This week in history – from The Marysville Globe archives

10 years ago 1997

10 years ago 1997
Arlington and Marysville school districts may be collecting more in mitigation fees from developers following the Snohomish County Councils Nov. 17 approval of a new school impact fee mitigation program. The Lakewood School District, on the other hand, may lose some money. The new program takes the countys existing fee program and puts it under the umbrella of the Growth Management Act, more closely typing fees to district capital facilities plans and putting a cap on the amount of fees collectable. The new ordinance allows districts to collect up to $2,000 for every new single family home and $1,500 for each new multi-family unit. The big difference, said County Planner Michael Zelinski, is the new fee applies to all residential development, not just those that require a State Environmental Protection Act review, which is the basis for the current plan. Some exceptions to the fees include housing for seniors and low-income developments, mother-in-law apartments and new homes on lots created before 1991. With the changes, it is difficult to predict what the new fees will be in each district, Zelinski said, but he expects to see an increase in many north county districts. In Arlington, Deputy Superintendent Gale Hogan estimates the district will qualify for the maximum $2,000 for a single-family home, up from the current $1,343 fee. The same is true in Marysville, said Marysville School District Facilities Director Larry Price. Marysville and Arlington are in similar situations, he said. We will probably see an increase. In Lakewood, however, where current fees for a single-family home are at $2,139 and $1,628 for a multi-family unit, the new system will mean a slight decrease. Lakewood Superintendent Wayne Robertson said the new program wont have much of an impact on the school district. Well still get what were entitled to, he said. The funds are really important to us. Some people think we take that money and sock it away, but its used for more immediate needs. Mitigation fees the district received from the Navys Country Manor development, for instance, helped pay for new portable classrooms to house the new students. Some of those new portables were delivered and occupied in the last few weeks at English Crossing Elementary, allowing students who had be housed in the schools library and music room to have a room of their own. The fees are used more in an emergency nature than waiting to see if we can use them to build a new school in a few years. They dont replace the need for bond issues, he said. The money is meant to help districts cope with new development between the time the homes are built and the time those homes appear on the tax rolls. The money is paid at the time building permits are issued. According to law, the money is used to help districts handle transportation costs and additional classroom space caused by the addition of new students to the area. That means the money could be used for the purchase of new buses, portable classrooms and to make building additions, as well as the purchase of land for new schools. It cannot be used for renovation of current buildings or improvements to handle current overcrowded conditions. The Arlington School District already has started revising its capital facilities plan to meet the new requirements and qualify for additional funds, Hogan said. The new fee program does not affect school mitigation fees collected within city limits, however. Arlington may adopt a similar ordinance and collect the same fees, said Ryan Larsen in the citys planning department. One of the biggest concerns for districts was not the implementation of the program, but the $2,000 cap on the fee. The $2,000 figure is close to the average fee collected by districts throughout the county participating in the program. The previous fee structure was adopted in 1991, Zelinski said. Before that, mitigation fees were negotiated individually by the builder and the county. Other counties those facing high rates of growth are considering similar programs, including King, Clark and Kitsap counties. Skagit County is not currently considering adopting such a program, Zelinski said.

25 years ago 1982
The drawing for prizes was nearly over at Last Wednesdays Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce luncheon and elections. Setting the scene, only an inverted wicker wastebasket and an unopened bottle of Heinz 57 ketchup remained on the table in front of newly elected president Bill Couch. Hey, everybody else has won something today, what about us at this end table? someone posed of the spirits that rule such games of chance. Dean Likkel, outgoing member of the board and the newly elected vice president, thrust his hand into the little drum, withdrew a ticket and read off a three-digit number. Hey, thats me, said Pastor Mike Gowler in mild surprise from the end of the table which had drawn no attention in the earlier drawings. The ketchup belonged to the restaurant, leaving the basket for the Pastor. Thatll make a good place for your sermons, someone laughed, maybe wondering what possessed him to speak out at that moment from a dark corner of the banquet room at Petosas Restaurant. Pastor Gowler, recently appointed chamber chaplain, has been faced with greater challenges than that surviving triple bypass surgery following a heart attack a year ago last September. Pastor Gowler, of the Smokey Point Community Church, turned the good-humored volley to good advantage in drawing a laugh and a round of applause from the audience of 35 or more. I get that from Dean Likkel, anyway. The cheerful atmosphere at the elections for 1983 officers seemed to be pointing to a year for optimism and hope for a business community which had its share of suffering like most of us with the saddened state of the economy the past couple of years. Interest rates are approaching a more tolerable level, and it could mean a building boom for the Smokey Point area. Couch, who chaired the proceedings in the Wednesday absence of 1982 president Chuck Bennett, will head the chambers new slate of officers which will include vice president Likkel, secretary Diana McKibben, treasurer Roberta Clark and new board members Dr. Hal Gilmore and Fred Misner. McKibben, heading into her second successive term as chamber secretary, termed the recent community services luncheon which honored people in emergency services and featured Sen. Henry Jackson as the main speaker a success, noting the popular function wouldnt have been possible without the behind-the-scene work of such chamber members as John Berglund, Dick Weiss, Fred Misner, Chuck Bennet, Dean Likkel and Dave Ronning. McKibben and George Lindell were singled out for their efforts by Couch. Clark, also re-elected for another term, told members the chamber has a balance in its savings account of $3,059.40 and another in $80.30 in checking. We sold $1,007.50 worth of tickets for the Sen. Jackson luncheon to honor emergency services, Clark explained. Thats the good news. Now, the bad news. Our expenses came to $1,202.80. We lost a little, but I think it did a lot for the area. For a project this size, I think we came out very well. Our recent community services luncheon, with our states senior senator, Henry Jackson, got us some much deserved attention, McKibben noted in the monthly Smokey Point Chamber news bulletin. We are a vital part of Snohomish County with much potential. Our elected officers and board members will carry on the job of realizing this potential.

50 years ago 1957
All contracts for the new Shoultes Grade School were signed Monday night by school directors at their regular meeting. Performance bonds have been submitted and bids approved by the State Board of Education. Contracts were signed with Frank Damson, general construction; Commercial Sheet Metal Co., mechanical and heating; and McInnis Electric Co., electrical construction. Directors heard a report from the assistant superintendent, John Hulvey, concerning the various machine accounting systems under study. Such a system would be desirable following July 1, 1958, when District 25 will be declared a first class district. Certain accounting procedures now handled by the county auditors office will then be carried on at the districts office. Supt. Bates discussed with directors proposals relative to reorganization of the State High School Athletic Association and said a study has been underway the past two years to find the best way to bring school activities other than athletics into the association. Another matter taken up by the directors included discussion of specific parcels of property in the 20-acre site east of Liberty School where the district plans to build a junior high school when land purchase arrangements are complete.