Kendall to stress roads and balanced development in 2007 State of the City address

MARYSVILLE Marysville will build on a rising commercial tide by beefing up roads and transportation corridors while seeking a balanced residential community, according to a preview of the State of the City address for 2007
Mayor Dennis Kendall will deliver his fourth State of the City address at the Jan. 26 meeting of the Greater Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce at 7 a.m. in the Canoes Cabaret at the Tulalip Resort Casino.
Kendall will laud the 620 new jobs brought to town by the opening of Costco, Kohls, Target and a new Harley-Davidson dealership, citing an anticipated retail tax increase of 46 percent from businesses open by last years end. But the commercial developments have stolen a march on the citys transportation grid and Kendall said Marysvilles number one priority will be fixing outdated and overburdened roads. The city will be working to find new funding sources in both the state and federal capitols, and many main corridors will be widened and improved, including an extension of 88th Street NE up through Getchell Hill, to be call Ingraham Boulevard.
As Kendall finishes out his final year of his first term, he has been open about running for a second term and has already filed for another run his initial foray cost about $25,000 for a crowded four-way primary and a run-off he won easily.
Other items on his agenda are consolidating the newly annexed Sunnyside and Whiskey Ridge areas that added 2,300 people to the city limits. This 1,535-acre swath of land stretching to Soper Hill Road and SR 9 will be mostly commercial with some retail along the highway. Balancing this out on the other side of the city limits to the north will be a 687-acre plot of land adjacent to the Arlington city boundary to the north in Smokey Point. This will be zoned for light-industrial or commercial use and Kendall wants 2,000 skilled workers employed in business parks there that might host aerospace or manufacturing companies.
Other items on the menu include a downtown master plan for the older retail core and revamping the city parks system.
The Business Before Hours is held from 7-9 a.m. at the Tulalip Resort Casino, 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd., Tulalip, WA. To register, email Edith@marysvilletulalipchamber.com, or call 360-659-7700. Cost is $15.00 per person, pre-registered, or $18.00 at the door.

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