LYNNWOOD—The young bucks on the Lynnwood City Council outplayed more seasoned Councilmembers to snatch the top leadership positions at Monday’s Business meeting with Nick Coelho, 38, being elected as President and Josh Binda, 25, as Vice President for the 2025 Legislative Session.
Both Councilmen voted last November to pass a 52% property tax increase on residents, support cannabis retailers in Lynnwood, and are advocates for high-density housing. Coelho and Binda have strongly voiced their sentiments in the past for the need of younger representation, now is their time.
Council President Selection
The nominees for Council President were Councilmen David Parshall, Nick Coelho and Patrick Decker.
Parshall, 51, a former public high school teacher well-versed in Parliamentary procedures, shared with his colleagues that if voted Council President, he would take a more collaborative approach with weekly leadership updates, provide more outreach opportunities for the public and pledged to remain neutral for the upcoming 2025 City Council races.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s degree in education, and a Washington State teaching certificate. Parshall was elected in 2024 to the Lynnwood City Council.
Coelho, 38, assumed office in 2024, said he will work on a more focused agenda that promotes dialogue. To combat gun violence in Lynnwood, he shared that he would like to promote programs to make Lynnwood more “neighborly.”
He is a parks and recreation advocate who owns and operates a local boardgame cafe. Coelho has extensive history volunteering with the Lynnwood Foodbank, Habitat for Humanity, and conservation groups such as the Friends of Scriber Lake. Coelho was first elected to the Lynnwood City Council in 2024.
Decker, 50s, elected in 2021, has the most seniority on the council after Councilman George Hurst. He is employed at Microsoft in the Xbox Gaming Studio Business Group, focusing on Strategic Licensing Agreements.
He pitched to colleagues his extensive legislative experience in budgeting and collaborating with staff, the mayor, and leaders of other cities. He shared that because he self-funded his campaign, he will make data-driven decisions on what’s best for Lynnwood and not special interests nor political parties.
Councilman Hurst motioned to appoint Coelho as Council President, which was seconded by freshman Councilwoman Derica Escamilla, which passed 5-1 with Decker dissenting.
Council Vice President Selection
The nominees for Council Vice President were Councilmen Josh Binda and George Hurst.
Binda, 25, a former Black Lives Matter activist who became the youngest Black American to be elected to office in Washington state in 2021, pitched that he would like to foster a more collaborative environment with open dialogue, similar to what Coelho and Parshall mentioned earlier.
He shared that Lynnwood strength lies with its diversity and that he will promote a council where everyone’s voice is heard. Binda added that as Lynnwood enters a new chapter, now is the time to embrace a “different type of leadership.”
Binda is a self-described progressive who recently made a bid for congress in 2024 to unseat Representative Rick Larsen (D).
Councilman Hurst, 60s, is the former Lynnwood Council President. He was first elected to the City Council in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. During his years on the Council, Hurst has focused on making Lynnwood a safer place to live and work; and his legislative priorities over the years have been focused on addressing housing shortages, controlling government spending, and providing a business-friendly environment.
He shared that he would bring the value of historical knowledge to support Council President Coelho during a time of transition with the recent departure of Altamirano-Crosby.
Councilman Decker motioned to appoint Hurst as Council Vice President which was seconded by Coelho. The motion failed 4-2 with Hurst and Decker voting in the affirmative. Originally, Coelho abstained but changed his vote to nay.
Councilwoman Escamilla then motioned to appoint Binda as Vice President, which was seconded by Coelho. The motion passed 4-2 with Hurst and Decker dissenting.
Binda awarded leadership despite controversies
In a 2024 interview with The Stranger, Binda shared that he is highly critical of what he called Isreal’s ongoing ”genocide” against Gaza.
I call it a ‘genocide’ because that’s what it is,” he told The Stranger. He added that he supports Medicare for All, canceling student debt, packing the US Supreme Court, lowering military spending, prioritizing public transit over car infrastructure, and raising the minimum wage during his interview.
Binda is no stranger to controversy telling The Stranger that “as a progressive Black man, right-wing, racist backlash unfairly follows him where he goes.” However, a Snohomish County Judge thought otherwise.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Marybeth Dingledy on June 27, 2023, found sufficient reason to recall Lynnwood City Councilman Josh Binda for misfeasance, malfeasance, and violation of oath of office.
The court accepted four of five charges brought forth by the Recall Binda Committee.
The charges accepted by the judge include violating Lynnwood Municipal Code (2.94.030.B) by using the city’s email system to send and receive “numerous” emails on behalf of his private business, arranging speaking engagements with school districts, and entering City Council Chambers after hours to film a promotional video promoting these engagements for which he earned at least $14,000.
The second charge accepted by the judge was Binda failing to file a required Personal Financial Affairs statement with the Public Disclosure Committee (PDC), within a timely manner, violating state law RCW 42.17A.700, in 2021 and in 2022.
The third charge accepted by the judge was Binda violating state laws RCW 42.17A.235 and RCW 42.17A.240 by failing to timely file a Post-General Election Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure report disclosing contributions and expenditure activities undertaken during his 2021 campaign. Between November 2021 and April 2023 Binda improperly used $2,742.49 in campaign funds for non-campaign related expenditures in violation of RCW 42.17A.445.
Back in November 2021 the Lynnwood Times obtained PDC files exhibiting Binda recorded almost $4,848.19 in expenditures towards rent, towing fees, concert tickets, jewelry, laptops, airfare, groceries, dental work, haircuts, and office furniture. Another expense, totaling $1,563.58 was paid to Versace (an Italian luxury fashion company).
The fourth and final charge accepted by the judge was that Binda knowingly lied to the Lynnwood City Council and the public by stating his private business contracts for speaking tours and appearances had been signed prior to December 2022.
Many Lynnwood City Council members expressed that they have attempted to mentor Binda including Dr. Julieta Altamirano-Crosby, Shannon Sessions, and George Hurst. State Senator John Lovick (D-Mill Creek), who endorsed Binda’s campaign, also shared that he attempted to mentor Binda several times but “it became increasingly clear that he [Binda] wasn’t going to listen,” he said. Lovick called for Binda’s resignation.
From professing under oath to not knowing how to write a check as an excuse as to why he couldn’t pay his PDC fines in 2023 to now Lynnwood City Council Vice President two years later, Binda may be mastering the art of the political Game of Thrones: stabbing a political dagger against his ally Hurst to clinch the Vice President slot by gaining a new political ally, Escamilla.
Author: Mario Lotmore
