Liberty Lake mayor resigns citing health concerns

Liberty Lake Mayor Shane Brickner announced Wednesday he would resign , saying he needed to take a step back from the demands of the position to focus on his health and family.

Brickner, a former sales manager and volunteer police officer, has served as mayor for almost a year. In a news release posted to his official Facebook, Brickner wrote that he had been “burning the candle at both ends” for many years and said his health care provider had told him he had serious health concerns he could no longer ignore.

“I absolutely love this community and all the amazing people in Liberty Lake, but I must step down from being Mayor of this beautiful community,” Brickner wrote. “Some of you that know me well, know how difficult this really is for me, but I have missed so much in my family’s life and it is now time for me to be present.”

He said he had several health episodes involving an issue with his heart, but did not specify an illness.

Brickner beat former mayor Steve Peterson, a near 15-year incumbent, in a close race in the Nov. 2019 election. This past year he has overseen the city’s response to COVID-19 and helped direct the city’s federal COVID-19 aid funds.

He previously served as a City Council member and was first elected to City Council in 2011 and ran unopposed for a second term in 2015. Brickner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the news release he asked constituents to respect his decision and said he would find other ways to try and stay involved.

“I don’t know the word ‘quit’ or ‘give up,’” Brickner wrote, “It would be easy to say I need to just slow down and not work as much as I have, but I don’t know any other way.”

Liberty Lake City Manager Katy Allen said Brickner’s last day as mayor will be Dec. 31 and City Council member Mike Kennedy will serve as mayor pro tempore until the City Council can meet to discuss options for the city and appoint a new mayor.

Kennedy is a business owner in Liberty Lake who has been a City Council member since 2018.

The Liberty Lake City Council will hold a workshop on Jan. 5 during its 6 p.m. meeting. The public can attend online by streaming the City Council meeting over Zoom. Login information can be found on the city’s website.