Kuney to head Washington State Association of Counties

Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney is the new president of the Washington State Association of Counties.

The Washington State Association of Counties is, in part, an advocacy organization that lobbies in Olympia on behalf of the state’s 39 counties. Its members include elected officials from across the state, as well county employees.

In a news release, Kuney said she hopes to foster collaboration during her time as president.

“It is so important to create opportunities for those with diverse views in our communities to come together to have respectful and civil dialogue,” she said. “It is incumbent on all of us to restore civility and to build strong community-based solutions on the challenging issues facing our communities.”

Kuney has served on the county commission since being appointed in 2017 and currently serves as the board’s chairwoman. She won re-election this month in the race for Spokane County Commission District 4, which covers southeastern Spokane County and the southern half of Spokane Valley.

A Republican, Kuney worked as an auditor at both the county and state level before getting into politics.