Michelle Clark received the unanimous support of the King County Council to lead the King County Flood Control District as the agency’s executive director.
The council confirmed Clark’s appointment at its Dec. 12 meeting. The district oversees levee projects along the Green River in Kent as well as other rivers in the county.
“I want to thank all the supervisors for their confidence in appointing me executive director,” said Clark in a media release. “The flood district has a strong history of protecting the lives and property of county residents even as we wisely use the funds provided to the district. I look forward to collaborating with supervisors on our important job of reducing the risk of flooding in rural and urban neighborhoods throughout King County.”
Clark, of Bellevue, has been a member of County Councilmember Larry Gossett’s staff, specializing in land use and transportation policy. She has also been the councilmember’s lead staffer for the Flood District during the years Gossett was the chair of the district’s Board of Supervisors.
“Michelle Clark has already proved to be a tremendous asset to the Flood Control District,” said Supervisor Reagan Dunn, chair of the Flood District’s Board of Supervisors. “I look forward to seeing how her experience and expert knowledge gained while working for Councilmember Gossett will serve her in this new role as executive director.”
A graduate of Sammamish High School in Bellevue, Clark received her undergraduate degree from Seattle University and her law degree from the University of Chicago.
As executive director, Clark will be responsible for a $330 million six-year capital budget and $11 million annual operating budget. She will receive an annual salary of $128,000.
The district is funded by a property tax of 13 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation.
The director develops and oversees contracts with King County and other jurisdictions to implement the district’s capital program and services, and manages the day-to-day administrative functions of district operations. The director staffs the district’s Board of Supervisors, which sets the policy and oversees annual grant programs.
Clark replaces Kjris Lund, who has been the executive director but as a consultant under contract with the district. Lund will return to her consulting practice, according to district interim spokesman Al Sanders.
Lund helped establish the district and assisted with critical issues such as ensuring the Lower Green River System-wide Investment Framework (SWIF) was submitted to the United States Army Corps of Engineers to keep the levees along the Green River eligible for Corps repair funding, Sanders said.
The director also supports a 15-member Advisory Committee, made up of local government officials and citizens, which provides advice to the board relative to annual operating and capital budgets.
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