King County ignores advice of its advisors

On Jan. 30 at the Snohomish County Council meeting, I heard a Brightwater representative threaten Snohomish County with dire consequences if pending legislation is passed into law in Olympia.

She was referring to SB 6366 and HB 2340, which would require King County Metro to work with local elected representatives and within local land use plans before siting a sewage plant outside Metro’s jurisdiction. That is, they would have to work with local governments in actuality rather than just appearance.

At the Dec. 10 King County Council meeting, I heard all three committees set up to advise King County on such matters advise the council that they would be taking a tremendous risk by paring the potential site list for Brightwater to only two sites. King County was warned that a problem with either site could lead to delays and added expense.

As they have consistently done, King County ignored the advice of their committees. In fact, more than one council member stated that they were willing to take that risk. Now, when it seems possible that King County might have to work within the confines of local comprehensive planning, they want to blame Snohomish County for their risky behavior in the face of clear warning!

It seems obvious that if King County will ignore their own advisors, it does require law to make them work with people to whom they are otherwise unaccountable. All the more reason, I believe, to support SB 6366 and HB 2340!

Edmonds

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