In addition to officially honoring outgoing Councilmember Michael Plunkett, the Edmonds City Council held its fifth strategic planning retreat Tuesday night in conjunction with the Edmonds Planning Board and Economic Development Commission.

The goal was to refine questions that will be asked of registered voter households in a statistically valid survey that will be conducted by phone and online in June. But in the end, the three groups decided the task of question refinement was too time consuming, so they will appoint a six-member subcommittee — with two members from each group — to focus on that job in the next couple of weeks.

The edited questions will then be forwarded to strategic plan consultant Tom Beckwith for final tweaking before the surveys are conducted.

The council also authorized the mayor to sign an agreement with Parametrix for design services related to the Main Street Improvement Project.

In honoring Plunkett, which included a reception as well as a plaque presentation at the start of the meeting, Council President Strom Peterson read a resolution noting that during Plunkett’s nearly 14 years in office he was elected Council president in 2004 and 2008 and also has served on “numerous committees, boards, and commissions” including Community Services (now Planning, Parks & Public Works), Public Safety (now Public Safety/Personnel), Comprehensive Human Resources, Finance, Disability Board, Edmonds Alliance for Economic Development and the Historic Preservation Commission.

Plunkett’s accomplishments include fighting for three years to have a spay and neuter policy in Edmonds, allowing the Lake Ballinger neighborhood to have a say on development on Hwy. 99, supporting a reduction in property taxes and leading the effort to ban motorized scooters and establish a strong anti-graffiti law. A real estate agent, Plunkett also received the Tia Foundation Citizen Award for outstanding effort in raising traffic safety awareness in 2002.

Plunkett announced that he would be resigning from his Position 1 seat effective June 4 so that he can move into his new wife’s Magnolia home on a full-time basis. Since his recent marriage, Plunkett has been splitting his time between that house and his condominium in Edmonds.

The council next week will begin interviewing the 18 people who applied for an apppointment to fill out the rest of Plunkett’s term, with a vote on the new councilmember expected at the June 5 council meeting.