Serving as an elected official can be a thankless job. And yet we feel compelled to thank Marc Boldt and Jeanne Stewart for their service as they leave the Clark County Council.
There’s no telling whether either of them will run for office in the future, but each has already made a mark on the community in multiple positions.
Boldt has served as a state representative from 1995 to 2004, a county commissioner from 2005 to 2012 and the county chair since 2014. He did not advance out of the primary to the general election this year while seeking re-election as chair, a position eventually won by fellow Councilor Eileen Quiring.
During his long service, perhaps Boldt’s most notable contribution was as the first chair of the county council. After voters approved a charter in 2014 to remake county government, Boldt ran without party affiliation for the newly created chair position. In that role, he recognized that the county chair’s job is to represent the entire populace and to facilitate a smooth-running council rather than promote an ideological agenda. During a July interview with The Columbian’s Editorial Board while seeking re-election, Boldt said, “I don’t speak for myself, I speak for the council.”
As a state representative and during his first stint on the county council, Boldt was a Republican. But he was censured by local party officials after endorsing a Democrat and lost re-election to the council in 2012 to more-conservative David Madore. His decision to run for chair in 2014 and to serve without party affiliation should provide a model for future county chairs. As the most prominent face of county government and the only council member elected in a countywide vote, it is essential for the chair to consider varying opinions and to take a holistic view of important issues. Boldt has effectively done that and has served admirably.
Stewart, a Republican, also has served in multiple elected positions. She was a Vancouver city councilor for 12 years and then was elected to what was called the county commission in 2014. At that time, representatives were chosen in a countywide vote; the charter changed that to voting by districts, and Stewart found herself in strongly Democratic District 1. She lost to Temple Lentz this year in a quest for re-election.
Clark County residents should feel indebted to Stewart for the role she played as a voice of reason upon first joining the county commission. Although she was a Republican like fellow Commissioners Madore and Tom Mielke, she often spoke up against their more outlandish actions — providing a valuable service even when she found herself on the short end of a 2-1 vote.
At one point during a 2015 commission meeting, Stewart told Madore: “I want to say that it is absolutely shameful the way that you have hijacked this process to get people to comply with your, and only your, will. This is not good government. It’s shocking, and I’m ashamed of it.” Normally thoughtful and deliberate in considering council actions, Stewart’s dignified demeanor has served citizens well.
Editorially over the years, The Columbian has frequently taken issue with both Boldt and Stewart regarding the issues of the day. But we have always appreciated the dedication they have brought to elected office and have never doubted that they were guided by what they thought was best for the region and not their personal agenda.
Marc Boldt and Jeanne Stewart are deserving of thanks from the residents of Clark County.
