Bellevue Council Picks Replacement For Vandana Slatter

BELLEVUE, WA - The Bellevue City Council on Tuesday night selected a replacement for former Councilwoman Vandana Slatter, who recently left the Council to serve in the state Legislature.

By a vote of 5-1, the Council selected Ernie Simas, the CEO of GIA Enterprises, which operates 16 McDonald's restaurants in Seattle and on the East Side; Simas has also served on a number of city boards and commissions.

The Council has taken more than two months to find a replacement for Slatter. Slatter resigned effective Jan. 14. The Council met in executive session about candidates on Feb. 21, but emerged from that session with Mayor John Stokes stating that more time would be needed to make a decision.

Councilman Conrad Lee was the sole member who didn't vote for Simas; he voted for Jared Nieuwenhuis, the marketing director for Bellevue-based Her Interactive.

In early January, the King County Council picked state Rep. Patty Kuderer, D-Clyde Hill to replace Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib in the state Senate. That selection left Kuderer's seat open, so King County chose Slatter to fill it.

"I am thrilled to have been chosen for this opportunity," Simas said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing our great tradition of having vibrant, diverse and well maintained neighborhoods, fostering a growing economic environment and continuing to make Bellevue and the Eastside a 'best place' to live.'"

Simas will serve the remainder of Slatter's term, through the end of 2017.

Image via City of Bellevue