King County Council approves APHIS levy voter pamphlet committee, confirms appointments including Deshaun Quinn to Sound Transit

The Metropolitan King County Council on Feb. 11 adopted a series of consent motions and confirmations covering committee appointments, administrative reports and board confirmations.

By roll call the council adopted the consent agenda items 8 through 15 (motions acknowledging receipt of the 2023 Health Through Housing annual report and confirming several executive appointments to the King County Landmarks Commission, the King County Cultural Development Authority for Culture Board, and the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission). The clerk’s roll call recorded nine ayes and no nos.

The council also approved a motion appointing committees to write the voters’ pamphlet statements for a special election on April 22, 2025, related to Ordinance 19884, which would reauthorize an expired regular property tax levy in excess of the levy limitation in chapter 84.55 RCW. The levy, described in the motion as a seven‑year levy beginning in 2026 at a rate “not more than 0.0275 per $1,000 of assessed valuation,” would fund the continued operation of the Regional Automated Fingerprint Identification System (referred to in the meeting as APHIS). Council staff Erica Newman answered process questions for the item; Vice Chair Perry moved the item and the clerk recorded a roll‑call vote of nine ayes, zero nos.

In a separate item the council confirmed the executive’s appointment of Councilmember Deshaun Quinn (Council District 5) to the Sound Transit Board of Directors. Quinn spoke briefly to the council about his background: “I bring 20 years of experience at King County working, on service delivery,” he said, and said he would bring regional relations experience to the board. The motion was moved and adopted by roll call (nine ayes, zero nos).

The council also adopted a reappointment to the Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County (motion confirming the reappointment of Maryland Evans, Council District 1). That motion passed on the consent roll call (nine ayes, zero nos).

Several procedural motions to suspend the rules—including a motion to hold an advertised public hearing on item 7 and a motion to take item 17 without referral to committee—were raised and carried by voice vote during the meeting; the clerk did not record individual votes for those suspensions in the transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Motion(s) adopting consent agenda items 8–15 (motions acknowledging the 2023 Health Through Housing report; confirming appointments to: King County Landmarks Commission: Richard Anderson (Dist. 3), Cecilia Gunn (Dist. 5), Laura Murphy (Dist. 9); King County Cultural Development Authority: Bethany Fakral; King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission: Claire Sudhmatowirai (Dist. 6), Murashi Roy (Dist. 1), Marin Germa (Dist. 4)). Outcome: approved. Vote: 9 ayes, 0 nos. Clerk roll call: Balducci (Aye), Barone (Aye), Dembowski (Aye), Dunn (Aye), Mosqueda (Aye), Perry (Aye), Quinn (Aye), von Reichbauer (Aye), Chair Girmay Zahilay (Aye).

- Motion appointing committees to write voters’ pamphlet statements for 04/22/2025 special election regarding Ordinance 19884 (reauthorizing regular property tax levy to fund APHIS). Outcome: approved. Vote: 9 ayes, 0 nos. Clerk roll call: Balducci (Aye), Barone (Aye), Dembowski (Aye), Dunn (Aye), Mosqueda (Aye), Perry (Aye), Quinn (Aye), von Reichbauer (Aye), Chair Girmay Zahilay (Aye).

- Motion confirming appointment of Deshaun Quinn to Sound Transit Board (motion number 2025-0057). Outcome: approved. Vote: 9 ayes, 0 nos. Clerk roll call: Balducci (Aye), Barone (Aye), Dembowski (Aye), Dunn (Aye), Mosqueda (Aye), Perry (Aye), Quinn (Aye), von Reichbauer (Aye), Chair Girmay Zahilay (Aye).

- Motion confirming reappointment of Maryland Evans to the Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County (motion number 2025-0049). Outcome: approved. Vote: 9 ayes, 0 nos.

What councilmembers said

Vice Chair Perry and others praised APHIS for its work supporting criminal justice identification, missing persons and other functions. Perry said, “APHIS is really important to what we're doing in King County and it is a phenomenal organization,” and described a staff tour and the unit’s attention to avoiding false positives. Councilmember Quinn, speaking about his Sound Transit appointment, said the regional role fits his experience: “I bring 20 years of experience at King County working, on service delivery.”

Next steps and context

Ordinance 19884 will be placed on the April 22, 2025 special election ballot if the reauthorization proceeds; the council’s motion appointed committees to draft the official voters’ pamphlet statements for that measure. Confirmation of Quinn places a sitting councilmember on the Sound Transit Board as the council directed; Quinn will assume that regional board role as specified by the council motion.

The council adjourned after completing the day’s agenda items and indicated additional business (flood control) would follow at a scheduled time.