Pierce County Councilmembers voted Tuesday to retain their 2007 leadership team of Chair Terry Lee, Vice Chair Calvin Goings and Executive Pro Tem Shawn Bunney. They also reorganized the council’s five policy committees.
As vice chair, Goings (District 2) presides over meetings in the chair’s absence. He represents Browns Point, Dash Point, East Tacoma, Fife, Northeast Tacoma, Puyallup, Summit View and Summit-Waller.
Bunney (District 1), as executive pro tem, will carry out most of the county executive’s duties if the executive is absent or temporarily disabled. Bunney’s district includes Buckley, Wilkeson, Carbonado, Lake Tapps, Bonney Lake, Sumner, Edgewood, Milton, South Prairie, Orting and Graham.
“I’m grateful to my fellow councilmembers for entrusting me with this responsibility for another year,” said Lee. “As long as I’m in the wheelhouse I’ll try my best to keep this ship off the rocks in 2008.”
Councilmembers use the five standing and select committees to delve more deeply into specific policy areas. The 2008 committees are:
— Community Development, which meets the second Monday at 1:30 p.m., considers matters concerning planning, zoning, parks, growth management and environmental issues (Calvin Goings, chair; Terry Lee, vice chair);
— Economic and Infrastructure Development considers and makes recommendations on legislation dealing with roads, sewers, solid waste, telecommunications and water issues; it meets the fourth Monday at 1:30 p.m. (Roger Bush, chair; Terry Lee, vice chair).
— Emergency Preparedness addresses the county’s readiness for emergencies and natural disasters and convenes the third Monday at 1:30 p.m. (Roger Bush, chair; Dick Muri, vice chair).
— Rules & Operations meets every Monday at 11 a.m. and deals with proposals surrounding the county budget, contracts, appointments and sets the council meeting agenda (Terry Lee, chair; Calvin Goings, vice chair).
— Public Safety & Human Services addresses criminal justice, prosecuting attorney, courts, corrections, and human, health and senior services matters, and meets the first Monday at 1:30 p.m. (Barbara Gelman, chair; Tim Farrell, vice chair).
The council also appointed members and staff to 38 external boards and commissions that advise on everything from neighborhood plans to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Regular council meetings are Tuesdays at 3 p.m. on the 10th floor of the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 1045, in Tacoma. All council meetings are televised live on C-RCC (channels 22 or 78), streamed live on the channel’s Web site at crcctv.org, and replayed on the channel on Wednesday at 8 p.m., Thursday at 11 a.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m., Sunday at 5 p.m., and Monday at 8 a.m.