EVERETT — Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon on Tuesday nominated Edmonds Councilwoman Deanna Dawson to sit on Sound Transit’s board of directors.
Dawson works at the county for Reardon as one of two executive directors. She oversees law and justice and human services issues for the county executive.
Reardon said Dawson was the top candidate available. She lives in south Snohomish County and serves on the Community Transit board of directors, two requirements for the position.
“She has a great deal of experience in the regional transportation arena and knows the issues of south county very well,” Reardon said. “Edmonds is the largest city in south Snohomish County and they’ve had a long record of participation and leadership in Sound Transit going back to its inception and Dave Earling.” Earling is a former Edmonds City Council member and served on the Sound Transit board.
The County Council has to approve the nomination before it becomes official. If appointed, Dawson will replace former Edmonds Councilman Richard Marin, who lost a re-election bid in November, which effectively booted him off the board.
The decision won praise in Edmonds.
“I am very pleased,” Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson said in a statement. “As an experienced council member, she will continue to represent the public on the board as her predecessors, former Edmonds City Council members Richard Marin and Dave Earling have done in the recent past.”
Late last year, Reardon appointed Everett Councilman Paul Roberts to serve as Snohomish County’s third Sound Transit board member. He replaced Everett Councilman Mark Olson, who resigned from the board in September amid an investigation of alleged sexual assault.
Roberts is a former an executive director who worked at the county for Reardon. His role, before he left to serve as Marysville’s public works director, was to oversee land use directions for the county executive.
Reardon has been selected as chairman of Sound Transit’s finance committee, giving him a key role in figuring out what direction the agency should take after its ambitious light rail plans failed to get support from voters in November. He also serves as one of the board’s two vice chairmen.
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.
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