Lovick vetoes council, reclaims tech department

EVERETT — Snohomish County Executive John Lovick on Friday moved to take control of the county tech department next year, disappointing some other elected leaders.

Lovick vetoed the County Council’s decision to keep the county’s tech department under the county auditor through 2017. That overturned an ordinance the council passed Feb. 12 on a 3-2 vote.

The latest actions followed last year’s leadership crisis at the county, in which the council took the extraordinary step of stripping Lovick’s predecessor, Aaron Reardon, from his role in overseeing the tech department.

“Even though I was willing to honor the effects of the 2013 emergency ordinance, I believe the justification of doing so has expired,” Lovick wrote in a nearly three-page veto letter. “I firmly believe that the Department of Information Services should be reassigned to the office of the executive now, not a year from now.”

The tech department became a political football a year ago, as evidence mounted of abuses of power by Reardon and some of his staff.

Auditor Carolyn Weikel agreed to assume control of the department, which includes a nearly $20 million annual budget and 85 positions.

After Lovick was appointed in June to take over for Reardon, Weikel asked for more time to follow through with reforms in the tech department. Lovick said the department should be restored to the executive’s authority, as intended in the County Charter.

“I’m disappointed because I had a lot of positive initiatives I wanted to work on,” Weikel said Friday.

They include continuing work to mend fences with other county departments, improving the way the county handles public records requests and examining data-storage costs.

Council members who supported extending Weikel’s oversight said they found her arguments more persuasive than Lovick’s.

“The reason I voted for it is that Carolyn had a plan, and never once did the executive talk about what he wanted to do with the department,” Councilman Ken Klein said. “I think major changes need to be made.”

Klein said he believes the county potentially could save millions of dollars by implementing changes such as contracting to store data on the Internet cloud, rather than maintaining its own servers.

“My concern is that they’re not going to see these changes that need to be made,” Klein said. “I have no reason to believe that they’re going to happen under the executive.”

Council Chairman Dave Somers said he was disappointed in the executive’s decision, calling it not in the best interest of the department or the county. Similar to Klein, Somers said that Weikel had articulated a clear vision for managing the department, while Lovick had not.

Council members Stephanie Wright and Brian Sullivan, however, have sided with Lovick, arguing that management of the department fits best under the executive now that the leadership crisis under Reardon has passed.

Under the county charter, the council could override Lovick’s veto, but that would require four votes.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

The Washington State University Snohomish County Extension building at McCollum Park is located in an area Snohomish County is considering for the location of the Farm and Food Center on Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Year-round indoor farmers market inches closer to reality near Mill Creek

The Snohomish County Farm and Food Center received $5 million in federal funding. The county hopes to begin building in 2026.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.