Published: Saturday, October 24, 2009
Open seats guarantee new faces on Lake Stevens council
LAKE STEVENS — The city will have at least two new City Council members next year, as four newcomers vie for open seats.
Will Brandt and Marcus Tageant face off for the position being left open by Councilman Tom Hartwell, who decided not to run again.
Kim Daughtry and Michiko McBride face off for another spot being vacated by Heather Coleman, who is stepping down at the end of the year.
Councilwoman Kathy Holder faces a challenge from Tony Charity. Council veteran Neal Dooley is running unopposed.
Position 1
Daughtry says his experience as a former strategic planner and facilitator for the Navy will be valuable to the city.
“I have a lot of skills that I could bring to this,” he said.
Daughtry said he has been regularly attending City Council meetings the past 2½ years and was recruited to run by council members.
Daughtry said his priorities are catching the city up on “deferred maintenance,” such as getting more sidewalks built, and economic development.
On the latter, he’d like to see a planning effort that involves the public.
“We need to bring the right types of business to our side of the trestle to get some family-wage jobs over here because we don’t have enough,” he said.
His opponent, Michiko McBride, could not be reached for comment for this story. For more information on Daughtry, go to www.daughtryforcitycouncil.org.
Position 6
The lone incumbent facing a challenge, Kathy Holder, was appointed to the council in early 2007 and was elected to the remainder of the term in the fall. She’s now running for a full, four-year term.
Holder said the city is making progress on pedestrian and traffic safety issues, with the building of some sidewalks near downtown and securing economic stimulus funds for a new roundabout at Lundeen Parkway and Vernon Road. She’d like to see that continue, she said.
She said next year the city likely will hold focus meetings on economic development. The big decision will be whether to concentrate next on downtown or Frontier Village, Holder said. If the proposed annexation southwest of the city is approved by voters, it could provide valuable commercial land for the city, she said.
She believes the city could promote itself more to outdoor enthusiasts.
“There’s a lot of those activities we can really capitalize on,” she said.
Her opponent, Tony Charity, said he has been considering a run for office for a long time and filed against Holder only because she did not have an opponent at the time.
“I would like to make sure that we maintain the lake-resort type of suburban environment as well as bringing in business and jobs and a stable commercial environment,” he said.
To promote economic development, he suggested “making sure we provide timely responses to things like licenses and have competitive local business taxes and an environment for new businesses,” Charity said.
Charity is a consultant in information technology programs and project management.
“What I would bring to the City Council is that ability to manage tasks,” he said.
Neither candidate has a Web site.
Position 7
Brandt and Tageant bring differing backgrounds to their race for Hartwell’s position. Brandt serves on the parks board; Tageant is a real-estate broker.
Brandt’s main concerns are transportation, economic development and finding more land for parks. He said his experience on the parks board and helping get his Soper Hill neighborhood annexed to the city will help him on the council.
Regarding roads and sidewalks, the key is finding more money, the solution to which is “coming up with more creative ways to generate revenue,” Brandt said.
He’d like to see the city play up its status as a recreation center to draw more tourism and consider a remake of Frontier Village.
“There’s a lot of pavement that could probably be better utilized,” he said.
Tageant stresses that his involvement with the Greater Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce — he’s currently vice president of the board — and other groups have equipped him to attract more business to town.
He said Lake Stevens needs more planning and drum-beating for economic development.
“We need to create more commercial space” and move ahead on the long-envisioned downtown redevelopment, he said.
“I think we need to have a better working relationship with the business community,” he said. “The businesses need to brought into the discussion more.”
For more information on Brandt, go to www.brandtforcouncil.homestead.com. Tageant has no Web site.
Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439, sheets@heraldnet.com.
Lake Stevens City Council
Position 1
Kim Daughtry
Age: 55
Occupation: Home restoration and remodeling; owner, Rehabber Extraordinaire
Michiko McBride
Age: not available
Occupation: not available
Position 6
Tony Charity
Age: 46
Occupation: Consultant, information technology program and project management
Kathy Holder
Age: 41
Occupation: Teaching assistant, Lake Stevens School District; former Army captain
Position 7
Will Brandt
Age: 32
Occupation: Energy efficiency analyst for Puget Sound Energy
Marcus Tageant
Age: 37
Occupation: Real-estate broker; owner, Task Properties Inc. in Lake Stevens
Will Brandt and Marcus Tageant face off for the position being left open by Councilman Tom Hartwell, who decided not to run again.
Kim Daughtry and Michiko McBride face off for another spot being vacated by Heather Coleman, who is stepping down at the end of the year.
Councilwoman Kathy Holder faces a challenge from Tony Charity. Council veteran Neal Dooley is running unopposed.
Position 1
Daughtry says his experience as a former strategic planner and facilitator for the Navy will be valuable to the city.
“I have a lot of skills that I could bring to this,” he said.
Daughtry said he has been regularly attending City Council meetings the past 2½ years and was recruited to run by council members.
Daughtry said his priorities are catching the city up on “deferred maintenance,” such as getting more sidewalks built, and economic development.
On the latter, he’d like to see a planning effort that involves the public.
“We need to bring the right types of business to our side of the trestle to get some family-wage jobs over here because we don’t have enough,” he said.
His opponent, Michiko McBride, could not be reached for comment for this story. For more information on Daughtry, go to www.daughtryforcitycouncil.org.
Position 6
The lone incumbent facing a challenge, Kathy Holder, was appointed to the council in early 2007 and was elected to the remainder of the term in the fall. She’s now running for a full, four-year term.
Holder said the city is making progress on pedestrian and traffic safety issues, with the building of some sidewalks near downtown and securing economic stimulus funds for a new roundabout at Lundeen Parkway and Vernon Road. She’d like to see that continue, she said.
She said next year the city likely will hold focus meetings on economic development. The big decision will be whether to concentrate next on downtown or Frontier Village, Holder said. If the proposed annexation southwest of the city is approved by voters, it could provide valuable commercial land for the city, she said.
She believes the city could promote itself more to outdoor enthusiasts.
“There’s a lot of those activities we can really capitalize on,” she said.
Her opponent, Tony Charity, said he has been considering a run for office for a long time and filed against Holder only because she did not have an opponent at the time.
“I would like to make sure that we maintain the lake-resort type of suburban environment as well as bringing in business and jobs and a stable commercial environment,” he said.
To promote economic development, he suggested “making sure we provide timely responses to things like licenses and have competitive local business taxes and an environment for new businesses,” Charity said.
Charity is a consultant in information technology programs and project management.
“What I would bring to the City Council is that ability to manage tasks,” he said.
Neither candidate has a Web site.
Position 7
Brandt and Tageant bring differing backgrounds to their race for Hartwell’s position. Brandt serves on the parks board; Tageant is a real-estate broker.
Brandt’s main concerns are transportation, economic development and finding more land for parks. He said his experience on the parks board and helping get his Soper Hill neighborhood annexed to the city will help him on the council.
Regarding roads and sidewalks, the key is finding more money, the solution to which is “coming up with more creative ways to generate revenue,” Brandt said.
He’d like to see the city play up its status as a recreation center to draw more tourism and consider a remake of Frontier Village.
“There’s a lot of pavement that could probably be better utilized,” he said.
Tageant stresses that his involvement with the Greater Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce — he’s currently vice president of the board — and other groups have equipped him to attract more business to town.
He said Lake Stevens needs more planning and drum-beating for economic development.
“We need to create more commercial space” and move ahead on the long-envisioned downtown redevelopment, he said.
“I think we need to have a better working relationship with the business community,” he said. “The businesses need to brought into the discussion more.”
For more information on Brandt, go to www.brandtforcouncil.homestead.com. Tageant has no Web site.
Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439, sheets@heraldnet.com.
Lake Stevens City Council
Position 1
Kim Daughtry
Age: 55
Occupation: Home restoration and remodeling; owner, Rehabber Extraordinaire
Michiko McBride
Age: not available
Occupation: not available
Position 6
Tony Charity
Age: 46
Occupation: Consultant, information technology program and project management
Kathy Holder
Age: 41
Occupation: Teaching assistant, Lake Stevens School District; former Army captain
Position 7
Will Brandt
Age: 32
Occupation: Energy efficiency analyst for Puget Sound Energy
Marcus Tageant
Age: 37
Occupation: Real-estate broker; owner, Task Properties Inc. in Lake Stevens
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