In February, choosing from a number of different options, Bothell City Council decided to jump start its efforts at annexing the city’s urban growth areas through an interlocal agency agreement method created by the state last year.

Bothell leaders are studying taking over both the city’s northern urban growth area in Snohomish County, as well as several much smaller pockets or “islands” of unincorporated King County.

The plan was for the city to seek agreements with various other governmental agencies and taxing authorities involved with the annexations. If Bothell was able to strike a bargain with each affected entity, no public vote regarding annexation was needed. The city also could bypass the boundary review boards of both counties.

To make the plan work, Bothell would need agreements from the King and Snohomish county councils along with the boards of five local fire districts. Each entity was sent a letter asking if they would enter into negotiations with the city. By state law, the deadline to respond was 45 days after the missives were mailed, a period that expired April 26.

Bothell Community Development Director Bill Wiselogle said King County staffers informally agreed to talks. The Northshore and the Woodinville fire districts also did not object to at least sitting down with Bothell leaders. Things did not go as well in Snohomish County.

The county council there agreed to talks. But fire districts 1, 7 and 10 all came out against the city’s stated goal of annexing by interlocal agreement. According to Wiselogle, Snohomish fire officials want residents in their areas to be able to vote on any annexation plans. Wiselogle also said that may be exactly what happens.

Wiselogle further was careful to state fire officials didn’t outright reject either the idea of annexation or of talking with Bothell leaders about that topic. At this point, their sole stated objection is to the interlocal method of annexation.

“We have been talking to them and we’ll continue to talk with them,” Wiselogle said.

As what is designed and expected to be a yearlong annexation process moves forward, the key issues likely are to be the same that surfaced in the city’s failed attempts at annexation last year. Arguing the city wasn’t ready to take on fire service in the annexation areas, fire districts 1 and 7 helped kill Bothell’s 2009 efforts.

At the same time, there still lurks what Wiselogle said is a very much unsettled argument between King and Snohomish counties over who should receive any solid waste — and the fees associated with that waste — from Bothell’s Snohomish County growth area.

“Solid waste is still a really big issue,” Wiselogle said.

Regarding the fire districts, Wiselogle said he anticipates Bothell and fire officials eventually will reach some agreement.

But, if the city wins voter approval, he also noted the annexation can go forward with or without such agreements.

Regarding the trash question, Wiselogle said refuse collected in the Snohomish County annexation area currently goes to a Snohomish County transfer station. Wiselogle said Snohomish built that facility with bonds, counting fees from the Bothell annexation area as part of its repayment budget.

In the meantime, King County claims Bothell long ago agreed to send all city waste and associated fees to its facilities. Wiselogle said Bothell leaders disagree. He admitted that when the city first thrust into Snohomish County to annex Canyon Park, Bothell and Snohomish County agreed to send trash from that neighborhood to King County. But unlike King County leaders, Wiselogle said Bothell contends that agreement does not extend beyond Canyon Park.

According to Wiselogle both counties seem entrenched in their positions. He only half jokingly said Bothell may need to lock the appropriate officials into a room until they reach some sort of compromise.

The city has outlined several different “activity tracks” leading to annexation. One is public outreach. One of several planned, the first open house on the issue is 6 p.m. May 5 in the Bothell Police Department Community Room, 18410 101st Ave. N.E. The open house precedes a public hearing before the city planning commission, which will be handling planning and zoning issues related to the annexation.

For more information, visit the city’s Web site at www.ci.bothell.wa.us.