Intergovernmental Cooperation

Contents

• About Interlocal Cooperation in Washington
• Areas of Interlocal Cooperation and Sample Agreements
• Policies
• Selected Interlocal Cooperation Examples
• Other Interlocal Cooperation Agreements
• Other Reference Sources
• Related MRSC Pages
  • Local Governments Posting Interlocal Agreements on the Internet
  • Washington Regional Agencies

About Interlocal Cooperation in Washington

Washington’s Interlocal Cooperation Act (Ch. 39.34 RCW) authorizes public agencies to contract with other public agencies via interlocal agreements that enable cooperation among the agencies to perform governmental activities and deliver public services. The Act also allows the creation of nonprofit corporations to carry out these ends. This interjurisdictional cooperation reduces duplication, offers economies of scale, and generally enhances governmental efficiency. Local governments engage in a wide array of cooperative efforts with each other, state agencies, and other governmental entities. Intergovernmental cooperation takes many forms, including mutual aid agreements for police and fire services, intergovernmental service contracting, joint facilities agreements, coordinated growth management planning, joint purchasing, and regional provision of emergency services.

• Interlocal Cooperation Act - Ch. 39.34 RCW
• Interlocal Agreements: Doing It Jointly, by Paul Sullivan, Legal Consultant and Byron Katsuyama, Public Policy Consultant, Municipal Research News, Summer 2000
• Using and Drafting Interlocal Agreements, by Gary McLean, City Attorney of Puyallup, Information Bulletin No. 515 (2003), Legal Notes, Proceedings of April 30-May 2, 2003, p. 11-1 - 11-7 (Available through MRSC Library Loan)

Areas of Interlocal Cooperation and Sample Agreements

See these MRSC webpages for sample agreements in specific subject areas.

• Animal Control and Animal Shelters - Contracts
• Court Services - Interlocal Agreements
• Emergency Communications Services and Facilities
• Emergency Medical Services Sample Agreements and Other Documents
  • Emergency Medical Service Providers - formed under Ch. 39.34 RCW, RCW 36.32.480, or RCW 35.21.730-.755
• Fire Services - Interlocal Cooperation
• Growth Management Interlocal Agreements
• Jails - Interlocal Agreements
• Law Enforcement Services - Interlocal Contracting
• Parks and Recreation - Intergovernmental Cooperation
• Public Works - Intergovernmental Cooperation

Policies

• Bainbridge Island Resolution No. 2004-06 () - Joint resolution of the city of Bainbridge Island, Bainbridge Island School District No. 303, Bainbridge Island Fire District No. 2, and Bainbridge Island Park and Recreation District to promote and strengthen coordination in public funding and financing requests between Bainbridge Island taxing districts
• Kent School District Policy 4320 - cooperative programs with other districts and public agencies (similar policies are adopted by other school districts)
• Marysville Resolution No. 2082, passed 09/2002 - Working with city of Arlington for regional solutions
• Port Townsend and Jefferson County Joint Resolution No. 99-076, 96-99 (), 09/1999 - Declaring an intent to facilitate and examine joint ventures of common service programs
• Snohomish County Interjurisdictional Cooperation (), General Policy Plan (2025 Comprehensive Plan)

Selected Interlocal Cooperation Examples

• Airway Heights Interlocal Express () - A new annexation process takes wing in Airway Heights, AWC City Vision, November/December 2010
  • Airway Heights Annexation
• GEM (Grounds Equipment and Maintenance) Pacific Northwest Interagency Cooperative Web site - Regional network of local government employees from Clark County and a few Oregon jurisdictions who share information and ideas to promote local government efficiency
  • Pacific Northwest Interagency Cooperative Intergovernmental Agreement for Equipment and Services (), 2005
• eCityGov Alliance - Collaborative effort of a group of Puget Sound jurisdictions to provide Web-based services to constituents; includes building permit, parks and recreation, procurement, maps, property, and employment opportunities
• King County GovLink - A multi-jurisdictional Web site hosted by King County; includes Regional Public Information Network (RPIN) for emergencies in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, Puget Sound Health Alliance, and other regional efforts

Other Interlocal Cooperation Agreements

• Local Governments Posting Interlocal Agreements on the Internet
• Annexation Agreements - Revenue Sharing
• Jefferson County and Port Townsend Regional Service Agreement for Computer and Internet Support (), 02/2003

Other Reference Sources

• Collaboration Across Boundaries: The Basics for Change, ICMA IQ Report, 04/2004 (ICMA Bookstore Description) (Available through MRSC Library Loan)
• Forming Successful Partnerships: A Practical Guide for Local Governments (), Association of Washington Cities, 2006
• GSA Center for Intergovernmental Solutions, U.S. General Services Administration - Principally information technology
• Interlocal Agreements - An Option for Cooperative Service Delivery (), by Alex Welsch, County News, 09/15/2008
• Intergovernmental Cooperation to Stretch Tax Dollar in Providing Services, MRSC - Examples
• Learning to Think and Act Like a Region, by Matthew McKinney and Kevin Essington, Land Lines Newsletter, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 02/2006
• Little Mergers on the Prairie, by Alan Greenblatt, Governing Magazine, 07/2006 - Consolidating facilities and operations among governmental units
• Regionalism, Restructuring Local Government, Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning
• A review of the pros and cons of increased interlocal cooperation in local government, by Mayraj Fahim, City Mayors, 11/2009
• Shared Services and Cost-Saving Collaboration Deserve Respect (), by Monte Mercer, Public Management, International City/County Management Association (ICMA), 05/2011

State Publications and Websites

• Georgia Service Delivery Strategy - GA Service Delivery Strategy Act encourages cooperation and coordinated service delivery among local governments
• New York
  • Local Government Efficiency (LGE) Program - Provides assistance and grants to local governments for projects that will achieve savings and improve municipal efficiency through shared services, cooperative agreements, and governmental reorganization
  • Sample Intermunicipal Agreements, LGE Program
  • Local Government Management Guide Intermunicipal Cooperation (), State of New York Comptroller, 11/2003
• Oregon, Task Force on Effective and Cost-Efficient Service Provision (), Association of Oregon Counties, 10/2010
• Pennsylvania, Intergovernmental Cooperation Handbook (), Governor's Center for Local Government Services, Department of Community and Economic Development, 6th Edition, 02/2006
• Tennessee, Nine Counties, One Vision
• Wisconsin, Intergovernmental Cooperation, University of Wisconsin Extension, Local Government Center - Includes case studies and resources on intergovernmental cooperation from Wisconsin

Related MRSC Resources

MRSC Index - Intergovernmental Cooperation - General