10 years ago 1996

The thought of turning the water faucet on and not seeing water gushing out seems incomprehensible to most people. Marysville City Council members fear this day may be closer as the city struggles with raising water rates for the first time in five years and tries to find millions of dollars to pay Everett for future regional water system improvements. People dont understand there is a water shortage, said Council member Ken Baxter at a recent Council meeting. Marysville is only able to supply about 30 percent of its systems water consumption. Everett has plenty of water from its dam on the Sultan River, about 140 million gallons per day, and sells it to communities including Marysville, Monroe, Snohomish, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and the Alderwood area. Between January and October 1996, Marysville purchased 729 million gallons, about 70 percent of the citys water usage from Everett, at a cost of more than $450,000. As Everett city staff plans for improvements and a fifth pipeline, theyve asked Marysville for at least $2.7 million as their share of the $90 million cost. The Marysville Council was recently criticized by citizens and business owners alike for proposing a substantial rate increase, the first in five years. That wont help them find ways to finance these additional costs, Baxter said. This is another problem with delaying raising rates, he said. Ensuring people have water is going to cost the city money, he added. We knew when the day comes to figure out who is going to pay what, its going to be a problem. Well, the day came Ken Winckler, Marysville public works director, said the Council will have to decide whether to raise rates even more or try to pass a bond to pay for Marysvilles share of regional improvements. City Council members may have no other choices. Everetts got the water, said Council member Shirley Bartholomew. Theyve got their hand on the bell and we are dependent on it. The $90 million cost is for the first phase of the additional pipeline project, the expansion of the filter plant at Chaplain Creek in east Snohomish County. Because the new pipeline will bring water to the Clearview area south of Snohomish, those two communities are funding between $50 million and $60 million of the cost. The remaining $30 million is split between other communities; Marysvilles proposed share is $2.7 million. The filter expansion is the first phase of the estimated $200 million total pipeline project. The second phase would be at least 15 years off. Marysville share would be based on its growth between 2010 and 2025 so there isnt an estimate as to what Marysvilles total costs would be. Neighborhoods north of 100th Street NE get their water from Marysvilles water supplies from the Stillaguamish Well and Edwards Springs, east of Smokey Point. Neighborhoods south of 100th Street NE receive Everetts fluorinated water.

25 years ago 1981

In the early stages of the downtown redevelopment program, the waterfront wasnt given much thought. In fact, at one time it wasnt even included in the study area which now runs northward from the waterfront to Fourth Street. The east boundary is State Avenue and the Burlington Northern rail line forms the west boundary. But, in a recently released survey of about 200 local people, 39.1 percent of them said they thought a marina and a marine retail and service area would be appropriate for a part of the study area. The marina rated as the most popular of uses among the 200 people who responded to the survey conducted in two segments. The survey, conducted by telephone, included 100 residents from the primary influence zone (consisting primarily of the area within the city limits), and 100 from the outlying suburban area. The random survey was taken by six interviewers and took from seven to 12 minutes for each person interviewed. Project consultant Tom Beckwith reported on the telephone survey at Mondays regularly scheduled meeting of the Downtown Redevelopment Committee. Another survey report is scheduled for this Mondays meeting at noon at the Marysville Fire Department. While the marina received positive response from some 127 people, specialty shops and small restaurants placed second and light industrial park earned enough response to be placed third. The shops and restaurant category garnered a 31.1 percent appropriate vote and another 32.7 percent said they thought such a direction would work. Some 125 respondents generally agreed shops and restaurants were appropriate or would probably work. A total of 112 of the 200 interviewed agreed with a light industrial park 21.3 percent saying it was appropriate and another 35.5 percent saying it would probably work. Considerations for cultural and entertainment areas ranked fourth among the interviewees with 22.8 percent replying they thought it was an important aspect of the downtown plan. Another 33.5 percent said they thought it would work. The survey also showed that 47.2 percent (93 people) thought to use part of the downtown study area for multiple family housing was a poor idea. Only 13.8 percent out of about 200 respondents thought a convention and trade center would be appropriate, but another 30.6 percent said it probably would work. It was a similar case with city government complex/meeting hall which drew 10.2 favorable response with another 38.1 percent saying it would work. But city administrator Rick Deming said he didnt think there was much need for a convention center and added that he wasnt sure the area is a good place for a city hall. I agree a convention center would be glamorous, but I dont think Id push it form a city standpoint, said Deming. Theres a new hotel in Everett that would take care of conventions, but I do agree there may be a need for more rooms. About 12 percent of the respondents said they thought an office park would also be appropriate with another 37.7 percent saying they thought such a use would work but 7 percent seemed confused by the question and said they didnt know. Also, 21 of 74 people responding voluntarily pointed out they thought a park was an important consideration for the downtown area, another 11 people saying they thought department stores and a mall were important considerations. I kind of eel a response like this thats volunteered is worth a little more than a response to a specific question, said Deming. Theyre worth considering. Of 30 property owners polled, 11 said they generally liked the physical conditions of the property and buildings in the redevelopment parcel, while 19 said they generally had a dislike for them. About 50 percent of 34 people answering the question said they thought the properties in the study area should be developed on a single theme of some sort. A solid majority of 62.9 percent of 35 property owners polled said they thought the city should get involved in the redevelopment of the downtown specifically in the areas of planning the project as well as finding a developer. Another 42.9 percent agreed the city should get involved in the buying of property as well as the issuing of bonds for financing, while only 34.2 percent thought the city should condemn property in the area for redevelopment. Perhaps one of the most shocking pieces of information the survey turned up focused on the shopping habits of greater Marysville. Of the 200 people polled in the broad survey, 33.9 percent said they did their shopping at the Everett Mall when asked where they went to make their last purchase of a $50 or more piece of clothing. Another 22.4 percent said they went into downtown Marysville while 8.9 percent chose the Alderwood Mall and another 1.6 percent said downtown Seattle. Another 2.1 percent said they went to the Smokey Point Mall. More people got to the Everett Mall than to downtown Marysville, said Deming. And thats why were in this. Thats pretty grim. But the survey shows that where we have stores, they will shop there. And where we dont have a comparable store, they will go to downtown Everett or the Everett Mall.

55 years ago 1951

Do you hesitate to offer your blood for the Red Cross donation program being sponsored in Marysville by the Lions Club? Its a simple matter to check with your doctor if there is any doubt about the advisability. Remember that your pint may be the crucial one to save some boys life over in Korea. Marysville has a number of local boys there. Youd feel badly then, if the lack of one pint, your pint, made the difference. We are greatly moved by the offer of a mother whose son died in Korea recently. She immediately went to the Red Cross and donated a pint of blood to help save some other mothers son. And now she is ready to add another donation, if the bloodmobile unit doesnt arrive here too soon. One should wait a few weeks between donations. It will be Christmas in Korea and the blood we give will help to see that Christmas comes again another year for they boys whose lives depend on transfusions given in time. Marysville still needs a few names added to the list before a date can be arranged to bring the bloodmoble here.

What can you buy with a nickel? Why, several things. One can still buy a lead pencil, an ice cream cone, a small package of Christmas tags, five TB Christmas seals, a postage stamp or two. A nickel is still worth something in Marysville. Take it to the city and all you get with it is space to park.