Brown Runs Again For County Seat

WALLA WALLA - Frank Brown wants to be clear about why he wants to be a Walla Walla County Commissioner - and that's to serve people.

"I want to work for the people," he said.

Brown, who is 58 and lives on Blue Creek Road, is a 1973 graduate of Walla Walla High School and has lived here most of his life. He did leave the area for college in St. Louis and Seattle to study forensics and engineering, but since 1989 he has lived on his current 20 acres in the Mill Creek area.

Brown is the third candidate to file for the District 2 county commissioner position. He will challenge incumbent Perry Dozier, who has held the seat for one term, as well as newcomer Chris Blackman, a school teacher in Walla Walla.

Brown is the only one of these candidates who has actually worked as an employee for the county. He served as deputy coroner and served six years as coroner. Brown says he's not a good old boy and certainly doesn't want to be a lifetime politician. He has been on sabbatical for two years and he wants to give back to continue to help his neighbors. Over the past two years, he has helped his friends and neighbors move, fix up houses and visited family. Now, he's ready to take on more responsibility, he says.

And this isn't the first time running for the seat. Brown ran against Dozier four years ago and lost in the primaries. This time around, he's hoping for better results, especially because he's got more time to devote to campaigning.

"Now I can really get out, campaign and meet people," Brown said. "It's always been about doing things for the people."

Service

Brown learned about helping others from his father who was in the service and his job is the reason Brown was raised in Walla Walla. Brown said he had always been interested in nursing and forensics and so he chose to attend St. Louis College to seek that degree because it was a great school. With his degree in death investigation and registered nursing, he came back to Walla Walla and went to work as a trauma nurse at Providence St. Mary Medical Center. In 1992, he was hired on at the county as deputy coroner and worked under Steve Ames. When Ames retired, Brown ran for the position and was elected.

"I loved the job," Brown said of being coroner. "I was filled with love and compassion for that position. I was responsible for somebody who couldn't represent themselves."

From newborns to those aged 120, Brown said he gave everyone his full attention and helped the family members who were involved.

However, after six years of being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week with little vacation, Brown said he started to get worn down. His request for a deputy coroner was denied by the county commissioners in office at the time and he said there were challenges and needs he believed weren't being met.

"He had a lot of vision for the department," said Wayne Jorstad, who has known Brown for 30 years and worked with him at St. Mary's. "He would do a good job and work for the people."

Jorstad said Brown is very good with people and is wonderful at consoling them and guiding them at difficult times.

And before Brown knew it, he said the deadline to file for re-election in the coroner position had passed and he was actually a bit relieved. He was ready to have some time with his wife, Charleen, adult daughter, Missti, and son, Dustin, and some time to get away to his beach house on the coast.

Now that he's running again for the county position he desires, he's taking what he learned from the previous coroner and commissioner races and he's putting in the time required to get out and start talking with constituents and shaking hands.

He said the dedication it takes to campaign carries over into the position.

"I have the time, the dedication, the interest and the desire," Brown said.

Some of the hot-button issues he wants to campaign on are related to how the county is run and taxes. He said he would not approve of hiring a county administrator because running the county is the job of the commissioners.

He would also like to investigate the storm water tax and find out how to remove or alter it. Finally, he said he would like to find ways to better equip and serve the sheriff's office because they are the ones who protect the people and should receive what they need.

"Why not support those guys?" Brown asked.

Of course there will be a learning curve if he is elected, but Brown said there is a learning curve with any new position. He believes he is the best person for the job because he has been at the head of a department in the county.

"I think I have an awesome respect and review of what goes on in the county," Brown said. "I'm capable of doing that job and I'm willing to give all the dedication (required)."

His friend Kevin Young feels Brown's experience also sets him apart as a candidate.

"He's been in the system," Young said. "As coroner, he has seen what's gone on in the county. He has been in front of the commissioners and worked with them. He knows how they keep house."