We are saddened to share the news of the passing of former Executive Director Jay Weber and extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones.
Jay Weber served as Executive Director of the County Road Administration Board from 1998 to 2017.
Friends, family, and colleagues gathered in Wenatchee to celebrate Jay's 40 years of public service in August 2017.
Jay led the County Road Administration Board from 1998 to 2017 as the concluding chapter of his 40+ years of public service to the State of Washington and Douglas County.
Deputy Director Drew Woods, PE shared that Jay "was one of the best and brightest people I’ve ever known."
Jay was born in Wenatchee in January of 1951 and raised in the Methow Valley and Grand Coulee, where he graduated from high school in 1969. He went on to study a number of subjects at the University of Washington, before graduating with a BA in English in 1974. After college, Jay returned to manage the Weber Brothers Ranch in Mansfield, as he did through his time at the agency.
He was elected as Douglas County Commissioner in 1986 and served three terms in that position, until 1997. During his tenure as Commissioner, Jay served as President of the Eastern District of the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC), then moved through the chairs to become President of the WSAC in 1994-1995.
He served on the County Road Administration Board for nine years and guided the Board as chairman from 1989 to 1997. In 1998, Jay was hired as the Executive Director for the agency and served with distinction, being awarded the Washington State Association of County Engineers President’s Award in 2004 and 2017.
Jay drove many miles each week, many of them on the county road system, and testified many times before House and Senate Transportation committees concerning the needs of the county road system across the state. He helped formulate the County Arterial Preservation Program (CAPP) and worked tirelessly for the maintenance needs of the county road system.
I never had the privilege to meet Jay in person, but he left a lasting legacy at CRAB as a coach and mentor to many of the staff and throughout the county family. I know he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family, friends, and his former colleagues across Washington State.
