King County
Administrative Policies and Procedures

Executive Orders, Policies and Procedures

Title: Delegated Line of Succession

An Executive Order superseding Executive Order ACO 8-1-19 and establishing the delegated line of succession to the position of King County Executive when the Executive is absent or in the event of a disaster requiring the implementation of the King County emergency Services Operations Plan.

WHEREAS, I, Ron Sims, am the duly elected King County Executive, having assumed said position on November 20, 1997; and

WHEREAS, from time to time the King County Executive may be absent from King County or otherwise unavailable to sign official documents or take other official actions; and

WHEREAS, it will be necessary during those occasions for various official documents and ordinances to be signed to carry on King County’s business and for various orders and directions to be given on behalf of the Executive; and

WHEREAS, Article 8, Section 850, of the King County Charter provides for the delegation of Executive powers and duties, except in the veto power, to be assumed and carried out in the Executive’s absence; and

WHEREAS, the King County Executive may be unavailable to direct implementation of the King County Emergency Services Operations Plan; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to satisfy Federal and Washington State legal requirements that the Emergency Services Operations Plan indicate the name of the individuals responsible for implementing the Plan during periods of natural or war-caused disaster; and

WHEREAS, in the event of an emergency, King County Code Section 12.52.030 delineates the emergency powers of the King County Executive after the Executive has formally proclaimed in writing the existence of an emergency;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ron Sims, King County Executive, do hereby order and direct that the following individuals be designated to act on my behalf in my absence – except in the event of a disaster requiring implementation of the King County Emergency Operations Plan – and delegate to each in my succession my powers and duties, except the veto power, to be assumed and carried out by:

1. Chief of Staff – Kurt Triplett
2. Asst. County Executive - Sheryl Whitney
3. County Administrative Officer - Paul Tanaka
4. Office of Management and Budget Director - Robert Cowan
5. Department of Transportation Director - Harold Taniguchi

FURTHERMORE, I officially order that the following individuals be designated to act on my behalf in my absence and in the event of a disaster requiring implementation of the King County Emergency Services Operations Plan, and delegate to each in my succession my powers and duties, except the veto power, to be assumed and carried out by:

1. Chief of Staff – Kurt Triplett
2. Asst. County Executive – Sheryl Whitney
3. County Administrative Officer – Paul Tanaka
4. Office of Management and Budget Director – Robert Cowan
5. Department of Transportation Director - Harold Taniguchi

Dated this 6th of June, 2005.

/s/ Ron Sims, King County Executive

ATTEST:

/s/ Dean Logan, Director

Records, Elections, and Licensing Services Division

Updated: June 9, 2005