Joe Schmit appointed to lead MACECOM

Joe Schmit, who resigned from the Shelton City Council in April, on Tuesday was appointed executive director of the MACECOM Board of Directors.

MACECOM is the primary public safety answering point for Mason County and operates around the clock. It is overseen by a board of directors of leaders from city, county and tribal governments, and emergency responders.

“Joe brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to MACECOM and, coupled with his deep commitment to serving our community, will ensure the public and first responders have access to life-saving emergency communications when they need it most,” Kevin Shutty, chair of the MACECOM Legislative Board, said in a news release from MACECOM. “The board of directors was unanimous in our appointment of Joe, and he has our full confidence to lead the organization into the future.”

Schmit was an emergency management specialist in the Air Force. For the past 15 years, he has worked for the state Department of Transportation, where his positions have included emergency operations specialist, technology resource program manager, and technical services and operations officer at the state materials laboratory.

Schmit was elected to the Shelton City Council in 2018 and then re-elected in 2022. He resigned halfway through his second term, saying he wanted to work on long-term city policies and plans and most of the other council members and the community did not. While on the council, Schmit served as a member of the MACECOM Governance Board.