10 Years Ago 1997

Every three hours, Ray Hartmann would leave his machinist job in Smokey Point and drive three miles to his home on 116th Street NE to pump five feet of water from his basement. Since the after-Christmas storms, many neighbors north of 116th experienced flooding. For Hartmann, the high water started a couple of weeks ago, first covering his backyard, then seeping into his basement, filling it to over five feet. He opened the basement hatch to see his water tank float by. Ive lived here 13 years. Ive had to pump my basement once before this, Hartmann said. Marysville Public Works crews installed temporary pumps at the Bedell Kruse neighborhood, located behind Hartmanns house north of 116th and between I-5 and State Avenue in January, to ease the flooding in public drainage easements. The development, annexed into the city five years ago, has experienced flooding problems since its inception. Hartmann blames the problem on the ongoing development around Marysville. They are handing out [building] permits left and right but they arent looking down the road to see what it does, he said. The basement sump pump runs 24-hours a day. Hartmann bought a gasoline-powered pump that he uses every few hours to lower the water a few feet in his basement. He only runs that pump during the day because it is so loud. After lowering the water to just over two or three feet, he would return to work. There isnt a drainage ditch along 116th street, so he was pumping the water into his backyard. Within two hours, the water level in his basement was five feet again. Hartmann is frustrated that he cant get rid of the water that surrounds his house and floods his back yard to ankle-deep. Im basically recirculating it by putting it into the backyard.

25 Years Ago 1982

The Marysville Historical Society recent find of a rustic old log cabin, built in 1886 on an old homestead east of Marysville, made the Societys members realize their goal may be closer then they first thought. City Council, last week, gave its blessings to the Historical Societys plans to move the structure piece by piece into the city. The problem now is to find a suitable setting for the 36-foot long, hand-hewn cedar log structure, a job assigned to city Parks Department head Cliff Gray. I think it should be accessible and visible to the public, said Gray, adding the open area to the south of Jennings Park Barn may not satisfy the criteria. I think it would be nice if we could keep that field open for sports and recreation activities. As a last resort, Id say it probably would be best further back in the field. Gray has spotted several locations, but is aware the city isnt in a position to go out and purchase land on the spot. I want to see if the city already owns some property we could have the building moved to. Historical Society member Walt Taubeneck said he first spied the log structure, owned by the J.G. Pearson family of Lake Stevens, some 25 years ago. This structure is a little different, he notes. Many cabins were put up as just temporary homes, but this one was put together to last. The fact the building is 96 years old out of logs that may be from trees 400-500 years old suits the Historical Society just fine. Gray is to report his findings to City Council next week. Historical Society members point out that the Marysville 2000 Plan indicates the city has a primary role in historical and cultural preservation. Under the plan, the city also plays a secondary role in historical-cultural preservation in the area of land acquisition, and the developmental and or operational responsibility. The outline of the Historical Societys responsibilities include establishing a continuing coordinated effort to acquire and develop historically significant sites. The 2000 study says the Historical Society can provide recommendations to the Park Board, and the two bodies can share responsibility in the construction and maintenance of historical mini-parks.

50 Years Ago 1957

On this 40th anniversary of serving farmers as their purchasing and marketing organization, the Washington Co-Operative Farmers Association has transacted an all-time record $52,671,298 business volume, and from these transactions accumulated $2,860,847 operating savings for return to members, General Manager Harry Beernink reported at the ruby anniversary membership meeting Feb. 14 in Seattle. These 1956 operating savings will be issued as finance bond certificates to members based on their patronage, and serve as a means of financing the operations and facilities of their organization. More than $44,000,000 in operating savings has been issued to association members since its organization in 1917. Most of this amount has been returned to members in cash as the newer finance fund certificates provide adequate capital for operating needs. Observing the 40th birthday was a special feature of this years annual meeting. Forty years ago this February, a small group of 114 egg producers organized Washington Co-Op with the objective of bringing some order of out of a chaotic egg marketing situation, explained Beernink. They could raise only $473 paid-in capital the first year, yet sales volume totaled $214,000 and operating margins reached 202. Farming is becoming a highly specialized business, a farm-family business, taking advantage of the technological developments and requiring sound business practices in our highly competitive economy. Farmers can best meet these challenges and take advantage of their opportunities by patterning after other efficient businesses and in the strengthening of their own farm organizations and programs. Beernink declared.