Pierce County Councilmember Dan Roach has been re-elected as Council chair for 2015. The seven-member body voted for leadership positions and assignments on Council committees and other boards and commissions at the Council’s Jan. 13 weekly meeting.
Councilmember Doug Richardson will serve as vice-chair and Joyce McDonald will continue in her position as executive pro tem. The chair presides at all regular Council meetings, while the vice-chair presides in the absence of the chair. The executive pro tem is a councilmember selected to perform some of the County Executive’s duties in the event of the executive’s absence or temporary disability.
“I’m thankful that my colleagues have faith in my leadership and trust in my judgment,” said Roach, who represents the citizens of the 1st Council District. “As a county, we’re constantly addressing issues such as public safety and mental health, not to mention the ongoing budgetary concerns with the jail and corrections department and the mandate of adopting a shorelines management act. We’ve really got our work cut out for us this year.”
“In addition, we’re facing one of the most exciting and challenging years Pierce County has ever seen with the coming U.S. Open, and I’m confident that we all remain united in our desire to make Pierce County shine on the global stage,” said Roach.
Prior to his election to the Pierce County Council in 2010 and reelection last November, Roach served five terms in the Washington State House of Representatives. The owner of Roach Gymnastics in Sumner, councilmember Roach lives in the Bonney Lake area with his wife Melanie and their five children.
Richardson spent 17 years on the Lakewood City Council, including four as mayor, and retired from the Army Reserve as a brigadier general after 32 years of active and reserve service. McDonald, who is in her seventh year on the Council, has previously served as chair of the Council as well as five terms in the state House.
Council members also worked out their standing committee assignments at Tuesday’s meeting, as well as their positions on the various county boards and commissions:
– Rules and Operations Committee meets Mondays at 10 a.m. – Roach (chair), Richardson (vice chair, District 6), McDonald (District 2), Rick Talbert (alternate, District 5).
– Community Development Committee meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. – Rick Talbert (chair), Derek Young (vice chair, District 7), Richardson, Connie Ladenburg (District 4), Jim McCune (District 3).
– Economic and Infrastructure Development Committee meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. – Richardson (chair), Ladenburg (vice chair), McCune, Roach, Talbert.
– Public Safety and Human Services Committee meets on the second Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. – McCune (chair), McDonald (vice chair), Young, Ladenburg, Roach.
More information about the County Council is available online at www.piercecountywa.org/council or by calling (253) 798-7777. The full council meets Tuesdays at 3 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the 10th floor of the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 1045, Tacoma.Council meetings are also televised live and replayed each week on Pierce County TV (channel 22 in most areas, and 522 on the Click! Network’s HD tier) and streamed live and archived at www.piercecountytv.org.
