EVERETT — The Snohomish County Council threw its support Wednesday behind a proposal to build a University of Washington branch campus at Everett Station.
The council voted 4-1 to endorse the downtown Everett site with all four Democrats joining to support the resolution. County Executive Aaron Reardon said he also planned to sign on.
The 27-acre Everett Station site ranked No. 1 in a state consultant’s analysis of possible branch campus locations.
Republican County Councilman John Koster voted against the endorsement. He argued that the council should stay out of the political fray and leave the decision up to the Legislature.
Also, he said a Marysville site that ranks second would better serve residents farther north.
“I think this is the wrong move by the council,” Koster said.
The council faced heavy lobbying from people who support building a campus at the 369-acre site in Marysville. They urged the council to delay a vote or avoid taking a position.
Those supporters also worked to poke holes in the state’s technical analysis that favored Everett. They argued the Everett site lacks sufficient land, among other things.
A majority on the council wasn’t persuaded to delay.
The council bowed out of the debate long enough, County Council chairman Dave Somers said. As elected officials, the council has a duty to weigh in on the debate and support the Everett site because it was No. 1 in the technical analysis.
“At this point with the Legislature considering action on this, this is something we need to speak to,” Somers said. “We are elected to come here and provide some leadership on very difficult issues.”
State lawmakers from Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties are divided between Marysville and Everett. If area leaders and legislators can’t agree, the effort risks losing state funding, Gov. Chris Gregoire said last week.
A state Senate hearing scheduled today will formally launch debate over the future location of a UW branch campus.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
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