Commissioners pick Heywood for judge

Effective September 1, Wahkiakum County will have a new district court judge.

William Faubion, a 38-year veteran of the bench, is retiring at the end of August, and Tuesday, Wahkiakum County commissioners voted 2-1 to appoint Skamokawa attorney Heidi Heywood to complete the remainder of his term.

The position will be up for election in 2018 ballots.

Commissioners Blair Brady, Mike Backman and Dan Cothren had received names of two candidates to fill the position, Heywood and Cathlamet attorney Tim Hanigan.

Commissioners met in a short executive session to discuss the candidates' qualifications, and when they reconvened in open session, Backman moved to appoint Heywood to the post, and Brady, board chair, seconded the motion.

Brady called for the vote and he and Backman both said, "Aye."

Cothren asked for time, and addressed Heywood, who was in the audience at the board's meeting, saying he had nothing against her.

"It's nothing personal," Cothren said to Heywood. "I've known Tim Hanigan for a long time and I wanted to support him. I just felt that with his long residence in this county, his practice, and his service, he's wanted to make a difference.

"You'll do a good job."

The commission then moved on to adopting a resolution 3-0 to make the appointment effective September 1.

Heywood was admitted to the Washington State Bar in 1995 and worked almost three years as the county's deputy prosecuting attorney. She started her own practice in 2003, and in 2005, she became a Wahkiakum County Superior Court commissioner. She has also served as attorney for the town of Cathlamet for several years. Besides her legal work, she has served in the Skamokawa Fire Department.