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Subjects › Public Works › Intergovernmental Cooperation in Public Works
Updated 05/2011

Intergovernmental Cooperation in Public Works

Contents

Introduction

Our goal is to provide information on intergovernmental cooperation activities that provide innovative services, more effective service delivery, cost savings, and/or governmental efficiencies. Some of the agreements on this page are no longer in force. They have been retained to provide examples of cooperative services that have been explored. If you have information on cooperative services that would be of interest to other local governments, please contact John Carpita, Public Works Consultant jcarpita@mrsc.org, or Lynne De Merritt, Senior Research Consultant ldemerritt@mrsc.org.

General List of Interlocal Agreements

Joint Utility Services Authority

Consolidation of Services

  • Longview and Kelso Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) for Joint Department of Public Works , 08/1998
  • Walla Walla and Walla Walla County, Walla Walla Joint Community Development Agency  - Provides land use planning, building, permitting, code compliance services for the City of Walla Walla and Walla Walla County. In 2010 the City and County signed an intergovernmental agreement () to establish the agency. The agency is a merger of the former County Community Development Department and the City of Walla Walla Development Services Department. The agency is govern by a three-member Board of Directors

Sharing of Services

  • Kenmore and Lake Forest Park Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) for Public Works Administration , 12/2000
  • Southwest Washington's GEM Group - GEM is a regional network of public agency employees who meet regularly to exchange successes, concepts, and general information to promote efficiency in government. GEM is an acronym representing the maintenance and operation of grounds (and buildings), equipment (fleet management) and maintenance (all street/utility activities). Twenty-seven agencies, including WSDOT, the State Patrol, cities, counties, school districts, water/sewer districts, and fire districts are members of the group, which has as its motto: "Providing a cost efficient result to the community by sharing services and facilities."
  • MRSC Rosters - A shared state-wide small public works and consultant roster database for Washington State local governments. The roster concept originated with a shared architects and engineering roster hosted by by the city of Lynnwood.

Building Permit Services

  • Eastside Building Services Outreach Program (Adobe Acrobat Document) - In 1998, the Eastside cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, and Redmond joined together to offer a unified process for building service permits by sharing information, agreeing upon standards, and pooling resources. The program integrated into MyBuildingPermit.com.
  • MyBuildingPermit.com - MyBuildingPermit.com is a collaborative effort of Bellevue, Bothell, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Snoqualmie, and Woodinville to provide a unified approach to building processes and services.

Stormwater

  • Douglas County Storm Water Utility - Utility between Douglas County and East Wenatchee
  • Yakima Regional Stormwater Management Program- Yakima County, as the Regional Stormwater Lead, is tasked by an interlocal agreement to perform permit compliance tasks under the Department of Ecology’s Phase II NPDES Stormwater Permit for the cities of Yakima, Sunnyside, and Union Gap, and for urban Yakima County.
  • Stormwater Education and Outreach Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document), for marketing of stormwater education and outreach between Kelso, Longview, and Cowlitz Consolidated Diking Improvement District No. 1, 2008

Utility Permitting

  • Edmonds Utilities Consortium (EUC) was formed by the partnership of the City of Edmonds and the utility franchises of Puget Sound Energy, Chambers Cable Company, GTE Northwest Incorporated, Olympic View Water & Sewer District, and Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1. This partnership is expected to become a pilot program for many more communities in the State of Washington, for the EUC is the first utilities consortium created to date in the Evergreen State.

Wastewater

  • Clark Regional Wastewater Entity (Battle Ground, Ridgefield. Clark County, Clark County Regional Wastewater District)
  • LOTT Wastewater Alliance - Provides wastewater management services for the urbanized area of north Thurston County. Its four government partners (Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Thurston County) jointly manage wastewater resources for a 14,000 acre area, serving a population of about 78,000 people.
  • King County Wastewater Treatment Division - Provides services to 34 local jurisdictions
  • Port Orchard and Karcher Creek Sewer District - Jointly-owned sewer treatment plant operated by sewer district.

Water Services

  • Cascade Water Alliance - Non-profit corporation comprised of nine cities and districts to provide water supply for current and future demands
  • East King County Regional Water Association - Cedar River Water & Sewer District, Coal Creek Utility District, Covington Water District, City of Issaquah, City of Duvall, City of Renton, K. C. Water District #119, City of Snoqualmie, City of North Bend, Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District, N. E. Sammamish Sewer & Water District
  • Snohomish River Regional Water Authority (SRRWA) - Created by an interlocal agreement between Northshore Utility District, Woodinville Water District, and the City of Everett
  • South King County Regional Water Association
    • Auburn Resolution No. 2568(Adobe Acrobat Document), 06/1995 - Joint operating agreement between Auburn, Kent, Black Diamond, and King County Water District No. 111