Olympia seeks new hearing examiner with focus on next generation leadership

The City of Olympia is launching its quadrennial search for a new hearing examiner, with an emphasis on succession planning, public communication and continuity in land use decision-making.

The Olympia Land Use and Environment Committee approved a request for qualifications (RFQ) from Community Planning and Economic Development Director Tim Smith at a meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18.

The city issued the RFQ on Dec. 30. It seeks to select both a primary hearing examiner and a pro tem, or alternate hearing examiner — a role the city does not have under contract.

The hearing examiner is responsible for presiding over public hearings and issuing written decisions on a wide range of land use matters, including development proposals, variances, conditional use permits, preliminary plats, shoreline permits and appeals of administrative decisions.

The current hearing examiner, Mark Scheibmeir, who has served the city since 2013, is expected to potentially apply again.

During the discussion, committee members said they are looking for more than just legal expertise.

Committee Chair Dani Madrone identified two priorities she would like included in the hearing examiner's contract:

• The ability to communicate decisions in plain language in a way that the public can easily understand. She noted this was something the current hearing examiner acknowledged he wanted to improve upon.
• An annual report or update to the council, which would help close the “communication loop” and bring policymakers together with the hearing examiner who implements decisions.

Committee member and outgoing Olympia City Council member Jim Cooper also mentioned his preference for a hearing examiner who would provide mentorship and succession planning. He suggested the city seek a hearing examiner or firm capable of training and supporting the next generation of professionals in the field.

Smith said the city plans to select both a primary hearing examiner and a pro tem to ensure continuity in decision-making.

Smith described how Olympia’s approach compared with neighboring jurisdictions. The three northern cities in Thurston County all use hearing examiners, but not in the same way.

In the City of Lacey, hearing examiners make recommendations to the city council, while Olympia and Tumwater use a model in which hearing examiners issue final land use decisions.

Historically, Smith said, land use decisions were made by planning commissions and city councils. Over time, cities have shifted to hearing examiners as land use regulations have grown more complex and time consuming.

The change allows elected officials to focus on policy work. Additionally, using hearing examiners helps reduce potential city liability in land use decisions.

Under the proposed timeline, city staff would conduct an initial screening of applicants, followed by interviews with the Olympia Land Use and Environment Committee.

A final recommendation would then be forwarded to the city council. Statements of qualifications are due by Jan. 30, 2026.

The new hearing examiner should be selected by February, with a contract starting in April 2026. For questions about the RFQ, contact Smith via email at tsmith@ci.olympia.wa.us.