From Michelle Witham, City of Kent
253-856-5709
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kent City Council has a New Member, New President
Committees Assigned, Incumbents Sworn In
KENT, Wash. – January 5, 2010 – At its first meeting of the New Year, tonight members of the Kent City Council and Mayor took their oaths of office followed by the election of a new Council President.
Sworn in was newly elected Dennis Higgins to Council Position No. 4. Higgins is the Client Services Manager of the King County GIS Center and lives in the Clark Lake area.
“I am humbled, honored, and ready to get to work,” Higgins said. “Steering the city through these unprecedented economic times is job number one. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to move this city forward,” added Higgins.
Higgins ran to replace Tim Clark, who opted to run for a position on the Kent School Board.
Re-elected incumbents sworn in were Mayor Suzette Cooke and Councilmember Elizabeth Albertson who ran for Position No. 6. Both women are serving their second, four-year terms.
Also sworn in was Councilmember Jamie Danielson who ran unopposed for Council Position No. 2. Danielson was appointed in July 2008 to replace the late Councilmember Bob O’Brien who died of cancer.
After being sworn in, Councilmember Jamie Perry (formerly Danielson) was elected Council President. Perry, who was recently married, received a unanimous vote by the Council.
The Council President’s job is to lead the Operations Committee and represent the City of Kent in the Mayor’s absence.
Perry thanked the Council for giving her the chance to serve and said as president she will continue to represent Kent’s residents.
“It’s an honor to serve with my six colleagues, all of whom take great pride in representing our constituents. We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us this year. The economic crisis, coupled with the threat of flooding, requires a unified approach in addressing these challenges. As president, I’ll strive for a cohesive and open process as we deal with these issues head-on,” Perry said.
In her first action as Council President, Perry unveiled the Council Committee chairs* and assignments:
City Council Committees
Planning & Community Development –Jamie Perry*, Elizabeth Albertson, Debbie Ranniger
Parks & Human Services – Debbie Ranniger*, Elizabeth Albertson, Dennis Higgins
Public Works – Debbie Raplee*, Ron Harmon, Dennis Higgins
Operations – Les Thomas*, Jamie Perry, Debbie Raplee
Public Safety – Ron Harmon*, Dennis Higgins, Les Thomas
Special Committee Appointments
LEOFF 1 Board – Debbie Raplee, Ron Harmon
Human Services Commission – Elizabeth Albertson
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee – Les Thomas
Arts Commission – Debbie Ranniger
Outgoing Council President Debbie Raplee said Jamie has the leadership qualities required for this position. “She has a commitment to this community, isn’t afraid of spirited discussion and has the ability to work with everyone,” Raplee added. “I know we all look forward to her leading the way and wish her a great deal of success.”
Perry is a life-long Kent resident and family law attorney with Hanis Irvine Prothero in Kent.
Kent City Council members are they are elected to four-year terms. Their terms are staggered, with elections held every odd-numbered year. The Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
