Gov. Jay Inslee continued to fill out his cabinet with the announcement of three more appointments on Tuesday.
Inslee is replacing Department of Agriculture director Dan Newhouse with Donald “Bud” Hover of Winthrop, who is an Okanogan County commissioner. On Monday, Newhouse announced his departure “with great disappointment.”
In choosing Hover, Inslee is replacing a former Republican state representative and fruit farmer with a rancher who also played professional football. Hover now chairs the Salmon Recovery Board that parcels out grants for projects that improve habitat and fish runs.
The Democratic governor also is replacing retiring Health Secretary Mary Selecky – who began her public health career in Colville and is the longest-serving current agency leader – with another local public health director, John Wiesman of Clark County.
Inslee also announced that he is keeping Bette Hyde as director of the Department of Early Learning. He credited her with winning a federal Race to the Top grant.
State Republicans have mocked Inslee for not bringing in more leaders from outside government after his campaign pledge to bring “disruptive” change agents into the mix.
Brad Shannon, bshannon@theolympian.com
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