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Dec. 4, 2003
Sims announces appointments to Sound Transit Board
King County Executive Ron Sims today announced the County’s nominees for appointment to the Sound Transit Board of Directors.
Sound Transit is charged with the development of a regional high capacity transit system, which includes a regional express bus system, a commuter rail system between Lakewood, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett and the initial segment of a regional light rail system from Downtown Seattle to SeaTac. Eighteen individuals are charged with the responsibility of governing Sound Transit, ten of whom are from King County. The county executives from King, Snohomish and Pierce counties
appoint members.
“Since the last time the Council approved Board members in 2001, an amazing amount of progress has been made on implementing the plan approved by the voters in 1996,” said Sims, who is just completing his two-year term as board chair. “We have truly turned this train around!
“All of the ST Express bus routes are in operation and commuter rail provides three round trips a day between Tacoma and Seattle. In August, the first modern light rail system in Washington opened in the City of Tacoma. And perhaps most significantly, in October the federal government executed a “Full Funding Grant Agreement” that will provide $500 million toward the construction of the Central Link light rail initial segment. Less than a month ago, on Nov. 8 we broke ground for that system.
“Sound Transit plans on beginning service on the North commuter rail line by the end of the year, and we have an agreement in principle with the Port of Seattle to extend light rail to SeaTac Airport. The Lynnwood, Overlake and Bellevue Transit Centers have opened, as have hundreds of new park and ride spaces throughout the region. Over 30,000 riders each weekday depend on the agency for their commutes.”
Sims added that all of this could not have been possible without the active engagement and oversight by the Board of Directors.
“This year we are losing the services of some really extraordinary individuals. I cannot say enough about the efforts of King County Councilmembers Cynthia Sullivan and Jane Hague, Federal Way City Councilmember Mary Gates and Bellevue City Councilmember Chuck Mosher,” Sims noted.
“The years of experience and dedication that these individuals brought to the Board will be hard to replace. In particular, Cynthia and Mary have served on the Board since its inception and will be greatly missed.
“But there is a tremendous amount of additional work still before us,” said Sims. “This includes the selection of a route for the North Link light rail segment, and the oversight of a massive construction budget that will provide over 4,000 jobs.
“Over the next few years, the services and facilities provided by Sound Transit will play a much more critical role in solving our transportation problems and contributing toward the economic development of our region. Our board member selection now is critical to that success.”
Sims said he plans to recommend retaining two members whose terms are up, and will replace the members who are leaving the board with equally dedicated public officials that support the mission of the agency and are willing the devote the time and political capital required to bring the vision the citizens voted for seven years ago to reality.
He will be recommending that Dwight Pelz, King County Councilmember and Richard McIver, City of Seattle Councilmember two members of the board whose terms are completed be reappointed. Current other members who are in the middle of their terms include Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Kenmore Councilmember Jack Crawford and King County Councilmember Julia Patterson from South King County. Sims will also remain a member of the board.
In addition, he is naming four new members to the Board. They include:
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