The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors celebrated Valentine’s Day this year by announcing the new Maricopa County Assessor.
Former County Assessor Paul Petersen pleaded not guilty in the adoption scandal on Nov. 5, 2019, but resigned from his position of January of this year. The Assessor position has been vacant since Jan. 8.
In the county’s press release last Friday, the board announced that Eddie Cook, a Gilbert Town Councilman will serve as Maricopa County Assessor.
“In Gilbert, we’ve been able to show how a local government can be transformed to operate like a billion-dollar corporation,” Cook said in the press release. “I look forward to coming into this excellent, high performance environment and building a team culture focused on outstanding service to Maricopa County residents.”
According to Gilbert’s website, Cook graduated from ASU with a degree in engineering and has served on Gilbert’s city council for the last nine years. In the press release, Cook has worked for a technology company that provides Fortune 100 companies cloud-based data services and has served on various boards and commissions.
According to the Gilbert website, Cook also “championed a diverse team to create a policy/resolution on “Civility” for the Town of Gilbert.”
Along with his work within the Gilbert community, the Board also praised Cook for his work in local government in the press release.
“During his time on the Gilbert Town Council, he not only helped Gilbert advance its business practices, he also helped build a stronger organizational culture,” said Supervisor Steve Chucri, District 2.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman, District 4, said in the press release that Cook is the right man for the Assessor position due to his experience on city council.
“Eddie Cook is a dedicated public servant who has proven he puts constituents, and not himself, first. His background in both government and business, especially as it relates to technology, makes him a great fit for this important position,” Hickman said.
Vice Chairman Jack Sellers from District 1 also said Cook was the “right man for the job” because his “governmental experience will allow him to hit the ground running.”
Cook can not take the position until he resigns from his current city council role. On Feb. 18, 2020, Cook will resign in his final formal meeting. From then on, Cook will be the county’s Assessor until the 2020 primary and general elections. According to the press release, he plans to run in those elections to keep the position.
“Ed Cook’s background in public service makes him the ideal person to fill the position of Assessor,” Steve Gallardo, District 5, said in the press release. “Ed will provide much-needed leadership and integrity to the office.”
Contact the reporter at ldiethel@asu.edu
Lisa Diethelm is the Politics editor for the Downtown Devil while she studies at The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in downtown Phoenix. She grew up in California and started her journalism career in high school.
