Lee Grose, the former two-term Lewis County commissioner and Packwood Republican precinct committee officer, has been chosen to serve out the final year of Gary Stamper’s term on the Lewis County Board of Commissioners.
The unanimous decision was made by commissioners Lindsey Pollock and Sean Swope during a Wednesday morning director’s meeting.
Grose will serve in Stamper’s seat through the certification of the November 2022 general election. He will take the oath of office in just two weeks — on Wednesday, Nov. 17 — and assume the office shortly after.
“He’ll never be able to replace Gary, and I’m very grateful that we have an opportunity to appoint someone who has experience, knows most of our staff and can fill the seat and be up to speed on a lot of things really quick, and to help move county business along in a productive and effective way,” Swope said.
Stamper died of COVID-19 in late September. He was 67.
“I felt all three candidates were great, but I think for staff and the county, and to have 100% focus over the next year, Lee Grose gives us the best opportunity for success right now,” Swope continued.
Swope said Grose will bring plenty of wisdom and experience to the position as the county moves forward, and he’s excited to see the other two candidates, Harry Bhagwandin and Kevin Emerson, run for the seat next year.
“I also took time with our staff and people around the county, and by and large people felt Lee would be a good fit to fill the seat for the remaining months,” Swope said.
Grose served Commissioner District No. 3 before stepping away in 2015 and allowing Stamper to win his seat.
During interviews, Grose highlighted his previous service and ability to hit the ground running. Speaking with Lewis County Republican precinct committee officers last week, he touted his conservative ideals and ability to represent the interests of East Lewis County as a whole.
“The position calls for a commissioner to be a voice of the people and to engage with the citizens. I will continue to serve as I did before, remaining easily accessible, attending public meetings much as Commissioner Stamper became well-known and respected for. Those who knew me as commissioner know how much I believe and accept these responsibilities,” Grose told his fellow party members last week.
He has no intention of running as an incumbent for the seat when it’s up for reelection next year, which lays the groundwork for a healthy pool of east county candidates to step up. Grose told party members he had plans to personally groom another Republican to succeed him during his transition out next year.
Grose is vaccinated against COVID-19, he told The Chronicle. That means two of the three commissioners will continue to be inoculated against the viral disease, which has killed nearly 150 Lewis County residents.
Though county commissioners had until Nov. 29 to make their decision on a candidate, it only took them a week between receiving the list of three finalists from the Lewis County Republicans and choosing Grose.
On Monday, the two commissioners held interviews with the three candidates, which also included Onalaska residents Emerson and Bhagwandin. Republican PCOs had held a meeting the week prior to select the three.
Pollock and Swope deliberated their preferred candidate during a lengthy Tuesday afternoon executive session with county staff and the Lewis County Prosecutor's Office, but declined to put forward a motion nominating a candidate.
Pollock told The Chronicle after that meeting that they were going about the appointment in a nuanced manner and didn’t want to make any snap decisions.
“It takes a little time to weigh all the different things that are going on,” Pollock said.
She said her top priority while considering candidates was about who would best represent the interests of the East Lewis County residents
“That is the most important thing to me at this point, because that is the job of the commissioner. The commissioner is there to represent the people of the district,” she said.
