EDMONDS – A City Council member and a city engineer are challenging the mayor of Edmonds for the seat he’s held for two terms.
Mayor Gary Haakenson, who took office in January 2000, is defending his office against City Councilwoman Mauri Moore and city engineer Don Fiene in the Aug. 21 primary election.
The mayor is paid an annual salary of $101,400 to oversee the city of 40,560 people – the second-largest city in Snohomish County. Edmonds has 271 full-time employees and a $70.6-million budget.
Haakenson said he doesn’t need to sell his name or the issues he stands for.
“Most people, after being mayor for eight years, they probably have their minds made up as to whether they’re going to vote for me again,” Haakenson said.
The incumbent decided to run again because he wants to continue working on some big projects. He cited the Edmonds Crossing ferry terminal, redevelopment of downtown’s waterfront and the growth of small retail centers in neighborhoods as important undertakings.
He’s also enjoyed his interactions with the public, he said.
“Being mayor really comes down to who has the ability to run the city day to day. That’s basically what my job is,” Haakenson said. “My job is not to create policy or to make laws.”
Moore, who took office in January 2004, said the city needs new leadership.
Moore doesn’t believe Haakenson is doing enough to bring new revenue into the city. If elected, Moore wants to encourage the planning of retail centers in neighborhoods and seek tourism dollars, as well as other sources of cash.
“We’ve had eight years of this mayor, and not much has progressed,” she said. “He’s been sitting on the budget and watching the line fall on the city’s revenue.”
Moore, a longtime television news producer, also wants to make it easier for people to get permits and licenses from City Hall. Furthermore, she said, the downtown area’s building design codes should be changed to help preserve the city’s historic, small-town feel.
“I have an awful lot of energy to devote to the job, and I’m very excited about it,” Moore said. “I’m much more interested in looking at what we can do than what we cannot do.”
Fiene, who works with Haakenson at City Hall, said he decided to seek office when he thought the mayor might be running unopposed.
Fiene is the author of the city’s storm water, sewer and drinking water comprehensive plans, he said.
“I’d like to see a more planned approach in the way we do things elsewhere as well,” Fiene said.
The city needs to find other ways to bring in revenue, and plan for further development in downtown, he added.
The public should be more involved in discussing important city issues, he said. He credited Haakenson for holding regular neighborhood meetings, but said more needs to be done.
“We need to get more involvement in key issues, real involvement, not just sound bites,” Fiene said.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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