Gary Haakenson

Former Edmonds councilmember, mayoral candidate Mauri Moore endorses Earling

Edmonds mayoral candidate Dave Earling’s campaign Monday announced that former Edmonds City Councilmember Mauri Moore — who unsuccessfully ran against former Mayor Gary Haakenson in 2007 — has endorsed Earling for mayor. Earling is facing incumbent Mayor Mike Cooper, who was appointed to fill out the remainder of Haakenson’s term when he resigned last year,…

Edmonds Library renamed in honor of its dearest friend: the late Peggy Pritchard Olson

The library was her passion, so it’s only fitting that the Edmonds Library now officially bears the name of the late Edmonds City Councilmember Peggy Pritchard Olson. Friends, relatives and dignitaries gathered Tuesday for the official ribbon cutting to announce the new library name: Edmonds Sno-Isle Library Peggy Pritchard Olson Building. Deputy Snohomish County Executive…

Earling launches mayoral campaign with promise to provide Edmonds with direction

Declaring that the current Edmonds City Council and Mayor are “rudderless,” Dave Earling launched his campaign for Mayor of Edmonds to about 100 supporters gathered at Arista Wine Cellars Thursday night. Among those in the crowd were current and former elected officials (although no current Edmonds City Councilmembers) including the Snohomish County Executive, Democrat Aaron…

Former mayor’s photo exhibit opens at Edmonds Library today

An exhibit of color photography by former Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson begins today, Dec. 16, at the Edmonds Library and runs through Jan. 28, 2011. The exhibit is presented by the Edmonds Arts Commission. Haakenson’s interest in photography developed when he started taking photographs of the sunsets from his home in Edmonds. Next came photos…

Clue seekers find adventure in Edmonds Saturday

Editor’s note: Updated with second- and third-place finishers and times. It’s safe to say that the first-ever Great Edmonds Adventure lived up to its billing Saturday afternoon. The approximately 200 participants — some dressed in elaborate costumes, other wearing utilitarian running gear — spilled out of Harbor Square Athletic Club at noon, ripping open their…

Mayor vs. city manager: A recap of how we got here and what’s next

On Tuesday, the Edmonds City Council will hold a public hearing — and possibly take action — on Councilmember Michael Plunkett’s idea to place before voters a proposal that would change Edmonds from a mayor-led to a city manager-led form of government. Given all of the recent government turnover — including the appointment of two…

Councilmembers share thoughts about mayor’s retirement, next steps

Edmonds city councilmembers were taken by surprise when Mayor Gary Haakenson unexpectedly announced his resignation Tuesday night, but on Wednesday they were quick to offer their well wishes, as well as their thoughts for next steps in filling the position being vacated by the city’s three-term mayor. Haakenson, who was named by Snohomish County Executive…

Edmonds mayor leaving to become Snohomish County Deputy Executive

Updated at 2:30 p.m. Here’s the press release issued by the Mayor’s office Wednesday morning, which includes more detail on the Mayor’s background and the process for filling his seat: Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson will leave his position as mayor on July 2 to fill the role of Deputy County Executive with Snohomish County. County…

Madrona School receives Green Schools certification

Madrona School, a K-8 school in the Edmonds School District, recently received Level 1 certification from the Washington Green Schools program due to its focus on recycling/waste reduction and energy efficiency. The school’s Green Team added composting and TerraCycling during the lunch periods to the recycling program it already had in place to make it…

Commission recommends that council reinstate Edmonds mayor’s pay raise

In July 2009, Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson was scheduled to get a 10 percent pay raise, but the Edmonds City Council voted to delay it until January 2011, due to “significant and unanticipated economic impacts” on the city’s budget. Now a seven-member citizens’ commission is recommending that the City Council reinstate that delayed $12,790 raise — which…

Edmonds City Council agrees to process for filling vacant seat

The Edmonds City Council Tuesday night agreed to a process for filling the council seat being vacated by Councilmember Dave Orvis as of May 31. The notice of a council vacancy and an application form will be posted on the city’s website Wednesday. All applications are due back by June 21, and interviews will be…

Edmonds Mayor: Plunkett won’t pursue City Manager form of government

Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson sent out a message via Twitter early Monday morning that Councilmember Michael Plunkett won’t pursue a change from a mayor-led to a city manager form of government at this time, “due to other demands on Council workload.” Plunkett first introduced the proposal to the Council last week. The next step was…

Time to conduct ‘due diligence’ focus of Skippers counter offer

The Edmonds City Council spent nearly two hours in executive session Friday morning considering a counter offer from Cascade Bank in response to the council’s $1.1 million offer for the vacant Skippers restaurant property across from the Edmonds ferry terminal. The bank’s counter offer didn’t involve a change in the purchase price, however. Instead, it…

Citizens generate Earth Day energy with ideas for greening Edmonds

What better way to mark Earth Day than to develop a plan for making your own community a more eco-friendly place? A group of about 40 citizens did just that Thursday night during the second annual Earth Day event sponsored by the City of Edmonds and Sustainable Edmonds, a non-profit citizen group aimed at informing…

Plunkett will ask council to consider switch to city manager-run government

Edmonds City Council member Michael Plunkett confirmed Wednesday that he will ask the council to consider placing a measure before Edmonds voters to change the city’s governance structure from a mayor-council to city manager-council form of government. Plunkett said that he believes the timing is right to introduce such a measure, since Edmonds Mayor Gary…

Council OKs resolution supporting work of Economic Development Commission

The Edmonds City Council took a substantial amount of time Tuesday night debating the fine points of two issues before them –how to best accommodate outdoor dining on city sidewalks and how to word a resolution supporting the work of the newly formed Edmonds Economic Development Commission. In the end, the council decided to table a…