PORT TOWNSEND — The three Jefferson County commissioners have elected David Sullivan their chairman for 2009.
Sullivan, D-Cape George, succeeds Commissioner Phil Johnson, D-Port Townsend, who served as chairman for four years. The vote was taken on Monday.
During the November general election, Sullivan, 56, and Johnson, 62, were re-elected to second four-year terms as county commissioners for District 2 and 1, respectively.
Sullivan defeated Independent Sandy Hershelman and Johnson won over Republican challenger Dennis Schultz in November.
Commissioner John Austin, D-Port Ludlow, is serving his third year of a four-year term.
Asked what he expects out of the chairmanship, Sullivan joked, “I get more writer’s cramp.”
The chairman is responsible for signing more documents than either of the others.
Sullivan said that, like Johnson, he would be in charge of meeting decorum.
He said he hopes that public comment periods will continue to go smoothly. The commissioners open their Monday meetings with public comment.
Each speaker is given up to three minutes to make his or her point.
“I would like to encourage people to get their questions answered before they come before us,” Sullivan said.
“Then they can tell us what they think about us.”
The public comment period is intended for comments only and is not a question and answer period, he said, although commissioners can answer questions after the meeting.
Sullivan, a retired registered nurse, also served two years with Jefferson County Public Utility District commissioners before he chose to run for county commissioner in 2004.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsula dailynews.com.
