Tom Odell Selected to Fill City Council Vacancy

The Sammamish City Council voted at a Special Session last night to appoint Tom Odell to fill City Council Seat #1. The seat was vacated on January 19, 2021 when former councilmember Jason Ritchie resigned from the City Council.

Mr. Odell is no stranger to the Sammamish City Council. He served two full terms on the Council, from January 2010 through December 2017, including two years as Mayor and one year as Deputy Mayor. During his tenure, he actively represented Sammamish within the Sound Cities Association, the Association of Washington Cities, and the National League of Cities. Within the Council, he served on and chaired many of the Council’s committees.

“My focus then, as it is now, is to serve the people of Sammamish by keeping Sammamish livable for its residents and protecting its natural environment while meeting community needs. This will not change,” Mr. Odell stated in his application’s cover letter.

Mr. Odell and his family moved to Sammamish in 1989, drawn to the area by its many natural amenities and its schools. “We have lived in the same house for all 31 years. Our kids grew up and flourished in the Sammamish public schools, where my wife was also a teacher,” said Odell. “We are vested in this community, love it, and have no plans to leave.”

Now retired, Mr. Odell’s professional experience includes a long career in the aviation industry. His last role was as Regional Director for Marketing at the Boeing Company. A veteran of the United States Army, Mr. Odell holds a Master’s of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts, both from the University of Minnesota.