Olson resigns from transit board position

Published 11:09 pm Thursday, September 20, 2007

EVERETT — A day after he was granted an extended leave of absence from the Everett City Council, Mark Olson resigned from the Sound Transit board of directors.

Olson, who is under investigation for allegations of sexual assault and facing increasing pressure to resign from the council, is one of three representatives for Snohomish County on the board of the regional transit agency. He was also the board’s vice president.

The other two representatives are County Executive Aaron Reardon and Edmonds City Councilman Richard Marin.

Olson’s colleagues credit the Everett attorney with being a firm and skillful advocate for Snohomish County during recent negotiations with King County over the list of improvements that are now part of Proposition 1 — a $17.8 billion roads and transit measure on the November ballot.

“To me it’s in the realm of legacy,” Marin said. “This is a legacy for Snohomish County and the region the way (the ballot measure) was crafted and Mark played a key and pivotal role in that.”

Olson was elected to the leadership position in Sound Transit in late 2003. His second term was set to expire at the end of this year.

Proposition 1 will be voted on in Snohomish, Pierce and King counties. If passed, it is to bring light rail north to 164th Street SW and Ash Way, a short drive for Everett commuters. Olson argued for the package to include money to extend light rail farther north into Snohomish County than planners originally envisioned.

Reardon on Thursday appointed Paul Roberts, an Everett City Councilman and public works director of Marysville, to replace Olson. Roberts has previous experience working with Sound Transit when he was Everett’s planning director and later as an administrator for Snohomish County.

Reardon said Olson forced King County back to the negotiation table when he voted against a proposal to fast-track light rail to Northgate, using $580 million in tax dollars collected in Snohomish County.

He also played a key role in three months of long and sometimes contentious regional talks that resulted in bringing light rail north of the King County line.

“The recent events are unfortunate,” Reardon said of allegations against Olson and a recent finding that he drank alcohol in violation of the terms of his probation from a 2003 drunken-driving conviction. “I hope they don’t overshadow his contributions.”

Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.