Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today? Yes, I want to support My Edmonds News!
Editor:
Now, perhaps more than at any other time, it is crucial we seat a city council that is fiscally responsible and strives for a sustainable future while preserving what makes Edmonds special.
I am voting for Erika Barnett for City Council Position #3 and here is why:
Genuine Devotion to Edmonds: Erika cares more about doing an excellent job on Edmonds City Council than using a council seat as a step to build a political career elsewhere. She has raised her family here and been a volunteer and business owner for many years.
Ability to Prioritize and Solve Issues Important to Edmonds: Erika cares about issues that are important to us all: public safety, livability, the character of our neighborhoods, a balanced budget. Most importantly, she will work to balance the budget by slashing inefficiencies in government spending and not by slashing services and amenities. She will work to understand where money goes and importantly what we are getting for it.
Business and Management Expertise: Erika has led strategic planning and operations for organizations like Microsoft where she helped large, cross-functional teams streamline budgets, reduce waste and improve performance. She has also been on the frontline of running a small business in Edmonds.
Ability to Collaborate and Problem-Solve: Her leadership style is collaborative, practical, grounded in results. As she has stated, “I know how to cut through noise, prioritize what matters and keep people moving forward – even when conditions are tough.” This is exactly what is needed now on Council.
Lynne Chelius
Edmonds
Erika Barnett will provide a needed voice on City Council. Currently there’s no member with local experience running a successful retail business.
Retailing is tough business, every day depending on people coming in your door to purchase goods and services. Edmonds’ thriving retail community is essential to keeping this city attractive and vital. Erika and Jeff opened and grew Salish Sea Brewing, expanding it even during the Covid pandemic and becoming valued members of Edmonds’ business community.
During Covid and all the controversy surrounding streateries, I remember how we needed a councilmember who could speak from the perspective of storefront retailers. Erika will fill that void on City Council.
I prefer Alex Newman. He has an extraordinary grasp of budget issues and his emergency management experience as Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Northwest Washington would add unique and invaluable experience to our City as we prepare for future risks of flood and fire and storm because of extreme events from climate change. I don’t think Edmonds is prepared for the risks and he can give us the advice we need, especially if we get a new emergency manager on staff. He can be a resource for them. I will vote for him.
I just can’t get out of my mind that Erika Barnett doesn’t want a B&O tax, which would impact her profits. Instead she thinks it is the Edmonds’ taxpayers responsibility to promote businesses instead. It seems like she would have a conflict of interest when voting on Council policy with that response. We all want businesses to succeed, and I don’t mind the City helping out, but asking for taxpayers to pay the cost of business promotion, while also not wanting to contribute to the tax base, just really hit me wrong. For me, it sent a signal that her priorities don’t match my own. It seemed very self-centered.
The American Red Cross is one of many Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters. Their skillset is primarily limited to Emergency food and shelter for victims and their families. That is where ARC truly impacts folks. And while that is important for sure, it barely scratches the surface of the universe known collectively as ‘Emergency Management’. For Newman, who we assume is a good person overall, to expand his limited experience with ARC into Emergency Management expertise is questionable at best. Overall he has less than 4 years total being tangentially involved with Emergencies and the in-depth planning, responding and mitigating of them. His experience is with deploying in an adjunct role to two recent natural disasters as an ARC Volunteer. He doesn’t even know what he doesn’t know yet about Emergency Management. Ask him what NIMS/ICS level he is trained and competent to.
That, and the primary requirement for Emergency/Disaster Planning and Response lies with Snohomish County; not City of Edmonds. Would it be a ‘nice to have’ on City Staff? Yes, but not a necessity.
A B&O tax on a business’s gross receipts in addition to a tax on its profits seems excessive to me. But then I find the tax increase associated with our city’s levy lift proposition to also be too much to ask of residents. I respect those who have a different opinion.
I also respect your opinion, Arlene, for a candidate for city council. From my point of view, I do not see a conflict of interest when a candidate is also a local business owner. I am not one. Such a candidate would have different experiences than I have. But what would be their points of view and their values? That would be important to me.
With that in mind I find Erika Barnett my preferred candidate. She has ideas about how to make city government operations more efficient and effective while cutting overhead. She is in favor of regulating parking in a way that would not cost residents but would help local businesses and bring in revenue to the city.
I approach the word limit for my point of view, which is that I favor Erika because she has a vision for the city that corresponds to mine. I hope we get 100% of eligible voters to make the choice!
Roger, no one disputes that Erika Barnett understands retail — and yes, small business experience matters on council. But the real test isn’t just having owned a storefront; it’s whether a candidate will stand up against policies that are driving up costs and pushing both residents and businesses to the brink.
The tides are turning because the community has had enough of higher taxes, deficit budgets, and closed-door deals. Erika’s the real deal — former executive, small business owner — she gets it. That’s exactly what Edmonds needs right now.
Experience is valuable. But fiscal discipline, transparency, and a willingness to put residents and small businesses first are what will restore balance to our city.
We desperately need change in leadership. People are really struggling now with the oppressive taxes and it will only get worse when the newest ones kick in and if the levy lid passes. Erika understands streamlining at a corporate level and cooperating with a team to get things accomplished. But she is also on the ground with the people of this city, interfacing with them daily. She knows what matters to the community and isn’t beholden to any group or outside agenda.
I am excited to get her in office and see what good will come when someone with qualifications and an ear to the ground can accomplish.
My wife and I agree with Lynne’s LTE and the comments added as well.
We are voting for Erika as she a true leader needed on the Edmonds City Council.
Erika Barnett is an excellent candidate for Edmonds City Council and is well-qualified to represent Edmonds citizens with the financial, growth and taxation challenges we face ahead. Her commitment to Edmonds citizens is evident in her words and actions.
We are very blessed to have a candidate with Erika’s passion for Edmonds, business acumen and ability to work with others to be running for City Council. She is a quality candidate and has my support.
Erika is the type of individual our city desperately needs. A citizen concerned about the city who will not be using position as stepping stone to enhance a political career. She will give us a fresh analysis and new set of eyes to look at solving the mess past councils have created.
Ericka is without any doubt the better candidate. I’m a former Edmonds council member so I clearly know what it takes to get the job done for the vast majority of our citizens. Ericka has the right qualifications to successfully do what needs to be done. Please vote for Ericka.
Erika is very approachable. Every time I see her I ask her opinion about a different issue that Edmonds is facing. Her responses are so genuine and well thought out and it’s so clear that she is invested in this town. She’s also getting her message out with positivity, instead of throwing barbs at the other candidate. I am excited to see her take a seat at the table.
I totally agree with the letter written by Lynn Chelius and all the letters that followed supporting Erika for the Edmonds city council. Many great points were made as to why we need Erika’s leadership and transparency for our city.
I have met with Erika and have heard some of the ways she would address the issues that our city currently faces, and I found her to be an incredibly organized and a critical thinker.
I like critical thinkers. We need more of them on our Council.
I also found her ideas to be grounded in common sense.
I like common sense, because, it makes sense.
She brings the kind of real-world experience that we need in Edmonds right now.
Her project management and frontline retail business experience is exceptional, and, as someone who has personally built a career in retail, I respect the talent, dedication and hard work that is required to be successful.
In meeting with Erika, she has shown me that she has a strong business & financial acumen. She approaches problems & challenges with a mix of broad ideation, intelligence, critical-thinking and most importantly, she balances her ideas against the prioritization of resources. She’s pragmatic.
I yearn for pragmatism.
In short, Erika will be an incredible asset to our City Council- as long as we make sure she gets elected.
I encourage anyone who wants to learn more to attend the Council & Port Commission candidate event on October 16 at Edmonds Waterfront Center.
My vote is for Erika!
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/98/08/0EF51237-7D23-4049-BA16-EAA89DC8F8B1/IMG_1953.png
Even better, TODAY (10/11/25), you can meet face to face with :
*Erika Barnett (Council Pos. 3)
*Glenda Krull (Council Pos. 1), and
*Janelle Cass (Port Commission, District 1)
at Hickman’s Park between 12-3 pm!!
All great candidates!!
Erika is unquestionably more qualified for the Council than her opponent. We are lucky to have her to be willing to fight this battle.