LAKE STEVENS — Four candidates hoping to help lead the city for the next four years have their eyes on local transportation, safety, recreation and business issues.
Lake Stevens voters are tasked with choosing a new mayor and City Council member on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Councilmen Marcus Tageant and John Spencer are competing to replace Mayor Vern Little, who is not running.
Both candidates want to attract more businesses and diversify the largely residential tax base. The city needs money for services to keep pace with growth, they said.
They also want to make it easier to drive or walk around Lake Stevens by fixing dangerous intersections, maintaining roads and adding sidewalks.
“I think at the top of the list is managing transportation as we grow so we don’t have gridlock,” Spencer said.
Neighborhoods aren’t connected, Tageant said. Roads and trails could bring the city together.
Both said they’ll fight to add new parks and care for existing ones.
Tageant wants to hire a maintenance worker and equipment mechanic. He also said he’ll protect the lake by keeping the water clean and preserving shoreline.
Spencer is focused on improving Cavelero Hill Park and adding more neighborhood “pocket parks.” He wants to make sure planners don’t compromise on the quality or timeline for Cavelero. He feels the same way about the city’s sidewalk plan and would set aside money for sidewalks rather than waiting on grants, he said.
Spencer and Tageant have lived in Lake Stevens for more than 30 years. Tageant is from Lake Stevens and moved back to raise his family. He’s a business owner and has been a leader in the local Kiwanis Club and Chamber of Commerce. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is in the middle of his second council term.
Spencer is finishing his second term. He retired from a management job with an engineering consulting company and previously worked as director of the state Department of Ecology, the Seattle Metro wastewater utility and the Snohomish County Public Utilities District.
Spencer feels experience sets him apart. He wants to improve the city’s reputation as business-friendly, get the public involved in planning and replace staff’s recession-inspired caution with confidence.
“All of that stuff takes strong leadership and someone who’s been there, who has worked with other agencies and with the public,” he said.
Tageant said his experience is different but equally valuable because he works directly with people in Lake Stevens.
“I’ve been out in the community and I’ve been with these clubs and committees where you meet people and learn things,” he said.
He thinks more family wage jobs are needed along with better outreach on city decisions. He wants departments to work together because “the staff we have in the city isn’t a cohesive team,” he said.
“I want to make sure that we don’t lose that small town feel while at the same time bringing new experiences,” Tageant said.
The mayor’s position won’t be the only turnover in city leadership.
Michael Boe and Rauchel McDaniel prevailed in a three-way primary race for Lake Stevens City Council Position 5. Jeffrey Koon was eliminated after votes were tallied in August.
Since then, Boe has been going door-to-door and learning as much about the city as he can, he said.
Public safety is his No. 1 priority. He’s more motivated after seeing drug and vandalism problems during a police ride-along. He also wants new parks and a walking trail that circles the lake. That would be a huge boon for events like Aquafest and the annual Ironman 70.3. Road improvements and more affordable housing are on his list, as well.
“I’m not afraid to tell people there’s a lot I don’t know, but I’m pretty good at doing my research,” Boe said. “I’m not afraid to make a decision or share an opinion.”
McDaniel has learned a lot during her campaign but her goals haven’t wavered, she said. She’s talked with people who live in different areas of the city and is keeping a list of their concerns. She aims to make sure the city stays family friendly as it grows, she said
She wants to build stronger relationships between city government and the public. That means making sure meetings, plans and decisions are well-publicized and everyone has a chance to weigh in. Like Boe, parks, paths and police resources are priorities for McDaniel.
“I just want to make this a great place to raise a family,” she said.
Two other City Council seats are on the ballot but neither is contested. Kurt Hilt is the only name on the ballot for seat No. 3, currently held by Spencer. Councilman Todd Welch is running unopposed to keep seat 4.
Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com
Mayor
Name: John Spencer
Age: 68
Experience: Lake Stevens City Council, retired manager and consultant with CH2M Hill, former director of Department of Ecology, former director of Seattle Metro’s wastewater utility, former general manager of Snohomish County Public Utilities District
Website: spencerformayor2015.com
Name: Marcus Tageant
Age: 43
Experience: Lake Stevens City Council, former president of Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce, president of Lake Stevens Kiwanis Club, owner of Task Properties and Impact Property Management, former U.S. Marine
Website: marcusformayor.com
City Council position 5
Rauchel McDaniel
Age: 42
Experience: Owner of Lake Stevens Mini Mart and Gourmet Cup Espresso
Email: lsccmcdaniel@gmail.com
Michael Boe
Age: 66
Experience: Retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant, corrections sergeant at Monroe Correctional Complex
Email: kboe@aol.com
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