Committee hosts meet and greet

On May 7, the Committee to Retain Sheriff Mason hosted a meet and greet event at Rosburg Hall. Sponsored by committee members Nick and Dee Nikkila, the event drew a large crowd of Wahkiakum County residents eager to hear from Sheriff Mason about his bid for retention as sheriff.

The evening began with Mark Howie introducing John Mason and sharing his service history with the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office. A key highlight of the introduction was how Mason began his journey in law enforcement. In 2013, he attended Sheriff Howie's first Citizens Academy. After completing the program, he volunteered as a reserve deputy. Howie recognized Mason's potential early on and hired him as soon as he could. Mason then attended the academy in Seattle, where he competed against 34 other recruits, finishing second academically and first overall in his class.

"You know a leader when you see one," Howie said of Mason. "I recognized early on that John would be a leader for the sheriff's office in some capacity. He completely epitomizes the three values that the sheriff's office has upheld for the last 15 years: service, integrity, and respect. John carries these values in everything he does. He is a community-minded servant; a true servant leader."

Mason took the opportunity to share his experiences and accomplishments, not only as a member of the sheriff's department but also in his community engagement. One of his main objectives is to continue partnering with community volunteer groups and other county departments to promote community preparedness presentations, resilience against victimization, and overall well-being. Additional goals include developing robust emergency planning, fostering a culture of officer wellness, and creating a peer support program to ensure that all staff members at the sheriff's office are mentally and physically healthy and resilient in facing the challenges of first responders. With the recent hiring of three additional officers, once they complete their training, the department will be fully staffed, helping him meet his public safety expectations.

Mason also announced the reopening of the Johnson Park Field Office, expressing his excitement about providing sheriff's office staff with better access to residents, especially those on the West End. Office hours will be on Thursdays in Room 8. The office has also been equipped with updated technology.

Holding an elected position as sheriff, Mason stressed, "Politically, I believe in the rule of law. I believe in the Constitution; it is a document that works beautifully when the government follows it and remembers that it's a document that serves the people. I believe in fairly and impartially representing your public safety interests. I am running as an Independent because I believe, as the sheriff, your public safety should not be influenced by any sort of political agenda. It should be totally impartial. Most importantly, I believe in community service. I say this often, I believe that a community that takes care of each other is a safer and healthier community. We have a beautiful county, full of wonderful people and traditions. You deserve the best in public safety."

Mason introduced his wife, Jody, standing by his side, as his rock and greatest supporter. She is also a first responder, being the ER charge nurse at St. John's Hospital in Longview, and the EMS Battalion Chief for the Cathlamet Fire Department.

Several residents asked questions about the greatest challenges in a large and sparsely populated county, whether officers use body cameras, and expressed concerns that the sheriff's department drives black or brown vehicles, making them less visible. In his responses, Mason noted that several challenges ultimately come down to economics.

"The number one challenge for our county is financial," he said. "This county doesn't have a lot of revenue to support the government. It always seems like we are teetering on the edge of having a good budget or bad budget year to year. This directly impacts staffing levels and the possibility of having positions cut. The other challenge that comes with working in a rural county with a smaller staff is officers answering calls alone, having single officer responses in potentially dangerous situations."

Gary Howell, who serves as under sheriff, said, "When it came time for Mark Howie to announce his retirement, and John expressed his interest in becoming sheriff, I couldn't have chosen a better person. John has a vision for the future, and we have established a team mentality where we work well together and support each other. All I can say is, 'Support this man.' He has good plans and will do what we need to do. We're a team. We want him; he's who we want."

Following Sheriff Howie's retirement in June 2024, Mason was appointed by the Wahkiakum County Commissioners to serve as sheriff until November 2025. In the upcoming election, he is running to fulfill the remainder of that term and will be required to run again in November 2026 for a full term.