Gov. Christine Gregoire announces appointments to boards and commissions

For Immediate Release: April 1, 2005

Gov. Christine Gregoire today announced appointments to the following boards and commissions:

Affordable Housing Advisory Board
Joseph Diehl of Seattle has been reappointed to a term effective March 30, 2005, ending Jan. 26, 2009. The board serves as the principal advisory body to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development on housing and housing-related issues.

Whatcom County Boundary Review Board
Christopher Moench of Bellingham has been reappointed to a term effective March 31, 2005, ending Jan. 31, 2009. The board has jurisdiction over municipal annexations, incorporations, disincorporations and creation or annexation of certain special districts. The board also has jurisdiction over extensions of sewer and water services outside the city or district.

Board of Tax Appeals
Terry Sebring of Tacoma has been appointed to a term effective May 1, 2005, ending March 1, 2011. Sebring retired after 30 years as a Pierce County Superior Court judge. He served as General Counsel to Gov. Booth Gardner and in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant. The board hears appeals and issues decisions involving appeals from people aggrieved by the actions of the 39 county boards of equalization, or the departments of Revenue or Natural Resources.

Cemetery Board
Scott Morrison of Woodinville has been reappointed to a term effective March 30, 2005, ending Jan. 15, 2009. The board grants certificates of authority to operate cemeteries owned by corporations other than religious groups or taxing district authorities, grants pre-arrangement sales licenses and crematory licenses, reviews audit results of endowment-care and pre-arrangement trust funds, holds disciplinary hearings on title violations, and adopts and amends rules.

State Advisory Council on Homelessness
Tom Pennella of Olympia has been appointed to a term effective March 30, 2005, ending Jan. 4, 2009. Pennella is the deputy director of the Washington State Mentoring Partnership and the mentoring administrator with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. The board makes annual policy recommendations to the governor and the Affordable Housing Board on ways to enhance the state�s ability to respond to the needs of people who are homeless, who are at risk of being homeless, or who have been homeless.

Indeterminate Sentencing Review Board
Jeralita �Jeri� Costa of Marysville has been appointed as chairperson to a term effective April 1, 2005, ending April 15, 2009. Costa had previously served on the board as a member, and is a former Washington state senator and representative. The board determines duration of confinement and parole release of all state prisoners sentenced prior to the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984.

Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants & Toddlers with Disabilities and Their Families
Kathrin Fortner of Port Orchard has been appointed to a term effective March 30, 2005, ending Jan. 6, 2008. Fortner is the Infant and Toddler Program director at the Holly Ridge Center in Bremerton and has been a member of the Neurodevelopment Treatment Association for 22 years. The board advises and assists the Department of Social and Health Services and participating state agencies to coordinate, develop and implement policies dealing with early intervention services.

Washington Commission on National and Community Service
Patrick Towner of Olympia has been appointed to a term effective March 28, 2005 ending Feb. 15, 2008. Towner is a retired member of the Operational Engineers Local 612.

Chris Sullivan of Olympia has been reappointed to a term effective March 30, 2005, ending Feb. 15, 2008. Sullivan is the executive director of the Volunteer Center of Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties. Sullivan is also an active member of Retired & Senior Retired Program (RSVP), both nationally and locally. The board implements federal National and Community Trust Act of 1993, which created Americorps.

The board also initiates activities or projects that expand and promote the concept of service beyond the scope of federal resources, and provides leadership and vision with local volunteer organizations, civic and community groups and units of government to make service a part of the lives of all of the citizens of the state.

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