New County Council members sworn in, leadership team named

New year, new Pierce County Council.

Councilmember Derek Young was elected chairman for 2021 by his peers at the Jan. 5 regular meeting of the Pierce County Council. A day earlier, four new members were sworn into office.

Councilmember Dave Morell was selected as vice chair, and Councilmember Marty Campbell was named executive pro tem.

The chair presides at all regular council meetings, while the vice chair presides in the absence of the chair. The executive pro tem is a member of the council selected to perform some of the county executive’s duties in the event of the executive’s absence or temporary disability.

“Since I don’t want to set a bad standard going forward, I won’t say much, but other than to express my appreciation from my colleagues, and I’m sure the rest of the leadership team agrees,” Young said upon being handed the chair’s gavel.

Other colleagues were new members of the council, who officially took office at a special meeting the day before. They include District 2 representative Hans Zeiger, District 3 representative Amy Cruver, District 4 representative Ryan Mello and District 6 representative Jani Hitchen.

Prior to being elected to the Pierce County Council, Zeiger represented Pierce County residents in the state Legislature, first in the House of Representatives for three terms before joining the Senate in 2016.

Cruver has lived in Pierce County since 1985. In 2005, she became then-state Rep. Jim McCune’s assistant and worked with him in the same capacity later at the Pierce County Council.

Mello was the executive director of the Pierce Conservation District but is perhaps best known for his service on the Tacoma City Council over the last decade.

Hitchen was a substitute teacher in Tacoma, Bethel and Franklin school districts before taking a full-time teaching position with the Clover Park School District. She most recently taught biology at Graham-Kapowsin High School.

Young was elected to the council in 2015, representing District 7. He formerly served as executive pro tem.

Morell was elected to the council in 2019, representing District 5, and served as council vice chair in 2020.

The Pierce County Council was expected to vote on standing committee leadership positions at its regular Tuesday meeting.