Kate Dean, who has represented District 1 on the Jefferson County Commission since 2017, announced last week that she will not seek reelection.

Dean wrote that she was “ready to start thinking about the next phase” of her life, and was excited to see someone with “new ideas and energy.”

Included in the announcement on Facebook was that she had “loved *nearly* every minute” of her time on the commission, and the decision came with “many mixed and big feels.”

Her last day will be Dec. 31.

Dean, who was reelected to the commission in 2021, also ran for a seat in Congress last year, before dropping out of the race.

The best candidate for the role is someone who “cares about rural issues, knows a thing or two about policy and governance, lives in District 1 and wants a demanding job.” Dean said she’d be glad to talk to such a candidate about running for office.

In conversation with The Leader, Dean said she wasn’t sure what might come next for her, “but with my second kid heading off to college next year, I'm thinking about the next phase of my life.”

While she reiterated her enjoyment of her time and role as a county commissioner, she also acknowledged the “roller coaster” nature of the work had left her ready for a change.

“It takes its toll,” Dean said. “There are a lot of demands, and my health has suffered.”

Dean looks forward to spending more time with her husband.

Asked what she viewed as chief accomplishments, she expressed pride in helping to secure funding for the Port Hadlock sewer system, and she joked that she would feel sad at not being in office anymore by the time they “flush that first toilet.”

Dean also touted Jefferson County’s status as “one of the safest counties” during COVID, and was gratified that “we were able to raise wages for county workers, who were underpaid for a long time.”

Dean reiterated her willingness to speak with anyone considering the job, to make sure they grasp the realities of both running for office and the demands of the job itself.

“It’s a big decision, unlike any other job interview you’ve ever done,” Dean said. “It’s a six-month job interview.”

Dean noted that Jefferson County District 1 possesses its own unique characteristics, given the nebulousness of its partial overlaps with the Port Townsend city limits, which can complicate the jurisdictions of important issues.

“The candidate has to live in District 1, but they also really need to understand non-city issues, such as septic, agricultural and water rights,” Dean said. “It can be hard to find someone with knowledge of such rural issues who still lives in the city.”

Ultimately, Dean wanted to emphasize the positive and “leave on a high note.” From her perspective, “the county is in great shape. We have a strong council, department directors and staff, so now is the time for someone new to come in.”

Dean will leave office secure in the belief that “government benefits from people who are solution-oriented.”

The candidate filing period is Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10. Candidates may file in-person 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. that week or online 24 hours a day starting at 8:00 am that Monday and ending at 5:00 p.m. that Friday. The withdrawal deadline is Monday, May 13, by 5 pm.