Chelan County Prosecutor Doug Shae Retiring

Chelan County Prosecutor Doug Shae announced Friday that he will retire from his position effective June 1st.

Shae, who has worked with the county in civil and criminal matters for almost 33 years, said he felt like it was a good time for somebody else to step in and lead things. Nothing in particular drove his decision to retire, but rather he had simply reached his retirement age.

"I think I brought a lot of heart to the job. It's a really difficult job because you get to see people and things at their worst." explained Shae, "I think I leave the county in pretty good shape in terms of it being a safe place to live, work and visit. I feel pretty proud about that."

Shae added that it's a real challenge to keep the county safe and his successor will continue to have to deal with civil issues like planning, personnel, and other departments. Legislative changes, such as the recent State vs Blake decision regarding drug possession, will always be there said Shae.

The Republican Party will nominate three people to fill in for Shae, with Chelan County Commissioners approving the replacement. That individual will then serve until the position comes up for election in 2022.