May Brings Many Changes to County Staff

John Van Lund and Karen Vetter honored for their county service this week

By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager

Retirements and reassignments are changing the face of several county departments. The most visible changes occurred April 29^th when Public Works Director Jon Shannon stepped down, and County Engineer John Van Lund and Deputy Prosecutor Karen Vedder retire.

In a move announced last month Shannon assumes the position of County Transportation Planner. He will divide his office hours between County Offices in Friday Harbor and Orcas Island.

While the search for Shannon’s replacement is underway, Public Works Department veteran Russ Harvey will serve as Interim Public Works Director. Harvey joined the department as a land fill operator in 1981 and has risen through the ranks to the position of Road Maintenance Operations Manager.

County Engineer John Van Lund is retiring after serving as County Engineer for nearly seven years. He brought 38 years of structural and civil engineering experience to the department and headed an operation that has been praised for its expertise and efficiency. His successor, Rachel Dietzman, is an engineer that he recruited in 2007. She moves up from her position as Senior Project Engineer within the public works department. Dietzman is quick to praise the job Van Lund has done, “He has his own unique style, he has built a great team and he has my utmost respect.”

Former County Transportation Planner Shannon Wilbur has been promoted to the Project Engineer slot opened by Dietzman’s promotion.

The departure of Karen Vedder as Deputy Prosecutor for civil cases marks the end of an era for more than one reason. Holding a degree in Microbiology with graduate studies in Veterinary Microbiology and Marine Biology, she is among the last attorneys in Washington who won a license to practice law by “reading law” rather than attending law school. She clerked, and studied, under former Prosecutor and subsequently County Council Member Gene Knapp. Before entering the legal field, she worked as a research biologist and as a newspaper reporter.

Her boss, Prosecutor Randall Gaylord said, “Karen has been a great public lawyer because she has deep roots in the community and an uncompromising loyalty to the public good.”

Vedder is known for her quick wit, expertise on contracts and civil litigation, and athletic prowess. An avid hiker and biker, she says that she is looking forward to “using my bicycle for transportation,” once she is away from the demands of the County Prosecutor’s Office. She is also looking forward to an ambitious trip to China in the fall.

Deputy Prosecutor Jon Cain, will move up to the senior deputy position vacated by Vedder. Cain is a magna cum laude graduate of the Seattle University Law School who joined the San Juan County Prosecutor’s office after practicing law with local governments in California and Washington for eleven years.  He has spent the bulk of his time here working on land use issues and litigation, but has also been called upon to handle civil cases.

A search has begun to fill the position left vacant by Cain’s promotion.

Two other long-time employees are planning departures within the next several weeks: Court Administrator Marion Melville has announced her plans to retire effective June 2^nd. Melville joined the County staff in 1982 and has overseen the operation of the District Court since 1997. And Public Works Administrative Assistant Barbara Wright will retire effective May 23rd. Wright joined the County’s Juvenile Court staff in 1986 and moved to public works two years later.