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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Lake Stevens waits on annexation vote while figuring 2010 budget By Bill Sheets Herald Writer LAKE STEVENS — Though the ballot measure to add more than 10,000 people to Lake Stevens so far is winning easily, the city can’t officially count them in its 2010 budget just yet. The election results aren’t official until Nov. 24, and the city has already done most of its budget planning for next year. So city officials are preparing another budget including the southwest annexation. They’ve also structured the spending plan so, if a fluke occurs and the annexation loses, they could take it back out. On Monday the proposal was leading, 1,332 to 1,024, roughly 57 percent to 43 percent. The neighborhoods lie south of Frontier Village and between the lake, bounded in part by Highway 204 and extending south of 20th Street SE. The 9-square-mile unincorporated Snohomish County area is home to 10,061 people. If the measure is approved, it would bump the city’s population from 14,553 to 24,614. The 2010 general fund expense without annexation is $6.9 million and $9.2 million with annexation, city administrator Jan Berg said. The area would join the city effective Dec. 31. Lake Stevens expects to be $565,000 in the hole from serving the area in 2010 because property tax from the neighborhoods can’t be collected by the city until 2011. The city will be responsible for street maintenance that first year. The city has plans to add 13 police officers to its current total of 27, and is considering hiring more public works employees, Mayor Vern Little said. The City Council hopes to approve the budget on Nov. 30. Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; sheets@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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