After declining to comment on the matter for several weeks, Platte County Presiding Commissioner Jason Brown has officially announced he will not seek re-election in 2014 to a second term. The Platte County Citizen received the following e-mail from Brown Wednesday morning: "In February of 1989 I voluntarily took an oath and joined the Army, with two deployments and over 20 years of service, in February of 2015 I will be eligible to retire. Since February of 2002 I have filed to run for office 5 times and have won 5 times. During each of these election cycles my family and I have decided to file and continue to serve the citizens of Platte County. The last 12 years has left me humbled and blessed to have the support of so many Platte Countians.
Shortly after being elected Presiding Commissioner in 2010, I came to realize that I had held public office since my daughter was 4 and that my boys have never known anything but their dad in public office.
While next to being a husband, father and leading soldiers in combat, being elected has been the next greatest honor of my life. I have always believed in God, country, and family. These values have not changed and nor will they. Our business is growing and we are looking for land, the kids are getting older, grandparents are retiring and it's just time to concentrate on family. As I have come to realize after missing a lot during the last twelve years, you only get time to be around for certain things once and then it's gone. After discussions with family and close friends, February of 2014 will mark the first time in 12 years of elected public service that I will not file for this election cycle. There is and always will be much more to life than just being elected, right now is the time for family. I want to thank everyone for their support, but especially our Congressman Sam Graves, Jeff Roe, John Elliott, and David Allen for not just their support but for their friendship. Thank you all and God Bless."
The e-mail was received after The Citizen went to press with this week’s printed issue.
Filing for the August 4 primary election began on Tuesday. Republicans Jim Plunkett, who is a former Platte County Second District Commissioner and Ron Schieber, the current District 14 State Representative, filed for presiding commissioner.