You don’t grow up in a place like Tenino without getting a little grit under your nails.
I’m Wayne Fournier — Thurston County commissioner, professional firefighter, former small-town mayor — and, as of today, apparently a columnist, too.
That wasn’t exactly part of the plan. But after reading a news article last week where a constituent tried to make an issue out of me working two full-time jobs, I had to laugh. Yes, I’m a county commissioner and a firefighter — and now, I figured, why not pick up another job?
So here I am. I’m adding “newspaper columnist” to my résumé. Not because I need more work, but because I want to make what I do — and what your government does — more accessible, more honest and maybe even a little more fun.
Because here’s the truth: I never planned to be here.
But public service is in my DNA.
My grandfather served as Tenino’s police chief and, in the late 1970s, ran for Thurston County sheriff. He didn’t win. But what he taught me by running was that leadership isn’t about guaranteed success — it’s about stepping up when your community needs you.
My father followed that same path, becoming Tenino’s assistant fire chief. He didn’t do it for recognition. He did it because when a call came, someone had to answer it.
Growing up, I thought that story belonged to them. I went off to college, traveled and spent time abroad. But while visiting a small village in Tuscany, something clicked. Every little town I visited was proud of its history and identity. And it made me realize something: Tenino had that same story. We’d just forgotten how to tell it.
When I returned, I couldn’t unsee it. I ran for city council in 2011, wanting to help people believe in our hometown again.
I asked questions, I listened and I learned. Then, as mayor, I pushed even harder. From printing our own money during COVID-19 to reviving Tenino’s stone carving tradition with Keith Phillips in his dusty shed, I wanted to show that small towns don’t need to settle for slow decline. We can lead — and innovate — from right here.
Today, as your county commissioner, I’ve gone from fixing potholes to shaping housing policy and emergency services across Thurston County. The scale is bigger now, but the work is rooted in the same principle:
Show up. Listen. Solve problems. Inspire belief.
And if I ever need a reminder of why that matters, I don’t have to look far.
I’m proud to share that my daughter — who has grown up watching me juggle meetings, emergencies, and everything in between — was just elected ASB president of her middle school. Watching her campaign and win brought it all full circle.
