Term of Office
Appointed: 01/07/2008-11/2009 (until the November 2009 General Election is certified)
How to Contact
Mail: Olympia City Council
PO Box 1967
Olympia, WA 98507-1967
Phone: 360-753-8447
Send an Email to Joan Machlis
Please note: Written correspondence to Councilmembers, including email, is a public document.
Biographical Information
Over her 35-year career, Joan has worked in the areas of housing and business development, real estate and business finance, and non-profit development and administration. She was also one of the founding partners of downtown Olympia’s specialty toy store, Wind Up Here, that the partners sold in February 2006 after operating it for fourteen years.
Joan graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She finished a masters degree in business at Webster College in St. Louis, Missouri, that was partially fulfilled by a 9-month urban leadership fellowship with the CORO foundation.
She’s held positions with the Federal Home Loan Bank as a neighborhood specialist in Neighborhood Housing Services, with a major Midwest bank as their Community Reinvestment Officer, and with the State of Washington as manager of the Development Loan Fund, which provided financing to help diversity the economies of rural Washington communities.
Current Council/Intergovernmental Assignments
- Finance Committee
- Land Use and Environment Committee
- Economic Development Council
- Olympic Region Clean Air Agency
- PBIA (Parking and Business Improvement Area) Board
Priorities
- Supporting staff in providing excellence in police and fire protection, utilities, parks and recreation, streets, bicycle paths and sidewalks, and building safety and design.
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Helping to encourage development in our downtown, neighborhood economic centers and along major transportation corridors.
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Working to strengthen and diversify the economic and jobs base in our community
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Encouraging housing opportunities for an economic range of residents
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Encouraging practices by the City government that is mindful of environmental sustainability
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Working productively with state government and our numerous interjurisdictional neighbors and partners
Areas of Special Interest
- As an avid cyclist and jogger, Joan pays special attention to the region’s trail and parks systems.
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Having created a certified wildlife habitat on her West Olympia city lot Joan is interested in incorporating habitat preservation concepts in landscape designs
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Joan is very interested in engaging active older residents in service to the community and in promoting a sense of community amongst us all.