BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Bellingham is going internal to fill top roles in the city’s largest department.

Mayor Kim Lund announced on Tuesday that she has appointed Joel Pfundt as the city’s public works director and Mike Olinger as deputy director.

The two have served as interim co-directors since Lund dismissed the city’s former director last July. The mayor called the decision a “strategic change in leadership” to support the city’s ability to “work better as a team.”

“Joel and Mike have proven themselves as capable leaders in their interim roles,” Lund said. “They share my vision for Bellingham and will help us in our journey from small town to thriving mid-sized city. They have the skills, experience and aptitude to lead the Public Works department into the future, and I’m delighted they’ve accepted these new roles.”

After conducting a nationwide search, Lund decided to add the deputy director role to public works to help with the department’s wide range of responsibilities.

She says Pfundt and Olinger have already shown their ability to work as a team and play to each other’s strengths.