10 years ago 1996

You get what you pay for, the old expression goes but when youre not sure what youre getting or what youre paying, the old cliche gets complicated, neighbors and city officials recently learned. Seven neighbors in Heather Glen, a housing development north of Marysville, petitioned the city of Marysville for sewer service this spring. Each paid $200 to the city for engineering costs, based on the citys estimate of roughly $5,000 to $6,000 per house for a system. Thats the simple part. Late this summer, the neighbors found the city wanted to lay the sewer pipe deeper than originally planned, so more neighbors could hook up to the same pipe in the future. They also found that, because the water table in their development is so high, workers will have to de-water the soil before laying the pipes. The new price tag? About $10,000 per house. That doesnt include a $1,000 hookup fee or the monthly service bills. After seeing the new numbers, neighbors decided they wanted their money back. Shirley Perry, whose septic system troubles forced her to initiate the petition, said they gave the city the $200 each to study their area, not the larger neighborhood of about 30 homes. I dont have any problem with paying my fair share, but not to subsidize everyone else, said homeowner Mike Jacobs. But giving it back would be a gift of public funds, said City Attorney Grant Weed and the petition for a Local Improvement District clearly states the $200 is non-refundable. The City Council compromised by agreeing 6-1 to apply the $200 to a future LID, since the engineering work was already done. The neighbors arent satisfied. To tell us were going to get a $200 credit on an LID is like telling us were going to get nothing, said homeowner Linda Brown, adding by time the LID is formed, many of them may have moved. That $200 was a hardship to a lot of people and for them to not physically get anything back for their money is very difficult. Betty Krieger said, We just launched out in good faith.

55 years ago 1951

Among the soldiers returning home from Korea and being welcomed by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Seattle Wednesday was Willis Keith Anderton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Anderton of this town. He is being returned in the rotation program of the Army. Anderton will be welcomed by his parents and his wife, the former Joan Kick of Everett. The young couple will observe their first wedding anniversary Dec. 15. Keith is a graduate of Marysville High School where his father is an instructor. This is his second tour of overseas service in the Pacific theater.
Marysville Highs M Club members, working on kitchen detail, were a busy group as they provided cider and doughnuts for the large attendance of students at their annual all-community Halloween party. The undertaking was planned and engineered by the M Club members as sponsors. That they enjoyed their own party was evident from the expressions of the group, as they had a snack before starting the Herculean task of cleaning up the mess. M club members include Dave Smith, G. Warren, J. Mullen, K. Doane, E. Cruver, G. Strom, B. Landon, D. Mullen, M. Thompson, C. Pilon, J. Amb and A. Hatch.