Leadership Snohomish County, a program designed to develop future leaders who want to be involved in making a difference in their communities, kicked off its second class day of the 2008-2009 session Dec. 4 with a study of government and public policy issues.
During the day, three class members shared about their earlier interviews with the chairmen of local boards of directors of organizations that work closely with government agencies.
Afterward, the leadership class spent their day focused on public policy issues and the operations of government bodies, discussing why it is important for community leaders to stay informed on issues and get involved to influence the process.
Peter Camp, from the Snohomish County Executive’s office, a 2001 alumnus of the Leadership Snohomish County program, discussed with the class how annexations are changing the landscape of the county and why government leaders need to become more entrepreneurial. Rather than simply fulfilling government requirements, leaders need to become more proactive, anticipating future needs and preparing to offer future services to meet needs that are not yet fully identified.
Next, Tracie Stevens, senior policy analyst and government affairs director for Tulalip Tribes, presented current challenges within a historical context. Since so much of Native American history was left out of old history books, she wanted to ensure that leaders in the community have a perspective derived directly from the descendants of the tribe.
Stevens, a 2004 alumnus of Leadership Snohomish County, explained that among other issues tribal leaders have had been challenged over the past 20 years to restructure their operations, thinking and opportunities.
In recent years, the Tulalips have increased tribal employment from five to 3,000. The growth of tribal operations and initiatives has been so successful, she said, that out of more than 500 tribes in the United States, the Tulalips have become the first and only tribe to establish a federally-recognized city, Quil Ceda Village.
She said recognized Indian gaming rights haven’t solved all of the challenges of native Americans, such as having the highest suicide rates, highest diabetes rates, lowest high school graduation rates, and lowest college entrance rates of any segment of American society. However, the new gaming revenues from casinos have empowered tribal leaders to develop programs and strategies to resolve many of those long-standing problems.
United Way Executive Vice President Dennis Smith then visited with the class, using real life scenarios about the importance of advocating for community needs in Olympia and Washington D.C.
Next, class members visited the Snohomish County Council chambers, sat in the chairs of the council members and discussed the current issue of providing new airline passenger service at Paine Field, the Snohomish County Airport. To prepare for the debate, the class interviewed council members about their positions on the issue.
Virginia Olsen, community relations manager from the City of Mountlake Terrace, then shared her personal journey through the Leadership Snohomish County program, explaining how the experience inspired her to later serve on a state board. She encouraged the class to participate in public hearings and let their voice be heard on community issues.
At the end of the day, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen shared his views on the importance of good communication as one of the most important leadership skills. Larsen told the group he had just returned from spending Thanksgiving with military troops in Afghanistan, talked about the importance of being compassionate and discussed issues being faced by people in his district, particularly in the current national economic crisis.
Closing out the day was Tim Eyman, the head of Permanent-Offense.org, who shared his robust enthusiasm for supporting and using Washington state’s citizen initiative process to change the course of state government. He said initiatives are not just about winning or losing but about generating discussion of state issues and legislation in ways that encourage people to get involved in issues.
On Mar. 13, Leadership Snohomish County is offering Board Leadership Training. To register for the day, contact me at sarrig@leadershipsc.org. Also, LSC is accepting applications for the next leadership class that begins this fall. Applications are available on the LSC website, www.leadershipsc.org.
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