By CAROLYN EDWARDS

It is an honor and privilege to serve as the new representative for District 1 on the King County Council. I represent 24,120 people in North Seattle along with the residents of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore Bothell, and citizens in unincorporated north King County.

The Seattle portion of District 1 covers most neighborhoods north of North 125th Street and NE 125th Street. It is very important that I stay well connected with my constituents in Seattle because your needs may vary from those of constituents in other cities. To achieve this, I plan to attend local neighborhood meetings in the coming months to hear directly about the county-related issues that concern you most.

Many of you may be familiar with me because of my service as the state representative for the 32nd Legislative District. In Olympia, I focused on transportation, human services and public health. I will continue to work hard on these issues.

In particular, transportation will be a dominant issue on the Council's agenda. The issue on everyone's mind is: "How can we efficiently reduce congestion to improve the quality of life here in King County?" Because of my experience in Olympia, I have been asked to join the King County Council's Transportation Committee. I assure you I will pursue policies that emphasize cost-effective solutions and encourage alternative modes of transportation.

My other committee assignments are chairing Natural Resources and the King County Board of Health, and serving on Utilities, Law, Justice& Human Services, Regional Policy, and Regional Water Quality.

My goal as an elected official is to make government accessible and accountable to all citizens in King County. I believe the best way to accomplish this is to maximize communication with constituents. Please contact me if you have questions or concerns regarding King County government. Call me at 296-1001 or email carolyn.edmonds@metrokc.gov.