PORT TOWNSEND ­­— The Jefferson County treasurer is retiring June 30 with six months left on her present term, her fourth.<br /><br />Judi Morris, last elected in 2010, announced her decision in an April 23 letter to the three county commissioners.<br /><br />“It has been a pleasure to work with each of you and an honor to work for the citizens of Jefferson County,” Morris told them.<br /><br />Morris has been elected four times to the office, which has a four-year term. The first time was in 1998.<br /><br />“I am retiring. We are moving on,” Morris said Tuesday.<br /><br />“We sold our house and are moving to Arizona to be closer to our grandson, who has leukemia.”<br /><br />Morris, 70, has said her decision to seek a fifth term hinged on selling her house. It sold this spring.<br /><br />“Judi has done a great job,” said Jefferson County Superior Court Clerk Ruth Gordon.<br /><br />“She has been a good friend, and I will miss her.”<br /><br />Since Morris was elected as a Republican, the county party will select three names that will be submitted to the county commissioners.<br /><br />The commissioners will then select one of those names to serve out the last six months of Morris’ term.<br /><br />The appointed treasurer would begin work July 1.<br /><br />He or she will run for election in November. The willingness to do so will be part of the selection criteria, according to Jefferson County Republican Chairman Gene Farr.<br /><br />Farr said the party’s executive committee has already met twice and plans to meet again Thursday.<br /><br />“We hope to identify three people that we can recommend to the commissioners,” Farr said. “It’s important that this is done in a timely manner.”