, chemical dependency and mental health treatment and planning.
Tharinger and his wife, Yokota, have lived in the Dungeness area for the past 30 years.
“I’d like to thank the team, who provided consistent leadership to the county, focusing on what we perceived to be the best interests of the citizens of Clallam County over the long term, as opposed to a partisan political agenda or narrow special interests or short term gains,” Tharinger said. “We may not have always gotten it right, but I think we would agree that we never questioned each other’s integrity.
“In short, I think we trusted each other.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.