Lynnwood mayoral candidates George Hurst (left) and Nicola Smith.

Lynnwood mayoral candidates George Hurst (left) and Nicola Smith.

Lynnwood mayor challenged by councilman in general election

Three City Council members also are facing challengers on the Nov. 7 ballot.

LYNNWOOD — Nicola Smith says she has the right leadership style for a second term as Lynnwood’s mayor. She aims to provide an environment of respect and stability for the public and city staff, she said.

“People have been coming to work joyfully now to serve the community,” she said.

Councilman George Hurst is running against Smith in the Nov. 7 general election. He says Smith has relied too much on department heads for input, especially on the budget. Hurst believes as mayor he would be more connected to people outside City Hall and make it easier to air disagreements.

“We just need a change in leadership,” he said. “This is not working out.”

The mayor of Lynnwood serves four years and earns $104,770 annually. Three City Council members also are facing challengers in the general election. Most Snohomish County ballots are being mailed Thursday.

Smith, 58, is a retired administrator for Edmonds Community College. Hurst, 64, has worked for decades in the lighting industry.

“I was brought in to refresh and reset the city in a lot of different areas,” Smith said.

She cited her work to diversify city staff, make the budget less of a “mess” than she inherited, and promote community policing. If re-elected, she supports the creation of a citizen advisory group for the police department, she said.

She hears from folks who say the vibe in Lynnwood is “happier and more pleasant,” she said. She also noted her work on regional issues, as well as creating welcoming spaces for veterans.

“I want to continue this momentum that we have,” she said. “I’m the one who has built the relationships with people.”

Hurst was elected to the council in 2015 and also served on the planning commission. He is proud of his involvement in a recent town hall and the merger talks between the county’s two 911 boards. He supported the 911 merger, completed last week, because it would eliminate lengthy delays for callers in border areas, he said.

Hurst studied the city’s financial process. “The mayor made it very clear it was the city directors writing the budget, not her,” he said. He also was against changes in how the rainy-day fund was allocated.

“We have restrategized how we save money,” Smith said.

Hurst wants to help lead South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue, the product of a recent merger between the Lynnwood Fire Department and Fire District 1. He thought others who worked on the merger should have been more upfront about the likely pursuit of a new future tax based on building type and size.

If elected, Hurst would put together budget focus groups for resident feedback, and “actually do some nice discussions that have never happened before in Lynnwood,” he said.

As of Oct. 10, Smith’s campaign reported raising $19,473, according to state records. Hurst’s campaign had raised $5,338.

Three contested City Council seats

As for the other Lynnwood races, Councilman M. Christopher Boyer decided not to seek re-election. Van AuBuchon, a former councilman and IT consultant, and Christine Frizzell, an accountant, are running for that seat, Position 1. Both have been involved in Lynnwood for years. AuBuchon has said he wants to save the city from what he sees as a “catastrophic direction” and a “tax-and-spend binge.” Frizzell cites her Lynnwood roots and financial know-how in being ready to serve.

Councilman Ian Cotton’s challenger for Position 2 is Shanon Tysland, a local business owner. “We have done much good, but there is still much to get done,” said Cotton, an engineer, in the voters pamphlet. Tysland said he wants to see a downtown core that is vibrant and walkable.

Council Vice President Ruth Ross, a state analyst, is facing Rosamaria Graziani for Position 3. Ross noted her work on the 36th Avenue W. improvements. She wants Lynnwood to be diverse, affordable and safe, she said in the pamphlet. Graziani, an attorney and a former college professor, works with an educational nonprofit. She says taxes and fees are out of control. “There should be no need for more taxes,” she said.

Four other council positions are up for election in 2019. Council members serve four-year terms and are paid about $19,800 annually.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Trader Joe’s customers walk in and out of the store on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Trader Joe’s opens this week at Everett Mall

It’s a short move from a longtime location, essentially across the street, where parking was often an adventure.

Ian Bramel-Allen enters a guilty plea to second-degree murder during a plea and sentencing hearing on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Deep remorse’: Man gets 17 years for friend’s fatal stabbing in Edmonds

Ian Bramel-Allen, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder for killing Bret Northcutt last year at a WinCo.

Firefighters respond to a small RV and a motorhome fire on Tuesday afternoon in Marysville. (Provided by Snohomish County Fire Distrct 22)
1 injured after RV fire, explosion near Marysville

The cause of the fire in the 11600 block of 81st Avenue NE had not been determined, fire officials said.

Ashton Dedmon appears in court during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett Navy sailor sentenced to 90 days for fatal hit and run

Ashton Dedmon crashed into Joshua Kollman and drove away. Dedmon, a petty officer on the USS Kidd, reported he had a panic attack.

A kindergarten student works on a computer at Emerson Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘¡Una erupción!’: Dual language programs expanding to 10 local schools

A new bill aims to support 10 new programs each year statewide. In Snohomish County, most follow a 90-10 model of Spanish and English.

Logo for news use featuring the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Woman drives off cliff, dies on Tulalip Reservation

The woman fell 70 to 80 feet after driving off Priest Point Drive NW on Sunday afternoon.

Everett
Boy, 4, survives fall from Everett fourth-story apartment window

The child was being treated at Seattle Children’s. The city has a limited supply of window stops for low-income residents.

People head out to the water at low tide during an unseasonably warm day on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett shatters record high temperature by 11 degrees

On Saturday, it hit 73 degrees, breaking the previous record of 62 set in 2007.

Snohomish County Fire District #4 and Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue respond to a motor vehicle collision for a car and pole. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, near Triangle Bait & Tackle in Snohomish. (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office)
Police: Troopers tried to stop driver before deadly crash in Snohomish

The man, 31, was driving at “a high rate of speed” when he crashed into a traffic light pole and died, investigators said.

Alan Dean, who is accused of the 1993 strangulation murder of 15-year-old Bothell girl Melissa Lee, appears in court during opening statements of his trial on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
31 years later, trial opens in Bothell teen’s brutal killing

In April 1993, Melissa Lee’s body was found below Edgewater Creek Bridge. It would take 27 years to arrest Alan Dean in her death.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Snohomish in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Man dies after crashing into pole in Snohomish

Just before 1 a.m., the driver crashed into a traffic light pole at the intersection of 2nd Street and Maple Avenue.

Bodies of two men recovered after falling into Eagle Falls near Index

Two men fell into the falls and did not resurface Saturday, authorities said. After a recovery effort, two bodies were found.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.