SEATTLE— Pierce County Councilmember Karen Biskey was unanimously elected president of the Puget Sound Regional Council on March 21.
"I'm delighted Karen has agreed to take on this regional leadership role," said Bob Edwards, a Port of Seattle Commissioner and outgoing Regional Council president. "She's extremely thoughtful and cares about transportation and growth issues that are critical to quality of life in Pierce County and throughout the central Puget Sound region."
Biskey, a registered nurse and resident of the Gig Harbor Peninsula, was elected to the Pierce County Council in 1994 to represent the Gig Harbor Peninsula, Key Peninsula, Gig Harbor, Ruston and Northwest Tacoma. Since 2000, she has served as vice president of the Puget Sound Regional Council and as a member of the region's Transportation Policy Board. She also serves as a member of the Tri-County Executive Board, which addresses the Endangered Species Act.
"It's essential for cities and counties throughout the region to work together to address the issues that don't stop at any boundary on a map," said Biskey, adding that "my role as president of the Puget Sound Regional Council will be focused on making sure all communities in the region have a voice in important regional decisions."
The Regional Council develops policies and coordinates decisions about regional growth and transportation planning in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties. The Council is composed of over 80 county, city, port, transit, tribal and state agencies serving the region. It receives about $100 million in federal transportation funds each year and coordinates, sets priorities, and evaluates the most efficient ways to target those funds to support state and local transportation and growth management plans.