The Mountlake Terrace City Council at its July 25 meeting reviewed the results of the city’s 2024 National Community Survey.

Polco Senior Survey Associate Brandon Barnett presented the findings of the biennial survey via Zoom. The survey, which measures the satisfaction of Mountlake Terrace residents compared to over 500 peer cities nationwide, is aimed at  helping city staff plan the biennial budget.

Barnett said the survey consists of 378 randomly selected community members, equating to a 95% confidence interval. One of the first results he shared was the city’s livability and how the residents ranked multiple facets by quality and importance.

Here are the 2024 results of community livability:

– Parks and Recreation: Quality 81%, Importance 82%

– Natural Environment: Quality 81%, Importance 83%

– Safety Quality: 70%, Importance 88%

– Utility Quality: 67%, Importance 80%

– Mobility: Quality 65%, Importance 76%

– Health and Wellness: Quality 62%, Importance 61%

– Community Design: Quality 60%, Importance 75%

– Economy: Quality 53%, Importance 82%

– Education, Arts and Culture: Quality 41%, Importance 64%

– Inclusivity and Engagement: Quality 41%, Importance 57%

The economy showed the most significant gap – with 29 percentage points between what survey respondents viewed as quality versus how important that measure was to them. That was followed by education, arts and culture, with a gap of 23%.

Compared to the 2022 survey, Barnett said that 17 areas scored higher, 99 remained similar, and 10 scored lower. The most significant changes from the last study are:

– Water resources: up 15%

– Recreation opportunities: up 14%

– A good place to raise children: up 12%

– Affordable high-speed internet: up 11%
– Availability of paths and walking trails: up 11%

– Sewer services: down 11%

– Well-planned economic growth:  down 9%

– Economic development: down 8%

“The local economy continues to be a top issue for residents,” Barnett said.

He explained that over 80% of respondents said they feel the economy should be an essential focal point during the next two years. 

Polco’s study found the following areas ranked below national averages when compared to peer cities:

– Shopping opportunities: 24%

– Employment opportunities: 20%

– Vibrancy or downtown/commercial area: 25%

– Mountlake Terrace as a place to visit: 41%

– Mountlake Terrace as a place to work: 52%

– Economic development: 46%

“Although economic development at 46% excellent or good was on par with similar communities, the survey item did decline over the last two years,” Barnett added. In 2022, 54% of residents surveyed ranked economic development as excellent or good.

Barnett said Mountlake Terrace’s overall quality of life ratings remained high. Many mobility-related items such as ease of travel by car, traffic flow on major streets and ease of public parking scored higher than the national benchmark and saw increases from the 2022 survey. Further, residents gave favorable reviews of the city’s outdoor activities.

About 80% of the respondents recommend Mountlake Terrace as a “good or excellent” place to raise children and recommend moving to the city. 

Of those responding, 60% rated the city’s overall image and reputation as “good or excellent.” Further, 60% responded similarly about Mountlake Terrace as a retirement place.

In other business, South County Fire Chief Bob Eastman presented information on the benefit charge renewal appearing on the Aug. 6 primary ballot.

South County Fire provides the following services:

– Emergency medical service (EMS) 

– Fire suppression and prevention 

– Community resource paramedics 

– Whole blood for in-field transfusions 

– Technical and marine rescue 

– Hazardous materials response 

– ACT first aid and CPR 

– Falls prevention

Eastman said that the benefit charge measure renews how South County Fire can be funded, not the amount being charged, and there is “no correlation between the renewal and the charge,” meaning that the amount of money charged is not linked to the measure passing. Further, the annual increase is 2%, a $1.74 increase since the charge was first implemented in 2020.

He said that the fee is determined annually by the elected board members of the South Snohomish County Regional Fire Authority (RFA). In determining the charge, the board considers the building’s size, use and hazards, and there is no fee for undeveloped land.

The fee is currently assessed for residents who live within the boundaries of the RFA, including Brier, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace and unincorporated southwest Snohomish County. Those who live Edmonds, which currently contracts with the RFA for services, will not vote on the benefit charge.

Seniors, people with disabilities, exempt properties and low-income households maintain their current charge exemptions.

Councilmember Laura Sonmore asked what would happen if the measure didn’t pass. Eastman explained that the benefit charge is in place until 2026, but South County Fire would need to reassess its options.

“There would not be an immediate need for cuts,” Eastman said.

He explained that if South County Fire could not continue with the benefit charge, the fire levy would go back to $1.50, and they would need to ask for a levy lid lift.

“Then it would be 100% property tax-based” Eastman said.

According to the Washington Department of Revenue, as the levy limitation is applied to a district’s levy over the years and the district’s taxable base grows, the rate a district is allowed to levy tends to drift downward from the maximum statutory levy rate. A district may need to raise the levy limit to increase revenue. A levy lid lift is the means to exceed the 101% levy limit. A district may ask its voters to authorize an amount that exceeds the levy limit or “lift the levy lid.”

The taxing district can request a single-year or multiple-year lid lift for up to six years. In either case, approval of the lid lift must occur within 12 months of when it will be imposed. The lift is temporary unless the ballot specifically states the resulting levy will be used for future levy limit calculations. 

The levy would charge a flat free and does not consider structure types.

To see South County Fire’s video about the benefit charge renewal, click here.

Items moved to the Aug. 1 consent calendar during the July 25 meeting:

– An interlocal agreement with South County Fire. Effective Aug. 1, the City of Mountlake Terrace will be annexed into the Regional Fire Authority (RFA), which voters approved last year. This interlocal areement ensures that the city will have a full-time fire code official overseeing development plan reviews, building reviews and fire code inspections of existing commercial and industrial buildings. Neither party may issue a notice to terminate before Dec. 31, 2025, effectively ensuring a fire code official through 2026.

— An agreement for Robert Half accounting services. The city has worked for the last year to complete cash reconciliation and compile financial statements for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. The finance department contracted with the temporary employment agency for workers. The cash reconciliation process is finished; the contract amount exceeded the city manager’s signing authority and required the city council’s approval.

— The City Council Strategic Plan. As part of the City of Mountlake Terrace 2024 Work Program, the city council and staff leadership met on April 27 to review and update the council’s strategic goals. 

The next council meeting will start at 7 p.m., Aug. 1, at Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 23204 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace.

To attend the meeting online, visit zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 810 1113 9518; no passcode is needed.

To make a public comment remotely, complete the registration form within 24 hours of the meeting’s start at cityofmlt.com/FormCenter/City-Council-17/Remote-Public-Comment-Request-Form-12. 

To listen via telephone, call 1-253-215-8782 and enter the same meeting ID.

You also can view livestreamed meetings and past video recordings at www.youtube.com/cityofmlt. 

The agenda can be viewed here.

— By Rick Sinnett