The City of Edmonds police, court and council chambers complex on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

The City of Edmonds police, court and council chambers complex on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Edmonds council picks Olson as new president

The council president leads meetings in the absence of the mayor and drafts meeting agendas.

EDMONDS — The Edmonds City Council chose council member Vivian Olson as its new president and council member Will Chen as president pro tem Tuesday night.

The vote for both positions was 5-2, with council members Susan Paine and Christine Eck opposing both.

The council president’s role is to call council meetings to order and moderate the discussion if the mayor is absent. The president pro tem fills these duties if both the mayor and president are absent. The council president also appoints council members to committees and helps prepare council meeting agendas.

Olson “has a passion for bringing people together,” said Neil Tibbott, the previous council president. “I think she’s the kind of leadership we need for 2024.”

Tibbott nominated Olson, who previously served as council president in 2022. Paine nominated Tibbott, but he declined.

Council member Jenna Nand nominated Chen for the pro tem position. Eck nominated Paine.

“Council member Chen has been like a brother to me since I was appointed in 2022,” Nand said.

Tibbott was council president in 2023. Olson was president pro tem.

Also on Tuesday, the Snohomish County Council chose Jared Mead as its council chair for 2024, marking his second consecutive year in the position. The council also re-elected Nate Nehring for a second consecutive term as the council’s vice chair.

Ashley Nash: 425-339-3037; ashley.nash@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @ash_nash00.

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