Newly elected King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain, whose District 5 includes all or some of Kent, Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, Des Moines and Normandy Park, has been appointed to the Sound Transit Board of Directors.
New King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced the appointment of Fain and six other members on Dec. 4. The County Council is scheduled to confirm the appointments Dec. 9.
Fain, of Normandy Park, enters the role as the recently named chair of the King County Council’s Transit, Economy and Environment Committee and as the chair of the Regional Transit Committee, positioning her at the center of key decisions shaping the future of transit across the county and the broader Sound Transit service area, according to a Dec. 4 county news release.
“I’m honored to serve on the Sound Transit Board and grateful to Executive Zahilay for the opportunity to represent South King County as we shape the future of transit,” Fain said. “As chair of the Council’s Transit, Economy and Environment Committee, as well as the Regional Transit Committee, I’m committed to prioritizing safety, ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of Sound Transit, and meeting the growing needs of our transit-dependent communities in South King County. I look forward to working collaboratively to deliver a cohesive system that supports our residents, our workforce and our local economy.”
The 18-member Sound Transit Board includes elected officials and the secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation. Members serve staggered four-year terms.
The board includes three members from Snohomish County, 10 from King County and four from Pierce County, the three counties served by Sound Transit’s light rail, trains and buses. The county executives in each county nominate members.
Board critics, including changewashington.org, have pushed for the board to be elected by voters rather than appointed by fellow politicians to provide better oversight of Sound Transit.
Zahilay nominated himself, Fain and five others, including Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson, King County Councilmembers Pete von Reichbauer and Teresa Mosqueda, Redmond Mayor Angela Birney and Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod. Zahilay, von Reichbauer and Birney are current board members.
Former King County Executive Dow Constantine previously appointed members to the board from King County. He is now the Sound Transit CEO, hired by the board in March.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
