Snead says goodbye to commission

EPHRATA — When Tim Snead was first sworn in as a Grant County Commissioner in 1992, his son Sam was wasn't even in kindergarten yet.

Sam is now a sophomore at Moses Lake High School, Snead's daughter Whitnie is a senior.

Snead has seen quite a few changes since coming to the commission 12 years ago. He said that responsibilities have increased for a commissioner over the years, and added that it has been difficult over the last few years with the budget as tight as it has been.

Snead first came to the commission on Jan. 1 1993, but that wasn't his first association with a Grant County government position. Snead's father H.E. "Mode" Snead also served on the commission.

"When he was commissioner he used to call it the Camelot years," Snead said. "Back then they were more involved with the roads and they didn't have as much responsibility as we do now."

The Snead family first came to Moses Lake from Lind in 1954, where his family owned the John Deere dealership; they eventually opened another in Moses Lake. Snead himself worked in the agriculture business before running for the commission.

December is the busiest month for a commissioner, Snead said, and Grant County is currently working on its 2005 budget. Snead began working on the county's budget even before he took office in 1993; he sat in on the 1992 budget process shortly after being elected that year.

The 2005 budget will be Snead's last, and he will leave the commission after final adoption of that budget at the end of the year. Snead lost in a bid for reelection in November. Richard Stevens will take over the position in January.

The Grant County Commissioners held a farewell for Snead last week, and friends packed into the Commissioner's Hearing Room to tell stories, and wish the best to Snead.

"This guy has the memory of and elephant," Commissioner Deborah Moore said, "and I'm going to miss that for sure."

"Tim's a very dedicated person," Commissioner LeRoy Allison said Friday, "and he's served his constituents very well."

Former Grant County Commissioner Helen Fancher said that the event was bittersweet and what would be Grant County's loss would be the world's gain. Fancher served on the commission with Snead from his election until

1998.

"Tim happens to be of the opposite political party that I am," Fancher said, "but that never made a nickel's worth of difference. "

Longtime democrat Don McDowall was an advisor on Snead's final campaign, and he said that between Snead and his father, that a Snead has been a commissioner in Grant County for 28 years.

"Good luck in your next endeavor," McDowall said, "you're going to be missed, my friend."

Allison had Snead perform a traditional task of any outgoing commissioner. He put a sledgehammer to a telephone at Friday's ceremony,

a sign that he soon won't have to take any more phone calls as a commissioner.

One of his prouder accomplishments since coming to the commission in 1993, Snead recently encouraged the Bureau of Reclamation to look at

alternatives to a draw down of Banks Lake. The Bureau was looking to draw down the lake an additional 5 feet for fish mitigation, and Snead said

he got together with the residents of Coulee City and helped to show the negative impacts that the draw down of the lack would have. The Bureau

took no action on the plan.

Snead said he is also proud of the relationship he helped to form with Gunpo City, South Korea. Snead has been to the city twice since the county formed a sister city relationship with the city.

"I really enjoyed that and I think we're going to see benefits down the road," Snead said.

Snead said that while he may not always miss the job, said he will miss all the people he has worked with in Grant County.

"Grant County is really blessed," Snead said, "We've got a great group of people who work in the county."