Mayor appoints Feist as director of public works

Brian Coddington, Director of Communications, 509.625.6740

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 2:54 p.m.

Mayor Nadine Woodward announced today that she has appointed Marlene Feist as Director of Public Works. She succeeds Scott Simmons, who is leaving town to become General Manager for Spokane County.

Feist currently serves as the Director of Strategic Development for Public Works. She will move to the position of department head on April 1st and will be the first woman in this role. Their appointment must be confirmed by the city council.

“Marlene is already a great leader in the public works department and has done much of the work that has been done in recent years to improve the management and maintenance of the critical infrastructure that people rely on every day,” said Woodward. “We are delighted that she is taking this next step in her career with the city.”

Simmons was named today as the new Chief Executive Officer for Spokane County. His first day with the county is April 1st.

“Scott will do a great job for the county,” said Woodward. “As sad as we are that he moved out of town, we are equally excited about the opportunity to continue working with the county on issues of regional importance and importance to our wider community.”

Feist has been in town for more than 22 years and has held numerous leadership positions. She was appointed to the role of Strategic Initiatives in the previous administration and has worked closely with Simmons for the past 5 years.

“I am honored to have served the citizens of Spokane City for more than 22 years – the last eight in public works,” said Feist. “Public works provide important services and infrastructures – from clean drinking water to improved roads. I am delighted to take on the role of Public Works Director and I thank Mayor Woodward for placing her trust in me. “

Simmons has also served as interim city administrator for the past few months. The search for a new city administrator should be completed in the next few weeks. The city is also looking for a director for the community and economic development department and a director for the planning department. These searches will be carried out over the next few months.