Sound Transit Needs Pierce County Oversight Board Volunteers

PUYALLUP, WA — Are you a transit nerd, or maybe just concerned about what our local billion-dollar transit agency is up to? Now you have a chance to serve.

Sound Transit is looking for three citizen volunteers from Pierce County to serve on the Citizen Oversight Panel (COP), which serves as a check on the elected officials who sit on the main Sound Transit board.

Here's more from a Sound Transit press release:

Sound Transit is looking for volunteers to serve on the Citizen Oversight Panel (COP) representing Pierce County. There are currently three positions open on the panel for Pierce County, a geographic area that includes Bonney Lake, Edgewood, DuPont, Fife, Fircrest, Lakewood, Milton, Orting, Puyallup, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner Tacoma, and University Place.

The COP was created in 1997 to independently monitor Sound Transit and make sure it meets its commitments to build and operate a regional bus, light rail and commuter rail transit system. Its 15 members represent a variety of interests, professional expertise and experience. The panel meets twice monthly during normal business hours and acts as an independent oversight entity by digging into agency details, asking hard questions, and reporting its findings to the Sound Transit Board of Directors.

Sound Transit actively seeks to include persons from diverse backgrounds and professional areas of expertise to support agency oversight, planning and operations. Persons of color and women are encouraged to apply.

Submit a completed application and a resume to John Marchione, Sound Transit Board Chair, 401 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104-2826. To qualify an applicant must:

• Be a registered voter within the Sound Transit District and reside and/or work in Pierce County.
• Have experience/skills in one or more areas related to the panel's responsibilities: business and finance management, engineering, large projects construction management, public facilities and services, government processes, and public policy development or review.
• Be able to attend meetings twice each month during normal business hours. The panel’s current meeting schedule is the first and third Thursday of every month from 8:30-11:00am.

Copies of all applications and resumes will be provided to the Sound Transit Board for its review. The Board's Executive Committee will review and recommend candidates. The Board of Directors will confirm the appointments.