Panel Recomemnds Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz For South Sound 911 Post

A panel of police and fire managers voted Friday, Dec. 14 to recommend Andrew Neiditz as the first executive director of South Sound 911.

The recommendation, on a unanimous vote in a public meeting, advances for consideration by the new agency’s Policy Board, a nine-member body of elected officials who meet Dec. 19.

If confirmed by the Policy Board, Neiditz will be the first executive director of the voter-approved agency that is replacing the patchwork of independent and obsolete radio systems and dispatch centers with a seamless emergency communications network.

Neiditz has more than 25 years of senior executive experience in local government. He has been the Lakewood city manager since 2005. He earlier served as city administrator in Sumner and he held two leadership positions for Pierce County – deputy county executive and later as executive director of public safety, where he provided oversight of six departments.

Neiditz was selected from a pool of 32 applicants from 18 states. He was the top choice among three finalists who were vetted by a search committee and then voted on Friday by the Combined Operations Board, a panel of police and fire chiefs representing member agencies.

The South Sound 911 Policy Board meeting will be held Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. in the Lakewood City Hall Council Chambers, 6000 Main Street SW, Lakewood. More information is available at www.southsound911.org.

- South Sound 911