“Shabro Chairs Health BoardPierce County Councilmember Jan Shabro has given up her gavel as County Council chair only to be elected chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Board.Challenges facing the Health Board include finding a way to address the $4 million cut the Health Department’s budget has received from the passage of Initiative 695. Shabro’s number one stated goal this year is to secure state funds to allow the department to move forward with programs aimed at reducing teenage tobacco use, violence and the spread of AIDS.The department’s satellite office program, which offered services in a variety of community locations, was reduced due to I-695 funding cuts. Shabro said she supports efforts to take services to the people and is hopeful the program can be restored.The loss of revenue from I-695 reportedly led to a cut of 59 positions, dropping the department’s staffing level from 280 to 221. Nine department sites have been closed throughout Pierce County, including district sites in Bonney Lake, Gig Harbor and Lakewood. Three family support centers, two substance abuse treatment sites and the department’s sole teen center were also closed.Casada Chairs County CouncilSarah Casada, entering her fourth year as a Pierce County Council member representing the Puyallup, Edgewood, Milton and Fife areas, has been elected to chair the council this year.The council also elected Tacoma Democrat Wendell Brown as vice chair and 1999 Chair Jan Shabro, Lake Tapps Republican, as executive pro tem.A Republican who resides on Puyallup’s South Hill, Casada served as executive pro tem last year. Each vote was unanimous by the council, which includes four Republicans and three Democrats.Casada has served as chair of the public works committee and member of the Budget & Operations and Rules committees. Before coming to county government, she represented the 25th Legislative District six years in the state House of Representatives. She chaired the House’s Energy & Utility Committee from 1993 to 1996.Casada also has been a business owner, telecommunications manager of Pacific Lutheran University and a vocational-technical business instructor.”