Lynnwood’s first-ever Youth Board is in the works

The Lynnwood City Council at its Jan. 13 meeting. (Photo by Nick Ng)

Lynnwood could soon have its first-ever Youth Board, as city councilmembers are in the process of finalizing the details to tentatively establish the board by late fall.

This was one of the main focuses of the Lynnwood Council work session Tuesday, which replaced its regular Monday meeting in light of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The council also discussed budgets and calendars and interviewed a potential candidate for the city’s Tourism Advisory Committee.

The full meeting agenda can be found on the city’s website.

Youth Board

Youth are the future of Lynnwood, Councilmember Josh Binda said. The goal of a youth board is to provide a space for Lynnwood’s youth to have a direct line of communication with city government and “build up a generation of future public servants,” he said during a phone interview Wednesday.

Councilmember Derica Escamilla first brought the idea up last summer, but the initial presentation was pushed off while the council finalized the city budget, she said in an email. In early December, she gave her first official presentation to the council, and last week Council President Nick Coelho gave her the green light to move forward with the project.

Multiple cities throughout Snohomish County and the state have youth boards – or something similar. Snohomish County has its own youth council, and similar youth boards exist in nearby cities including Everett, Snohomish, Edmonds, Arlington, Lake Stevens and Seattle.

The youth board is expected to have a workgroup of three councilmembers and two to three community leaders plus Avalos. Escamilla said she hopes to start the application process in March or April, aiming for August as the application deadline.

Additionally, the board is set to collaborate with Edmonds School District to “bridge the gap” between youth and the city, according to a presentation from the Dec. 2 meeting.

The goal is to have board members attend a city council meeting each month, coupled with monthly volunteer opportunities.

If all goes to plan, Lynnwood could have a fully staffed Youth Board in September, complete with 12 to 15  kids between ages 13 to 18 who want to be involved in city government, according to city documents. When the time comes, the council encourages all youth interested to apply, no matter their background.

Attempts were made by the council in the past to form a youth board, Binda said, but staffing and budget restrictions stood in the way. However, last year the council allocated $10,000 in the 2025 budget for a Youth Board and added it to the executive assistant’s list of responsibilities, giving the council the boost it needed to get things running.

Councilmembers have always recognized a need for a youth board, but in light of recent tragedies involving youth and gun violence in Lynnwood, connecting with young people is even more of a priority, Binda said.

“With so many issues right now revolving around youth, whether that’s violence, gang involvement, isolation, loneliness, I think this does have a lot of that intangible value,” Council President Coelho said during Tuesday’s meeting.

Tourism Advisory Committee applicant interview

Position 8 on the Lynnwood Tourism Advisory Committee has been empty since the pandemic, city documents say. Brian Pouch, a Lynnwood resident for nearly a decade, hopes to fill the vacancy.

On Tuesday, the council interviewed Pouch about his qualifications. With an extensive background in management at multiple banks and mortgage companies, Pouch said he believes his skills and passion for travel make him a good fit for the committee.

Mayor Christine Frizzell previously interviewed Pouch and recommended him for the position, according to city documents.

With the World Cup coming to Seattle in 2026, Lynnwood could see a large influx of soccer fans coming from across the U.S. and maybe even the globe. Pouch said he’d like to see the city expand its global tourism efforts in light of this event.

He also wants to bring a “signature event” to Lynnwood, suggesting some sort of festival or annual activity unique to the city that could bring people in year over year.

Members of the Tourism/Lodging Tax Advisory Committee are appointed by the city council. The group’s role is to advise and give the mayor and council recommendations on tourism programs and expenses. The commission is also in charge of Lynnwood’s strategic tourism plan.

Pouch is scheduled to appear before the council again next week, after which the council is set to decide whether to confirm his appointment.

In other business, the council discussed the roles and responsibilities of its new elected and liaison council positions and briefly talked about potential community events for 2025.

The council also reviewed calendars for the biennial budget and the 2025 Finance Committee meeting calendar.

— By Ashley Nash. ashley@myedmondsnews.com

  1. Thanks, Ashley Nash, for great reporting. It’s such a gift to have reliable and concise information on local government and civic issues.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.