TACOMA, WA: A ceremonial swearing-in Monday night recognized Commissioner Andrea Smith and welcomed Matthew Mauer, the newest member of the Metro Parks Tacoma Board of Park Commissioners.
This is the third term for Andrea Smith, who is president of the Park Board.
Mauer, the government affairs manager at the Port of Tacoma, has been serving on the board following certification of the General Election on Nov. 28. He replaced Commissioner Michael Liang, who was selected to complete the last 18 months of the term after former Commissioner Erik Hanberg resigned.
“I’ve always had a desire to do more and elected service is intriguing,” Mauer said. “I’m excited to be in a position where I can make positive change.”
Mauer first became interested in joining the Park Board several years ago after a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle near a Tacoma park in his neighborhood. The incident sparked awareness of the importance of walkability to parks and a desire to make the routes safer.
Some of his goals as a commissioner include improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists accessing Tacoma parks and increasing tree canopy and green space throughout the city.
Mauer has worked for nearly three years as government affairs manager for the Port of Tacoma and has a background in public service and management. He spent nearly a decade in the U.S. Coast Guard, including two overseas deployments, prior to working for U.S. Senator Patty Murray as her King County Veterans Affairs Director and for Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib as director of external affairs.
Mauer and his husband have been married five years and have a 3-year-old son. When not working, he enjoys kayaking, cold plunging and home renovations.
