Welcome to Skagit County

July 11th, 2007

DOWE PROMOTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SKAGIT COUNTY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

SKAGIT COUNTY – Skagit County Building Official Bill Dowe has been promoted to Deputy Director of Skagit County Planning and Development Services, according to Director Gary Christensen. He replaces Oscar Graham who is leaving to return to the private sector providing land use and environmental consulting services with Graham – Bunting & Associates located in Blanchard, Washington.

“I didn’t have to look far to find a competent and well qualified Deputy Director,” said Christensen. “Bill’s administrative and problem-solving skills are widely recognized and uniquely suited in providing an efficient and responsive service to our community and client/customers.”
Dowe has served as Building Official for Skagit County since 2001 and served as Customer Service Manager from 1996 to 2001. He has been employed with Skagit County since 1992.
“Oscar set high standards. He had a way of unraveling complex issues, getting to the core, and making a decision,” said Dowe. “I look forward to the new opportunities this job provides.”
Some of Dowe’s accomplishments as Building Supervisor included supervising efforts to speed up the building permit process. After tracking approval times, Dowe and his staff implemented a plan that improved the average time to approve a building project from 49 days to 30 days in a single year. “We have been proactive to remove glitches and obstacles before the process starts,” said Dowe. “The staff jumped on this project and made it work.”

In February of this year, in response to a budget request from the Skagit County Board of Commissioners, Dowe led the effort to establish a new fee structure to recover 100 percent of permit and fee costs.
Skagit County Commercial Plans Examiner Tim DeVries has been promoted to Building Official.
For further information, contact: Dan Berentson
Skagit County Communications Director
(360)419-3461