EVERETT — Former Arlington City Council member Ken Klein was among the three Snohomish County Council members who were sworn in on Monday, Jan. 6.

Klein stepped into his first term of representing District 1 after fellow Republican and Arlington native John Koster had served his maximum allowed three terms.

Klein noted that the scope of his responsibilities had grown, but he nonetheless credited his experience on the Arlington City Council with helping to prepare him for his new role.

“The great thing about Arlington is that it’s a full-service city, so especially with the airport and the hospital, I was dealing with many of the same issues there,” Klein said, before laughing, “They’re just a lot bigger now.”

To that end, Klein described his current focus as diligently doing his homework on the issues that are impacting the county.

“As we get into discussions about these issues, I want to make sure I know the history behind them before they come up,” Klein said. “The biggest issue coming up is the comprehensive plan for the county, because as each of the cities put forward their own proposed comp plans, we have to make sure they’re on the same page as the county. So far they seem to be.”

While Klein has a new office, he assured citizens of both Snohomish County and his hometown of Arlington that he would remain accessible to them, at the same time that he encouraged them toward greater civic involvement.

“A lot of big things start out relatively small, which is another reason why you should care about what’s going on with your city’s comp plan,” Klein said. “Your neighborhood could look very different in 10 years based on decisions that are being made right now. On the City Council, people came to us wondering why certain buildings were suddenly sprouting up, and we told them that it was because of decisions that had been made 10 years before. At the same time, as elected officials, it’s our responsibility to explain that process, so it’s a two-way street. I want to be as much of an asset to the citizens of our cities and our county as I can.”

Terry Ryan was also sworn in for his first term on the Council, representing District 4, while incoming Council Chair Dave Somers was sworn in to complete his third and final term on the Council, representing District 5. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Joseph Wilson conducted the proceedings, swearing in each of the three members.

“I want to thank the voters of north Snohomish County for the opportunity to serve them,” Klein said. “I look forward to working with constituents, county employees and fellow elected officials to ensure that Snohomish County is the best place to work, live and visit.”