County Administrator
To create a more responsive, efficient and effective County government, the Commissioners appointed a County Administrator in November 2021. The Administrator has the authority and responsibility to perform the full range of managerial oversite over all departments under the administrative control of the Commissioners except for the Public Health Department on Board of Health issues. The Administrator reviews, analyzes and makes recommendations to the Commissioners on the annual budget and budget amendments based on budget guidelines and priorities established by the Commissioners. The Administrator is responsible for following through on Commissioner direction for public roads and public works programs, public health services, building and planning of unincorporated areas, county park and trails systems, emergency management, county facilities and other services and programs which are not clearly the responsibility of another elected county official.
Mark Neary - County Administrator
Mark is a CPA who graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He has over twenty-nine years of government sector experience that incudes positions with the Washington State Auditor’s Office, the City of Auburn, Thurston County and the Secretary of State’s Office.
In 2013 Mark was appointed Deputy Secretary of State and has served as Chief of Staff / Assistant Secretary of State since January 1, 2015. In this position, Mark oversaw day-to-day office operations which include elections, corporations and charity filings, budget, facilities, human resources and information technology. In addition to the above, he also assisted in oversight of the Washington State Library, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library and the State Archives, and a number of special programs, including the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by public employees, the Address Confidentiality Program to protect victims of domestic violence and stalking, and Legacy Washington, the history programs and special exhibits that tell the stories of our state’s history.