My, how times stay the same. I wrote the column below in the Dec. 16, 1998 Marysville Globe and Arlington Times. We now have different mayors, different City Councils, and the proposal for a college is revised to embrace a four-year, possibly residential, probably science-math-engineering-technology college. What is also different is that local folks are psyched about hosting what could become a world class Washington version of MIT.
But after almost nine years much is the same.
Everett has a huge head start. Organized effort in the north, while first class and picking up steam, still needs focus and mass. Business owners north of the sloughs need to weigh in positively with support for experiential learning for future students that means internships, work/study opportunities, even creative partnered learning experiences with professors and their classes.
Traffic doomsdayers need to get educated about the real answers being provided by our local governments in Arlington and Marysville (whose domains both touch the proposed site) and by Community Transit and Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen promised stewardship of solutions on the state transportation committee.
The Marysville/Arlington site is the largest of those being considered, it has no dark clouds over it where toxic chemicals are concerned, water-related problems have solutions in place, it offers a virtual clean slate for development with zoning and most infrastructure in place or inexpensively close.
A town meeting is slated for Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Marysville-Pilchuck High School Auditorium. Community boosters and educational activists should be there in droves with their friends. Bring your support with you.