Council tackles busy agenda

The Arlington City Council has a busy agenda at 7 tonight at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club, 18513 59th Ave. NE.

The council will have public hearings on proposed amendments to the land-use code, including design standards in Old Town and rules for a new 18-month temporary-use permit.

Another public hearing will focus on new sign rules.

A third public hearing will tackle the Island Crossing annexation proposal of about 270 acres, including a lowland parcel where car dealer Dwayne Lane wants to move his Arlington business.

In new business, the council will vote on adopting a $48.2 million budget for 2004.

The city also is moving up its normal swearing-in of newly elected officials from January to tonight’s meeting because Mayor Bob Kraski and Mayor Pro-tem Oliver Smith are stepping down, and the next council meeting is not until Jan. 5. Sworn-in will be Mayor Margaret Larson and Council members Sally Lien, Marilyn Oertle (who changed her last name from Giebel), Dick Butner and Graham Smith.

Bothell

Lanes will close

for utility work

Evergreen Utilities has been granted permission to close a lane of traffic on a number of streets through Feb. 7.

The closures will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

First to be closed will be 228th Street SE, then the south side of that street to 57th Avenue SE, then on the west side of 57th Avenue SE to Kokanee Elementary School.

Emergency vehicles will have access at all times.

Call the Snohomish County Public Works Department at 425-388-6453 for more information.

Darrington

Group visits

B.C. swim center

A contingent of local business owners, residents and city, county and federal representatives took a bus trip from Darrington to Abbotsford, B.C., Thursday to visit that town’s swim center.

Some people in Darrington have been interested for years in building a pool in or near town. The latest idea is being tied with ideas for an athletic field complex, skate park and other recreational activities.

The trip was a fact-finding and brainstorming mission. The Darrington Economic Development Task Force and the county’s Economic Development Council organized the trip, which included representatives from U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen’s office and County Councilman John Koster’s office.

Edmonds

Council studies many topics

The Edmonds City Council has a busy agenda Tuesday night.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Public Safety Complex, 250 Fifth Ave. N.

The agenda includes an agreement with Lynnwood to fund a recycling coordinator, a security agreement with Stevens Hospital, a critical areas ordinance, three items on the comprehensive plan, two items on the comprehensive plan map and an ordinance to rezone five school properties.

Presentations will be made to outgoing council members Dave Earling and Lora Petso. There will be public hearings on essential public facilities and illegal discharges into storm water systems, and an amendment to the 2003 budget.

Everett

Church honors

Bob Drewel

The Greater Trinity Missionary Baptist Church planned to honor County Executive Bob Drewel on Sunday.

The ceremony was to take place during the morning worship.

Pastor Paul A. Stoot Sr. was to honor Drewel and his wife, Cheryl, for their community leadership and support of the church’s learning academy and Operation Latchkey program.

Island County

Oak Harbor chooses book

After a month of balloting, Oak Harbor residents will get to find out which book to read this winter as part of the 2004 Oak Harbor Reads program.

The winning title will be announced at the Friends of the Oak Harbor Library meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday at 1000 SE Regatta Drive.

More than 200 ballots were turned in, choosing among five books: “Undaunted Courage,” by Stephen Ambrose; “All Over but the Shoutin’,” by Rick Bragg; “Duane’s Depressed,” by Larry McMurtry; “Bel Canto,” by Ann Patchett; and “The Bean Trees,” by Barbara Kingsolver.

Book discussions and other programs will be announced later.

Lake Stevens

Council says farewell to three

The City Council will host a reception tonight for outgoing council members Virginia Connell, Gen Moore and Dan Reichenberg.

Discussion items in the workshop meeting to follow include motorized scooters, a pipeline safety briefing and the Lake Stevens Junior Athletic contract to use the Soper Hill park property.

The meeting starts with the reception at 7 tonight at 1808 Main St.

Lynnwood

Kwanzaa event

at senior center

The Lynnwood Senior Center is holding a Kwanzaa celebration at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 29.

There will be a traditional lunch and a noon program.

Cost is $2, and reservations are needed.

The center is located at 5800 198th St. SW. For more information, call 425-744-6464.

Marysville

Library board meeting today

The Sno-Isle Regional Library Board of Trustees will consider action on the Children’s Internet Protection Act and a policy on disruptive patrons at its meeting today.

Other agenda items include a discussion of community education, board training and community recognition.

The public meeting is at 1 p.m. today at the district’s Service Center, 7312 35th Ave. NE, Marysville.

Mill Creek

Board reviews Town Center

The second phase of the Town Center project will be discussed by the Design Review Board tonight.

The meeting will start at 5:15 p.m. at City Council chambers, 15728 Mill Creek Blvd.

Building design, materials and colors will be discussed.

Monroe

Yard debris pickup to change

During winter months, yard debris collection for single family residences will take place only every other week on residents’ regular collection day.

The change will begin Jan. 12. Weekly pickup will resume March 1.

For more information and a calendar of pickup days, visit www.ci.monroe.wa.us.

Mountlake Terrace

Fund-raiser aims to light up lives

The Mountlake Terrace Recreation Department is selling red paper tree lights for $5 to raise money for the Recreation Scholarship Fund.

Those who buy the lights will be recognized with the light displayed on light-outlined trees on the windows at the Recreation Pavilion and City Hall.

In 2003, the Recreation Scholarship Fund provided 50 local children with dance and swimming classes and summer camp.

Mukilteo

No meeting,

just a party

The City Council meeting set for tonight has been canceled.

Instead, there will be a reception for outgoing council members Bruce Brown, Eileen Hinds and Ken Kromann.

The reception will be 5:30-7 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 10400 47th Place W.

The next meeting is set for Jan. 5.

For more information, call City Hall at 425-355-4141.

Snohomish

City changes permit fees

The City Council has changed the city’s schedule of permit fees for development, subdivision, rights-of-way, street disturbance, restoration and more.

City leaders changed the fee schedule saying permit costs do not always meet the costs of the city’s research and other city work on permits.

The changes also will provide applicants with more predictability and control over what they pay for permits, as there is now a set fee for things rather than an open-ended hourly rate.

Stanwood

School board to set date for levy

The Stanwood-Camano School Board changed this week’s meeting date and will meet at 7 tonight at 9405 271st St. NW.

Meetings are normally Tuesdays, but not all board members could attend, and all wanted to be present to vote on the proposed maintenance and operations levy that is on the agenda, Superintendent Jean Shumate said.

The board will vote on a resolution to set a special election date of March 9, 2004, for a four-year maintenance and operations levy to continue educational programs.

The levy rates are estimated to range between $2.24 and $2.29 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The school district would collect between $7.2 million and $9.1 million during the next four school years.