City Officials

Director, Office of Arts and Culture

The Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs was established in 2002 after a reorganization of the existing Seattle Arts Commission. OACA was brought into the Executive Department in 2013 and its name was changed to the Office of Arts and Culture.

Lighting Department/City Light

The citizens of Seattle approved a bond issue on March 4, 1902, for development of a lighting plant on the Cedar River. It was completed in 1904 and operated by Seattle Electric Company until January 1905, when it was taken over and operated by the Department of Lighting and Waterworks under the direction of Superintendent Luther B. Young. The Lighting Department was created by a Charter Amendment adopted April 1, 1910.

Fire Chief

The 1869 City Charter granted the Common Council the authority to appoint or elect officers "to provide for the prevention and extinguishment of fires." A City Charter Amendment in 1875 broadened authority to establish building regulations, organize a Fire Department, purchase fire apparatus, ensure a water supply for fire fighting purposes, and levy taxes to pay for fire protection.

Ordinance 129, passed in 1876, established the position of Fire Warden, whose responsibility was management of the City's fire protection function. Prior to 1889, the City was served by a number of volunteer fire companies. Following the Great Fire of 1889, which destroyed most of Seattle's commercial district, the City created a fully professional Fire Department under the direction of a Fire Chief.

Director, Office of Housing

In 1999, the Office of Housing was established independent of the Department of Housing and Human Services, which was reorganized as the Human Services Department.

Director, Human Services Department

The Department of Human Resources was created in 1973, superceding the Office of Human Resources that had been part of the Executive Department since 1971. In 1991, the name of the agency was changed to Department of Human Services. A year later, it became the Department of Housing and Human Services. In 1999, the housing function was removed and the agency name was changed to Human Services Department.

Chief Technology Officer

Upon its creation in 1999, the Department of Information Technology took on and expanded upon some of the functions that until then had been handled by the Technology Division of the Executive Services Department. The department director is known as the city's Chief Technology Officer.

Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations

The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) was established in the Executive Department in 1971 to act as the City's liaison with other cities and governmental agencies. In 1973, the IGA was moved to the Office of Executive Policy, and in 1975 was incorporated into the Office of Policy Planning. The Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR) became an independent agency in 1979, and absorbed the former Office of International Affairs in 1992.

Director, Department of Neighborhoods

The Department of Neighborhoods was created in 1991 by consolidating staff from the Executive Department’s Citizens Service Bureau and Office of Neighborhoods, the Community Service Centers of the Department of Human Resources, and the Neighborhood Assistance Division of the Department of Community Development. The Office of Urban Conservation, the City’s historic preservation agency, was added in 1992. The following year, the department added a community development function by taking over projects in the Central Area, Southeast Seattle, and the Port of Seattle. In 1999, the Neighborhood Planning Office was abolished and its continuing functions were assumed by the Department of Neighborhoods.

Superintendent of Parks and Recreation

The 1890 City Charter placed the management of the City parks in the hands of a Park Commission and invested the Commission with the authority to appoint a Superintendent of Parks.

The 1896 City Charter replaced the Park Commission with a Park Committee that reported directly to the City Council. Management of the parks was vested in the City Council; the position of Superintendent of Parks was abolished; and the day-to-day administration of parks business was assumed by the Superintendent of Streets, Sewers, and Parks.

An amendment to the City Charter in 1904 established the Board of Park Commissioners which was given authority to hire all such employees, including superintendents, it deemed necessary to maintain the park system. The following men led the daily operations of the parks staff under varying job titles including Superintendent, Landscape Architect, and Parks Engineer.

A 1967 City Charter amendment established the Department of Parks and Recreation, reduced the Board of Park Commissioners to an advisory body, and placed the management of the department with the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation. The Superintendent was appointed by the mayor for a four-year term.

A City Charter amendment in 1977 abolished the four-year term restriction for the Superintendent.

Chief of Police

The 1869 City Charter established the Marshall as the City's peace officer. The Marshall was elected by the voters for a one year term.

An 1883 City Charter Amendment abolished the position of Marshall and created the new position of Chief of Police. The Chief was elected by the voters of the City for a one-year term.

The Freeholders City Charter of 1890 created a five-member Board of Police Commissioners to oversee the operations of the Police Department. The Commission, chaired by the Mayor, had authority to appoint the Chief of Police.

The Freeholders City Charter of 1896 abolished the Board of Police Commissioners and gave the Mayor the authority to appoint and remove the Police Chief.

A City Charter Amendment in 1936 provided for the Chief of Police to be appointed for a five year term of office.

A new Freeholders City Charter was adopted March 12, 1946. Under its provisions, the term of the Chief of Police was not specified.

This list is accurate to the best of our knowledge. Due to the high incidence of firings and resignations, it is possible that some dates are imprecise.

Director, Seattle Center

The Seattle Center Department was created in 1965 to administer, manage and control the facilities on the site of the 1962 World's Fair. The facilities at the Seattle Center date back to 1927 with completion of the construction of the Civic Auditorium, Civic Arena, Veterans Hall, and the Civic Playfield. The property expanded to 74 acres in 1962 to accommodate the World's Fair. The Center's purpose is to be an active civic center providing facilities and programs supporting the arts, education, sports and entertainment. It is home for the Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, three resident theaters, and the Seattle Storm professional basketball team. In addition, there are five facilities on the grounds that are not owned by the City: the Space Needle, Memorial Stadium, the Pacific Science Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Experience Music Project.

Director, Seattle Public Utilities

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) was created in 1997 when the water, solid waste, drainage, and wastewater utilities from the Engineering and Water departments were merged with the Engineering Services Division of the Engineering Department and the Customer Service Call Center and Construction Engineering Sections of City Light.

Director, Department of Transportation

The Seattle Transportation Department was created in 1997 when the traffic and transportation functions of the Engineering Department were consolidated. By June 2002, Transportation and the Strategic Planning Office consolidated to form a newly organized department which absorbed responsibilities for maintenance and operation of streets, bridges, retaining walls and seawalls, and traffic control systems in the City. An ordinance passed in 2004 changed the department's name to Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

City Clerk, Elected (1869-1896)

Clerks of the Common Council

The City Charter of 1869 established that the Common Council elect a Clerk who would keep a "fair and correct journal of its proceedings, and to file and keep all papers and books connected with the business of the council." The Clerk also had responsibility for maintaining the books of accounts for the town.

City Clerks

An 1875 City Charter amendment changed the title of the Clerk of the Common Council to City Clerk; the duties and method of election remained the same.

The new City Charter of 1890 created the Clerical Department and provided for the election of the City Clerk by a vote of the people for a term of two years. The financial functions were removed from the Clerk and placed in the newly created Finance Department, under the jurisdiction of the Comptroller.

The new City Charter of 1896 established the Comptroller as the ex-officio City Clerk with the authority to appoint deputy clerks to carry out the clerical functions.

City Comptroller

The Office of the City Comptroller was established by the 1890 City Charter. The Comptroller was responsible for the general supervision of the City's financial affairs including maintenance of the municipal accounting system. The new Freeholders City Charter of 1896 transferred all of the Clerical Department responsibilities to the City Comptroller and made the Comptroller the ex-officio City Clerk. A City Charter Amendment passed by the voters in 1991 abolished the elective offices of Comptroller and Treasurer and combined the duties in a Department of Finance

City Engineer

The position of City Engineer is first mentioned in the City Charter in 1873. The Engineer was elected by the Common Council. Two years later, the designation "Engineer" was replaced by the office of the Surveyor, also elected by the Common Council. The title was dropped from the City Charter by amendment in 1877, only to be reinstated by another amendment in 1883.

The Freeholders City Charter of 1890 provided for a City Engineer to be appointed by the Board of Public Works and to serve at the pleasure of the Board.

The new Freeholders City Charter of 1896 provided that the City Engineer be appointed by the Mayor to serve a term of three years.

The Engineering Department was abolished in 1997; its functions were divided between Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle Transportation.

Civil Service Commissioners

The City Charter of 1896 created the Civil Service system and established the Civil Service Commission and Civil Service Department to administer the system. A reorganization in 1979 abolished the Civil Service Department, replacing it with the Personnel Department, and established the Civil Service Commission as a separate City agency.

1896
John Schram
James M. Colman
Edward L. Blaine

1897
James M. Colman
Edward L. Blaine
John Schram

1898
Edward L. Blaine
John Schram
James M. Colman

1899
John Schram
James M. Colman
P.D. Hughes

1900
James M. Colman
P.D. Hughes
F.F. Randolph

1901
P.D. Hughes
F.F. Randolph
G.F. Zimmerman

1902
F.F. Randolph
G.F. Zimmerman
C.M. Nettleton

1903
G.F. Zimmerman
C.M. Nettleton
F.F. Randolph

1904
C.M. Nettleton
F.F. Randolph
G.F. Zimmerman

1905
F.F. Randolph
G.F Zimmerman
C.M. Nettleton

1906
G.F. Zimmerman
C.M. Nettleton
F.A. McDonald

1907
C.M. Nettleton
F.A. McDonald
George P. Listman

1908
F.A. McDonald
George Listman
C.M. Nettleton (left 5/5/08)
Godfrey Chealander (started 5/5/08)

1909
George P. Listman
Herbert T. Granger
Godfrey Chealander (resigned 12/1/09)

1910
Herbert T. Granger
George P. Listman
G.F. Zimmerman (completed Chealander's unexpired term)

1911
Herbert T. Granger
George P. Listman
R.C. Erskine

1912
George P. Listman
R.C. Erskine
C.S. Baxter

1913
R.C. Erskine
Chauncey L. Baxter
George P. Listman

1914
Chauncey L. Baxter
George P. Listman
R.C. Erskine

1915
George P. Listman
R.C. Erskine
Chauncey L. Baxter

1916
R.C. Erskine
Chauncey L. Baxter
George P. Listman

1917
Chauncey L. Baxter
George P. Listman
James C. Downey

1918
George P. Listman
James C. Downey
Chauncey L. Baxter

1919
Chauncey L. Baxter
J.Y.C. Kellogg
George P. Listman (left 3/18/19)
Ralph McCullough (started 4/18/19)

1920
George P. Listman
Ralph McCullough
J.Y.C. Kellogg

1921
Ralph McCullough
J.Y.C. Kellogg
Bert A. Northrup

1922
J.Y.C. Kellogg
Ralph McCullough
Bert A. Northrup (left 8/14/22)
Frank W. Cotterill (started 8/22/22)

1923
Frank Cotterill
Frank E. Boyle
Donna E. Baker

1924
Frank E. Boyle
Donna E. Baker
T.H. Bolton

1925
Donna E. Baker
T.H. Bolton
Tom S. Patterson

1926
Tom S. Patterson
T.H. Bolton (left 6/30/26)
Donna E. Baker (left 7/10/26)
David Beck (started 7/3/26)
Harriet M. Elias (started 7/19/26)

1927
Tom S. Patterson
David Beck
Harriet M. Elias

1928
Harriet M. Elias
Tom S. Patterson
David Beck (left 7/31/28)
George P. Listman (started 8/1/28)

1929
George P. Listman
Tom S. Patterson (left 6/6/29)
Harriet M. Elias (left 7/31/29)
Edward Clifford (started 6/13/29)
Edith E. Gattis (started 8/7/29)

1930
Edith E. Gattis, Chair
Edward Clifford
George P. Listman

1931
Edith E. Gattis, Chair
George P. Listman
Edward Clifford

1932
Edith E. Gattis, Chair (left 6/7/32)
Edward Clifford (left 6/6/32)
George P. Listman (left 6/23/32)
James J. McGinley (started 6/8/32)
Thomas H. Simpson, Chair (started 6/8/32)
Louis Nash (served 7/1/32-9/8/32)
Harry D. Marsh (started 10/11/32)

1933
Thomas H. Simpson, Chair
James J. McGinley
Harry D. Marsh (left 10/25/33)
Charles E. Sullivan (started 10/26/33)

1934
Sam Mullin, Chair
Annie Thomas
Frank Brewster

1935
Sam Mullin, Chair
Frank Brewster,
Henry Elliott, Jr.

1936
Sam Mullin, Chair
Frank Brewster,
Henry Elliott, Jr.

1937
Sam Mullin, Chair
Henry Elliott, Jr.
Frank Brewster

1938
Henry Elliott, Jr., Chair
David E. Lockwood
George Mulkey

1939
Henry Elliott, Jr., Chair
David E. Lockwood
Robert Buchanan

1940
Henry Elliott, Jr., Chair
David E. Lockwood
Robert Buchanan

1941
Henry Elliott Jr., Chair
Robert Buchanan
John Sylvester

1942
Henry Elliott, Chair
John N. Sylvester
Robert Buchanan

1943
Henry Elliott, Chair
John N. Sylvester
Robert Buchanan

1944
Henry Elliott, Chair
Robert Buchanan
Roger H. Cutting

1945
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Roger H. Cutting
Francis A. LeSourd

1946
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Roger H. Cutting
Francis A. LeSourd

1947
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Tex Allison
Francis A. LeSourd

1948
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Homer A. Bergren
Francis A. LeSourd

1949
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Homer A. Bergren
Francis A. LeSourd

1950
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Francis A. LeSourd
Lawrence Bates

1951
Robert C. Buchanan, Chair
Lawrence Bates
Burton J. Wheelon

1952
Lawrence Bates, Chair
Burton J. Wheelon
Malcolm E. McLaren

1953
Burton J. Wheelon, Chair
Malcolm E. McLaren
Dorothy Leavell

1954
Malcolm E. McLaren, Chair
Dorothy Leavell
George C. Mathieu

1955
Malcolm E. McLaren, Chair
Dorothy Leavell
George C. Mathieu

1956
Malcolm E. McLaren, Chair
George C. Mathieu
Dorothy Leavell

1957
Malcolm E. McLaren, Chair
Robert H. Harlin
Dorothy Leavell (resigned 9/17/57)
Burton J. Wheelon (appointed 9/17/57)

1958
Burton J. Wheelon, Chair
Robert H. Harlin
Warren H. Berry

1959
Robert H. Harlin
Warren H. Berry
Burton J. Wheelon

1960
Warren H. Berry
Burton J. Wheelon
Robert H. Harlin

1961
Burton J. Wheelon
Robert H. Harlin
Warren H. Berry

1962
Burton J. Wheelon, Chair
Warren H. Berry
Robert H. Harlin (deceased 2/11/62)
John D. Spellman (appointed 3/27/62)

1963
Burton J. Wheelon, Chair
Warren H. Berry
John D. Spellman

1964
John D. Spellman, Chair
Herbert M. Stephens
E.A. Cook

1965
John D. Spellman, Chair
E.A. Cook
Herbert M. Stephens

1966
E.A. Cook
Herbert M. Stephens
John Spellman

1967
E.A. Cook
Herbert M. Stephens
Merlin C. Brown (completed Spellman's unexpired term)

1968
Merlin Brown
E.A. Cook
H. M. Stephens

1969
E.A. Cook
Herbert M. Stephens
Merlin c. Brown

1970
Herbert M. Stephens
Merlin C. Brown
Allan Munro

1971
Merlin C. Brown
Allan Munro
Donald D. Haley

1972
Allan Munro
Donald D. Haley
Robert E. McGinty

1973
Donald D. Haley, Chair
Robert E. McGinty
Allan Munro (left 3/14/73)
Nobie Chan (started mid-1973)

1974
Robert E. McGinty, Chair
Nobie Chan
Donald D. Haley

1975
Nobie Chan, Chair
Donald D. Haley
Robert E. McGinty

1976
Donald D. Haley, Chair
Robert E. McGinty
Nobie Chan

1977
Robert E. McGinty, Chair
Nobie Chan
Donald D. Haley

1978
Nobie Chan, Chair
David Grayson
Donald Haley

City Treasurer

The 1869 City Charter specified that the Treasurer was elected by a majority vote of the Common Council.

The Freeholders' City Charter of 1890 provided for the election of a Treasurer by the qualified voting citizens of the City. The Treasurer's term of office was set at two years.

Seattle Street Commissioner

A City Charter Amendment in 1875 created the position of Street Commissioner to be elected annually by the Common Council. The new City Charter of 1890 stipulated that the Street Commissioner be appointed by the Board of Public Works and a subsequent Amendment in 1894 required that the position be filled by a member of the Board.

The new Freeholders City Charter of 1896 created the position of Superintendent of Streets, Sewers, and Parks. The Superintendent was appointed by the Mayor for a three-year term. In 1904, with creation of the Board of Parks Commissioners, the Parks function was removed from the Superintendent. The Department of Streets and Sewers was abolished in 1936 and became the Maintenance Division of the Engineering Department.

Water Department Superintendent

A public waterworks was created by City Charter Amendment in 1875. However, Seattle was served primarily by small private water companies for the next decade-and-a-half. Following the Great Fire of 1889, citizens voted to fund creation of a municipally owned water system. The City purchased the private systems and began development of the Cedar River Watershed, and since 1891, has owned and operated a municipal water system. The system was administered by the Superintendent of Water under the auspices of the Board of Public Works. In 1905 the Department of Lighting and Water Works was created. Five years later, the Water Department became a separate entity. In 1997 the Water Department was consolidated with the utilities of the Engineering Department to form Seattle Public Utilities.