The Pierce County Council chose its leaders for 2009 and appointed Jan Shabro as county auditor during the first council meeting of the year Jan. 13.

Councilmembers unanimously selected Roger Bush as the council’s new chair, Terry Lee as vice chair and Dick Muri as executive pro tempore. The council chair presides at all regular council meetings, the vice chair presides in the absence of the chair, and the executive pro tempore is a councilmember selected to perform some of the county executive’s duties in the event of the executive’s absence or temporary disability.

As the council’s leadership team, Bush, Lee and Muri will comprise the council’s Rules and Operations Committee that sets the agenda for the full council and coordinates the referral and scheduling of legislation.

“We have a number of daunting challenges ahead of us, not the least of which is the budget and related fiscal decisions we will make in the coming months,” said Bush, a former state representative who was elected in November to his second four-year term on the council. “Looking forward, it’s critical that this council speak in a unified voice for the best interests of all Pierce County residents.”

Later in the evening, the council appointed Shabro to the auditor position vacated by Pat McCarthy when she became Pierce County Executive on Jan. 2. A former state representative and County Councilmember, she will serve until November when a special election will decide who completes the remainder of McCarthy’s term through Dec. 31, 2010.

The county auditor conducts elections for all Pierce County taxing districts and performs recording, licensing, and animal services for the county.