Drafter
Clerk 4/19/2007
title
A MOTION confirming the executive's appointment of Sherril Huff as director of the records, elections and licensing services division in the King County department of executive services.
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WHEREAS, for more than nine months, the department of executive services ("DES") has gone to great lengths to fill the records, elections and licensing services division director position, and
WHEREAS, in December 2006, DES hired Waldron and Company, an executive search firm, to launch an aggressive national search to fill the records, elections and licensing services division ("REALS") director position, and
WHEREAS, in our search of similarly sized jurisdictions as King County, the best qualified and candidate most suited for the REALS director position is former, two-term Kitsap County auditor and current assistant director of REALS Ms. Sherril Huff, and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huff was hired as the assistant director of REALS in February 2005 following the historically close gubernatorial election of 2004 to provide seasoned leadership in implementing numerous process improvements and management reforms, and
WHEREAS, during her tenure in this position she has demonstrated consistent professionalism and leadership for an organization experiencing significant change, and
WHEREAS, as the liaison to four external reviews of the organization, Sherril has overseen the implementation of recommendations which have helped rebuild public trust and confidence in King County elections both internally and with key stakeholders including the citizens' elections oversight committee, the Secretary of State and the King County Republican and Democratic political parties, and
WHEREAS, her contributions have provided positive cultural, organizational and procedural changes within the division since 2005, and
WHEREAS, having served two terms as Kitsap County Auditor, 1979 to 1986, Sherril has a unique and thorough understanding of elections laws, and
WHEREAS, in addition to her responsibilities as the county's chief elections officer, she oversaw licensing, archives and recording responsibilities and services, and
WHEREAS, with more than twenty-eight years of pubic-sector service, Sherril possesses a vast knowledge of state and local government agencies, and
WHEREAS, before joining King County elections in 2005, Sherril served as deputy mayor for the city of Bremerton where she is credited for establishing a foundation and team in the expansive waterfront revitalization project, and
WHEREAS, during her public service career, Sherril also served as executive director of the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, assistant director of the Washington State Lottery and was elected as a Bremerton City Council representative, and
WHEREAS, as King County transitions to all mail voting and other critical projects in each section of the division, it is critical we have a leader in place who is intimately familiar with our organization, Washington state election law and with the experience and qualifications to run a large organization during transition;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The county executive's appointment of Sherril Huff as director, records, elections
and licensing services division in the King County department of executive services, is hereby confirmed.