The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday reappointed Councilmember Larry Phillips as council chairman. The council also approved retaining Jane Hague and Joe McDermott as the council’s Vice Chairs.
“I am honored to once again lead the legislative branch in serving the people of King County and meeting the challenges ahead,” said Phillips in a county media release. “In 2015, we face critical issues in securing reliable and certain transportation, public safety, and environmental services. Protecting and enhancing them for King County residents is our top priority. We must also act to secure King County’s fiscal future, as well as maintaining our human services safety net, addressing climate change, and protecting the health of Puget Sound and our waterways.”
As the council’s Management Team, the chair and vice-chairs work together to set the agendas for meetings of the council and Committee of the Whole and coordinate the referral and scheduling of legislation.
Phillips is the most senior member of the council. He was council chair from 2004-2006 and has served as chair of the Council’s Budget, Growth Management and Transportation Committees.
Along with the appointments, the council also approved the chairs and members of its standing committees. The council also approved the creation of two new committees: Health, Housing and Human Services and Law, Justice and Emergency Management.
Health, Housing and Humans Services, which will be chaired by Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, will be responsible for public health, human services and housing programs. Councilmember Kathy Lambert will chair the Law, Justice and Emergency Management Committee, which will have oversight of policies relating to public safety, criminal justice and emergency management.
The rest of the committee chairs will remain the same as in 2014:
• Committee of the Whole –Jane Hague, Chair
Considers legislation and policy issues of interest to the entire council, and is the only standing committee on which all nine members serve.
• Budget and Fiscal Management—Joe McDermott, Chair
Develops the Council’s policy direction for the county budget, and makes recommendations on the county’s structural funding gap and capital and operating budget appropriations.
• Government Accountability and Oversight — Pete von Reichbauer, Chair
Responsible for making recommendations on improving the efficiency, cost effectiveness and performance of all branches of county government and enhancing the oversight, accountability and transparency in county government.
• Transportation, Economy and Environment — Rod Dembowski, Chair
Responsible for oversight of transportation (including public transit and county roads), salmon recovery, and water quality and control. Makes recommendations on policies relating to growth management (including land use development and regulation), comprehensive planning, annexations, affordable housing, and the unincorporated and rural areas.
• Health, Housing and Human Services— Dave Upthegrove, Chair
Makes policy recommendations relating to public health, human services and housing programs.
• Law, Justice and Emergency Management— Kathy Lambert, Chair
Consider and makes recommendations on policies relating to public safety, criminal justice and emergency management.
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