Muni News
VOLUME 90, ISSUE 5  - MAY Special Edition 2000

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Municipal League Announces 2000 Civic Award Winners

The Municipal League of King County will honor several citizens and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to our community at the League’s Annual Civic Awards luncheon on Friday, June 2, 2000, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. All community members are encouraged to join the Municipal League in this celebration of civic excellence.

Since 1960, the Municipal League has recognized citizens, government leaders and organizations that work hard to improve the quality of life in the Puget Sound region. The 2000 Civic Award winners truly represent what the Municipal League of King County is all about: fostering open, efficient and accountable government. Each of these award winners made significant contributions to our community over the past year and the Municipal League is pleased to recognize them at the Civic Awards luncheon.

Citizen of the Year: Doug Beighle

Doug Beighle was a Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of The Boeing Company from 1986 until his retirement in 1997. He is currently the Chairman of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation. In 1997, he was appointed by Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Durham to Chair the Commission on Justice, Efficiency and Accountability and to prepare a business plan for the Washington Courts. Beighle is Chair of the Pacific Science Center and KCTS-9 Television boards. He is also active on the boards of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council for the Arts and is past chair of both organizations.

James R. Ellis Regional Leadership Award: Bob White, Executive Director of Sound Transit

Bob White is a 21-year veteran of transportation planning and implementation. In 1996 he helped craft and win passage of the ballot proposal to develop a regional transit system - the largest public works project in the history of Puget Sound. He has demonstrated exemplary leadership and tremendous energy while working with the public, the business community, civic and environmental groups, as well as railroads, state and federal agencies, and other transit agencies across many jurisdictions to forge agreement on a regional transit plan.

Governmental News Reporting of the Year: Joni Balter, Editorial Writer & Columnist, Seattle Times

Joni Balter joined the Seattle Times in 1985, covering city hall and local politics. She moved to editorial page full-time in 1995 where she has played a leading role in framing the debate on important regional issues. As lead political writer for the Seattle Times, Joni Balter distinguished herself in 1999 with columns and editorials on sports economics and on the effects of I-695 on local governments.

Public Employee of the Year: Sue Carlson, Director of Economic Development and Strategic Planning, City of Renton

In her position with the City of Renton, Sue Carlson is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and evaluating all economic development activities for the city. Since joining the City of Renton in 1993, she has persuaded numerous major businesses to move to the city, including IKEA, HomeBase, and City University. She also played a key role in the development of a $400 million, 60-acre business campus that will ultimately provide jobs for 10,000 people.

Public Official of the Year: Joseph Tovar, Growth Management Board for Central Puget Sound

Joseph Tovar has a long history of successful urban planning and growth management that dates back to the early 1970s. After a decade of outstanding work as Planning Director for the City of Kirkland, Governor Booth Gardner appointed Mr. Tovar as a founding member of the Growth Management Hearings Board in 1992. Reappointed by Governor Locke in 1998, Mr. Tovar serves a vital role on the GMHB, handling citizen appeals and enforcing the Growth Management Act.

Organization of the Year: kids.health.2001

In June 1998, kids.health.2001 began a three-year campaign to ensure that all children and teenagers in King County have health insurance by 2001. Since July 1998, kids.health.2001has enrolled more than 3,500 children in low/no-cost health insurance through Medicaid. By providing access to health insurance, kids.health.2001 is not only improving the health of kids, it is improving their overall quality of life. Kids.health.2001 is funded with grants from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation; seven regional health providers including: Children’s Hospital, Group Health Cooperative, Harborview Medical Center, Providence Seattle Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, University of Washington Medical Center, and Virginia Mason Medical Center; and more than 16 other regional partners.

Organization of the Year: HomeSight

HomeSight promotes the revitalization of neighborhoods through affordable home ownership strategies including housing development, homebuyer education and counseling and loan assistance programs. Over the past ten years, HomeSight has been integral to the development and/or construction of 375 homes on vacant and underutilized land in Seattle and King County. The organization has also provided the education, counseling and loan underwriting to create 538 new homeowners, as well as pre-qualifying loans for 669 first-time home buyers to purchase new and existing homes in Central and South Seattle.

Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Christine Gregoire, 

Christine is the first woman to serve as Washington State Attorney General. She is now serving her second term and has earned a solid reputation as a powerful voice for Washington citizens in our legal system. Christine is a native of the state, having been born in Auburn, Washington, educated at the University of Washington, and attended law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane. Last year she was elected President of the National Association of Attorney Generals.

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