Tour de Terrace Fireworks Return

CLICK HERE FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT TOUR DE TERRACE 2010

After having to cancel the Tour de Terrace fireworks show last year, many residents were disappointed that the annual festival wasn’t able to go out with a bang. If that was you, you’ll be happy to hear that the city has agreed to fund the fireworks show for 2010, which will cost around $5,000.

In addition to the $5,000, the City will provide Tour de Terrace with around $25,000 for advertising costs including newspaper ads, banners and radio advertising. The city will also provide services such as police, public works and recreation department time, which is not to exceed $6,700.

Funding for Tour de Terrace comes from the lodging tax fund. Most of these monies are paid by patrons of the Studio 6 hotel. These taxes must be used for marketing or operation of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists from 50 miles away or more or to acquire or operate tourism related facilities. Right now, Tour de Terrace and Arts of the Terrace are the only events in the city that would qualify for these funds. So, it’s not as easy as someone saying the city should use the money for other purposes.

The council voted 5-1 to approve the funding for the fireworks show with council member John Zambrano voting no. Zambrano said that he polled people on his email list and the majority voted to not fund the fireworks show with city funds and, therefore, he would vote against the funding request. Mayor Jerry Smith did not vote as he is the President and one of the founders of Tour de Terrace and that would pose a conflict of interest.

The 2010 Tour de Terrace will be the last weekend in July.

  1. Adventure in hypocrisy: In 2006, the city passed an ordinance banning the discharge (plus sales and even possession) of fireworks within the city limits. If this is still in effect (I hope it is), the city will be in violation of its own ordinance.

    1. According to the city code you’re referring to (9.70), anyone can actually apply for a permit to have a public fireworks display. I’m guessing this is what Tour de Terrace will be doing.

      You can read the code here.

      1. I not surprised there are exceptions; I expected as much. Looks like I’ve only had one year of reprieve from Bombs and Smoky Neighborhood Night. Back to my annual avoidance of my own neighborhood for that weekend. 🙂

  2. It is much better to have the fireworks in the park where they are supervised and not in the streets all around Mountlake Terrace. Let the kids come and watch them in the park and be safe

  3. Nice to see the city spending money on something we can all enjoy vs. something always “in the planning stages.”

  4. I wonder how much Zambrano’s followers are representative of the population at large. Statistical sample? Just saying…

  5. Personally, I’m torn on this subject. While on one hand, I don’t think our city has any business spending money like that when our city center is nearly falling apart, crosswalks need painting, sidewalks need fixing, etc… but on the other hand, a festival that can draw people in may be what the city needs to draw in new business to the failing city center (hell, City Hall didn’t even stick around… to be replaced by a farmer’s market??)

    I think our city council is seriously lacking real objectives and vision for our community. They hype up this Tour de Terrace (which I DO love) but who knows about it? If they’re going to do it, and pay for it, promote it… They organize it, then sit on their laurels and hope something good happens… much like the city center businesses. Let’s bring in some non-MLT dollars to the festival, show businesses that we are a viable business community and bring new life to the city center.

    1. Mark, I wholeheartedly agree with you. As a business owner, I have found it difficult to deal with the city. They just don’t seem to be inclined towards business growth. It is interesting that they push Tour de Terrace so much. Last year, I was so offended by Jerry Smith and his being so rude to me that our business that has been in the parade and had a booth in the festival for the previous 15 years pulled out and vowed to never return as long as Jerry Smith is running things. There needs to be some real progressive change. The only thing in the city that is running well is the Police Department. All the other departments seems to be having political problems.

      1. I hear you Brandon, and agree Jerry Smith has NOT been a valuable part of the MLT community for some time.

        The Tour de Terrace is a prime opportunity for the city to promote itself and to bring in outside revenue, but they spend their money on un-productive printed media and don’t pursue true marketing avenues. I LOVE the Tour de Terrace, and have participated since we moved here nearly 10 years ago, but thing the marketing lacks immensely.

        Part of the purpose of an organizational endeavor such as this is not only to create community cohesiveness, but to also entice businesses to join our community as one with money to spend in businesses. If the Council doesn’t effectively promote the event, it’s pointless other than to entertain money that’s already here.

        The MLT city center is all but dead, and with the terminal diagnosis of Roger’s Market, doesn’t have much hope. I want to know what the CC is doing to promote new business growth? Are they going to do more than just print some ads in local papers for the tour, or are they going to really PROMOTE it.?

        Or, is it time to completely flush the council and the mayor at the next election(s) and start with some fresh blood that isn’t going to just ‘hang around’ and expect things to fix themselves as is what seems they’ve been doing so far…

  6. It takes people working together to make a city work. I hate to hear you run down Jerry, for he has worked hard here to make our town good for kids and all people in general. I don’t see many people get out there and do what he has done for the last 25 years that I have known him. You know, if you really don’t like it here, then move.

    1. No, not gonnna move, just gonna vote against any incumbent to the city’s political structure.

      It’s unfortunate that people have to resort to “if you don’t like it, move” tactics, rather than to engage in productive debate, as for many, the option of moving is moot. And even if it weren’t, why should they? Shouldn’t we engage our right to voice opinion and to debate to better our community?

      In my opinion, in ANY community, the first to move away should be those who say ‘if you don’t like it, don’t live here’, because they are typically afraid of change, if even for the better.

      1. And to continue…

        We voice our opinions BECAUSE we like living here, NOT because we don’t!

        “In leadership writ large, mutually agreed upon purposes help people achieve consensus, assume responsibility, work for the common good, and build community.” ~ Jospeph Rost

        To expel members of a community simply because they disagree or challenge the actions of the leaders of that community is contradictory to the motives of a community. To question, and challenge is part of building the community to a common good.

        Thus is the American way.

        So, I ask you, if you are against the American way, why do YOU live here?

  7. It’s total small town politics here. A lot of people still do not want Mountlake Terrace to change. It’s two different worlds – one within and one all around MLT.

    With that said, I love it in MLT. It’s a small town and there are sidewalks most everywhere. The fireworks are great and I’m glad the city is doing it.

    It would be nice if the city did buy up the city center and redevelop, if they can, or do some government incentive to get someone to build, then sell at cost of purchase and development. I’m sure the city could find a way, but doubt they’d do it.

    P

  8. I remember Jerry Smith, during a seafair parade a couple of years ago try to chase off some Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche supporters.

    It was funny because they had a perfect right to be there, but I guess it upset him that they were in *his* town and he didn’t want them there.

    1. Wow. Really? That’s it? Unfortunate Carol, simply unfortunate.

      In any case… I have to agree with Patrick, it really is small town politics here, and it needs to change. The city needs to change. To get that change, we need a change in leadership. We’ve gone to long on the status quo, and the status quo has us with a failing town center, lack of businesses, rising crime and a county-wide reputation that we’d rather not have.

      I’m curious, since Mayor Smith was brought up, who can point out what great things he’s done for MLT. Unfortunately, I’m at a loss, so I’m hoping someone can set me straight on some great initiatives, changes, etc, he’s instituted in the last four years for our community. Unfortunately, my only recollection of him is being a very good patron of the Big E garden at the Tour de Terrace the last couple years…

      It’s interesting though how a short article on spending $5000 on fireworks can spark such tangents in debate.

  9. Why are you bashing Jerry – it takes more than one person to get things done around here. And when it comes to a vote, we are the ones that get the final word. So if you get rid of Jerry, what have you accomplished?

  10. I’m going to try to stay out of this conversation but I thought I would point out a couple things.

    Tour de Terrace is not run by the city council or the City of Mountlake Terrace. It is run by volunteers and sponsored by the Nile Shrine Center. Jerry Smith was one of the founders of Tour de Terrace and is the current president. He generally does not vote on matter concerning the festival because it may be seen as a conflict of interest.

    Like I said in the post above, the city funds the event through a lodging tax. This tax must be spent on events or programs that bring in tourist from 50 miles away or more. I don’t know how this tax came to be but right now Tour de Terrace and the arts of the terrace are really the only two events that qualify to be funded by this tax.

    I thin Carol has a good point, that we have a city council that chooses the mayor. Every person on the council gets an equal vote so what they do or do not accomplish should not necessary be blamed on or attributed to one person.

    I love the dialogue that is going on here. Let me pose another question: if you were on the city council, what would you do to make Mountlake Terrace a better location for businesses and how would you attract new businesses? This should be good practice for those of you thinking about getting in to city politics.

  11. So Dustin lets the cat out of the bag, so to speak.

    Okay, the city council has done a great job with the recent study and passage of the comprehensive plan, which as I stated before, rolled out when the economy went south.

    The city probably needs to be aggressive with upgrading the downtown area. I don’t see any major store coming in and building there. If you want Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer, or whatnot, they are a quick drive or bus stop away.

    What do I want? I’d love to have a Fred Meyer where that current grocery store is. Or even a small one. Or how about an Asian-centric market with apartments/condos above? There are several immigrant stores all around, like the one near Edmonds CC, or up by Fred Meyer, that sell produce and other things. Not a huge market, but something that would attract me to go there.

    Basically, there needs to be an “anchor” store like malls have. Something to draw people so that it is viable enough for other stores to open in the vicinity.

    The current businesses are great. Red Onion, Double D meats, and others. But there needs to be a critical mass so that when someone visits this bigger store, others will follow. And having a condo above, would obviously build up the traffic.

    There are some great businesses in the downtown core, but there needs to be an added kicker that the city might be able to provide to get things rolling.

    Yeah, I would hate tons of car traffic. In some way that’s not possible to mitigate. And what about all that traffic that comes from the park and ride? The people leave the park and ride and go to Shoreline or wherever.

    A great grocery store, maybe a boutique-style store, something unique, would get the consumers in and turn around things.

    Take a look at system dynamics:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_dynamics

    We use this at work to look at how small changes to one part of a system can change the other parts of the system. One part can drag down other parts, and some parts bring positives to other parts.

    So, this is what the city could look at: improving a system by looking at the entire system of human behavior.

    Simply passing new laws for land use is not enough. There needs to be some motion to push things into action.

  12. I keep reading all the inundos of speculation about my father and the TDT and if Mark and Brandon are so concerned about this subject, why dont they look in the City Happenings and call my father at 425-774-7335. Get the real answers, the truth. You want to know what he and the council have done ask him, it is large. Also ask him what he has done for this city for 25 years. Ask him what he has done for this city for the last 6 years he has been mayor.
    Also ask Brandon why he has failed to reveal why he himself took his students out of the Tour de Terrace altogether. He failed to enter his application until 2 days before the event opening. Joy explained that she could put him in, but it would have to be toward the end of the concessions as all spaces had already been assigned. Not good enough for him as he wanted a certain spot. After many calls he made to Joy she asked my father to step in. My father called Brandon and readdressed the issue, but to deaf ears as he wouldnt listen. My father refunded his money for the concession and told him he would be welcome in the parade. He didnt show up.
    A father of a student said he called all the students and told them they wouldnt be in the TDT or the parade and made my father the scapegoat.
    Also ask Brandon how he got caught removing campaign signs for Jerry Smith (which is against the law).
    Also Tour de Terrace is not put on by the City and is not a venue to promote business. It is and always has been an event to bring the community together. This event is put on by volunteers in this community.
    Any more quesstions, ask him and quit creating rumors that are untrue.
    Scott Smith

  13. I voted yes for fireworks on Z-mans poll…And I told him that I had 5 registered voters in my home ..maybe he only counted my e-mail as one..hmmmmmmm
    **Also, I love the City of MLT…I HATE reading all the political squabbles that I am reading above. I have lived here 40 years! My father was a fireman for 20! My grandma and grandpa bought the home I lived in most of my life for $5,800.00 in the late 40’s. I love that we are a small community that we don’t have sidewalks in my neighborhood, that most of my neighbors are still the same people who’s homes I played at as a child. That my children and my grandchildren still play at those homes and in the neighborhood that I played in and still play in! I love that the policeman who saved my life as a teenager is STILL a policeman for MLT!! OUR City is more than petty squabbles about who did what, because we all have people in our families who have done wonderful things and some not so wonderful things GET OVER IT!!! The wonderful things we do for each other are what make us a great community. The City is larger than just the rare few we ever hear about!! And for those of you full of righteous indignation for your family and friends whom you feel have been wronged in someway…FORGET about people’s negative comments..AND LET THE GOOD THINGS EACH OF US HAS DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY BE WHAT STANDS BECAUSE OUR ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN OUR WORDS!!! When you start pointing fingers remember that you have 3 fingers pointing back at you! What does it look like to people wanting to visit or move to our wonderful city when you are flinging dirt at each other in public?? If I were an outsider this kind of CRAP would’nt make me want to come here! If our actions are good we will not need any speech good or bad to sing our praises or tell of who screwed up, because the good deed or the positive action will already be standing on a good moral foundation…and everyone can SEE a good thing with their 2 eyes… no need for the mouth.
    Pamela Bond Coello

  14. Ok, so sorry being away for a bit… I didn’t abandon this thread by any means.

    First off, thank you SRIEGIE. I appreciate the support.

    Second, I think those voicing opinions to the contrary of many longtime MLT residents, especially me, don’t mean to ‘bash’ anyone. But let me state that as a constituent to the leaders of our community, it is my right AND responsibility to question those who influence and make decisions regarding our lives here. Personally, I’d be much more apprehensive of entering into community that has been stagnant in its views and ideology for 25-40 years than one where the community is involved and free to communicate their likes AND dislikes of the city government surrounding them.

    To simply state ‘it’s been this way for X years’ is a cop-out. Just because it may have worked before doesn’t mean it is STILL working.

    Jerry Smith HAS done good for this community (specifics I asked for earlier in the thread, but no one as yet has bothered to answer), I know that (despite the previous statement, I was HOPING someone would actually come forward with an answer). However, I think the time is done. I don’t see the growing community he and the council have promised and worked for. We have too many vacant business properties to count, failing businesses left and right, yet nothing seems to get done.

    MLT still has the stigma of being, and pardon me here as I’m only quoting someone else (not my words), ‘the a**hole of Snohomish County’. Personally, I think my objections to how the council is performing as our leadership is nothing compared to the view of others of our community from the outside.

    I love this community. I want it to thrive, to prosper and to grow. I don’t think we can get that with our current leadership, and we CERTAINLY won’t get it if those stuck in the status quo of the last 40 years chastise and squash the views of those looking to make a change for the better.

  15. To make MLT a better community we need to get rid of all the small minded people that plague places such as Seattle. If you want to attract businesses, take advantage of Seattle’s anti business policies and give them incentives to move up here.rnrnAs far as fireworks go, I will not attend any city sponsored fireworks display or support any business that sponsors one as long as there is a ban on them for the peasants of MLT.rnrnMy neighbors and I will continue to set off our personal displays at our homes during the 4th. I’m not sure the police are 100% behind the ban, since we havn’t had any problems yet, and paying a fine is a small price to pay for individual freedoms and tradition, that are supposed to make this a great country.rnrnLike the poster above that said he will not vote for any incumbant. I am with that plan. I will not and have not voted for or supported any business that voted for the fireworks ban. rnrnI know this article is not talking about the ban, but it was a related subject, and one of my sore spots.

  16. To make MLT a better community we need to get rid of all the small minded people that plague places such as Seattle. If you want to attract businesses, take advantage of Seattle's anti business policies and give them incentives to move up here.As far as fireworks go, I will not attend any city sponsored fireworks display or support any business that sponsors one as long as there is a ban on them for the peasants of MLT.My neighbors and I will continue to set off our personal displays at our homes during the 4th. I'm not sure the police are 100% behind the ban, since we havn't had any problems yet, and paying a fine is a small price to pay for individual freedoms and tradition, that are supposed to make this a great country.Like the poster above that said he will not vote for any incumbant. I am with that plan. I will not and have not voted for or supported any business that voted for the fireworks ban. I know this article is not talking about the ban, but it was a related subject, and one of my sore spots.

  17. why do people make such a big deal about fireworks?!?!?!!? they are a symbol to celebrate this coutry! my neice is 13 and lighting fireworks! if your really that much against them its like being against the symbol celebrating this coutry.rnrnlighten up people! jeez!

    1. Why?nnI don’t know… maybe this helps.nn * In 2008, fireworks caused an estimated 22,500 reported fires, including 1,400 total structure fires, 500 vehicle fires, and 20,600 outside and other fires. These fires resulted in an estimated one civilian death, 40 civilian injuries and $42 million in direct property damage.n * In 2008, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 7,000 people for fireworks related injuries; 53% of 2008 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 37% were to the head.n * The risk of fireworks injury was highest for teens ages 15-19 and children 5-9, both with at least two-and-a-half times the risk for the general population.n * On Independence Day in a typical year, far more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for more than half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.n

  18. why do people make such a big deal about fireworks?!?!?!!? they are a symbol to celebrate this coutry! my neice is 13 and lighting fireworks! if your really that much against them its like being against the symbol celebrating this coutry.lighten up people! jeez!

  19. Why?I don't know… maybe this helps. * In 2008, fireworks caused an estimated 22,500 reported fires, including 1,400 total structure fires, 500 vehicle fires, and 20,600 outside and other fires. These fires resulted in an estimated one civilian death, 40 civilian injuries and $42 million in direct property damage. * In 2008, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 7,000 people for fireworks related injuries; 53% of 2008 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 37% were to the head. * The risk of fireworks injury was highest for teens ages 15-19 and children 5-9, both with at least two-and-a-half times the risk for the general population. * On Independence Day in a typical year, far more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for more than half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.

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