13 apply for vacant Mountlake Terrace council position

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — A swarm of people is vying for appointment to an open position on the Mountlake Terrace City Council.

Former position 3 council member Doug McCardle resigned in mid-December due to the demands of being principal at Northshore Christian Academy and to spend time with his grandchildren. McCardle first won election in 2009 and was re-elected three more times.

The vacancy drew 13 applicants from which the remaining six council members are expected to choose later this month. Candidate interviews are scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 30 and 31. Each interviewee gets 20 minutes, followed by an executive session for the council to discuss the applicants’ qualifications.

Candidates include longtime and new residents, a “volleyball team mom,” a reformed “staunch NIMBY,” tech professionals, chamber of commerce members, citizen committee members and helpful neighbors.

Stephen Barnes is self-employed, has lived in the city 36 years and served on the city hall advisory committee, Barnes wrote in the application. He described himself as a former “staunch NIMBY” who now believes “we must harness the potential posed by our light rail station to tame it into a downtown we can live with, while preserving our greatest assets.”

Nicholas Bennett works for a hazardous waste removal company, has lived in the city eight years and tutors students in computer science, Bennett wrote in the application. Bennett wrote that scaling city services was the pressing issue facing Mountlake Terrace.

Michael Bus works at PNW Financial, has lived in the city five years and was a chamber of commerce member in Poulsbo and Woodinville, according to the application. Preserving the city’s history while attracting families to move there through zoning for cottage housing and accessory dwelling units were his pressing issues.

Joe Cross is self employed, has lived in the city for two years and helps shovel snow and driveways for neighbors, according to the application. Cross also is active in the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and events in the neighboring city, and wrote that small business support was an issue to address on the council.

Ned Daniels has been a substitute in the Edmonds School District for over 20 years, lived in the city eight years and formerly served on the Lynnwood City Council in the early 2000s, according to the application. Long-range planning and funding city services, particularly public safety, were the pressing issue for the council, Daniels wrote.

Marcel Englmaier works for Expedia Group, has lived in the city about 1½ years and volunteers in the region and across the country at competitive shooting events, according to the application. Englmaier described himself as thinking “very logically” and averse to “going into things with strong opinions and ready to start a fight about stuff” in the application.

Isaac Harrison works for Sno-Isle Libraries, has lived in Mountlake Terrace for seven years and served on the civil service and planning commissions, according to the application. Harrison’s application touted the city’s location and future light rail station, which also amplify its need to address housing costs and availability through support for “pockets of denser multifamily housing,” low-income housing tax credits and alternatives such as cottages.

Amy Langfeldt works for business management consulting firm True Group, has lived in the city 18 years and served on the civil service commission for 10 years, according to the application. Homelessness is the city’s biggest issue, and something Langfeldt wants to find solutions to on the council to improve safety.

Mahmoud Mansour works at IT firm Denali Advanced Integration, has lived in the city 21 years and is a “talented pianist,” according to the application. Addressing crime “through tough love” was Mansour’s pressing issue.

Monique Moore works for Wild Alaskan Company, has lived in the city 10 years and participates in city events such as the July 3 celebration and Tour de Terrace, according to the application. Public safety was the city’s biggest issue, Moore wrote.

William Moore works for the Edmonds School District, has lived in the city 26 years and coached youth sports at city summer programs, according to the application. Improving accessibility to the transit center and light rail station was the biggest issue, Moore wrote.

William Paige Jr. works for the Shoreline School District, has lived in the city over two years and is the chairman of the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion commission. Paige’s biggest issues is infrastructure for the changing demographics of the city’s residents and their fear of being priced out of Mountlake Terrace, per the application.

Rory T. Paine-Donovan works for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, has lived in the city seven years and served on the city hall advisory committee and planning commission. Staff retention was the biggest issue and could be addressed through adequate funding, Paine-Donovan wrote in the application.

The city has a council-manager government, in which the city council hires a city manager to oversee daily operations. The council is responsible for lawmaking, policy and budget approval.

Mountlake Terrace City Council members are paid $955 per month, and they elect a mayor from their ranks who makes $1,167 per month and serves a two-year term.

Whoever is appointed, assuming they accept the position they applied for, would serve through the November election. Then they would be up for election to fill out the rest of the term through 2025.

Ben Watanabe: 425-339-3037; bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @benwatanabe.