Appointed incumbent Mountlake Terrace City Councilman Bryan Wahl faces challenger Leonard French in a November election contest for the final two years of the term that former Councilwoman Michelle Robles won in 2011.
Four full-term Council positions also will appear on the Nov. 5 general-election ballot in Mountlake Terrace.
Here are introductory statements from the candidates for the short term:
Leonard French
When expected revenues decrease, as they have, the first response should be prioritization of public safety and infrastructure, not spending down our savings and certainly not while pursuing more density and a new city hall.
We are one of the most densely populated cities in Washington, so why more density/economic development? It serves a regional agenda and the ambitions of current council members, but not the agendas of the people living in the impacted neighborhoods. Promised reimbursement of all the tax dollars spent is just wishful thinking. An affordable city-hall ballot measure could have been offered. Instead council borrowed to rent, while gambling on a tax increase vote. It failed three times. The $1.9 million repayment of the borrowed rent money is now coming due with nothing to show for it and potentially more years of rent in front of us. Some hard, perhaps unorthodox choices are just ahead. The money and the choices should be out in the open before November, not after.
One idea: the Ballinger clubhouse area could provide a partial space needs solution for our administration. An affordable stopgap to avoid more years of rent is a greater need than a larger senior center.
Bryan Wahl
While serving on the Planning Commission the past 14 years, Bryan listened and developed plans that reflect the vision our citizens have for Mountlake Terrace. On the City Council, we are implementing those plans and taking steps to realize our dreams.
We must keep moving forward to achieve our vision. As your City Councilmember, Bryan’s priorities include:
— FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Ensuring responsible and sustainable budgets that direct resources efficiently and effectively to achieve the city’s vision with innovative service delivery.
— ECONOMIC VITALITY: Creating jobs and economic development opportunities by fostering a healthy business environment and adopting plans and strategies that attract new businesses to our city. — QUALITY CITY SERVICES: Delivering services necessary for community safety and security, provide quality recreational programs and maintain our roads and parks.
Bryan has a strong understanding of public policy and experience researching and analyzing issues. His knowledge of the issues and ability to balance needs amongst varying interests helps develop a consensus.
Bryan serves on the city’s Finance Committee and Transportation Benefit District, as well as Snohomish County’s Community Development Advisory Board, the Economic Alliance’s Advocacy Board, and Puget Sound Regional Council’s Growing Transit Communities Oversight Committee.
For more information, see
www.WAHLforCityCouncil.com.
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com
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