U.S. 2, economy important to Monroe City Council candidates
Published 11:28 pm Friday, October 16, 2009
MONROE — It’s hard to put the six candidates running for a City Council seat under one umbrella.
They come from a variety of backgrounds: law enforcement, business management, event planning. Some have held elected office before. Most have not.
On a couple of points, however, they agree. All six want to see the development of a U.S. 2 bypass, and all acknowledge that funding may need to come from sources outside the city coffers.
Speaking of those coffers, all six also want to boost the local economy, particularly since sales tax plays a major role in supporting the budget, which has been strained lately.
They each seek a four-year term in the Nov. 3 general election. The seat pays $100 per council meeting. Each council member represents the entire city.
Position 1
Councilman Kurt Goering, an AT&T business manager, will defend his seat against Katy Woods, president of the Chamber of Commerce and an event coordinator for the Rock Church.
Goering has served one full term on the council, while Woods is seeking her first in public office.
The two candidates, who both tout their business credentials, offer a sharp contrast on the North Kelsey property, a chunk of land the city is trying to develop.
The city could have advanced negotiations for the sale of 24 acres of vacant land by signing a nonbinding letter of intent with Sabey Corp., a Seattle developer.
Woods, a former Key Bank manager, strongly supported signing the letter based on the discussions held in the open session. The city could have addressed issues like the possibility of a Wal-Mart and other site plans during future negotiations, she said.
“The city of Monroe shouldn’t be a landlord,” she said. “They need to sell the property and develop it.”
Goering supports an eventual sale but voted against the letter. He favors a more cautious approach, and called his opponent’s comments rushed and irresponsible.
“We don’t need ‘yes’ people,” he said. “We need independent, critical thinkers.”
The budget has been another big concern for the city. If cuts are needed again this year, Goering said he would try to avoid layoffs by having employees take furloughs or forgo raises.
Woods said she needed to review individual departments before pointing to places to trim.
The two generally agree the city needs to make changes to its permitting process, which some business owners say is time-consuming and expensive.
Woods wants to streamline the process. Goering said the city needs to improve its customer service.
Position 2
Patsy Cudaback, executive director of Monroe’s YMCA, is making her first run for elected office against R. Todd Fredrickson, a sergeant at Monroe Correctional Complex who has unsuccessfully campaigned for a council seat twice before.
The winner will fill Councilman Geoffrey Thomas’ vacated seat.
Fredrickson, a former member of the city’s ethics board, has run on ethics-related issues before. This year, he is addressing a wider range of topics.
Development of the North Kelsey property is of chief concern, he said. He wants to preserve green space at the site and avoid bringing in a Wal-Mart, he said.
“It’s a global thing,” he said. “I think they knock out some local companies.”
Cudaback, who holds a law degree from Seattle University, wants to develop the original plan for the property, creating an attractive and walkable shopping area. She doesn’t support a Wal-Mart, but said enforcing that could scare off developers.
“I don’t know if we’re going to be able to regulate a specific store,” she said.
Both candidates want to build up business outside the North Kelsey property, but differ on a few points.
Fredrickson said the city is open for business. Candidates who argue otherwise are discounting national rankings that have found Washington one of the top places for business, he said.
“There are a number of reasons for a business to fail or succeed,” he said. “One is the lack of product. The other is if they’re not marketing it properly.”
Cudaback stressed that a solid business base boosts sales-tax revenue, funding city projects. If local business owners regularly fault the permitting process, then changes may be necessary, she said.
“I would be foolish as a leader of a business organization to say that every process is perfect,” she said. “It can be streamlined. It can be improved.”
Position 3
Jeff Frye, an engineering technician, wants to return to the City Council, filling Councilman Mitch Ruth’s vacated seat.
Frye, now a city planning commissioner, served on the council for close to six years before moving outside Monroe. His new home has since been annexed into the city.
Tom Williams, owner of Adaptent, a professional services firm, also wants the seat, however.
Williams said Frye is an honorable guy who made mistakes during his tenure, including approving the purchase of the North Kelsey property.
Williams supported the council’s decision to vote down the letter of intent. He said based on what was presented in open session, the city would have been irresponsible to accept it.
“I’ll stand by that,” he said.
Frye defends his original vote, saying the city’s development of the land was a good idea, although one that was hindered by the economic downturn.
He supports subdividing the land into smaller parcels to speed its sale, but also sees worth in the letter, saying he would have voted for it.
“It’s one step closer to the city being out of the real estate business,” he said.
Both men point to their resumes to bolster their claims on the seat.
Williams stresses his business background. He said he understands what it takes to write a budget since he’s done it.
He also supports revisions to the permitting process to improve the business climate and would look for inefficiencies in the city to save money if the budget gets squeezed.
Frye, meanwhile, would support the idea of employee furloughs or pay cuts.
He counts his past experience on the council and the planning commission as an asset. He said he would push the city to use the plans it has already developed as it moves forward.
“I would hate to see them fall by the wayside,” he said.
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
Position 1
Kurt Goering
Age: 40
Occupation: Business manager for AT&T
Katy Woods
Age: 39
Occupation: Event coordinator for the Rock Church
Position 2
Patsy Cudaback
Age: 43
Occupation: Executive director for the Monroe Family YMCA
R. Todd Fredrickson
Age: 46
Occupation: Sergeant at the Monroe Correctional Complex
Position 3
Tom Williams
Age: 40
Occupation: Owner of Adaptent, a professional services firm
Web site: votetomwilliams.com
Jeff Frye
Age: 41
Occupation: Engineering technician for Otak Inc.
