The County Council took action on Tuesday to appoint a replacement to fill the vacant District 3 council office.  The vacancy was created by the departure of former Councilmember Mike Cooper late last month to become the mayor of the City of Edmonds.

The council unanimously selected Stephanie Wright to serve as the District 3 representative until the 2011 general election.  Wright was elected to the Lynnwood City Council in 2007, a position she resigned upon accepting the appointment to the County Council.  She is a Snohomish County native and has worked as a teacher and librarian in the Northshore School District.

"We had a good group of well qualified candidates, but all the Councilmembers agreed that Stephanie was the best choice.  I'm pleased to have someone of her caliber working with us on the council" said Council Chair Dave Gossett.  "Her experience managing difficult budgets in the City of Lynnwood will be useful as we approach another difficult budget year in the county."

Councilmember Wright will chair the Council's Public Works and Transportation Committee providing oversight of a variety of county operations including roads, solid waste and surface water management.  She will also represent the council on several outside committees including the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Committee, and the Snohomish County Conservation Futures District.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of Snohomish County and District 3 in this capacity," said Councilmember Wright.  "I look forward to working collaboratively with my fellow councilmembers and the executive on the important issues facing our county."

District 3 encompasses much of southwest Snohomish County including Edmonds, Lynnwood and Woodway.