The Pierce County Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 14, to elect Councilmember Dan Roach as chairman for 2014.
“This is a great honor and responsibility, and I appreciate the opportunity to serve,” said Roach, who is beginning his fourth year representing District 1 in East Pierce County. “I look forward to applying my experience in public policy and as a business owner to the challenges the county faces as we set and fund the priorities of government.”
The Council also selected Councilmember Stan Flemming (District 7) as vice chairman, and Joyce McDonald (District 2) as executive pro tem.
Prior to his election to the Pierce County Council in 2010, Roach served five terms in the Washington State House of Representatives. The owner of Roach Gymnastics in Sumner, the Councilman lives in the Bonney Lake area with his wife Melanie and their five children.
Flemming also previously served in the state House and was the founding mayor of the City of University Place. He’s a family physician and retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army who joined the Council in 2010.
McDonald, who is starting her sixth year on the Council, spent the past two years as chair of the County Council, a position that rotates among the members. She previously served five terms in the state House.
The chairman presides at all regular Council meetings, while the vice chair presides in the absence of the chairman. 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.
Councilmembers also conducted their annual reorganization of four standing committees. Here is a list of the meeting schedules and members:
Rules and Operations Committee
Meets Mondays at 10 a.m.
Roach (chair), Flemming (vice chair), McDonald, Douglas Richardson (District 6)
Community Development Committee
Meets first and third Mondays at 1:30 p.m.
Rick Talbert (chair, District 5), Richardson (vice chair), Flemming, Connie Ladenburg (District 4), Jim McCune (District 3)
Economic and Infrastructure Development Committee
Meets second and fourth Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Flemming (chair), Ladenburg (vice chair), McCune, Richardson, Talbert
Public Safety and Human Services Committee
Meets second Mondays at 1:30 p.m.
McCune (chair), McDonald (vice chair), Flemming, Ladenburg, Richardson
More information about the County Council is available online 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 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.
