Royer, Triplett recommended for interim King County Executive

Just in from King County – tonight’s “blue ribbon panel” meeting resulted in two candidates – as per plan – recommended for the position of interim County Executive, till a new one’s elected this fall. Here’s the official announcement:

Blue-Ribbon Committee recommends Royer and Triplett for appointment as King County Executive
King County Council will interview all four candidates on Monday and may make final appointment

A Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee empanelled by the King County Council tonight interviewed four candidates for King County Executive and recommended two for the short-term appointment — former Seattle Mayor Charles Royer and interim County Executive and former Executive Chief of Staff Kurt Triplett.

Read on to see what happens next, and who else was involved with this phase of the process:

The official news release continues:

Former County Councilmembers Steve Hammond and Louise Miller were also interviewed.

All four candidates will now appear next Monday at a special meeting of the Council’s Committee-of-the-Whole:

Special Committee-of-the-Whole meeting

Monday, May 18

9:00-11:00 a.m.

Council chambers

10th floor, King County Courthouse

The County Council is set to make the final appointment at its regular meeting on Monday afternoon.

The 16-member panel adopted a motion recommending its top two candidates from tonight’s interviews. To be interviewed each of the candidates had to be nominated by at least three members of the County Council.

Tonight’s Blue Ribbon Selection Committee meeting was chaired by former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice and Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke, with bipartisan membership representing the economic, geographic and ethnic diversity of the county:

· Becky Cox,
· Joan Crooks,
· Adrian Diaz,
· David Freiboth,
· Beretta Gomillion,
· Nancy Hutto,
· Sharon Maeda,
· Ted Choi Tam,
· Bob Wallace, and
· Tayloe Washburn.

The panel also included the four separately elected officials in the County’s criminal justice and public safety systems:

· King County Sheriff Sue Rahr,
· King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg,
· King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Bruce Hilyer, and
· King County District Court Presiding Judge Barbara Linde.

The committee’s criteria for evaluation of candidates included:

· Knowledge of the functions of King County government;
· Knowledge of the issues and challenges facing King County government;
· A demonstrated ability to develop a responsible budget;
· A demonstrated ability to respond to public concerns;
· Demonstrated leadership skills;
· A commitment to the immediate business of King County that would make it unlikely that the appointee would run for any elective office while serving under this appointment;

· A commitment to maintaining the functions and structure of County government without disruption during the election of a new County Executive; and

· Demonstrated skills in pursuing a legislative agenda at the local, state and federal level.

Former Executive Ron Sims resigned last week following his swearing-in as Deputy Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration.

Whoever is appointed as King County Executive will serve until the results of the next general election are certified in late November.

funkietoo May 14, 2009 (10:13 am)

As an animal welfare advocate, one of my top three critical issues in our County is the treatment and welfare of the animals in our public trust. In the last 18 months, Ron Sims and Mr. Kurt Triplett have both publically and behind closed doors, denied the serious findings of their own appointed Citizens Advisory Committee’s Report and U.C. Davis Shelter Medicine Program’s report, (who they hired), regarding the conditions and protocols at King County Animal Care and Control Shelter.

I emailed a letter to all of our King County Council Members asking that they eliminate Mr. Kurt Triplett from consideration as the Interim County Executive and am asking each of you to consider doing the same.

Here a just a few examples of Mr. Triplett’s ‘job performance’ regarding the candidate selection criteria:

• A demonstrated ability to develop a responsible budget:
Mr. Kurt Triplett advised King County Executive Ron Sims to hold back the negative 2008 U.C. Davis Shelter Medicine Program from the King County Council. In early April, Mr. Kurt Triplett mislead a newspaper and concerned citizens by saying the U.C. Davis Shelter Medicine Program report had not been received when in fact, Executive Ron Sims received this report on March 31, 2008. The U.C. Davis report was not shared with Council until after the April 14, 2008 Town Hall meeting and after the 2009 King County Animal Care and Control Shelter budget had been accepted by Council.

• A demonstrated ability to respond to public concerns:
Mr. Kurt Triplett supports Ron Sims decision to ignore and/or impede requests for public disclosure and continues to not fully comply with these requests. Their denial and attempts to block public disclosure request has slowed (in some cased halted), improvements at the Shelter for both the animals and the compassionate staff/volunteers who work hard to keep animals safe in King County.

• Demonstrated leadership skills
Mr. Kurt Triplett and Ron Sims have had 18 months to make sweeping, state of the art changes at our King County Animal Care and Control Shelter. Instead, their continued denial of a deep rooted, dysfunctional management culture has stymied many of the enhancements and capital improvements that are required for the animals and caring staff. King County Citizens love their animals and have deep pockets. A true Leader would have waged a capital campaign; involved the community in improving the lives of the animals and those that care for them; and found a way to transform King County Animal Care and Control into a model shelter.

In closing, the Interim Executive will be in a position to make long term, life saving decisions for our animals such as:
1. Filling nearly all of its permanent leadership positions, possibly impacting the New Executives’ ability to wage a Management Cultural Evolution
2. Negotiating the KCACC budget for 2010.
3. Renegotiating the KCACC Officer’s Guild two-year contract which needs 21st century revisions so it easier for the compassionate staff to include volunteers in more tasks and leadership roles.

The above decisions are too important to the welfare of King County’s animals to allow Mr. Kurt Triplett any decision making power. Mr. Kurt Triplett represents ‘continuity’ in the form of a failed status quo and our animals deserve better. Their lives depend on it.

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