H-540                _______________________________________________

                                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 94

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Winsley, Ebersole, Gallagher, Smitherman, Wang, Walker and Fisher

Read first time 1/18/85 and referred to Committee on Local Government.

AN ACT Relating to public health and safety; and amending RCW 70.08.040.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 4, chapter 46, Laws of 1949 as amended by section 1, chapter 57, Laws of 1980 and RCW 70.08.040 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the director of public health under this chapter shall be appointed by the ((mayor of the city of one hundred thousand population or more)) county board of health, such appointment to be effective only upon a majority vote confirmation of each legislative authority of said city and said county.  ((He)) The director shall be paid such salary and allowed such expenses as shall be determined annually by the legislative authorities of said city and said county.  ((He)) The director shall hold office for an indefinite term and may be removed at any time by the mayor of said city only for cause shown and after public hearing on charges reduced to writing, a copy of such charges having first been filed ten days prior to such public hearing with the legislative authorities of said city and of said county.

          (2) Where a combined department is established under this chapter involving a city with a population of four hundred thousand or more and a class AA county in which such city is located, the director of public health under this chapter shall be appointed by the county executive of the county and the mayor of the city for a term of four years and until a successor is appointed and confirmed.  The director of public health may be reappointed by the county executive of the county and the mayor of the city for additional four year terms.  The appointment shall be effective only upon a majority vote confirmation of the legislative authority of the county and the legislative authority of the city.  The director may be removed by the county executive of the county, after consultation with the mayor of the city, upon filing a statement of reasons therefor with the legislative authorities of the county and the city.