Chris Cook takes Palouse council seat

The Palouse city council appointed a new representative March 27 with Chris Cook being sworn in for council position no. 1, replacing Doreen Hanson, who resigned in February.

Cook is a 13-year Palouse resident and six-year school board member. He was appointed to the planning commission two years ago, from which he will now resign, in order to take on the council role.

“I was looking for a platform a bit broader, the chance to have more of an impact,” Cook said.

The director of Career Services for University of Idaho, Cook and his wife have three children in Garfield/Palouse schools.

“Anything we can do to make Palouse better, I'm game for,” Cook said. “As I've gotten older, I really appreciate community and how we can affect it.”

Cook grew up in Sonoma, Calif., and Maple Valley, Wash., before coming to the Palouse to finish college at WSU and UI. He previously worked for the WSU athletic department from 1999-2016.