A call to Comcast Tuesday night confirmed that the neighborhood was experiencing “an event” with restoration of service expected in an hour or so.

Does this mean the demise of the neighborhood gathering place that has stood in Edmonds since 1960? Rhune Harkestad of Kidder Matthews, who is representing San Francisco-based property developer Seven Hills, said that will be the case, assuming the city approves the permit — a process that is likely to take four to six  months.

Architect's drawings of the proposed Walgreens.

The project is now is in the “due diligence” phase, but the only thing that could stop it at this point, Harkestad says, is if an environmental issue is discovered. A bank is also scheduled to be on the property but Harkestad didn’t know the bank’s name.

Robin Hood Lanes owner Mike Gubsch, contacted by My Edmonds News on Tuesday, said he knew that there had been discussions about purchasing the property, but wasn’t aware that Walgreens had applied for a permit. According to Gubsch, the land is owned by an Edmonds family while the Robin Hood Lanes building is owned by John Gunther, who used to own the bowling alley. Gubsch said that he and Gunther had been trying to buy the land but the family was unwilling to sell.

Harkestad said that the property owners’ lease with Gunther has a provision that allows them to break the lease when the land is sold.

Assuming the city approves the permit, the bowling alley would be razed and construction would begin in late summer 2012 and the Walgreens would be open for business by February 2013 at the earliest, Harkestad said.

As for Gubsch, who also owns West Seattle Bowl, he said it’s unlikely he’ll find affordable property in Edmonds where he can relocate, but he may end up in North Seattle, where he is looking at property.

“We want to stay. We want to be here,” Gubsch said.

Vizzard will also be at Tully’s in downtown Edmonds Friday, Dec. 23, 2-4 p.m. The books are also available at Edmonds Bookshop.

Mike Cooper

Edmonds Mayor Mike Cooper on Monday morning issued the following statement regarding the outcome of last Tuesday’s general election, which he lost by a wide margin to former Edmonds City Councilmember Dave Earling:

“It has been an honor to serve as mayor of my hometown these past sixteen months.  I am proud of my accomplishments and each decision I made, always working to make our city a better place.  Our dedicated team of campaign volunteers worked hard and did not let up until 8:00 p.m. election day; but it is clear however that the people of Edmonds prefer a different approach and have elected Dave Earling to be our mayor. Congratulations to Dave on your election.”

“With the failure of the ballot propositions and the potential of declining revenue from the state, mayor-elect Earling and the new council have a tremendous challenge ahead. I wish them well in their efforts to continue providing service to our community while at the same time respecting the work of a dedicated city work force.”

“As for me, I have served the community proudly in elected office for many years and hope to be remembered as person with integrity who always stood up for my beliefs. After 31 years of public service, it is time to spend more time with my wife and grandchildren.”

Cooper is a former state legislator and Snohomish County Councilmember who was appointed by the Edmonds City Council in July 2010 to fill out the remainder of Gary Haakenson’s term as Mayor. Haakenson is now Deputy Snohomish County Executive.

Because Cooper was appointed rather than elected, he will leave office Nov. 29, when election results are certified by Snohomish County. That would also be true in the case of City Council positions 4 and 7, in which the incumbents — Diane Buckshnis and Lora Petso — were appointed. Both of those races are too close to call, with more votes to be counted by the end of the day Tuesday.

At issue is whether changing boundaries of the activity center to remove the single-family housing designation would tarnish the character of existing single-family neighborhoods by encouraging development of nearby mixed use, condos/apartments, businesses and/or retail. The potential change was proposed from the Edmonds Planning Board as an amendment  to the City of Edmonds Comprehensive Plan.

After hearing from citizens who urged the council to take a closer look at the idea, Councilmember Petso made a motion to send the proposal to the Council’s Community Services/Development Services Committee  to review the proposed boundaries of the activities center. It was approved 6-1 with Council President Strom Peterson voting against.

The Council also:

- Approved a resolution declaring an emergency and waiving public bidding requirements so the Mayor can sign a contract with Strider Construction and appropriate $130,500 from the 412 Water Utility Fund to complete city water main connection work underneath the railroad tracks at Main Street. The work would be done in conjunction with Burlington Northern Sante Fe railroad track repair already underway near Brackett’s Landing.

- Held public hearings on revenue sources and the 2012 property tax levy rate, and on the proposed 2012 budget. As part of the budget discussion, new City Finance Director Shawn Hunstock told the council that the city’s draft 2012 budget is balanced, but only because $788,000 worth of items are not being funded, including the following:

- The $300,000  vehicle replacement fund

- The $256,000  street fund

- The $19,000 LEOF medical insurance/expense fund

- The $25,000 fire pension fund

- The $188,000 building maintenance fund

“A structural imbalance exists in Edmonds’ budget,” Hunstock said, noting that the city’s revenue is projected to increase approximately 0.8 percent -1.4 percent per year,”due in large part to limitations on property tax increases and minimal sales tax growth.” Expenses, however, are projected increase 3.1-4.1 percent, he said.

The Council also heard a presentation on the Cities of Snohomish County Legislative Agenda for 2011-12, and agreed to incorporate it into the city lobbyist’s agenda for the upcoming legislative session.

Chanterelle Restaurant hosted a Coffee with Harry with the two candidates for mayor last week. It was a cold and rainy day and we had a small crowd to visit with the candidates. Both candidates were ready to answer any question a citizen chose to ask.

The first question was why each was interested in being mayor of Edmonds. Mayor Cooper started and explained that he had been interested in running in 2008. He saw that ex-mayor Haakensen was going for his third term and decided to wait for 2012. When Haakensen left the position early, in June of 2010, Cooper decided that it was a good opportunity to get a head start by applying for the appointed position. He mentioned several advantages of the mayor’s position over his position with the County Council; for one, the commute, but also the ability to take a call from a citizen with a problem, say with their water line. and be able to call the affected department head and get it fixed. It is a rewarding experience to solve a citizen’s problem or concern.  As mayor, you can affect more immediate action to resolve things. Also, as a near lifetime member of the City, Cooper sees working as the City’s Mayor a great opportunity to pay back and improve his home town.

Earling has been on the City Council for three terms in the past. He had been approached about running when Haakensen’s next term was scheduled to be up, much like Cooper. He decided not to try for the appointment when the vacancy opened up as ”just to apply would have meant needing to resign from his job on the Growth Management Board.  The board position is one where you can make decisions that have a meaningful effect on people’s lives and was a good job, so it didn’t make sense to apply for the Mayor’s job, especially when he couldn’t count on the votes from the council to get the Mayor’s job. He decided to wait until the election came up giving him time to thoroughly review his options.

The candidates were asked if they would support a “code of ethics” and establishment of an Ethics Board to watch over official’s actions. Both strongly supported the  establishment of a “Code of Ethics.” Cooper said you need to be careful in how you establish an Ethics Board as it shouldn’t be established by the Executive Branch to oversee the Legislative Branch or vice-versa. He thought a standard of decorum would be very useful for smoother-running council meetings.

Earling mentioned that the former City Attorney used to hold a day-long seminar for the Council and mayor to go over ethics and procedures so that each term, everyone came in with a good understanding or ethical behavior.

Cooper noted that Scott Snyder had indeed presented this for the entire council right after Cooper was appointed. There is some concern about council members either not excusing themselves from votes where they may have some personal interest in the topic or not divulging such interests.

Both were asked about how to improve the relations between the administration and the Council and how to make council meetings more efficient.

Earling said that both in the past and currently, some council members take great pride in not reviewing the council packet and come to meetings unprepared. Time is wasted when a simple question to the appropriate person in the administration could resolve the questions before the meeting itself.

Cooper said that while the relations between the Mayor and the council have improved, relations between individual council members are still more contentious than they should be. While things can be improved, Cooper also pointed out  better that Edmonds is better than in some cities where there are fistfights between council members.

Earling questioned whether the new methods of communication are growing faster than our elected leaders are prepared for. Emails and Facebook posts are far less personal than face-to-face communication. They can lead to either miscommunication of the intention of the message or people tweeting out things without engaging their brain first. Cooper also thought that while email and other forms of instant communication are in some ways more efficient, they can also lead to miscommunication, albeit more instant.

A citizen asked if the candidates would be open to the idea of having “office hours” for citizens to come and ask abut what is on their mind. Earling said his experience of having office hours when teaching at college made him confident that such a system would be worthwhile. Cooper agreed but also mentioned that he already has an open door policy;  if citizens comes by City Hall and asks to see the Mayor, subject to his schedule at the moment, they get to see him.

A question was asked about whether projects — for example, the recent solar energy project — should be put out for competitive bid, rather than given to whomever brought the idea to the city. Cooper agreed, but said that the specific project mentioned was a different sort of project — one brought by citizens to the city as a way to demonstrate the value of solar power, not as an investment by the city but rather something driven by citizens. Earling just issued a flat, “yes, those things should go out for competitive bid.”

Both candidates were then asked if they would support a moratorium on buying new parks until there were at least adequate funds for maintaining the parks we already have. Cooper said he wouldn’t support a formal moratorium but felt there was self-imposed moratorium based upon the city’s finances. Earling also felt that were adequate parks, right now, and the only way the City should acquire additional parks for the time being is if property were “gifted” to the city.

Both candidates were very open with those of us in attendance and showed real commitment in their desire to keep Edmonds on a path to benefit all citizens. While the small crowd was a bit disappointing, those who did attend and hopefully those reading this recap got a better feel of what each candidate was about.

As always, we need to thanks our friends at Chanterelle and particularly our server, Dianna, for giving us a great location, great atmosphere and good eats while we learned about the mayoral candidates.

Join us this coming Thursday evening to visit with Lora Petso and Darlene Stern, candidates for Council Position 5. We are having an evening coffee so that a new segment of our readers can attend. As always, Chanterelle will be the place to be — 7 p.m. at 316 Main St.

Edmonds resident “Citizen Harry” Gatjens provides regular reports to My Edmonds News on the workings of the Edmonds city government.

Downtown Edmonds is the place to be for free trick-or-treating on Halloween. (Photo by Char Blankenship)

Updated with new event information

It’s seven days and counting until trick-or-treaters descend on the streets of Edmonds for Halloween fun. We’ve got a summary of what’s happening in our town that evening, as well as other events leading up to the big day:

Haunted House

The Nile Golf Course and Country Club, located just next door to Edmonds at the intersection of Interstate 5 and Highway 104, is sponsoring a haunted house this Thursday-Halloween, Oct. 27-31. It’s open to the public and children of all ages. On Thursday, the haunted house will sponsor a canned food drive to benefit Northwest Harvest. Bring a can of food (or another non-perishable food item) to receive $2 off your ticket price. To receive a free gift at the door, wear your costumes any time or “check in” using Facebook on your mobile device. Hours are 5-7 p.m. for Family Fun and 7-11 p.m. for “Full Scare.” Tickets are $10. Visit www.NileHauntedHouse.com for more information and to purchase your tickets online.

Theater

The Edmonds Driftwood Players are back with their Halloween tradition, featuring “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” an American classic story of Ichabod Crane and his mysterious disappearance, paired with other blood-chilling tales of suspense: “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs and “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. These performances are suitable for children ages 8 and up or at parental discretion. Performances are Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 27-30, at 7:30 p.m. with matinee performances Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29-30, at 2 p.m. All tickets are $12. For tickets, call 425-774-9600 or purchase online at www.driftwoodplayers.com.

Phoenix Theatre adds a comedic twist to the scary season with “The Haunted Through Lounge and Recessed Dining Nook at Farndale Castle.” The ladies of Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomenʼs Dramatic Society are back to stage a play – just in time for Halloween. This time they make another spectacle of themselves – complete with rigorous sound effects – in this sinister, spine-chilling mystery of murder and mayhem that is guaranteed to bring down the house – or at least a substantial part of the set. The show opened last weekend and runs through Nov. 13.  General admission is $18.50, seniors/students/military $15.50 and TPS members $12.50. Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets or at the door. Call 206-533-2000 for reservations.

Photos

Downtown Edmonds photographer Amber Salinas is offering Halloween photos for adults, children — even dogs — in costume from noon-4 p.m. this Friday and Saturday at her studio, 516 Main St. For $20, you get two 5×7 prints and no appointment is necessary.

Halloween in Edmonds

3-8 p.m.

The Edmonds-based Just Frogs Foundation is hosting a Hoppy Hollo – Ween Be Green Fundraiser at the Just Frogs Toads Too Amphibian Center at 300 Admiral Way, Ste. 104. Kids can create crafts with recycled products and visit with frogs, toads, lizards and spiders. Prizes will be awarded for the best green costumes. Snacks and warm beverages provided; a $2 donation suggested.

4-7 p.m.
The Edmonds Museum at 118 5th Ave. N. becomes a Haunted Museum. Step back in time to 1911, the year Edmonds’ Carnegie Library (now the museum) opened. Participants will make their way through Edmonds’ eerie past, including the haunted train tunnel – a new addition this year. Museum volunteers will again hand out candy, and offer coffee at their Black Cat Café. The front porch will be set up for photographs this year as well. A $1 donation is suggested.

5-7 p.m.
Local merchants will be providing treats along Main Street and Fifth Avenues during the 7th annual Halloween Extravaganza sponsored by the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce. Streets will be blocked off for children’s safety, simplifying travel between stores. My Edmonds News will participate in the Green Halloween Edmonds booth, co-sponsored by Edmonds-based Womentorz, near the Fountain at 5th and Main, offering a variety of healthy treats and giveaways. Green Halloween is a Puget Sound-based national movement to make Halloween more healthy for children and more sustainable for the planet.

According to PDC reports filed through Aug. 22, 80 percent of Dave Earling’s dollars came from individuals and 67 percent of those donating to his campaign (113 total) live in Edmonds. Thirty-seven percent of Cooper’s contributions come from Edmonds (37 total) and his donors are nearly evenly split between labor unions (47 percent of total raised) and individuals (46 percent).

As of Aug. 22, Earling had received $34,750 in contributions compared to $11, 523 in donations to Cooper’s campaign.

In the latest returns from the Aug. 16 primary election, posted Aug.. 23, Earling received 53 percent of the vote to Cooper’s 39 percent.

The agenda includes appointment of pro and con committees for the general election, a discussion regarding the New Energy Cities contract, a quarterly report regarding city opportunities with its fiber optic network and a swearing-in ceremony for Police Corporal Michael B. Richardson.

WHEREAS, A former Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War, Mr. Reagan has honored the Marine tradition of paying tribute to fallen soldiers through his art; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Reagan’s true calling began 5 years ago when a young widow commissioned him to draw a portrait of the husband she lost in the Iraq War; and

WHEREAS, As a combat veteran himself, Mr. Reagan understands the horrors of war and holds a great respect for those who have given their lives in service of our country; and

WHEREAS, He refused payment for the portrait and committed himself to providing surviving families with portraits of every man and woman killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; and

WHEREAS, To date, Mr. Reagan has completed over 2,400 portraits of our country’s service men and women, helping to bring those home who have made the ultimate sacrifice; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Reagan has spent his lifetime serving our country, not just during the Vietnam
War and as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8870 in Edmonds, but also through his work raising more than 10 million dollars for charities throughout our state; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I Mike Cooper, Mayor,  proclaim May 31, 2011 as Michael Reagan Appreciation Day in the City of Edmonds and ask all our residents to join me in thanking Mr. Reagan for his tireless efforts with the Fallen Hero’s Project.