Vacant Arlington City Council seat has been filled

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 6, 2022

ARLINGTON — Yvonne Gallardo-Van Ornam is the newest member of the Arlington City Council.

Gallardo-Van Ornam was sworn in June 27 after the council appointed her to fill a vacant seat. The seat became vacant after Councilmember Mike Hopson died in April.

Twelve applied for the position. The council interviewed 10 at their June 7 meeting.

Gallardo-Van Ornam, 43, served on the Arlington Planning Commission since April 2020 and is the former executive director of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. She is a grants administrator for the Snohomish Conservation District and volunteers as executive director of the nonprofit Local Liquid Arts. She is also a founding member of the Snohomish County Latino Coalition.

She served in the Navy and moved to Arlington in 2005.

Gallardo-Van Ornam said she would expand small business support, mental health services and regional partnerships.

“I am committed, I am very busy and very active, but this is important for me,” she told council members at the June 7 meeting.

The term for the seat will expire on Jan. 1, 2024.