Reagan Dunn, who represents the Enumclaw area on the Metropolitan King County Council, is excited by his committee assignments for 2009.

Dunn elected chairman of the new Government Accountability and Oversight Committee during the council’s Jan. 12 meeting. The committee will oversee strategic planning, performance measurement and audits as well as the Elections Office, King County Animal Care and Control and the new Office of Economic and Financial Analysis.

“These are the best committee assignments I’ve had yet,” Dunn said. “With the county in financial distress, the GAO Committee has a real opportunity to make King County more efficient and save the taxpayer’s money.”

In addition, Dunn was named vice-chairman of the Committee of the Whole and a member of the Budget, Law, Justice, Health and Human Services and the Regional Water Quality committees.

“Public safety represents the bulk of general fund spending at the county,” Dunn said. “That means budget cuts could have a big impact. The Budget and Law, Justice committees will look into the priorities for public safety and make sure that the public stays safe despite the ongoing financial crisis. It’s a vitally important task.”

The Committee of the Whole is made up of all members of the King County Council and oversees regional issues of interest to all council members.

Dunn represents District 9, which includes the cities of Enumclaw, Black Diamond, Covington, Kent, Maple Valley, Newcastle, Renton and Bellevue, along with portions of unincorporated King County.