Julia Patterson elected Chair of King County Council for 2008

Dow Constantine, Reagan Dunn named Vice-Chairs in annual Council reorganization

Councilmember Julia Patterson was today unanimously elected Chair of the Metropolitan King County Council for 2008, along with other leadership positions announced today as part of the annual Council reorganization.

Councilmember Dow Constantine was named Council Vice-Chair for Policy and Chair of the Committee of the Whole, and Councilmember Reagan Dunn was elected Council Vice-Chair for Council Relations. The Chair and Vice-Chairs, working together as the Council’s management team, set the agendas for meetings of the Council and Committee of the Whole and coordinate the referral and scheduling of legislation.

“I am honored to have the broad bi-partisan support of my colleagues as Council Chair,” said Patterson. “In 2008 we will continue to improve the accountability and performance of King County government, while at the same time delivering on our commitments made to voters for new bus service, parks, trails and open space, ferry service, flood protection and reform of our mental health system.”

Patterson was first elected to the Council in 2001. In 2007 she chaired the Council’s Committee of the Whole and the King County Board of Health, and took the lead on issues ranging from transportation to reforms of the Sheriff’s office, Elections Section, and Animal Care and Control. She took a leadership role in implementing reforms to King County Elections and King County Animal Control, creating the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Oversight, and examining the quality of health care provided to inmates in the King County jail.

In her two terms on the County Council Patterson has served on numerous regional bodies, including Sound Transit and the Puget Sound Regional Council, working closely with city and county officials from across the region. She recently chaired an advisory committee of city, business, environmental and civic leaders that recommended preservation and public acquisition of the Eastside BNSF rail corridor. In 2005, she helped lead the effort to gain broad regional support and passage of the Veterans and Human Services Levy to improve care and services for the most vulnerable in King County.

Patterson has partnered extensively with members of the Republican caucus on reform, accountability and transportation measures. “I will continue to ask the tough questions and work in partnership with the Executive on behalf of the people of King County,” she said.

Constantine was appointed to the Council in 2002 after service in both the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives. He won re-election to the Council in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007. He has served as a member of the Council’s budget leadership team since 2002, chairing the Operating Budget Committee in 2006 and Capital Budget Committee in 2007, and serving as chair of the County’s 2007 annual budget process. He also chaired the Council’s Labor, Operations and Technology Committee in 2002-2003 and the Growth Management and Natural Resources Committee in 2004-2006. He currently serves on the Sound Transit Board.

“I’m honored to be chosen for this key King County Council leadership position,” said Constantine. “As Vice-Chair for Policy and Chair of the Council's Committee of the Whole, I look forward to working with all my Council colleagues to address challenges ranging from transportation to criminal justice to health care.”

After serving in the U.S. Department of Justice, Dunn was appointed to the Council in February 2005, replacing Councilmember Rob McKenna following his election as state Attorney General. Dunn will begin his fourth year on the Council, having chaired the Council’s Transportation and Regional Transit Committees.

“I am very proud to be serving with Councilmember Patterson and Councilmember Constantine in a leadership role on this Council,” said Dunn. “They are fine public servants and I know we will work well together.”

Members also approved a reorganization of the Council’s standing committees that includes bipartisan leadership of both new and restructured committees:

• Councilmember Jane Hague will chair the new Utilities and Parks Committee. 
• Councilmember Bob Ferguson will chair the renamed Operating Budget, Fiscal Management and Select Issues Committee. 
• Councilmember Larry Phillips will direct the development of the 2009 King County Budget as chair of the 2009 Budget Review and Adoption Committee.

The full roster of committee leadership is as follows:

• Committee of the Whole: Chair Dow Constantine, Vice-Chair Reagan Dunn
• Capital Budget Committee: Chair Larry Phillips, Vice-Chair Kathy Lambert 
• General Government and Labor Relations Committee: Chair Larry Gossett, Vice-Chair Pete von Reichbauer
• Growth Management and Natural Resources Committee: Chair Larry Gossett 
• Law, Justice and Human Services Committee: Chair Kathy Lambert, Vice-Chair Bob Ferguson
• Operating Budget, Fiscal Management, and Select Issues Committee: Chair Bob Ferguson
• 2009 Budget Review and Adoption Committee: Chair Larry Phillips 
• Transportation Committee: Chair Dow Constantine, Vice-Chair Reagan Dunn
• Employment and Administration Committee: Chair Jane Hague, Vice-Chair Julia Patterson
• Utilities and Parks Committee: Chair Jane Hague, Vice Chair Larry Gossett
• Regional Policy Committee: Chair Pete von Reichbauer 
• Regional Transit Committee: Chair Reagan Dunn, Vice-Chair Bob Ferguson
• Regional Water Quality Committee: Chair Larry Phillips, Vice-Chair Jane Hague.

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system. Type in “2007-0671”