May 2010 to Present Olympia City Council
Olympia, Washington
Position: Councilmember, Position 7
Appointed by the Olympia City Council to serve out term of resigned councilmember.
2006 - 2008 National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Thurston/Mason Board
Olympia, Washington
Position: Member
2002 - 2007 Capitol Land Trust Board
Olympia, Washington
Position: Member
1999 - Present Thurston County Chamber of Commerce
Business and Economic Development Committee (1999-2005)
Olympia, Washington
Position: Member
2005 - Present Olympia Precinct #49
Olympia, Washington
Position: Precinct Committee Officer
Party: Democrat
1999 - 2010 Thurston County Boundary Review Board
Olympia, Washington
Position: Vice Chair
Appointed by Governor Gary Locke, reappointed by Governor Chris Gregoire.
Resolved jurisdictional boundary disputes in Thurston County, Washington.
1996 - Present Founding Member, Carnegie Group
Olympia, Washington
Non-partisan association of Thurston County citizens concerned about growth issues.
1986 - Present Founding Mental Health Team Member, Thurston County Critical Incident Debriefing Team
Olympia, Washington
Debriefings of paramedics, firefighters, and law enforcement personnel in Thurston County and surrounding area.
2003 - 2007 Henderson/Nisqually Shellfish Protection District Stakeholder Committee, a combined advisory committee to Thurston County Commissioners.
Olympia, Washington
Position: Chair, 2003 to 2006
Oversaw development and implementation of combined plan to reopen shellfish beds closed due to non-point pollution.
1999 - 2004 WRIA 13 Salmon Restoration Stakeholder Committee
Olympia, Washington
Position: Thurston County Appointee
Addressed salmon restoration efforts in the Deschutes, Henderson, and Eld Basins.
2001 - 2003 Henderson Inlet Shellfish Protection District Stakeholder Committee, an advisory body to Thurston County Commissioners.
Olympia, Washington
Position: Chair
Developed water quality plan for the inlet to reduce pollution in the inlet and return shellfish production in areas closed by the Washington State Department of Health.
1999 - 2002 Roosevelt Precinct #116, Thurston County
Olympia, Washington
Position: Precinct Committee Officer
1989 - 2001 Henderson Inlet Watershed Council, an advisory body appointed by Thurston County Commissioners.
Olympia, Washington
Position: Chair
The goal of the advisory committee was to prevent and remediate non-point pollution in the Henderson Inlet Watershed. During tenure as chair, was able to maintain water quality in a major Puget Sound shellfish growing area despite rapid population growth.
2000 Candidate, Thurston County Commission, (D)
Olympia, Washington
Ran for Thurston County Commissioner in District 1. Lost in the primary.
1996 Candidate, Thurston County Commission, (D)
Olympia, Washington
Ran for Thurston County Commission in District 1. Lost by approximately 2,500 out of 72,000 votes cast as first-time political candidate against an incumbent.
1994 Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan Review Committee
Position: Public Member
Made recommendations to PSWQA regarding improving plan effectiveness.
1993 - 1996 South Bay Elementary School
Olympia, Washington
Position: Volunteer
Assisted teachers in grades K-3 with various activities, including teaching basic German.
1990 - 1991 Woodard/Woodland Basin Plan Committee
Position: Public Member
Advised basin planning staff and helped publicize results of the storm water management plan to area citizens.
1985 - 1988
Thurston-Mason Mental Health Advisory Board
Olympia, Washington
Position: Member
Advised Thurston County Commissioners on priorities for local distribution of state mental health funds.
COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Kiwanis Club, Olympia Chapter
Thurston County Chamber of Commerce
Olympia Downtown Association
PRESENTATIONS
Langer, S. M. Presentation: The crisis of surface water and growth in Thurston County. Topic: Our Water: Supply, Demand and Growth, with Nadine Romero & Lanny Carpenter.
Carnegie Group Town Hall Meeting
Olympia, Washington
January 2001
Langer, S.M. Presentation: Strategies for getting control of growth: Acquiring land. Topic: Getting Control of Growth in Thurston County, with Bernie Friedman and Jerry Parker.
Carnegie Group Town Hall Meeting
Olympia, Washington
January 2000
Langer, S. M. Presentation: Challenging the myths of growth: A regional forum (moderator) with Mayor Rosemarie Ives of Redmond, Washington, Metro King County Councilman Brian Derdowski, urban planner & author Eben Fodor, Commissioner Jennifer Belcher of Washington State Public Lands (keynote speaker).
August 1999
Langer, S.M. Presentation: What do recent elections mean for the environment and government programs designed to protect it? (panel)
South Puget Environmental Education Clearing House (SPEECH) forum
December 1996
Langer, S. M. Presentation: Progress and Challenges in the Henderson Early Action Watershed.
Briefing to the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority
October 1994
Langer S.M. Presentation: The Psychology of Collaborating Successfully with Watershed Groups.
Seattle, Washington
Half day workshop presented to regional EPA staff.
Summer 1993
Langer, S. M. Presentation: How do we sustain interest and commitment? (panel)
Proceedings from: Managing our Water-sheds: The Nonpoint Experience, pages 59-60.
February 1993
COMMUNITY HONORS
Conservationist of the Year, Black Hills Audubon Society, 1996
Thurston County Citizen of the Year Distinguished Service Award, North Thurston Kiwanis, 1995
Sound and Straits Hero, People for Puget Sound, 1995
Farmers of the Year (with wife Donna Mendenhall), Thurston Conservation District, 1992