Mountlake Terrace city-manager candidates to appear at reception Friday

The three finalists for Mountlake Terrace city manager will meet community members at a reception Friday.

The candidates include Mountlake Terrace’s interim city manager, Scott Hugill. Another candidate is Richard Leahy, who was city manager in Woodinville from 2007 until last month. The third is Jill Anderson, city manager in Riverbank, Calif.

Community members will have a chance to meet the candidates at the reception scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at the Mountlake Terrace Senior Center and Community Clubhouse at Ballinger Park, 23000 Lakeview Drive, and to give opinions to city council members.

The council will meet Saturday at 8:45 a.m. at the Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 6100 219th St. S.W., Suite 220, to interview the finalists. A selection may come as early as that day.

The City Council announced the names of the finalists after a meeting Monday.

The Council worked with the recruiting firm Colin Baenziger &Associates, which helped narrow city-manager candidates from 40 applicants for the position. The firm has done screening interviews and background and reference checks.

Colin Baenziger &Associates did the search for free because the manager hired in its previous search didn’t stay two years.

The firm had conducted the 2013 search that led to the city’s hiring of Arlene Fisher, with a guarantee of providing a free recruiting service if the person hired didn’t stay for at least two years.

Fisher, hired in 2014, resigned in 2015 in lieu of termination.

Since Fisher resigned, Hugill, the assistant city manager, has been the interim city manager.

Mountlake Terrace has a council-manager form of government, in which the seven elected part-time city council members appoint a full-time professional city manager as the city’s chief executive officer. The council elects one of its members to have the title of mayor while presiding over council meetings and carrying out ceremonial duties.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz step onto one of Community Transit’s electric buses during a tour and roundtable at Community Transit’s corporate headquarters on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Community Transit shares updates during Sen. Murray roundtable

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., heard updates from the transit agency on electric buses, shuttle service and its new bus rapid transit line.

Arlington
Man convicted of manslaughter after stabbing death of his friend on a camping trip

The third trial for Alexander Vanags, of Arlington, came to a close Thursday after five weeks in Whatcom County Superior Court.

A semi truck drives across Bridge 102 located just east of Granite Falls on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County Council votes to donate historic Granite Falls Bridge

The Council voted unanimously to preserve its significance once a replacement bridge is complete.

An Orca card on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
ORCA readers will soon accept tap to pay

Riders can use digital payments like Apple Pay or Google Pay to pay fares, along with debit and credit cards.

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin talks about the 2025 budget with the city council before voting on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In letter, community groups ask Everett to take action on ICE

Everett mayor Cassie Franklin said she would issue a directive next week to address the concerns raised by the letter, signed by over 30 nonprofits and businesses.

Megan Wolfe, the executive director of the Snohomish County’s Girls on the Run, at her office on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
SnoCo nonprofit teaches running and life skills simultaneously

Girls on the Run hopes to teach students confidence and people skills while getting them to be active.

Gage Wolfe, left, a senior at Arlington High School and Logan Gardner, right, a senior at Marysville Pilchuck High School work with their team to construct wooden framed walls, copper plumbing, electrical circuits and a brick facade on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
High schoolers construct, compete and get career-ready

In Marysville, career technical education students showed off all they’d learned at the SkillsUSA Teamworks Competition.

The Edmonds City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 6 in Edmonds, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Edmonds issues moratorium on development in Deer Creek aquifer

The ordinance passed unanimously Tuesday, giving the city time to complete a study on PFAS in the area.

Taylor Scott Richmond / The Herald
Getchell High School students protest ICE during their walkout demonstration on Wednesday in Marysville.
Marysville students peacefully protest ICE

Around 150 Getchell High School students walked out of school to line 67th Avenue Northeast as cars drove by on Wednesday morning.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Snohomish County voters continue to approve most school levies, bonds

The Monroe School District operations levy, which was failing after initial results, was passing Thursday with 50.4% of the vote.

People fish from the pier, hold hands on the beach and steer a swamped canoe in the water as the sun sets on another day at Kayak Point on Monday, June 12, 2023, in Stanwood, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Kayak Point Park construction to resume

Improvements began in 2023, with phase one completed in 2024. Phase two will begin on Feb. 17.

Roadway reopened following school bus collision on I-5 near Marysville

Troopers responded to a serious injury collision on Tuesday morning involving a vehicle and a school bus. There were no children on the bus.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.