EVERETT — A veteran analyst from the Snohomish County Council has accepted a job in the county’s Public Works Department overseeing programs to manage storm runoff, flooding and water quality.
Will Hall will bring 27 years of experience to his new role as director of Surface Water Management, but leaves another vacant office at the County Council. Roughly a quarter of council staff have left to join County Executive Dave Somers’ administration.
“Since Snohomish County is rapidly growing, work being done now to manage agricultural land and water-related assets matters enormously as we try to preserve and protect these valuable resources,” Somers said in a press release.
Hall has worked as a council analyst for eight years. Before that, he held senior positions in the county’s planning department and Surface Water Management Division. He’s also worked as a planner outside of government.
Hall is scheduled to start later this month. He’ll report to Public Works director Steve Thomsen.
Hall also is an elected member of the City Council in Shoreline.
Somers, who took office Jan. 1, was a county councilman until the end of last year.
His administration includes interim Deputy Executive Marcia Isenberg, who worked with him as the council’s chief of staff. Executive director Susan Neely also moved from a job as a council analyst.
Somers’ former council aide and Isenberg’s former council assistant now work in the executive’s office as well.
Council Chairman Terry Ryan said they would miss Hall and Neely’s analytical skills.
“They’re good analysts, but we would never hold them back from another opportunity,” Ryan said.
The council remains short one member. Local Democrats are expected to choose three candidates Saturday to fill Somers’ former seat. The council hopes to appoint one of those nominees by the end of February.
“It’s not ideal; it’s more work for our staff,” Ryan said. “We’ve had a couple of quorum issues, but just like every other business, we’ll make it work.”
Somers continues to fill key positions in his month-old administration.
Last week he announced the hiring of Trever Esko as his new information serves director. Esko had been working for King County government overseeing information technology business services.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
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