HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2024-4700

HR 4700

ByRepresentatives Jinkins, Stokesbary, Abbarno, Alvarado, Barkis, Barnard, Bateman, Berg, Bergquist, Berry, Bronoske, Caldier, Callan, Chambers, Chandler, Chapman, Cheney, Chopp, Christian, Connors, Corry, Cortes, Couture, Davis, Dent, Doglio, Donaghy, Duerr, Dye, Entenman, Eslick, Farivar, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Fosse, Goehner, Goodman, Graham, Gregerson, Griffey, Hackney, Harris, Hutchins, Jacobsen, Klicker, Kloba, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Low, Macri, Maycumber, McClintock, McEntire, Mena, Morgan, Mosbrucker, Nance, Orcutt, Ormsby, Ortiz-Self, Orwall, Paul, Peterson, Pollet, Ramel, Ramos, Reed, Reeves, Riccelli, Robertson, Rude, Rule, Ryu, Sandlin, Santos, Schmick, Schmidt, Senn, Shavers, Simmons, Slatter, Springer, Stearns, Steele, Stonier, Street, Taylor, Thai, Tharinger, Timmons, Volz, Walen, Walsh, Waters, Wilcox, Wylie, and Ybarra

WHEREAS, Joel Andrew Kretz was born in Seattle to Marjory and Vincent Kretz; and

WHEREAS, He grew up in Mercer Island and graduated from Mercer Island High School; and

WHEREAS, Kretz worked closely with his father at Timber Traders and Preston Mill Company in the timber business; and

WHEREAS, He started a logging company, Kretz Logging; and

WHEREAS, Kretz has a son, Jed (Chandra), and two grandchildren – Waylon and Josette; and

WHEREAS, He is lucky to be married to Lucka from Bohemia; and

WHEREAS, Kretz is the owner of Promised Land Ranch in Wauconda, where he raises horses, cattle, and timber; and

WHEREAS, He has welcomed all who were interested in gaining a real country perspective the opportunity to visit his beautiful home – provided they could find his four-mile driveway with no cell service or GPS system and traverse its multiple gates; and

WHEREAS, Kretz was first elected to the Washington State House of Representatives in 2004 to represent the 7th Legislative District; and

WHEREAS, He was elected House Republican Deputy Leader in late 2008 – a position he held until he stepped down in April 2023 (15 years!); and

WHEREAS, Kretz has advocated for private property rights, small businesses, solutions to address predator problems in Northeast Washington, fire-resilient forests, and wildfire prevention and response; and

WHEREAS, He has fought tirelessly for his constituents – the ranchers, farmers, and families of the great frontier; and

WHEREAS, Kretz has worked closely with Colville Tribal Leaders, such as Mel Tonasket, on their shared commitments to the lands, waters, and resources of the region; and

WHEREAS, He will always be remembered for his love of the land, his fierce loyalty to his friends, and his mustache; and

WHEREAS, Kretz is known for his passion for the rural lifestyle, the rural economy, and the rural code of "make sure you're not all hat and no cattle"; and

WHEREAS, He will always be Olympia's favorite cowboy from Wauconda and his life a country song. And as we all know, a cowboy never says goodbye – it's not in his nature; and

WHEREAS, Kretz has always had an open-door policy, often hosting both Republicans and Democrats at the same time in his Western-themed office to share thoughts and ideas. All who entered his office were greeted with a "come on in" and treated as a close friend; and

WHEREAS, As he concludes his time in the Washington State House of Representatives, we share our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for his public service and friendship;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives recognize Representative Joel Kretz's record of public service to this institution, his constituents, and the people of Washington state.