The City of Brier and the Edmonds School District are continuing talks concerning the electronic readerboard that Brier-Terrace Middle School wants to erect on its campus, according to Brier Mayor Bob Colinas.

“We are having discussions on the subject,” Mayor Colinas said in an email to MLTnews on Sunday.

School officials, parents and students were disappointed that the readerboard they raised $11,000 to help purchase didn’t pass standards outlined in Brier city code and, presumably, wouldn’t get city approval. The City of Brier only allows artificially lighted signs that do not flash and have “no movement or simulated movement.”

While Brier Municipal Code does not allow for the type of sign that the District has purchased, Colinas said he remains open to the city granting a variance on the project. “After speaking with Nick (Chou, ESD Capital Improvement Design and Construction Manager), I told him I would look into this and what it would take to make a modification,” Colinas said. “Modifications take time and I will be working with Nick and the Brier City Council to see what we can do.”

Colinas said it was premature for MLTnews to post an article last week stating that the city has said no to the readerboard. “At this point the District has not made application, therefore nothing has been denied,” Mayor Colinas said. “I think the comments in MLTnews.com did misrepresent the efforts being made to see if we can make this work.”

Harriet Baskas

This free program will consider the cultural, economic, artistic, historic and philosophical influences on local and Washington state history by exploring iconic and unusual objects, events and stories. It is co-sponsored by Humanities Washington.

The Mountlake Terrace Library is located at 23300-58th Ave. W. More information on Saturdays@the Library, and all programs offered can be found here.

This family event begins at 6 p.m. with a color guard ceremony and the placing of a wreath at the base of the flagpole in front of the station in honor of fallen police officers. The open house will follow and goes until 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Police Department personnel will include detectives, K-9, traffic, code enforcement and crime prevention. There will be tours and photo opportunities with patrol cars and in the jail cell. Police chief Greg Wilson and others will also be available to answer questions and give some insight into what goes on at a police department.

Pet licenses will be available for purchase by anyone unable to do so during regular lobby hours. Come by and visit the adoptable pets, perhaps even take one home.

The memorial ceremony and open house coincides with the federally-designated Peace Officers’ Memorial Day on May 15 and National Law Enforcement Appreciation Week May 13-19.

City Manager John Caulfield outlines the Civic Center proposal.

Story and photos
by Doug Petrowski

Mountlake Terrace City Manager John Caulfield and Police Chief Greg Wilson presented information on the proposed civic campus to a group of about 30 people Wednesday night in a forum sponsored by the YES for MLT committee. If approved by city voters Aug. 7, the $25-million project would be built on the southwest corner of 58th Avenue West and 232nd Street Southwest.

Caulfield outlined the city’s history of public facilities construction and why officials see a need now to build a new city hall, police station, senior center and green space, and make improvements to the library. “It’s been 25 years since voters have considered upgrading a city facility,” Caulfield said.

If approved, the capital bond measure would raise property taxes for the typical Mountlake Terrace homeowner $7.42 per month in 2014, with an additional increase of $11.59 per month in 2015 for the remainder of the 30-year bond. Proposition 1 requires a 60-percent approval by city voters.

Bonnie Mercer, chairperson of the YES for MLT Committee, addresses the audience.

Caulfield listed six specific positives to the civic campus proposal:

• A return of city services to the downtown core of Mountlake Terrace (presently interim city hall is located on the second story of the commercial office building on 220th Street SW near I-5)
• A new “stand-alone” 8,500-square-foot community/senior activity center
• 
Library improvements (specifically a new roof and upgrades to the heating and air conditioning system)
• Expanding and remodeling the police station (the current 7,000-square-foot station was built in 1991 and no longer meets the needs of the current police department)
• Creation of a “Civic Green” (possibly including an amphitheater, spray fountain and other amenities)
• Creating community event space (for hosting farmers markets, arts festivals and other events)

Caulfield acknowledged that while this civic campus plan has dropped in total cost from a similar $37.5 million proposal that was rejected in 2010, it might not be enough for voters to approve this time either. “It’s a tough nut to crack and will take a big effort,” he said. But Caulfield added this was the ideal time to go forward to the voters with the plan due to an inviting bidding environment and general low interest rates.

“Could our costs be lower? Yes,” Caulfield explained. “Construction costs could end up being lower, interest rates could end up being lower.”

Police Chief Greg Wilson talked about how the Mountlake Terrace Police Department has outgrown its current building, constructed in 1991. “The demands of the community have expanded, but we have limitations  in our facility,” Wilson said.

The Chief shared slides showing how former storage rooms and one restroom have had to be converted into working office space. The department also utilizes space in the adjacent parking garage for work areas. Wilson also outlined federal mandate restrictions and security concerns that make the current police station difficult to work in.

“What we’re asking for is not a Taj Mahal,” Wilson said. “Our place is OK, we’re doing OK with it, but it could use a shot in the arm.”

The YES on MLT committee is a group of city residents advocating approval of Proposition 1. In addition to hosting the forum Wednesday night, they passed out a four-page brochure on the measure and urged attendees to visit their website and Facebook page.

The City of Mountlake Terrace has a page on their website devoted to the civic center plan here.

Berg was awarded the Police Chief’s Commendation, recognizing high professional conduct in the performance of job responsibilities, for her work in pushing through the department’s accreditation in 2011. The City of Mountlake Terrace Police Department was the only police agency in the state to go through the accreditation process without any negative reviews in the 140 areas scrutinized.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes employees who act and endure a significant risk to their life in the performance of their duties. Lowe, Haynes and Ross received Distinguished Service Awards for their response to an apparent suicide attempt, by a male with a firearm. They worked to negotiate with him, but when that failed, they used a less lethal means to control the situation and take the person into custody without significant injury or loss of life to anyone.

Duncan was awarded the Police Chief’s Commendation for his participation as the Patrol Sergeant responsible for managing an active shooter event. “As officers arrived, he quickly assembled an immediate action team of officers and cover officers to approach the area,” said Assistant Police Chief Pete Caw. “Within a short time, one of the officers noticed the subject aiming a weapon in the direction of officers and fired, mortally wounding the subject. Sergeant Duncan’s calm professional management throughout the incident was exemplary.”

The Life Saving Award recognizes an employee or citizen who by their immediate action saves a life under unusual or extraordinary circumstances. Osborn received the Life Saving Award for his actions during the active shooter event. “As Officers approached the area with the active shooter, Officer Osborn, a trained SWAT/sniper assigned to provide cover, observed the shooter in an upstairs window aiming his weapon in the direction of officers. Due to the immediate threat posed to the approaching team, Officer Osborn fired and mortally wounded the subject, eliminating the threat,” said Assistant Chief Caw.

Police Chief Greg Wilson explained that when he came on board in 2008 one of the goals requested by the department was recognition of employees for the jobs they do in the field. An Employee Recognition Review Board was formed from a cross section of the department selected by their peers.

Police Chief Wilson closed the awards by reading a caption from the Police Department’s policy. “The Mountlake Terrace Police Department expects a high level of professional conduct from all of its members. When members perform their duties in a manner exceeding the highest standards of the department, it is fitting to officially commend that performance and arrange for appropriate publicity to be provided. This gives full public recognition to those who brought honor to themselves and the department.”

Snohomish County PUD rebated the City of Mountlake Terrace $2,457 for overpayments made to the utility over the past two years, Curt Brees, Mountlake Terrace Public Works Director, announced this week. The overcharges to the city’s electric bill came to light after recent city-wide inventories of street lights and poles conducted by both the City of Mountlake Terrace and the PUD.

Of the 1,370 street poles and lights in Mountlake Terrace, 266 are owned by the city and metered for use by the PUD and 153 are lights owned by the city, mounted on PUD-owned poles and charged a flat-rate for electricity. The remaining 951 poles and lights are owned by the PUD and the city pays a slightly higher flat-rate for usage.

“We felt like there might be some double-billing where we were paying both a flat-rate and a meter rate,” said Brees. “Snohomish County PUD looked at it and agreed.”

The amount refunded to the city represents about 1 percent of the average annual bill for electricity the city uses in its street lights, which is about $120,000. The city should continue to see savings after the inventories and bill analysis, Brees said. “We have seen our monthly bill drop about $100,” he said.

The city’s public works department has higher hopes for energy savings in the future as it pushes for replacement of the standard HPS bulbs used in street lights with LED bulbs. Brees estimates that a change to LED lighting may save the city $20,000 annually. The city continues to analyze the cost for a retrofit of all city street lights.

Participants are encouraged to ask questions, provide input on city services or just listen to the conversation. The informal setting provides citizens an opportunity to get involved, learn more about city government and its services, and hear what’s happening in Mountlake Terrace.

For more information on Coffee with the City, visit the city’s website or call Community Relations Director Virginia Olsen at 425-744-6206.

Veterans Park will be redesigned.

Story and photos
by Doug Petrowski

Upgrading bleachers, moving play equipment, repairing fences, painting buildings and improving parking areas are all plans for various parks around Mountlake Terrace over the next few months, according to Ken Courtmauch, Parks and Facilities Superintendent.

Courtmauch reported to the Mountlake Terrace City Council last week detailing the many projects that the city’s Park Services and Property Management Departments has scheduled through the spring and summer.

In addition to every day routine work, “both Park Services and Property Management perform a number of specialized tasks such as plumbing, electrical work, lighting, roofing, carpentry work,” said Courtmauch. “Maintenance activities and projects are identified in a work plan.”

One of the park buildings to be painted.

The work plan for spring/summer maintenance and projects listed 65 separate items to be completed throughout the city. Some projects have already been finished, while others are scheduled for May-September.

The city facility with the most projects in the work plan is the Evergreen Playfield Complex on 56th Avenue West. Some work has been completed, such as installing the new 50-foot outfield netting at the E-3 baseball/softball diamond and pressure washing the tennis courts and walkway. Work yet to be completed at Evergreen Playfield includes cutting back and removing overgrown vegetation, repairing some paved areas around the concession stand, repairing gates around the tennis court and the E-3 field, removing picnic tables around the tennis courts, and repairing and painting the E-3 field bleachers.

The biggest changes are taking place at Firefighters Memorial Park on 228th Street Southwest. Demolition of Fire Station 18 is complete; the contractor is now cleaning debris and tearing up some of the old asphalt to make way for an expansion of the park, where play equipment will be moved and additional fencing will be installed.

The Bicentennal Park sign will be repaired.

“Bicentennial Park has received a lot of work over the last three years,” Courtmauch reported. “The transformation has been astounding at that park.” Work scheduled at Bicentennial Park, 4105-222 Street SW, over the next few months includes removal of dead or diseases trees and stumps, cleaning and repairing the vandalized park sign, and preparing the south side of the park for sidewalk installation, which is scheduled for this summer.

Terrace Creek Park along 48th Avenue West, also known as Candy Cane Park due to its red-and-white striped playground equipment, will be receiving a kiosk near its parking lot. Plans for a new look to the front of Veterans Memorial Park at 23400-58th Ave. W. will also be developed this summer.

The benches at Jack Long Park, 22106-58th Ave. W., are scheduled to be repaired and painted. Fences are being repaired and added at Ballinger Playfield, 23000 Lakeside Drive. Ballinger Playfield is also slated to receive a new entry sign.

Work at Forest Crest Playfield, 5006-236th St. S.W., includes trimming or removing overgrowth, repairing fences, and work on the drainage system of the parking lot.

Even Ballinger Island is included; “No Trespassing” signs are scheduled to be replaced later this month.

The work plan also outlines projects to be completed at various city buildings, such as the Recreation Pavilion, the clubhouse at the Ballinger Lakes Golf Course, the library, the police station, and the Operation Facility.

Courtmauch and his crew of six full-time employees maintain the 11 parks, three sports complexes and all the buildings and grounds within the city year-round. The city also utilizes volunteers and contracted work crews to complete special projects.

You can view the entire Park Services and Property Management Spring/Summer Work Plan here.