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Tax Savings? Better Service? That's Not What Mukilteo's Paid Consultant Says! IAFF Local 1997 urges you not to sign Mukilteo's Petition For Annexation! Download our South Mukilteo Annexation Signature Recission Form if you have signed already, and now wish to rescind your signature and support Read More...

History Repeats Itself It has been said that history teaches everything, including the future. To foresee how Fire and EMS protection could be delivered in the "South Mukilteo" area if the proposed annexation is approved, you only need to look to a 17 year broken promise to residents of the Harbour Pointe annexation Read More...

What's New at IAFF 1997

Serving two masters? Updated On: Jul 01, 2009 (18:32:00) FD1 has the most resources to service Mukilteo: battalion chief, medical services officer, ALS support license, safety officer, volunteer firefighters, equipment training chief, staffing, public information officer, school programs and much more. Click here to read the full letter to the editor from the July 1, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

Police, firefighters oppose Mukilteo annexation plan Posted On: Jun 09, 2009 (00:19:09) The Snohomish County Deputy Sheriff's Association has joined the Snohomish Fire District One Firefighters in opposition to a Mukilteo annexation plan. "The primary concern that we have as police and firefighters is that if this annexation goes through, there is nothing in place to accommodate the emergency service needs of the new Mukilteo", Fire District One President Scott Hamilton said in a statement. Click here to read the full article from the June 5, 2009 edition of the Seattle PI.

Fire, deputy unions oppose Mukilteo annexation Posted On: Jun 08, 2009 (01:26:35) Another public safety union has lined up against Mukilteo's proposed annexation. Concern about the level of police service drove the 252-member Snohomish County Deputy Sheriff's Association to vote unanimously to oppose the annexation, according to a union statement. The firefighters union for Snohomish County Fire District 1 also opposes the city's annexation proposal. Union members say the city cannot provide fire service as well as the fire district does. The police union has similar concerns, president Adam Fortney said. The union worries that residents might not understand what they'd lose, he said. "It is a busy area. There are a lot of calls generated there. There are a lot of high priority calls generated there," he said. "When there is an emergency, we are there taking care of business -- and we are doing a pretty good job." Click here to read the full article from the June 8, 2009 edition of The Herald Newspaper.

Bigger Bothell put on hold Posted On: Jun 07, 2009 (00:42:58) A citizen-led drive to greatly expand Bothell's city limits into Snohomish County will have to wait at least another year after a state board ruled Tuesday that the proposal wasn't ready. Fire-service issues weighed most heavily on the board. Two fire districts serving the unincorporated areas said the annexation would have forced them to close one station each and lay off a combined 26 to 30 firefighters. Bothell planned to hire six new firefighters to replace them. "They're saying they can provide the same level of service with a lot fewer firefighters," said Snohomish County Fire District 1 Commissioner Jim Kenny. "Somehow, that doesn't add up.". Click here to read the full article from the June 4, 2009 edition of The Herald Newspaper.

Mukilteo chops $1 million from budget Posted On: Jun 02, 2009 (23:30:55) A divided City Council approved nearly 50 cuts Monday in an attempt to narrow a projected $1.7 million shortfall. Small cuts included passing on buying a new costume for McGruff the Crime Dog and scaling back on various travel and training budgets. Larger savings come from $240,000 worth of concessions from the city’s four labor unions and reducing the amount the city pays for consultants by about $100,000. Click here to read the full article from the June 2, 2009 edition of The Herald Newspaper.

County Council Approves Mukilteo Annexation Posted On: Jun 02, 2009 (09:17:36) The Snohomish County Council voted Monday not to stand in the way of Mukilteo's effort to annex a large area to the southeast of existing city limits. The state Boundary Review Board is set to take up the issue on June 16. If the board decides the annexation can move forward, it could go to the ballot in November. The County Council's vote was split 3-2, with "no" votes from Chairman Mike Cooper and Councilman Dave Somers. Cooper called Mukilteo's plans for fire, paramedic and police protection in the proposed annexation area flawed, saying they fell short of current service levels. Click here to read the full article from the June 2, 2009 edition of The Herald Newspaper.

Mukilteo Braces For Budget Cuts Updated On: Jun 01, 2009 (20:47:00) City Council expected to vote tonight on plan to trim $1 million. By making do with old Tasers and current salaries, officials here are hoping the city's big bank account will help it avoid job cuts despite its worst budget crunch in years. Plunging sales-tax revenues are to blame for a $1.7 million general-fund deficit projected for 2009. That's 14 percent of the budget. The City Council is expected to vote tonight on nearly $1 million in cuts. Running a deficit in this economy might be necessary, but it is dangerous, said Councilman Kevin Stoltz. "The fact is that we are spending more than we are taking in," he said. "If we are running a deficit, we need to be thinking about that all the time." Click here to read the full article from the June 1, 2009 edition of The Everett Herald.

Join Pat Smith At His Campaign Launch Updated On: Jun 01, 2009 (20:41:00) Waterfront Walk/Kick-off for Pat Smith: Save the date and help support the next Mayor of Mukilteo! Join us in supporting our candidate for Mukilteo Mayor Pat Smith, Thursday, April 30th, 6:00-7:30PM. Assembly area will be at the Mukilteo Light House. Event will begin with a brief historical tour of the lighthouse and NOAA facility. It will conclude with hors d'oeuvres, refreshments and live music at the art studio of James Mongrain. 724 First Ave, Mukilteo. RSVP to Rich@mukilteostyle.com

Pat Smith To Run For Mayor Updated On: Apr 24, 2009 (22:22:00) Pat Smith, longtime Mukilteo resident, announced Friday that he has the support and other resources necessary to run for mayor of Mukilteo. "My campaign for mayor is now official," Smith said. "After reaching out to the community for input on issues facing Mukilteo and hearing the stories of so many residents, it's clear that Mukilteo needs new leadership", Smith said. "It's time for the city to focus on its priorities. In these economic times we can't afford to manage our resources foolishly. I feel that the residents of Mukilteo are seeing the same things I'm seeing." The mayor of Mukilteo is a non-partisan, part-time position. Smith seeks to unseat incumbent Joe Marine, who has previously run unopposed for the seat. Smith's campaign will host a waterfront walk kick-off event April 30. Click here to read the full article in the April 22, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear Updated On: Apr 24, 2009 (22:22:00) As much as I’ve tried to support council decisions in the past, every once in a while a decision is made that has such a detrimental impact on so many other things we’ve been working on, I can’t help but lose confidence in our Mukilteo government. Such was the decision to move forward with the third attempt at annexation. This was a stupid decision and by looking in the rearview mirror, it looks like we’re now in a cycle of repeating past mistakes. At the council meeting we learned for the first time that the casino in part of our proposed annexation area would have to be shut down immediately when we annexed. Or, the alternative is for the council to change the zoning code to allow casinos in ALL the commercially zoned areas in Mukilteo. Click here to read the full article from Mukilteo Council Vice President Kevin Stoltz in the April 8, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

City Council Moves Forward On Annexation Plans Updated On: Apr 24, 2009 (22:18:00) The Mukilteo City Council voted to move forward with a proposed annexation that has divided the council and two fire unions, offended unincorporated citizens and angered city residents. The decision came after more than six hours of deliberations and listening to comments from approximately 30 city residents and unincorporated residents. The council voted 5-2 with Councilmen Tony Tinsley and Kevin Stoltz voting against moving forward. Some council members would like additional information by the end of June. The city has until late summer to put the annexation question on the November ballot. Tinsley said he asked the city to update the 2007 Berk and Associates study after the economy tanked, but no one acted on his request. “The economy has melted down,” he said. “What would’ve made sense eight to nine months ago probably doesn’t make sense now.” Click here to read the full article from the April 8, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Tribune.

We Pay; They Benefit Updated On: Apr 24, 2009 (22:21:00) The Mukilteo City Council meeting March 30 revealed the following: Only 47 percent of the proposed annex area property owners signed the annexation petitions, knowing that their taxes, on average, would reduce by $1,100. The city is budgeting $350,000 for six new employees and expenses in 2009, and the vote for annexation will not happen until November 2009.  Also, $2,185,000 will be provided to help pay for an additional 28 employees in 2010. This $2.5 million, mostly for police and fire, is being taken out of the city’s reserves. The citizens of Mukilteo are paying for this annexation! Click here to read the full article from the April 8, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon

Pat Smith to Explore Run for Mayor Updated On: Apr 24, 2009 (21:47:00) Pat Smith, longtime Mukilteo resident, announced in the formation of an exploratory committee to help identify the resources necessary to run for Mayor of Mukilteo in 2009. “The weak economy and declining tax revenues are going to thrust our city into an unparalleled budget crisis unless someone steps in to curtail the spending”, according to Smith. “The last time we had a budget crisis in Mukilteo, we masked it by annexation to increase our tax base. That led to two bad outcomes. First, it meant Council decisions didn’t support long-term solutions for sustainability. Second, critical city services took years to rebound.” Other issues that Smith considers critical to the future livability, vitality and culture of Mukilteo include limiting regularly scheduled air service from Paine Field, the preservation of Japanese Gulch (our last chance for green space) and rational development of the Tank Farm (our ancestral front porch). Smith works in Business Development and believes his consulting skills will be an asset. “I fix broken companies that are struggling,” says Smith. “I help owners and directors discover their own path to success, whether it is financial, operational or technological. I want to bring that same knowledge and aptitude to the City of Mukilteo.” Click here to read the full article from the April 8th edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

Staffing The Annexation Area, By The Numbers Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:57:00) Thad Hovis, of Fire District 1's Local 1997, said his data shows that the city is using figures that average all of Snohomish County, including rural areas such as Index and Gold Bar that have and need even less staff on duty. The staffing level for the target annexation area along Highway 99, known for its higher crime and reported prostitution and drug dealing, is closer to 2.5 officers per 1,000 residents, Hovis said. This means that if Mukilteo applies their 1.2 to 1.4 standard to the proposed annexation area which by their own statements tonight is obviously a higher needs area than current Mukilteo they would actually be cutting police protection by up to 50 percent, Hovis said. That means the city will have to either add more police officers than currently planned or decrease protection levels in the current city limits, he said. Click here to read the full article from the March 11, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

Annexation - More Questions Than Answers Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:57:00) "I am opposed to the annexation plan currently being proposed for many reasons. That's not to say I'm against annexing areas that really should be part of Mukilteo provided the numbers really make sense, but the current proposal has a lot of baggage and bridges burned in the process. I have to admit there are a couple of other things that just bother me about the proposed annexation. The first is that taxes for those in the annexation areas will actually decrease if annexed by Mukilteo. I'm still looking for that free lunch and at the end of the day, someone ends up paying. You might be surprised who that someone ends up being. The second thing that really bothers me about this proposed annexation is that Mukilteo residents don't have a voice. It's very possible the proposed annexation will adversely impact Mukilteo's image, public safety (police and fire), and property values. If there's a valid argument to be made for annexation, it should be taken to Mukilteo residents. And while we're at it, how about letting me in on it?" - Kevin Stoltz, Mukilteo City Council Vice President. Click here to read the full guest view opinion article from the March 11, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

Annexation - Should We, or Shouldn't We? Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:57:00) With the drastically changed economy, some councilmembers and residents are questioning the current value of the Berk and Associates' study that the city paid for in December 2007. Council vice president Kevin Stoltz thinks it's time to re-do that study, given the downturn in the economy. Councilmembers Richard Emery and Tony Tinsley say they are concerned about financial impacts and want to see updated numbers, particularly assurance that the city isn't banking on the casino and RV dealership's successes for the numbers to pencil out. Mukilteo resident Pat Smith told the council he held his own informal meeting with similar mixed results. However, his group was in agreement that the citizens of Mukilteo should have a voice, be allowed to vote on the annexation that will have an impact on them, he said. Smith?'s group also agreed that the economy's sharp downturn has made the Berk study obsolete, and called for the city to update its data. "Mukilteo deserves the truth," he said. "The truth must be provided by an independent source to be credible." Click here to read the entire article from the March 4, 2009 edition of the Mukilteo Beacon.

Mukilteo Councilmember Says City Will Be Forced To Raise Taxes After Annexation Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:56:00) IAFF Local 1997 applauds Mukilteo City Councilmember Tony Tinsley for his honest assessment that Mukilteo plans to use revenues from their proposed annexation to fund the new Rosehill Community Center, as his comments reinforce Local 1997's message that Mukilteo lacks the financial ability to pull-off their proposed annexation without raising taxes and/or decreasing service levels. "The projections provided by the city revealed that the community center will cost many millions more than residents were promised." he states. Tinsley said the city is being irresponsible as it's only prepared to pay for the community center until 2010. "The finance projections show that combining the REET1 and REET2 accounts we have sufficient funds to pay the debt service for only 2009 and 2010." After that, Tinsley predicts the city will have to take money from other services to pay for the center. Councilmember Tinsley states that the city plans on raising taxes and raiding the REET (Real Estate Excise Tax) funds that will be collected if voters approve the proposed annexation into the Serene Lake area. Click here to read the entire article from the December 25, 2008 edition of the Mukilteo Tribune.

Staffing Of Station 23 At Center Of Annexation Argument Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:56:00) "Fully staffed" is up for debate in the ongoing battle over who should provide fire and emergency medical service in Mukilteo's proposed annexation area. Mukilteo just recently was able to increase staffing levels enough to participate in an automatic aid agreement with the county and nearby cities, currently staffing a captain, a firefighter/paramedic and a paramedic at each station Read More...

FD1 Union Members, City, Clash Over Annexation Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:56:00) Mukilteo has neither the manpower nor the track record to assure its present and potential citizens that it's ready for annexation, according to IAFF 1997 President Scott Hamilton and Vice President Thad Hovis. Hamilton and Hovis, speaking on behalf of their union, are both employed by Snohomish County Fire District 1 (SCFD1), which serves the unincorporated area the city is seeking to annex Read More...

Letter to Mukilteo Local 3482 Updated On: Mar 16, 2009 (13:55:00) Notice to membership, the Executive Board of IAFF Local 1997 Snohomish County Fire District One Firefighters recently sent a letter, which can be read by clicking here, protesting IAFF Local 3482 Mukilteo Firefighters participation in the South Mukilteo annexation petition signature drive.