A crowd of more than 150 gathered on a frosty Thursday morning at the Edmonds Theater to hear an upbeat Mayor Earling deliver his annual State of the City address, a challenge to “leave it better than you found it” by building a bridge to the future.
Earling was preceded by remarks from long-time Edmonds resident and Sound Styles business owner Jenny Murphy, and David Quinn, who coordinates the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program at Edmonds-Woodway High School.
Recalling her childhood growing up in Edmonds’ Maplewood neighborhood, Murphy spoke of playing in Maplewood Park and the unbridled joy of joining her brothers for daredevil, feet-on-the-handlebars bicycle races down Main Street hill, hair (unrestrained by helmets, of course) blowing in the wind, followed by a stop at the Edmonds Bakery for 10-cent donuts.
“When we opened Sound Styles 32 years ago we were told that we would never make it, that Edmonds wouldn’t support a neighborhood clothing store and that we should go to the mall,” she said. “Well I’m still here, and they aren’t!”
“Over the years I’ve watched as Edmonds matured nicely and steadily,” she continued. “I’ve seen it become a place that seeks solutions, jumps in to volunteer, supports local business, has a government that works, believes in the arts, plants beauty, a place where we know our neighbors and feel safe and connected. And, while I no longer ride down any hill on a bike, I do shop with my fellow merchants, regularly attend a downtown community church, catch a movie here and there at the Edmonds Theatre, eat in the restaurants and — if I am lucky — I even get to speak at Mayor Dave’s State of the City’s address.
“I’ll tell you there is no other place I’d rather do business and with no other folks. I love this place and am grateful to have matured right along with Edmonds,” she concluded. “And one thing I’ve learned along the way is that ‘leaving it better’ doesn’t happen when we’re absorbed in ourselves; instead it happens when we are giving.”
Murphy was followed by David Quinn, who highlighted some recent and ongoing initiatives in Edmonds that exemplify the “leaving it better” theme, and compared it to his work with the EWHS International Baccalaureate program.
“As a teacher and in my work with the IB program, I see students transitioning and becoming better, happier and more vital than they were. And it’s not just them. Working with them transforms me every day,” he said. “And each time I drive down the hill into Edmonds I’m reminded of the many things happening right here that are helping ensure that we leave it better than we found it.”
Citing examples like the new Waterfront Activities Center and public gathering places like the Veterans Plaza, Quinn stressed how those ideas would not have happened without the hard work and dedication of citizens working together with government and the community.
“Each day when you wake up, think about the day ahead and how you want to spend it,” he challenged the audience. “Is it just for you, or is there something you can do to make things better, to take actions that will make a better life for your fellow citizens and future generations? That’s the kind of thing that ensures we leave it better than we found it.”
Quinn then introduced the Mayor, who drew laughs when he wryly added his signature line about Edmonds, “where it’s always sunny and 82 degrees” — an obvious counterpoint to the day’s subfreezing temperatures.
Reminding the audience that this is his sixth State of the City address, Earling said he planned to depart somewhat from past patterns and focus on the shifting elements around us that are challenging us to “think differently” about Edmonds and how we will “bridge” from the recent past and “acknowledge the dynamic forces which are moving us forward.”
He next presented a slide highlighting six areas characterizing these forces: Demographics, Expansion, Edmonds – A Daytime Destination, History, Major Projects, and Other Challenges.
Beginning with demographics, Earling presented some numbers to help define the situation.
“Most of you have heard me speak before regarding the raw numbers we can expect in population, jobs, housing units,” he said. “By 2035 we’re looking at 220,000 more people in Snohomish County, 5,500 more people in Edmonds, meaning that we need to anticipate 1,000 more jobs here and provide another 1,200 housing units. Growth and change are coming at us on a daily basis. We need to be ready and we need to adapt.”
Moving to expansion as one aspect of meeting these needs, Earling cited current and future measures including the transformative Westgate Village project that will add 91 housing units, 20 percent of which are designated affordable housing and will rent at below-market rates, the Post Office 2 in the heart of downtown, Point Edwards Building 10, and the surge of creative measures being taken by homebuilders that have resulted in 60 new single-family home permits last year.
“Not bad for a built-out community,” Earling added.
But it’s more than just housing. Earling pointed to the construction of a new Madrona K-8 School building to provide for a new generation of children, and the expansion of local businesses like Magic Toyota, WinCo Market, and Puget Sound Express Whale Watching to help enlarge our community’s job pool.
“The point is we have these fabulous dynamics going on,” he added. “And we are moving to meet the challenges of housing units, providing new jobs and preparing to meet the changes that are to come.”
Moving on to the dramatic changes in daytime and evening activity in our community, Earling next highlighted Edmonds’ emerging and “flattering” reputation as a daytime destination.
“We talk to people weekly from across the region who are frustrated with the intensity, the congestion and the daily stress of large cities, and have discovered Edmonds as a daytime retreat,” he said, pointing to amenities like friendly shops and “fabulous” restaurants, a “glorious” waterfront and parks, arts and cultural opportunities.
“And let’s not forget our community events like Fourth of July, the Arts Festival, Tree Lighting, Summer Markets and more that draw from all over the region and beyond,” the mayor said.
Shifting gears for a moment, Earling presented a collection of images from Edmonds’ history, contrasting these with present-day photos.
“Sure, there has been a lot of change over the years, but I want to draw your attention to some of the things that haven’t changed,” he said. Despite the intervening 70 or 80 years, “it’s still downtown Edmonds with the same characteristic charm that we value so highly,” he said, pointing out buildings and streets scenes with the same structures and recognizable topography spanning the decades. “I want to emphasize that even with the changes in population and resulting community shifts we have coming, the Council and I know maintaining the low profile and neighborhood feel of our downtown business core is important to holding on to what we value,” the mayor said.
Earling then highlighted some of the specific changes on the near-term horizon, including the Waterfront Center, the new Civic Center, the Highway 99 renaissance, and the Waterfront Connector project.
“The Waterfront Center, located at the site of the current Senior Center, will be a transformational resource for the entire community” he said. “And the new Civic Center transforms the current Civic Field into an 8-acre public space in the heart of downtown, a true legacy for future generations.”
While Earling acknowledged that the Highway 99 project will take years to complete and cost millions of dollars, he told the audience that the state has assigned $10 million to it. “Although, most of this is programmed for the 2021-2023 biennium, we were successful in pulling $1 million forward to begin advanced planning for this important project and work is underway,” he added.
Another key project in the works, the Waterfront Connector, will finally address the issue of reliable access to the Edmonds Waterfront by providing a path over the railroad tracks.
“As we all know, trains block access to the waterfront up to a couple of hours a day,” Earling said. “This dramatic $30 million project will allow 24/7 emergency access to the Port, businesses, and ferry in the event that both Main and Dayton Street are blocked. In extreme situations, ferries could also be loaded and unloaded. But again, we will need state and federal dollars to complete the essential project.”
While those four projects are “incredible opportunities” for Edmonds, Earling said, “they are also the first on a list of critical challenges for our community, and it will take constant vigilance and pursuit by all of us to maintain momentum.”
“We have a strong start for all of the projects with support from the state, federal, and local officials. But we will need to keep the projects fresh in all of our minds,” he added.
As his final topic, Earling moved on to finances, noting that the city had another record revenue year, “thanks to the very strong economy, some good work by the directors and their departments, and some of the strong new businesses who have come to town.” The city has “come a long way from six years ago,” when the city’s finances were in a comparatively unhealthy place, the mayor said.
Ever the fiscal conservative, Earling tempered his remarks, reminding the audience that “there are a few early signs the economy has leveled off,” as evidenced by slowing car sales and rising interest rates. Accordingly, the mayor said he will propose that Council again set aside additional reserves. “We all know the economy will not hold at a yearly record pace every year,” he said. “The question is always how deep will the down cycle be and when.”
In conclusion, Earling harked back to last year’s address, during which he shared a message he saw on a T-shirt, which made a lasting impression.
“That message, ‘Leave it Better than When You Arrived,’ stuck with me and is the theme I wanted to build the presentation around today,” he added. “And one way we can reach this goal is to build the bridge to future generations, allowing them to experience the joy of what we have made better today.
“As I say at the end of every State of the City Presentation, I am gratified and proud to be Mayor of Edmonds Washington and I thank you for the opportunity to serve.”
— Story and photos by Larry Vogel
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