Cities joining together

The adage that there’s strength in numbers will be tested by a newly formed alliance of South Snohomish County governments.

Seven geographical neighbors have agreed to form a coalition with the purpose of brandishing clout in matters of common interest.

The South County Alliance is made up of Edmonds, Woodway, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Mukilteo and Mill Creek.

A chorus of voices before the Washington State Legislature or Snohomish County Council is more likely to be heard – and heeded – than a single one, explained Peggy Pritchard Olson, Edmonds councilwoman who will represent her city on the alliance.

It’s possible the group will flex its collective muscle at the federal level, too, according to organizers.

“I view this as something more interest-driven,” said Mill Creek Mayor Terry Ryan, who represents that city on the alliance. “We’ll be working together to have more clout.”

The first meeting is 7 p.m. Thursday, July 28, in the Fourtner room on the third floor of Edmonds City Hall, 121 Fifth Ave. N. The public is welcome.

Meetings initially will be held monthly then scheduled to suit the work at hand. Location and moderator will rotate.

Joining Olson and Ryan are council members Loren Simmonds of Lynnwood, Robert Schillberg of Woodway, Doug Wittinger of Mountlake Terrace and Gary Morgan of Brier.

As of July 18, a Mukilteo representative had not been selected, said Richard Marin, Edmonds council president who helped form the group and tapped Olson and Ryan for a part in it.

All told, the members represent about 136,375 county residents and around $2.6 billion in taxable, annual retail sales, Marin said.

Each municipality will bring to the table concerns about economic development, transportation and other issues in which all members have a stake. That’s advantageous, Olson observed, because “something important to Lynnwood, Edmonds might not have thought about.”

Expansion of commercial air service at Everett’s Paine Field was rumored to have been a catalyst for creation of the alliance.

Although individual councils already have adopted resolutions opposing further expansion of that airport, Paine Field likely will be a future topic, Olson said.

Looking ahead, though, and not behind, is the focus of the group, Marin noted, adding the alliance won’t be “fighting anything.”

Simmonds, president of the Lynnwood City Council, identified Sound Transit, SNOPAC and SNOCOM communications systems and fireworks ordinances as possible areas of discussion and cooperation.

Although Marin took the initiative to pitch the alliance to neighboring councils starting last spring, he said “the idea has been around in many, many people’s minds for a long, long time.” Given organizational and time-commitment hurdles, however, nothing ever gelled, he noted.