Kraski’s bumpy ride soon will end

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, September 17, 2003

ARLINGTON — After more than 13 years at the helm of the city, Bob Kraski will no longer be the mayor of Arlington after the end of 2003.

Kraski was able to muster just 19 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary, far short of the 47 percent for Margaret Larson and 33 percent for City Councilman Dan Anderson.

Kraski, 61, said he sensed before the election that things might not go his way.

"For some reason, the voters in the western part of the state of Washington seem to think change, change, change," Kraski said. "Then later they ask, ‘Why didn’t that work? We’ll change it again.’ Nobody ever gets enough time under their belt."

The loss disappointed Kraski because he felt his experience was a major asset to the city.

Thirteen years might not seem like a long time in one sense, but think about what Arlington looked like in 1989. The population was less than 3,000 — now it’s close to 14,000 — and Smokey Point could still be called rural.

Kraski became mayor when Larson’s husband, John, announced his sudden resignation because of illness. Kraski, a 10-year City Council member at that point, was mayor pro tem and was appointed to replace Larson.

After finishing Larson’s term, Kraski was re-elected in 1991, 1995 and 1999.

"Did I think I knew as much as John?" Kraski asked. "Sure I did. I’d been 10 years on the City Council. Well, the first thing you find out is that you didn’t know as much as you thought you knew."

Kraski reflected on what he felt he had accomplished. The city built a new sewage treatment plant, secured a water contract, upgraded equipment and added new police and firefighting staff.

He also feels proud of the city’s rainy day fund and low property taxes.

Kraski had to guide the city through the traumatic fire at a nursing home in 1998 and a still unsolved arson that partially burned City Hall in 2002.

City Councilwoman Sally Lien has worked for many years with, and sometimes against, Kraski. She said she always liked Kraski, even when they had strong disagreements.

"Bob did an awful lot of good things," Lien said. "For a long period of time, he was our liaison to the outside world."

Lien said Kraski’s formation of the North Snohomish County Mayors Association, as well as his participation in regional transportation, emergency and governing committees, paid great dividends for the city.

"Through him, we were able to find out what was going on elsewhere," Lien said.

Lien attributed Kraski’s low approval among voters to a combination of factors. One, as mayor he got blamed for everything, even though the City Council and city staff were sometimes at fault. Two, he faced a popular and locally recognized opponent in Larson.

But Kraski’s sometimes brash personality did not help him.

"Bob was not the most tactful person in the world," Lien said. "He knew no enemy, but his enemies knew him."

Kraski sounded a little hurt by the response from voters, saying his experience compared with that of his two opponents should not have been discounted.

Anderson and Larson will face off in the Nov. 4 general election.

"The thing that makes it hard to understand is that neither one of them are prepared to do this," Kraski said. "They’re in for a rude awakening."

Lien summed up Kraski’s mayoral career — and its ending.

"He was a good mayor who just outlasted his welcome," she said.

Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@heraldnet.com.