Issaquah resident Chris Reh announced his candidacy for Issaquah City Council Seat 1.

City Council Seat 1 is currently held by Deputy Council President Mary Lou Pauly, who will be vacating the seat to run for mayor of Issaquah.

Reh previously ran for the council in 2015. Reh stated that he wants “to continue the dialogue I started with the citizens of Issaquah two years ago.”

“I am committed to helping develop a strong and vibrant Issaquah, for today and tomorrow,” he continued. He went on to say that the city needs to develop strong regional partnerships with surrounding cities and the county to tackle traffic and ensure better planning for the future.

Reh is committed to find solutions to the current challenges facing Issaquah and to develop a strategy to help the city retain its charm and at the same time grow and evolve with the region. He believes that to build the Issaquah residents want, there needs to be a focus on a number of key areas:

– Work with the county and other cities in the region to tackle those problems that span city boundaries.

– Manage growth and development in a way that is consistent with the Central Issaquah Plan, and meets the needs of the community.

– Insist on operational excellence and accountability in all Issaquah city services.

– Focus plans and decision making on the issues that are most important to the citizens of Issaquah and align to the needs of our citizens.

Reh is a principal consultant with Slalom Consulting in Seattle. He has worked as a management consultant serving city, county and state agencies across the country for nearly 25 years.

He brings a unique understanding of the challenges of government and insights into how other communities have addressed their challenges. Reh wants to ensure effective use of tax payer dollars and insist on an accountable city government.

Reh has lived in the Issaquah area for more than 25 years. He and his wife Karen live in Talus.