Arlington
Santa, parade coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to downtown Arlington this weekend.
The Santa Parade line-up begins at 11 a.m. Saturday at Frontier Bank, 525 N. Olympic Ave. The public is welcome to march in the parade, which begins at noon and heads south down Olympic to Legion Park. At Legion Park, the Arlington High School band will play some carols.
Santa will welcome visitors at the Chamber of Commerce office at Legion Park in the 400 block of Olympic Avenue until 6 p.m. The Christmas tree’s lights will be turned on at the park.
Mark Winterhalter will give horse-drawn wagon rides downtown 11 a.m.-5 p.m., returning the following two Saturdays as well.
For more information, call the chamber at 360-435-3708.
Edmonds
Museum building called historic
The building that houses the Edmonds Historical Museum has been nominated as a historic landmark.
The building is the first to be nominated for placement on the Edmonds Register of Historic Places under the city’s new historical preservation process.
Darrell Marmion, chairman of the Edmonds Historical Commission and a longtime member of the Edmonds Historical Society, nominated the building.
The commission, created by the city last year, determined the building meets criteria written into the city ordinance that authorized the commission, said City Council Member Michael Plunkett, also a member of the commission. The criteria are based on state historical guidelines.
Everett
Final budget vote Wednesday
The Everett City Council is scheduled to vote on the 2004 budget Wednesday night.
The proposed $96 million general-fund budget – which pays for police, fire, parks and other services – is a nearly 8 percent increase over the 2003 budget, largely because of increased health insurance costs.
The total proposed 2004 budget is $339,248,000.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers, 3002 Wetmore Ave.
Granite Falls
Centennial ends with a bang
The final event of this year’s centennial celebrations will be a 100th birthday party 7-8 p.m. Saturday at the Granite Falls High School gym, 405 N. Alder Ave.
The Everett Windjammers will entertain with a mixture of old-time barbershop songs and upbeat holiday tunes. Longtime resident Bob Miller will present a light-hearted look back at life in Granite Falls.
The high school and junior high bands will accompany a fireworks display. Refreshments will be served.
Island County
County approves 2004 budget, levy
At its regular meeting Monday, the Island County Board of Commissioners approved a $63.2 million budget for 2004. That represents an increase of almost 5 percent from 2003.
The bulk of that increase goes to salaries, wages and benefits to county employees, said Elaine Marlow, the board’s clerk.
To balance the county’s $19.6 million general fund, the commissioners decided to dip into $435,000 of its reserve account. Doing so will allow for the reinstatement of a deputy prosecuting attorney position that was cut from a previous year’s budget. The county also will hire a programmer, a clerk and seasonal road mowers.
The commissioners also approved a 1 percent increase in road and property tax levy rates for 2004. Marlow said the county is calculating what the actual rates will be as figures are not yet available.
Lake Stevens
Planning panel sets hearings
The Planning Commission will continue a public hearing on an amendment regarding auto sales in the Central Business District at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Lake Stevens Community-Senior Center, 1808 Main St.
The commission also will conduct a public hearing on 2003 Comprehensive Plan amendments.
Lynnwood
Toys for Tots campaign begins
The Lynnwood Firefighters and the Veterans of Foreign Wars are joining the Lynnwood Fred Meyer store to collect toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign.
New and unwrapped toys can be dropped off at collection boxes at the Lynnwood Fred Meyer store at 196th Street SW and 44th Avenue W. and at Lynnwood Fire Stations through Dec. 20.
For more information, call Martin Spani at 425-918-5401.
Marysville
City seeks block grant money
The City Council adopted a resolution last week authorizing the city to apply to Snohomish County for a Community Development Block Grant for money to upgrade the restroom facilities at Comeford Park, including handicapped accessibility improvements.
The council also delayed a decision on whether committee meetings should be open to the public until January, when newly elected council members will take office.
Mill Creek
Cities seek input on disaster plans
Mill Creek is one of 10 local cities and special districts working together to create a plan to minimize damage from natural disasters before they happen.
The city is seeking public input on ideas for this kind of preparation. Feedback forms are available at the city’s Web site, www.cityofmillcreek.com.
Additional information is available at http://esca1.home.mindspring.com/esca/index.htm. For more information, call Christi Amrine at 425-921-5738.
Monroe
Chamber names 2004 leadership
The following were recently elected to the Monroe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Their positions will be effective in January:
President Martha Dankers; Immediate Past President Debbie Smith; President Elect Eldon Bartelheimer, Hill Street Cleaners; Secretary Sheila Dunn, Everett Community College; Treasurer Nancy Breuer, Coastal Community Bank; Directors Linda Cline, Monroe postmaster; Margo Montel-Westover, massage therapist; Dr. Bill Prenevost, Monroe School District superintendent; Ken Perrine, Kool Change Printing.
Mountlake Terrace
Council approves small subdivision
The Mountlake Terrace City Council has approved a proposal to subdivide a nearly 2-acre site into five residential lots.
The proposal, called the Dawson preliminary plat and variance, will create single-family homes on three of the lots, in addition to an existing home already on a fourth lot. The fifth lot has further subdivision potential that was not included in the application.
Four of the five lots would be served by a new street, 218th Street SW.
Monroe
City Council to discuss budget
Residents may comment on the proposed 2004 budget at a Monroe City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers.
Also on the agenda for public discussion are amendments to a law regarding licensing and permitting of sexually oriented businesses and amendments to a law on the ethics code.
Other items include authorizing lodging tax distribution for 2004 and signing an agreement for inmate housing with Ferry County.
Snohomish County
CT plans to adopt its 2004 budget
Community Transit plans to adopt its 2004 budget at its meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday in the CT board room, 7100 Hardeson Road in Everett
The Snohomish County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corp. also plans to approve more than $15 million in vouchers for the month of October.
It also will look at an agreement with the county sheriff’s office, and contracts with Edmonds Community College and the University of Washington.
It also will study a drug- and alcohol-abuse policy, the six-year plan, amendments to the 2003 budget and the senior services agreement. There also will be an update on the radio system upgrade and an executive session to discuss personnel issues.
Stanwood
Farm board meets Thursday
Snohomish County’s Agricultural Advisory Board is coming to town this week.
The board has scheduled its regular meeting 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday at the PUD building, 9124 271st St. NW in Stanwood.
On the agenda are flood issues for the Stillaguamish River, a report on a working draft revision of the county’s critical areas regulations, proposed agricultural code amendments and various regional agricultural reports, summits and initiatives.
Next month’s meeting will be in Monroe.
For more information, call Tom Niemann at 425-388-3311, ext. 2214, or Bob Hilgenberg, ext. 2368, at the county’s Planning and Development Services.
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