Brian Coddington, Communications Director, 509.625.6740
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 2:54 p.m.
Mayor Nadine Woodward announced today that she has appointed Marlene Feist as the Public Works Director, succeeding Scott Simmons who is leaving the City to become the chief executive for Spokane County.
Feist currently serves as the Strategic Development Director for Public Works. She will move into the division director position on April 1 and become the first woman in that role. Her appointment is subject to confirmation by the City Council.
“Marlene is already a great leader in the Public Works Division and has been a large part of the work that has been done over the past serval years to improve how we manage and maintain the critical infrastructure people rely on every day,” Woodward said. “We are excited for her to take this next step in her career with the City.”
Simmons was named the new chief executive officer for Spokane County earlier today. His first day with the County is April 1.
“Scott will do a great job for the County,” Woodward. “As sad as we are to see him move on from the City we are equally excited for the opportunities to continue partnering with the County on issues of regional significance and importance to our broader community.”
Feist has been with the City for than 22 years and has held numerous leadership positions. She was appointed to the strategic initiatives role during the previous Administration and has worked closely with Simmons over the past 5 years.
“I have been honored to serve the citizens of the City of Spokane for more than 22 years—the last eight in public works,” Feist said. “Public works provides critically important services and infrastructure—everything from clean drinking water to improved streets. I am excited to take on the role of Public Works Director, and I thank Mayor Woodward for placing her trust in me.”
Simmons has also served as interim City Administrator the past several months. The search for a new City Administrator is on track to be completed in the next couple of weeks. The City is also searching for a Community and Economic Development division director and a director for the Planning Department. Those searches will be done over the next couple of months.
