Summary

New committee chairs assigned, appointments to standing committees approved

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today completed its annual reorganization of standing committees with the appointment of new chairs to the Law, Justice, Health and Human Service, Regional Transit and Regional Water Quality Committees

The committee assignments finish the reorganization process that started on Jan.3 when Councilmember Larry Gossett was unanimously elected chair of the Council. Gossett is joined on the Council’s management team by Councilmember Jane Hague, who will serve as Vice Chair and Chair of the Committee of the Whole.

The full roster of committee leadership is as follows:

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. In the fall, during the Council’s deliberations on the 2012 King County Budget, the Committee of the Whole will move to Monday mornings.

Budget and Fiscal Management — Julia Patterson, Chair
Develops the Council’s policy direction for the 2012 budget, and makes recommendations on the County’s structural funding gap and capital and operating budget appropriations. Patterson will also chair the Council’s 4-member Budget Leadership Team (BLT) for the 2012 Budget deliberations.

Environment and Transportation—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.

Government Accountability and Oversight — Kathy Lambert, Chair
Responsible for policy recommendations relating to strategic planning, performance management and measurement, technology, the Assessor’s Office, elections and licensing, and Boeing Field.

Law, Justice, Health and Human Services — Bob Ferguson, 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 Gossett, 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.

2011 County Council Committee Assignments

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

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

Environment and Transportation: Phillips, Chair, Hague, Vice Chair. Members: Ferguson, McDermott, von Reichbauer.

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

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

Regional Policy Committee: von Reichbauer, Chair. Members: Ferguson, McDermott.

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

Regional Water Quality Committee: Gossett, Chair. Members: Hague, Lambert.

Board of Health: McDermott Chair, Lambert, Vice Chair. Member: Patterson