Clark County Council Chair Sue Marshall will not seek reelection

Sue Marshall announced she will not run for reelection to the Clark County Council, citing family, farm life, and other priorities as she completes her final 10 months in office. Photo courtesy clark.wa.gov

Sue Marshall, the chair of the Clark County Council, gave the reasons for her decision to Clark County Today on Wednesday, but she also noted that she still has plenty of work to do in her final 10 months on the council

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

The Chair of the Clark County Council announced this week she will not be running for reelection and this will be her final year on the council.

“I like the work that I’ve done,” Sue Marshall told Clark County Today on Wednesday after Council Time, adding that the work takes time and that has consequences.

“I think that I really just took the time to think about what time I have on this planet and how I want to spend my time,” Marshall said. “There are things that I have neglected as a result of doing this work. Family. The farm. Grandkids. There are just a lot of things in my life that haven’t been to the forefront that I’d like to move more to the forefront.”

Marshall said she made the decision “a while ago” but announced the decision this week.

She said she will miss the work.

“I like being able to find solutions to problems and working with all of the staff and community members,” Marshall said. “I think I have the ability to connect dots sometimes and produce results. That’s very satisfying, meaningful work.”

Of course, the work is not complete. Marshall has 10 months left in her position as the representative for the county’s District 5 as well as being the chair of the council.

One of the top priorities, she said, is completion of the Clark County Comprehensive Plan.

“We’ve got to get that out the door,” she said.

She also chairs the law and justice council, and she is proud of the progress that has been made in being more collaborative between the segments of law and justice.

“It’s a complex system that really has to work all together,” Marshall said.

She added that the recent increase in sales tax revenue that the council approved will be used to “augment” the number of deputies in Clark County.

She also added that she is interested in agriculture issues and looking into a public benefit rating system for landowners.

Affordable housing is another priority in her final 10 months, she said.

Marshall also wants to work with the Clark County Historical Museum about having a county-wide celebration for America 250 this Independence Day.

Marshall will be leaving the council, but she said she will remain involved in the community.