Summary

Dembowski elected Chair of the Council; Balducci and Dunn elected as vice chairs.

Story

Councilmember Rod Dembowski has been elected as the new Chair of the King County Council.

The decision was made earlier this afternoon following passage of a reorganization motion approved by the council. The legislation also appointed Reagan Dunn and reappointed Claudia Balducci to serve as Vice Chairs.

“We live in times of increasing economic disparity, where the middle class and our most vulnerable residents face unprecedented challenges,” said Dembowski. “King County has a tremendous opportunity to improve every community in our region and the tools to make it happen.  I appreciate the trust my colleagues have placed in me to guide that work and Chair the council in 2019.”

Dembowski, who joined the council in 2013, assumes the post from Councilmember Joe McDermott, who served as Chair for the past three years.

“It was a privilege to serve the council, and the county, as Chair for the past three years,” said McDermott. “Over the past three years, this council delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to tackle our region’s housing crisis, passed groundbreaking protections for immigrants and refugees in the county, and oversaw the restructuring of county departments to ensure we deliver services equitably and efficiently in the years ahead. I look forward to continue this good, collaborative work as we select new leadership and I wish the best for our new Chair in 2019.”

“I’m gratified by my colleagues’ support, and honored to be selected to serve as the Vice Chair of the council,” said Dunn. “I believe the coming year will be a productive one, and I look forward to working with the rest of the council to find real results that best serve the residents of King County.”

“I am honored to be selected to help lead the council in 2019,” said Balducci. “As Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management and Regional Transit Committees, I look forward to the opportunity to work on the issues that matter most to King County residents: transportation, housing and the provision of critical services in a cost effective manner. It’s no secret that as the county continues to grow it needs to prioritize and balance many competing priorities and I’m excited for the challenge.”

The legislation also appointed these Councilmembers to chair the following committees:

• Committee of the Whole – Joe McDermott
• Budget and Fiscal Management – Claudia Balducci
• Mobility and Environment – Dave Upthegrove
• Health, Housing, and Human Services – Jeanne Kohl-Welles
• Government Accountability and Oversight – Pete von Reichbauer
• Local Services and Regional Roads & Bridges – Kathy Lambert
• Law and Justice – Larry Gossett
• Regional Transit Committee – Claudia Balducci
• Regional Policy Committee – Pete von Reichbauer
• Regional Water Quality – Kathy Lambert