By Brian Kelly
Herald Writer
ARLINGTON — It’s been an election season where challengers’ campaigns have centered on putting outsiders inside city hall. They claim Arlington’s elected officials don’t listen to their citizens’ concerns and the cozy council network needs to be broken by some new faces on Nov. 6.
Ironically, it’s a message not so different than one incumbent’s message, in what’s arguably the most interesting of four races for seats on the seven-member body.
Dan Anderson, a self-described "pariah" among his fellow elected officials, is challenging Dennis Byrnes for Council Position 3. Anderson gave up re-election to his at-large position, taking aim at Byrnes instead.
"He’s a nice guy, and it’s nothing personal," Anderson said.
But Byrnes wouldn’t support Anderson when he was trying to stop computers at local libraries from being used to access Internet pornography, and Anderson said he warned his fellow council members he would campaign against them if they didn’t help.
"We should have a say on what’s going to be acceptable in our own libraries," said Anderson, who formed and led a political action committee to pressure the Sno-Isle Regional Library System to install smut-stopping filters on its computers.
Anderson said he’s also worried that Byrnes has a conflict of interest when he votes on issues that affect the Arlington School District. Byrnes’ wife, Linda Byrnes, is the district superintendent.
Sometimes the city should look out for its own interests rather than walking in step with the district on every issue just for the sake of being neighborly, Anderson said. He remembered the district asking the city to pay for the new high school stadium and give the district a break on traffic mitigation.
"I have a feeling that if I didn’t kick a fuss at some of these things, that we would already been paying … subsidizing the school district to some extent."
It’s an echo of another issue: Anderson said his fellow council members don’t want to challenge Mayor Bob Kraski on issues.
"They are not well served when everybody is swimming in agreement all the time and are just more concerned about their friendships," he said.
But Anderson’s willingness to rock the boat has left him on the losing end of a number of 6-1 council votes. When asked about his resulting effectiveness on the council, he said his presence would be missed.
"Basically you’re not even going to put up a speed bump for these guys," he said.
Byrnes, however, said he thinks Arlington residents are satisfied with the way things are going at city hall.
"I think people are reasonably happy in the community with the ways things are going," he said, although some emotions have been stirred lately by a proposal for an auto storage yard in south Arlington.
On the Internet filter issue, Byrnes said he didn’t want to undermine the work that had been done by the library district board in handling the issue. The board held numerous hearings and considered much public testimony before taking a stand on the filtering issue.
"I cannot be convinced that those folks who serve on that library board don’t have the best intentions of our communities and our youth at heart," he said.
Although he would overrule recommendations made by advisory bodies that he felt were clearly wrong, Byrnes said it was important to support the work done by those citizen committees. "If you don’t support them, then I think you start tearing down the effectiveness of all of your boards and commissions."
Byrnes said he would continue to step aside on issues involving the school district, but added that Anderson, a state trooper, does not step down from voting on law enforcement issues.
Byrnes, who teaches business classes at Jackson High School in Mill Creek, said he originally thought his experience would be helpful when the council tackled school issues. "I know about education, I know about kids. I know about school issues. It’s what I do."
Now that much work has been done on Arlington’s infrastructure — such as its water and sewage treatment plants — Byrnes is excited to wrap up work on other projects, including a skateboard park and supporting local businesses.
In two of Arlington’s other races, the theme of a council disconnected from the community has come up repeatedly.
Steve Baker, who is challenging incumbent Craig Hedlund for Position 1, received the most votes in the primary race.
Baker said that the city should rethink trying to pay for so many projects at once — a new police department and city hall, new fire station, a new library — while residents are still paying off a hospital bond and a new schools bond.
Hedlund, however, has said he hopes his experience on the council and his common-sense decision-making will serve Arlington residents well.
One issue from the primary continues to have legs. Or ears, as it may be.
Some say Arlington residents feel their concerns aren’t being heard by the current council. But the complaint is more nuanced than that, said Ryan Larsen, who is squaring off against Marvin Monty for Position 2.
"They feel they’re are being heard, but it’s not being carried out," Larsen said.
Monty, however, said sometimes citizens expect more than a council person can deliver, such as coming up with a sweeping solution to traffic problems.
"I think most of them have tried really hard to do a good job," Monty said. "I don’t think there’s anybody on the council who doesn’t have good intentions."
With four seats up for grabs, it’s certain there will be at least two new faces on the council.
Karl Fitterer, a paramedic firefighter with Fire District 1, is running unopposed for the at-large position on the council. Fitterer, 43, has been an Arlington resident for six years. The position has a two-year term.
Every other council seat has a four-year term.
Council members are paid $200 for two regular council meeting every month, plus $50 for each special meeting each month, up to five meetings.
You can call Herald Writer Brian Kelly at 425-339-3422 or send e-mail to kelly@heraldnet.com.
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