Following an outcry from two councilmembers and some citizens, the three-hour Edmonds City Council workshop scheduled Tuesday night to discuss ideas for a possible November levy has been moved from City Hall’s Brackett Room back to the Council Chambers, where it can be televised. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Public Safety…
Strom Peterson
Two councilmembers threaten boycott over plan to hold non-televised levy workshop
The Edmonds City Council’s plan to hold a non-televised public workshop Tuesday to discuss ideas for a possible levy came under fire Saturday, with two councilmembers threatening to boycott the session if the workshop goes forward as planned. My Edmonds News received a flurry of emails Saturday, starting with one sent by Councilmember Michael Plunkett…
Yamamoto kicks off council campaign with support of Edmonds business community
Downtown Edmonds business owners came out in full force Tuesday night to support one of their own — Frank Yamamoto — as he officially launched his campaign for Edmonds City Council. The former president of the Downtown Edmonds Merchant Association, Yamamoto is also on the board of the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and a member…
Edmonds City Council OKs bond refinancing, delays home business rules
The Edmonds City Council Tuesday night voted to approve an ordinance authorizing the refinancing of city bonds that will save Edmonds approximately $46,634 annually in debt service savings and $288,969 over the remaining life of the bonds, according to current estimates. The following bonds will be refinanced under the ordinance: – 1998 Water and Sewer…
Citizen Harry: What should the city do with those high-interest rate bonds?
By Harry Gatjens Refinance? Pay off bonds? Buy parks? A lot of information and misinformation is circulating right now about what the City Council is doing regarding some older, high-interest rate bonds. So what is really happening? The City has a number of bonds outstanding from 1998 and 2001. The original concept was take advantage…
Strom Peterson unanimous choice to lead Edmonds City Council
Edmonds cheese shop owner Strom Peterson won unanimous election as the new president of the Edmonds City Council Tuesday night but found himself on the losing end of a 4-1 vote to refinance four of the city’s bonds. The council, which was missing Adrienne Fraley-Monillas and DJ Wilson when the vote was taken, agreed to…
Edmonds City Council to elect new president Tuesday night
It will be first-of-the-year business for the Edmonds City Council Tuesday night, when they elect a new Council president (we’ve learned it is likely to be Strom Peterson) and president pro tem, and appoint representatives to council committees, the Snohomish County Health District and the Snohomish County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation. Other items on…
2011 budget passes Edmonds City Council – now awaits mayor’s signature
The Edmonds City Council passed its version of the 2011 city budget Tuesday night, and the next step is a signature by Mayor Mike Cooper. The vote was 6-1, with Councilmember D.J. Wilson voting no. Wilson called the budget “irresponsible” because it doesn’t fund important initiatives and isn’t sustainable long term. Some of Wilson’s fellow…
Council looks to hire budget analyst as information concerns continue
The Edmonds City Council Tuesday night wasn’t able to pass the city’s proposed mid-year budget amendment — a source of recent controversy — but Council President Steve Bernheim said he will bring it back for reconsideration at next week’s meeting. Tuesday’s vote on the proposed budget adjustment, made mid-year to bring the beginning budget balances…
City Council approves new street, lighting, walkway projects for Edmonds
From installing overlays on a beat-up stretch of Dayton Street from Highway 104 to the railroad tracks, to re-aligning the intersection of Highway 99 at 228th and adding a new traffic signal, the Edmonds City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved a six-year Transportation Improvement Program that includes a range of street improvement projects in neighborhoods…
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City, church leaders find solution to Edmonds homeless shelter concerns
Publisher’s note: My Edmonds News contributed this story as part of a series that its online news partner, The Seattle Times, is running on homelessnesss. It was an image that stayed with Edmonds City Councilmember D.J. Wilson: A homeless mother and her small children sleeping in a car in Edmonds, trying to stay warm as…
Edmonds Council votes to pursue customers for its broadband business
The Edmonds City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday night to support efforts to pursue customers for the city’s 24 strands of fiber optic cable, which so far have been largely unused by anyone other than the city itself. A helpful background article on the fiber optic issue appears here, but the main points are…
Edmonds City Council directs staff to investigate possible PUD partnership
The Edmonds City Council Monday night authorized the city attorney and staff to investigate the potential cost-savings involved in partnering with the Snohomish County Public Utility District as it begins installing fiber optic cable in parts of Edmonds. Snohomish County PUD is already planning to install its own cable in certain neighborhoods, such as Westgate…
Voters will face $40-per-vehicle fee hike to fund road, sidewalk projects
The Edmonds City Council on Tuesday night decided by a 4-3 vote to place a proposal on the November general election ballot that would fund 37 separate city traffic safety, congestion and pedestrian improvements — using a $40-per-vehicle increase in licensing fees assessed to Edmonds residents. The proposal to place the measure on the ballot,…
Awaiting the Taste: How those ‘Best’ dishes are judged
Those of us who attend the Taste of Edmonds each year have seen banners displayed at certain food booths, declaring that their offerings are the Taste’s “best.” So how do those foods get recognized? It all happens at the “Taste Off” on the festival’s first day — this year Friday, Aug. 13. Based on sampling…
City Council appoints Mike Cooper to be Edmonds’ new mayor
Current Snohomish County Councilmember Mike Cooper was appointed Mayor of Edmonds Tuesday night, and he said he will immediately resign from his County Council seat so that he can officially take the job. A former City of of Shoreline firefighter who also served two terms representing Edmonds in the state Legislature, Cooper said he is…
Edmonds Council set to fill vacant seat Tuesday night
The Edmonds City Council is scheduled Tuesday night to select a replacement for the Position 7 seat left vacant with the retirement of Dave Orvis May 31. The council will choose from among 14 candidates who interviewed for the open seat last week (a total of 17 people submitted applications, but three withdrew before the…
Edmonds City Council moves ahead on hearing for city manager government
The Edmonds City Council move closer to adopting a city manager form of government Tuesday night, voting 4-2 to hold a public hearing July 20 to obtain citizen comment and possibly take action to place the measure on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. Councilmember Michael Plunkett, who has been advocating for the switch in…
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…
Fireworks in more ways than one at Edmonds Council meeting Tuesday
With two councilmembers absent and a light agenda, the Edmonds City Council finished its business in one hour and 15 minutes Tuesday night. But two issues stood out from the meeting, during which councilmembers renewed a couple of interim city ordinances and amended its Community Development Code to adopt updated International Building Codes. – Ron…