Gilbert councilman selected to fill Maricopa County assessor vacancy
Feb 14, 2020, 10:17 AM | Updated: 10:53 am
(Facebook Photo/Vote Eddie Cook)
(Facebook Photo/Vote Eddie Cook)
PHOENIX – An East Valley councilman was selected as Maricopa County’s new assessor Friday, filling the job vacated by Paul Petersen, who is fighting human trafficking charges.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors picked Gilbert Councilman Eddie Cook to serve out the remainder of Petersen’s term, which runs through this year.
Maricopa County spokesman Fields Moseley told KTAR News 92.3 FM that Cook plans to run for a full term in November.
Cook, a Republican like Petersen, has served on the Gilbert Town Council since 2011, including a stint as vice mayor.
He is expected to assume the assessor position after Gilbert accepts his resignation next week, Moseley said.
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Petersen resigned in January, three months after his Oct. 8, 2019, arrest on human trafficking charges related to an alleged multistate adoption scheme.
The Board of Supervisors suspended Peterson for 120 days on Oct. 28, but he stepped down before the suspension was lifted.
In the interim, Bill Wiley served as acting administrator for the assessor’s office, which determines the value of Phoenix-area properties for tax purposes.
In addition to his town council position, Cook is president of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, chairman of the Maricopa Association of Government Domestic Violence Council and board of director of the MAG Economic Development Committee, according to his bio on Gilbert’s website.
Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors said they would interview four candidates in addition to Cook: attorney Thomas Galvin Jr., attorney Rodney Glassman, former state Rep. Laurin Hendrix and Arizona Department of Revenue Manager Darren Rasmussen.
