Gossett, Hague and Patterson to lead County Council in 2013

January 14, 2013

Summary

Annual reorganization begins with appointment of Management Team, Committee Chairs

Story

As part of its annual reorganization, the Metropolitan King County Council today gave its unanimous support to a 2013 Council leadership team that will be led by Councilmember Larry Gossett. Gossett, who will serve a third consecutive year as Council Chair, will be joined by Councilmember Jane Hague, who will be Vice Chair of Regional Coordination and Councilmember Julia Patterson as Vice Chair of Policy Development and Review.

“I am honored that my colleagues have given me their unanimous support for the third straight year,” said Gossett. “The fiscal challenges facing not only King County, but also the state and federal governments, continue. My goal will be to have our Council meet those challenges, and the responsibilities of providing mandated services while supporting those in our community in crisis, in a bipartisan and transparent manner.”

“I am excited about the reorganization of committee assignments and believe this will be a productive year in the Council,” said Patterson, who will be the Chair of the Council’s Committee of the Whole. “I am honored to be taking on the role of Chair of the Council’s Committee of the Whole, and I look forward to working with Councilmember Hague and the rest of our colleagues on issues that will benefit residents throughout King County.”

“This Council is clearly placing an important emphasis on regional affairs by appointing me Council Vice Chair of Regional coordination,” said Hague. “In the spirit of the strategic plan, leading the charge on building lasting regional partnerships will be an exciting leadership role for me in 2013, especially my focus on long-term planning for the Eastside Rail Corridor.”

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.

Gossett was first elected to the County Council in 1994. He was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the Adult and Juvenile Justice Operational Master Plans (AJOMP and JJOMP), programs that have focused on alternatives to incarceration and emphasize treatment and prevention over detention. Gossett has also served as Budget Chair three times, most recently in 2009.

Councilmember Patterson was elected to the Council in 2001. She was Council Chair in 2009 and was chair of the Council’s Budget Committee in 2010 and 2011.

Councilmember Hague joined the County Council in 1994, and was elected Council Chair two years into her first term. She has held most major Council leadership positions as well as serving on the Budget Leadership Team multiple times. Hague’s leadership has also extended to the National Association of Counties, where she served as president and remains a member of the Board of Directors.

Along with the selection of the Council’s Management Team, the Council approved the appointment of standing committees chairs. Along with the new COW chair, there will be a new chair for the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. The rest of the committee chairs will remain the same as in 2012:

Committee of the Whole – Julia Patterson, Chair (with Councilmember Jane Hague chairing meetings involving the Eastside Rail Corridor)
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 2014 budget, and makes recommendations on the County’s structural funding gap and capital and operating budget appropriations. McDermott will also chair the Council’s four-member Budget Leadership Team (BLT) for the 2014 Budget deliberations.

Government Accountability and Oversight (Formerly Government Accountability, Oversight and Financial Performance)—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 King County government.

Transportation, Economy and Environment —Larry Phillips, 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.

Law, Justice, Health and Human Services — Kathy Lambert, Chair
Considers and makes recommendations on policies relating to public safety, criminal justice and emergency management. Makes policy recommendations relating to public health, human services and housing programs, including the implementation of the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan and the Veterans and Human Services Levy.

Members today also appointed chairs for the three regional committees established under the King County Charter that provide a forum for development and review of countywide plans and policies. These committees include elected officials from other local jurisdictions:

Regional Water Quality Committee – Larry Phillips, Chair
Develops, reviews, and recommends countywide policies and plans for water quality and sewer service issues, long range capital facilities plans, rate policies and facilities siting to guide King County’s regional water quality responsibilities.

Regional Policy Committee – Pete von Reichbauer, Chair
Reviews and recommends regional policies and plans, other than transit and water quality. Issues that may be referred to the Committee or be the subject of the committee's policy development include, but are not limited to, public health, human services, open space, housing, solid waste management, regional services, financial policies, criminal justice, jails and district court services, and the siting of regional facilities.

Regional Transit Committee – Reagan Dunn, Chair
Reviews and makes recommendations to the County Council on policies and plans for the public transportation services operated by King County. These policies govern the planning and delivery of bus service, commuter vanpools, and van service for people with disabilities; establishing of the structure for transit fares; the purchase of new buses; and the construction of bus shelters, park and ride lots, and other transit facilities.

The memberships of the standing committees will remain the same until the new Councilmember for District One is appointed.

                                                       2013 County Council Committee Assignments

Committee of the Whole: Patterson, Chair, Hague, Vice Chair. All Councilmembers serve on the Committee.

Budget and Fiscal Management: McDermott, Chair, Lambert, Vice Chair. Members: Hague, Patterson, Phillips.

Government Accountability and Oversight: von Reichbauer, Chair, Gossett, Vice Chair. Members: Lambert

Transportation, Economy and Environment: Phillips, Chair, Dunn, Vice Chair. Members: Gossett, Hague, Lambert, McDermott von Reichbauer.

Law, Justice Health and Human Services: Lambert, Chair, Gossett, Vice Chair. Members: Dunn, McDermott.

Regional Policy Committee: von Reichbauer, Chair. Members: Lambert.

Regional Transit Committee: Dunn, Chair. Members: Patterson, McDermott.

Regional Water Quality Committee: Phillips, Chair. Members: Dunn, Gossett.

Councilmember Larry Gossett will Chair the County Council in 2013. He will be joined by Vice Chairs Jane Hague (l) and Julia Patterson (r)