Former Everett Resident Joni Earl Recovering From Brain Surgery

Before she was named to head Sound Transit, Joni Earl served as deputy Snohomish County Executive under Bob Drewel. This afternoon Sound Transit announced that an interim CEO has been named while Earl recovers from brain surgery. Earl and her husband Charlie lived in south Everett for a number of years before relocating to Pierce County. All of us here at MyEverettNews.com wish her a speedy recovery. Here’s the press release from Sound Transit…

I want to share with you that our CEO, Joni Earl, had surgery in late April to address blood vessel leakage on the brain. This is a serious injury that will require a number of months of recovery before Joni is able to return to work. Joni wants everyone to know that she appreciates the support she’s received from the Sound Transit Board and staff and many others during her recovery.

Today, the Sound Transit Board officially designated me to serve as Acting CEO as Joni continues her medical leave. As Board Chair Dow Constantine stated in his motion, “Sound Transit is in a great position to continue delivering the regional transit services and infrastructure our region needs to thrive in the years ahead.” I told the Board I am honored to step into this role until Joni returns and hope this is for a short period of time.

Obviously, we miss Joni and her leadership, not only here at Sound Transit but throughout the entire region. We are thinking of her every day. I visited with Joni recently and she asked about every part of Sound Transit and encouraged us to continue delivering the services and projects we have promised to our community. Rest assured that Sound Transit will continue full steam ahead.

We have an extensive list of projects underway and are advancing light rail construction to the north, south and east. Priorities include beginning construction of the East Link light rail extension in 2015 and opening light rail extensions north to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington and south to Angle Lake Station in SeaTac in 2016. The Northgate light rail extension is in full construction and planning is well underway on extensions north to Lynnwood and south to Kent/Des Moines.

We will be very busy and I will try to keep you up to date here in the CEO Report.

Mike Harbour, Sound Transit Acting CEO

[ad#Google 4]