Chehalis Public Works Director Rick Sahlin started a countdown clock on his phone about six months before his scheduled date of retirement. He kept one going on the whiteboard in his office, too.
Sahlin wiped the board clean on Friday after more than 37 years spent working for the City of Chehalis. Come Monday morning, his chair will be occupied by Community Development Director Trent Lougheed, who has spent the past year preparing for the change.
Once he’s settled into the next phase of his life, Sahlin envisions a possible return to volunteering on city advisory boards or with other organizations in Chehalis. He spent 23 years as a volunteer firefighter with Lewis County Fire District 6 before injuries kept him from continuing.