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By Tillamook County Commissioner Bill Baertlein
After much thought and soul searching, I have decided not to run again for Tillamook County Commissioner. I will be 70 years old in January of 2021 and want to spend some more time traveling, fishing and gardening. My daughter has a baby on the way and I am looking forward to becoming a grandpa!
I want to thank my spouse for encouraging me to be a Commissioner and putting up with me being consumed by the position for two terms. It has been a huge burden on her workload in running what has now become her CPA Firm. I also want to thank those who supported me at the ballot box and shared my vision of a healthier and thriving community for all citizens.
As one born and raised in a 1950’s working-family, I have brought the passion and commitment for our working-class families to my position as a commissioner daily. This passion for helping the working-class is what I will most miss.
Being a County Commissioner has been and continues to be a joy for me. I look forward to getting to the office every day and I still have the passion for making Tillamook a better place for those that call it home. I know I have a reputation for stirring the pot and throwing rocks in the pond and that will continue up to my last day in office. You can’t make positive change without stirring things up and waking the community to the needs of so many of our neighbors.
Finally, just because I will be retiring as a Commissioner after this term doesn’t mean that I will be going quietly into the night. I will still have a few rocks for the pond and a stirring stick, a much smaller stirring stick for sure, but still enough to keep things interesting!
