Bob Drewel gets biggest honor from Snohomish County

EVERETT -- Bob Drewel, former Snohomish County Executive, was surprised Monday by a decision to name the county administration building after him.

The council unanimously voted to give him the honor during a special county council meeting to discuss the new budget.

“You all knew about this? I never get surprised like this!” Drewel said, pointing and smiling at the audience of county employees and department heads, former employees and his family.

Drewel was invited to attend the meeting to comment on funding for the Puget Sound Regional Council, where he is executive director.

“I would have been happy for my name to be on a phone booth!” he said.

The eight-story administration building opened in 2005 and cost $40.7 million. It was part of a $175 million county campus redevelopment that began during Drewel’s administration.

Drewel was elected in 1991 and served 12 years. He reluctantly left office in 2003 because of county term limits.

Drewel later was hired to lead the Puget Sound Regional Council
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The decision comes more than two years after the campus was dedicated.

Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.