Candidate Q&A: Mountlake Terrace City Council

Published 9:30 pm Thursday, October 21, 2010

Position 1

Ann Nygaard

Age: 61

Education: Graduated from Ballard High and some college classes

Political experience: Have tried four times in past years to get on ballot for city council

Question 1: How will you foster and deepen regional, city, and community communications?

I will keep updated on what’s happening in my city along with all our surrounding ones. Will attend other city’s council meetings to keep MLT in the loop. If there are grants other cities have taken advantage see if we may be eligible also.

Question 2: How do you propose to maintain a balanced budget without forcing your constituents to carry the burden?

Carefully be involved in our budget process to watch where the money goes along with making sure we as a council are doing the best we can to set an example for our residents.

Question 3: How do you propose to broaden and manage the city’s business environment?

To watch our development and continue to advertise our city as an ideal place to have a business. We need to grow to create a tax base to support us but keep the small town feeing that attracted my family here in 1976.

Question 4: What main issue will you delve into during the first 90 days you are in office? Why that issue?

To study the city government to see how it works and see how I can make a difference by being on the MLT city council. It’s not my place to reinvent the wheel but to work with what I have been given and with the rest of the council to have an informed voice in the community.

Rick Ryan

Age: 57

Family status: Married with two children

Education: Masters Degree Education, Gonzaga University; B.A. Degree Education, Seattle Pacific University; Certificate of Ornamental horticulture, Edmonds Community College

Occupation: Public Elementary School Teacher

Political experience: Past “Recreation and Park Advisory Commission;” Mountlake Terrace City Councilmember since February 2008; Mountlake Terrace City finance Committee; Community Policing Board Council Liaison

Question 1: How will you foster and deepen regional, city, and community communications?

I will continue to deepen regional, city, and community communications through:

a) Press releases to our local newspapers and public placements such as the public library; b) our “City Happenings” bimonthly news magazine mailed to all our citizens; c) mailing important city issues on postcards or in letters; d) maintaining our city’s Web site; e) attending Snohomish County Cities and Towns meetings to network with other cities’ council members; f) attending community events; g) being accessible to all citizens; I enjoy talking with residents to hear what is important to them.

Question 2: How do you propose to maintain a balanced budget without forcing your constituents to carry the burden?

I believe we should spend our money wisely. You shouldn’t spend more than what you have. We have done a great job to save money in every department our city has, yet we have kept our services up. I will continue to watch our city’s revenues, and if necessary cut budget items, but not essential services like fire or police. I believe I want what you want; city services and to spend money wisely.

Question 3: How do you propose to broaden and manage the city’s business environment?

We need to continue to support economic development to ensure a vibrant healthy community. We also need to maintain a good relationship with our current businesses. Since being appointed in February 2008, I have enjoyed visiting with our business owners and associates. It’s important for me to hear their concerns and hear what we’re doing right that they like! In working to be business-friendly, I will continue to work on streamlining our permitting process. For the future, we are going to need more economic development to get the tax burden off the home owner while preserving our existing single-family neighborhoods.

Question 4: What main issue will you delve into during the first 90 days you are in office? Why that issue?

We need to keep our taxes down. This is a priority in our tough economic times we are facing. To do this we will need to continue to have a balanced budget and increase our commercial tax base. I will continue to support business development and our downtown revitalization plan.

Position 2

Candidate Jerry Smith did not respond.

John Zambrano

Age: 68

Family status: Married 43 years

Education: Bachelor of Science Degree ~ Central Washington University in Business Administration ~ Associate of Technical Arts Degree ~ Edmonds Community College in Management ~ Graduate Degree AWC Certificate of Municipal Leadership

Occupation: 20 year retired U.S. Navy veteran, and 22 years with the U.S.Postal Service

Political experience: Five year Mountlake Terrace councilmember

Question 1: How will you foster and deepen regional, city, and community communications?

I will work with the regional community to plan for the future through coordinated goals, policies, and strategies regarding the community’s development, investments, and quality of life. To accomplish this, one must be involved in the community. I hold the chair of Emergency Management, am a 5 year board member of Snohomish County Communications, liaison for 5 years of MLT Parks &Rec, and liaison for the Library Board. My priority will be to communicate actively and stay engaged in activities that help to create strategies designed to strengthen the physical, social and economic conditions of the community.

Question 2: How do you propose to maintain a balanced budget without forcing your constituents to carry the burden?

All elected officials operate in two simultaneous realities: the ‘here and now’ (the world of “what people want”) and ‘the future’ which requires exercising wisdom, judgment and courage to be stewards of the quality of the community’s future. I will be a steward working in partnership with our community in the process of financial accountability. The city’s budget will be treated by this councilman as I treat my own personal financial portfolio requiring performance measurement and accountably for all incoming and outgoing monies.

Question 3: How do you propose to broaden and manage the city’s business environment?

I will take an active leadership role in working with the Mountlake Terrace Business Association and stakeholders in developing a vision and plan to revitalize our downtown area. I will support streamlining the construction permit process and work to improve design standards for developers who are willing to invest in our community. I will work to improve partnerships with businesses that have already invested in our community, support a common vision that will create jobs, and improve the tax base in our city with a particular focus on the community’s commercial corridors, while preserving and protecting existing single-family neighborhoods.

Question 4: What main issue will you delve into during the first 90 days you are in office? Why that issue?

I will work to fashion an inspiring vision for the city’s future, set goals, and involve people in the process. I will accomplish this by motivating people to use their talents and energy to make this vision become a reality.

Position 3

Andrew Funk

Age: 20

Family status: Single

Education: A.S. Accounting/Business Administration, Edmonds CC, B.S. Accounting, Central Washington University

Occupation: Public Affairs

Political experience: Recreation &Parks Advisory Commission (Mountlake Terrace); Candidate for State Representative, Position 2, District 21; Elected Precinct Committee Officer – Mountlake Terrace 8; Executive Officer for Technology, Associated Students of Edmonds Community College; Campaign Manager, Bill Cooper for County Council; Campaign Volunteer, Representative Mike Hope &Mayor David Baker

Question 1: How will you foster and deepen regional, city, and community communications?

I believe that as a City Councilman, I can deepen and improve intergovernmental communication by coordinating with policy makers across South Snohomish County to support a county wide municipal agenda. In addition, I will continue to support the Mountlake Terrace Newsletter put out by the city, “City Happenings.”

Question 2: How do you propose to maintain a balanced budget without forcing your constituents to carry the burden?

I do not support increasing property taxes to balance the city budget. It is imperative that the city encourages economic growth and activity by supporting small business and development to generate an increased portion of sales tax revenue for our city. The city must have a balanced budget, and therefore, cuts may have to be made. Cuts should not be across the board, but should be focused on eliminating activities that are not absolutely fundamental to what citizens require from their municipal government, such as police, fire, emergency medical services, roads and parks.

Question 3: How do you propose to broaden and manage the city’s business environment?

Mountlake Terrace’s key to success will be increasing sales tax revenue. This can be accomplished by encouraging development while maintaining environmental concerns, marketing our city’s assets, which include our highly rated swimming pool, disc golf course, and parks system, and increasing transportation opportunities by supporting alliances with Community and Sound Transit. I would also be supportive of a farmers market similar to those of other cities to bring in business to the city.

Question 4: What main issue will you delve into during the first 90 days you are in office? Why that issue?

Because the legislative process is slow, and for good reasons, tangible efforts to produce key initiatives for the city that can be passed within the first 90 days of taking office are minimal. I will focus first on creating a system where council members will receive their taxpayer income only by attending required council meetings. Council members with high absenteeism, with the exception of legitimate excuses, should not be paid if they’re not going to attend and participate in council meetings. I will also work to initiate policies that will enhance our city governments’ transparency.

Douglas McCardle

Age: 44

Family status: Married for 22 years and have two teenage children

Education: BA in communication with a K-8 teaching certificate from Seattle Pacific University; Masters of Science Degree from Walden University

Occupation: Middle School Math Teacher in the Edmonds school District

Political experience: Currently serving on the City Planning Commission and working alongside the City Council of Mountlake Terrace.

Question 1: How will you foster and deepen regional, city, and community communications?

As a council member I will be asked to be an active member of regional committees. As I serve on these committees, I will begin networking with people to see how Mountlake Terrace fits within the region and what role the city plays as we find ways to improve the infrastructure, transportation and quality of life throughout the region. I will also continue to strengthen the relationships I have developed with the current council members, the city planning commissioners and the city staff as we find ways to begin revitalizing the downtown corridor.

Question 2: How do you propose to maintain a balanced budget without forcing your constituents to carry the burden?

In this tough economic time, everybody knows money is tight. The city manager and city council have done an outstanding job of balancing the city’s budget the past several years. What needs to regularly take place is a budget review with an emphasis on reducing expenditures without sacrificing the ability to provide the services the citizens have come to expect. If a shortfall is seen I would lobby to begin raising fees the city charges verse raising taxes.

Question 3: How do you propose to broaden and manage the city’s business environment?

To broaden and manage the city’s business environment I will continue to support the efforts of the planning commissioners as they continue to revise and update the codes that govern the businesses in the city. I will also support the city’s vision of streamlining the permitting process through the use of technology in an effort to become more developer friendly. I will also actively seek stable business that would provide services that complement our citizens and the many people who use the amenities offered by the city.

Question 4: What main issue will you delve into during the first 90 days you are in office? Why that issue?

The issue I would begin to take on is how to get the city moving forward on the new civic center project. I chose this issue because I feel it would enable the public to see that we are committed to the city’s comprehensive plan and the revitalization of the downtown corridor.

Position 4

Kyoko Wright

Age: 59

Education: BA/U of W

Occupation: R E agent/Realtor

Political experience: Appointed to City Council in 2008.; On the MLT Planning Commission for 5 years; Commissioner with HASCO 3 years.

Question 1: How will you foster and deepen regional, city, and community communications?

Promote the city Web site and the newsletter.

Question 2: How do you propose to maintain a balanced budget without forcing your constituents to carry the burden?

By looking ahead and control spending. And by looking for other resources of money.

Question 3: How do you propose to broaden and manage the city’s business environment?

By helping with economic development.

Question 4: What main issue will you delve into during the first 90 days you are in office? Why that issue?

The budget. We need to keep our services for the residents. But we need to control the budget by cutting or not spending elsewhere. However we can only do this for so long. Eventually we need to have money coming in. That’s why our economic development is so important.

Candidate Jasmine B. Contreras did not respond.