Ed McNichol announced his candidacy Sunday, June 3, for Mill Creek City Council Position 6. McNichol, 43, is the post-production supervisor for the University of Washington. His previous leadership roles include president of the Board of Directors for the Seattle World Rhythm Society and co-leader of the Seattle Final Cut Pro User Group.
“I absolutely love our city and I’m willing to step up and take my turn at the oars moving us forward,” McNichol said in a prepared statement. “We need leadership that can help focus our city as we transition into our larger size.”
Other candidates for the Mill Creek council seats include Chuck Wright, Mark Harmsworth and incumbents Mark Bond and Mike Todd.
Wright, a 14-year Mill Creek resident and avid community volunteer, is running for the seat being vacated by Dale Hensley, who has served three terms on the council and will not seek re-election this year. He has made a pair of unsuccessful bids for the council, and applied for the interim vacancy when councilman John “Jack” Start died in 2005, a position that went to Mike Todd.
Wright, 63, is concerned about several issues, including keeping the city’s spending in line with revenues and maintaining the city’s reserve funds.
A former two-term member of the Police Advisory Board, Wright also supports the proposal by chief Bob Crannell to divide the city into patrol beats for officers.
One issue that especially concerns Wright is the growing traffic noise problem on Seattle Hill Road. His home in Heatherstone backs to Seattle Hill Road and he says it’s not uncommon for him to be awakened by road noise starting as early as 5 a.m.
Wright also opposes tax increases and wants to work with small businesses to keep them in Mill Creek. He also favors annexation, but wants to “make sure we study it and that it doesn’t hurt the bottom line.”
Wright is a mental health professional and is currently vice chair of the city’s Library Board. In addition to the Police Advisory Board, Wright once served two terms on the city’s Planning Commission and spent a year on Snohomish County’s Tax Relief Committee, an advisory board that looked at ways to save taxpayer money.
Harmsworth is seeking election to Position 5 on the Mill Creek City Council.
Harmsworth said he will bring a new perspective to old issues, including public safety, traffic, parks and taxes.
He added that growth outside the city is dumping more traffic, noise and demands for services on Mill Creek, and that the city council must more proactively represent the city’s interests wherever possible.
Harmsworth works as a team manager at the Microsoft Corporation and said that experience will help him serve on the council.
“My experience as a business leader has helped me understand what it means to bring strong people to the table to solve difficult problems,” he said.
Harmsworth, his wife Sarah, and their three children live in Parkside. He currently serves as vice-president on the Parkside Homeowners Association board.
Bond, who holds Position 7 on the council, was first elected to the seat in 2003.
Among his accomplishments on the council, Bond lists maintaining high quality city services without raising property taxes, serving on the Joint Fire Board between Mill Creek and Fire District No. 7, and providing insight into public safety issues for the city.
“I will continue to make our city a truly livable community,” Bond said. “This includes safe neighborhoods, good roads, usable trails and a park system that we can be proud of.”
Bond served as a Mill Creek Police officer for 11 years and was one of the city’s first DARE officers. He then went to work for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff, and is currently assigned to the Community Transit unit of the sheriff’s office.
He also serves on the Board of Directors for Evergreen Manor Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers.
Bond, 40, has been married to his wife, Yvonne, for 13 years. They have three children.
Todd was appointed to the council in May 2005, filling the seat vacated when Councilman Jack Start passed away mid term. He was then elected to the unexpired two-year term in November 2005.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the council, and would like to continue to serve our community throughout another term,” Todd said in a press release.
Todd’s priorities while in office are long-term growth planning; supporting programs that serve the city, including maintaining first-rate police and fire protection; and fiscal planning and control.
He has served on the council’s Capital Project Funding Committee, and participated in the development and refinement of the city’s biennial budget document.
Educated as an engineer at Stanford University, Todd works as a senior manager in product development and marketing at Fluke. He served on the Parks Board before joining the council, and has continued to be involved in various committees related to parks both at the city and county level.
The filing deadline for Mill Creek City Council positions is 5 p.m. today, June 8.
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