Editor
In response to Ken Reidy:
Your approach to determine the terms of the eight (8) positions on the Edmonds Citizen Planning Board is correct — according to my research. Clearly ECC Section 10.40.020{B} lays out the term expiration date for each position. Advancing these dates by a four-year term provides clear direction. Following this approach yields the following:
| Position # | Current Member | Expiry per code | Sequential expiry on December 31st, 20## | Position expiration for 12-31-2020 |
| 1 | Rosen | 1982 | 2022 | |
| 2 | Robles | 1982 | 2022 | |
| 3 | Cheung | 1983 | 2023 | |
| 4 | Monroe | 1983 | 2023 | |
| 5 | Rubenkonig | 1984 | 2020 | Rubenkonig |
| 6 | Crank | 1984 | 2020 | Crank |
| 7 | Cloutier | 1985 | 2021 | |
| Alternate | Pence | 1985 | 2021 | |
As for myself, I was aware of my term (position #5) expiring on Dec. 31, 2020. When I was approached by the Planning Department, I responded I would be interested in another term. I believe others receiving said inquiry included Rosen, Crank, and Pence. I immediately questioned the Alternate being placed on a list of those positions expiring 12-31-2020. In retrospect, it is clear there were only two terms expiring on Dec. 31, 2020. It is dismaying that these facts elude those in authority at the City.
Clearly the Code (conditions put into place by City Council when the regulations were adopted) reveals an orderly progression of term expirations to promote stability of planning board operations.
It is incumbent upon the City Council to determine if ECC Section 10.40.020{B} is being properly administered.
Sincerely,
Carreen Nordling Rubenkonig
Thanks for providing this information in a format that is easy to follow. My hope is that elected officials address this as soon as possible!
Thank you Carreen and Ken for clearing up the discrepancies. It’s clear from the code itself that only two positions expire each year, yet the staff report last month had four of us expiring. I’m pleased to know I’ll be serving on Planning Board for at least another year~ and it will be a busy year with the Housing Commission issueing its report later this month.
I am pleased that the actions taken by the City Administration in December are being corrected. I wonder what made the City Administration act as if your term was expiring December 31, 2020. Glad that is behind us. Please let us know when the City clarifies whether you are still the alternate or if you have moved up to one of the numbered permanent positions per the Code.
Watching the City Attorney think out loud during the Council Meeting last night was troubling. I wonder why Mr. Taraday did not simply clarify that the practice has long been for Planning Board terms to expire December 31st.
January 1 seems like a strange date for term expiration. I wonder why Mr. Taraday thinks that might be the date for Planning Board term expiration. Do we have any terms that start on January 2nd?
All Mr. Taraday had to do was display Packet Page 163 from the December 15, 2020 City Council Agenda Packet which clearly shows the following:
Planning Board ~ term limits: 4-year terms with no term limits
o Alicia Crank, Position #6, 2017 – 2020. New term will expire 12/31/2024
o Mike Rosen, Position #1, 2017 – 2020. New term will expire 12/31/2024
I too wondered about the City Attorney’s off-the-cuff opinion that Planning Board terms might actually expire on January 1 instead of December 31. I did a quick search of Edmonds City Code for other boards and commissions, and I found none that had members’ terms expire on January 1. But I did find several that expire on December 31, suggesting that’s the norm that should be followed where code does not specify a date. I should note also that the terms of local elected officials all expire on December 31, per state law.
Thanks Roger. I remain puzzled as to why City Attorney Taraday even mentioned January 1 as a possible term expiration date. I have never seen a City term start on a January 2nd.
Taraday didn’t just mention it, he represented that a January 1 expiration made more sense to him.
As of January 12, 2023, Mayor Mike Nelson now wants to appoint three citizens to the following Planning Board Regular Positions:
Position #1 – four-year term expiring December 31, 2026
Position #2 – four-year term expiring December 31, 2026
Position #3 – to finish term expiring December 31, 2023
The three citizens Mayor Nelson wants to appoint did not apply for Regular Positions. All three applied to fill the vacant ALTERNATE position to the Planning Board. The Alternate Position term expires December 31, 2025.
The city of Edmonds has not notified citizens that the city is seeking applications for vacant Planning Board Positions #1, #2 AND #3. Nobody has applied for these three positions.
The Letter to the Editor above documents more recent Planning Board history. More can be found at this link:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2020/12/letter-to-the-editor-i-did-not-retire-from-edmonds-planning-board-position-7/