Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon is hiring a close personal friend and confidante to be his second in command in county government.
Reardon announced Wednesday that Mark Soine will become deputy county executive later this month, a job that pays as much as $139,000 a year.
Soine, 54, is currently Everett’s deputy city attorney.
Reardon and Soine worked together in former Everett Mayor Ed Hansen’s administration. At the time, Reardon managed special projects, including economic development and endangered species, while Soine was the top city attorney.
“Mark believes as I do: There is a lot more room for government efficiencies,” Reardon said. “He’s a very dynamic manager and leader, and noted for getting things done.”
On Friday, Reardon said he could make no announcement whether he was hiring Soine.
Soine will replace Gary Weikel, who has worked in the upper echelons of Snohomish County government for 18 years, spanning the administrations of Willis Tucker, Bob Drewel and Reardon.
Weikel, 60, said he is planning to retire in January 2007. When Reardon was elected, Weikel said he would stay on for three years.
Reardon, nearly halfway through his term, said Weikel’s planned retirement was an opportunity to bring in a new deputy executive.
Weikel will have several new responsibilities, Reardon said. Those include interim director of parks and recreation, county special projects director overseeing Brightwater sewage treatment plant talks, and coordinator for the transition of the independent Department of Emergency Management to a county agency.
Weikel said the new role is a good fit.
“I’m very excited about this,” he said. “It’s good for me, and certainly good for Aaron.”
Weikel is principled and ethical, Drewel said, and was trusted by those around him at a time when trust was in short supply.
“If there was something difficult that needed to be done, Gary was the go-to guy,” Drewel said.
Soine will oversee day-to-day county operations through a staff and Reardon’s Cabinet.
“I am excited about this job and the opportunities to continue to serve the public at this level,” Soine said.
Weikel earns $138,991 a year. Soine will earn between $98,000 and $138,991, said Mark Funk, Reardon’s spokesman. Soine earns $112,788 as Everett deputy city attorney.
Reardon said he has replaced only four people among his staff of 28 since he took office.
County Councilman Kirke Sievers said he was surprised at Soine’s appointment. Soine has expertise at the city level, and Sievers said he faces a tough learning curve on county issues.
“He doesn’t bring any institutional memory with the county,” Sievers said.
Soine was Everett city attorney from 1996 until 2004, and is a former Everett City Council member, elected in 1993.
Soine is analytical and focused, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson said.
Stephanson replaced Soine with Jim Iles as Everett city attorney in 2004, and Soine was appointed deputy city attorney.
For Everett, Soine cleaned up drug houses and worked on the Everett Events Center development and on agreements for the city’s Snohomish River property.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
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