Welcome to Skagit County
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April 21, 2003
SKAGIT COUNTY – The Skagit County Board of Commissioners announced today the hiring of David Blane as the new Planning & Permit Director. Blane formerly served as Director of the Office of Planning for the State of Hawaii. He will begin his position with Skagit County on May 1, 2003. Blane was selected from a slate of three finalists including Gary Christensen, current Interim Planning and Permit Center Director, and Oscar Graham. Prior to his role in Hawaii state government, Blane served as the planning director for Maui County, a department that included three planning commissions and 11 citizen’s boards, including the board of variances and appeals. While at the state, he served as a member of the housing authority, chaired the Waikiki revitalization task force and co-chaired the sustainable tourism commission. He authored Hawaii’s first “smart growth” legislation and sponsored legislation to preserve prime agricultural lands, expand the GIS system, and to improve the coastal zone environment. Blane holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in urban planning from the University of Washington and a Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of Hawaii. Prior to joining Maui County, he had extensive private sector experience in construction management, housing development and regional planning. “Although all three finalists were qualified for the positions, we felt that Mr. Blane stood out as the best candidate,” said Skagit Commissioner Ken Dahlstedt. Blane’s starting salary is $73,965 annually.
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