Newsletter for Fall 2012
Shop Main Street!
Please remember to shop and dine along Main Street between 5th & 6th Streets during the construction phase of the Main Street Improvement Project. ALL the businesses remain open and rely on the patronage of the local community during these improvements!
Historic Allen House Joins Edmonds' Register of Historic Places
With Mayor Dave Earling officiating, the historic Allen House at 310 Sunset Avenue was officially added to the Edmonds Register of Historic Places in a gala ceremony on August 29.Built in 1906 for Edmonds mill owner Zachary Taylor Allen, the house is a familiar sight to walkers, joggers, cyclists and others as they enjoy Edmonds' signature Sunset Avenue promenade.
The exterior of the house remains essentially unchanged from 1906, reflecting the Queen Anne Free Classic architecture popular just after the turn of the last century. A clear departure from the more intricate Victorian style of the late 1800's, it presented a cleaner, less cluttered look that reflected the forward-looking mood of the nation as it embarked on the new century.
Edmonds was right in step with this mood. Reveling in its new status as an industrial powerhouse, the town was booming. The past decade had seen the waterfront transformed from tide flats into "shingle mill row," a solid wall of smoke-belching industry stretching from Bell Street to today's Marina Beach.
Population was mushrooming with new workers arriving daily. The mills ran day and night to meet the demand of markets as far away as Alaska and California. The air was thick with wood smoke and the sounds of saw blades, shingle machines and the steam engines that drove them. Financed by shingle mill money, built for a shingle mill owner, and reflecting the new industrial architecture, the Allen House stands today as a solid link to this period in Edmonds' history.
The current owners, John and Shirley Pauls, have lived in the house since December 1975. They purchased it from the Allen family, becoming only the second family to own this piece of Edmonds past.
"We love the house as much as the day we moved in," said Shirley Pauls. "We feel privileged to live in a piece of local history, and are particularly honored to have our home on the Register of Historic Places."
At the August 29 dedication, Mayor Dave Earling recognized those who made this possible. "Preserving our heritage is key to our community identity," he said. "It gives us a sense of continuity, defines who we are, and reflects our shared values. But it couldn't happen without the hard work of the citizen volunteers on the Edmonds Historic Preservation Commission, the enthusiastic cooperation of owners of historic properties like the Pauls, and the resolve of our City staff and elected officials."Do you own or live in an historic home? Would you like to join the other proud owners of homes and properties on the Edmonds Register of Historic Places? Learn more about the benefits of listing and how to make this happen at Edmonds Historic Preservation Commission web site <http://www.edmondswa.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/commissions/historic-preservation-commission.html>.
Reczone Offerings
Give the gift of experience this holiday season! Registration opens November 30 for January-April 2013 classes. Visit www.reczone.org or call 425.771.0230 for more information.
Stay Active Outdoors
Stay active outdoors! Walk Edmonds waterfront parks, jog Civic Center Field track, hike Yost Park trails, or ride bikes at Hickman Park. Discover the City of Edmonds parks at www.parks.edmondswa.gov.
Scoop It, Bag It, Throw It in the Trash
Yep, I’m talking about pet waste. Dog poop. Cat feces. We’ve all come across it, at one time or another. On the sidewalk, at the beach, in our gardens, on our SHOES! But is it really that big of a problem? Absolutely. There are approximately 160,000 dogs in Snohomish County, and they produce the same amount of waste as about 40,000 people (the population of Edmonds).
So each time it rains, any pet waste left in your yard or on the sidewalk or at the park is picked up by stormwater and washed into storm drains. It then goes into underground drainage pipes, and is eventually discharged, untreated, to our creeks, Lake Ballinger, and Puget Sound. And don’t forget that pet waste is raw sewage, and contains harmful organisms (including roundworms, E. coli, and Giardia) that can make children sick and contaminate soil and water. Pet waste is one of the leading causes of surface water contamination, contributing excess nutrients as well as disease causing organisms.
And if you need another reason to pick up your pet waste, it’s a violation of City of Edmonds Municipal Code to leave your pet’s waste in public areas. Chapter 5.05.070 Public Safety/Animal Control specifies that it is unlawful for animal owners to allow their pets to deposit waste in public areas, unless that waste is picked up immediately. Additionally, pet owners need to be prepared to pick up any pet waste that might be left in a public area by pets. This means that at the least, when walking your dog or cat, you need to have in your possession a bag or other means of disposal for the pet waste. For a little fun (and to learn some hip hop moves), check out the Dog Doogity video at www.scooppoop.org. And when you’re done, don’t forget to wash your hands!!Once you have your pet waste in a bag, what should you do with it? The best way to protect neighbors and surface waters is to simply throw the bag in the trash. Once the bag gets to the landfill, it’s contained and monitored along with the other trash. This keeps the pet waste out of our local water bodies. Here are some traditional disposal methods that are less effective in keeping pet waste out of our surface waters:
· Flushing – this method of pet waste disposal is less practical (picture yourself carrying a bag, or better yet a shovel, of pet waste into your bathroom).
· Composting – yard waste bins don’t get hot enough to kill harmful bacteria, and this creates contaminated compost.
· Burying – some bacteria in the pet waste can become established in the soil (and last up to 4 years!!) and this can result in both pathogens and nutrients
getting into streams. It’s also a lot of extra work!
What should you do if you’re out of pet waste bags and Fido wants to go for a walk? Head out to one of the 8 locations in Edmonds where pet waste bags are supplied by our Parks and Recreation Department (see below). You can also take your pet to Off-Leash Area Edmonds, located south of Marina Beach Park, which is maintained by volunteers (visit www.olae.org for information).
Locations of pet waste bag dispensers in City of Edmonds Parks
· Sunset Avenue (between Bell St and Caspers St) - 1 dispenser at each end of Sunset Avenue N.
· Edmonds City Park (600 3rd Ave S) - 1 dispenser at trail entrance to southeast wooded area.
· Yost Park (9535 Bowdoin Way) - 1 dispenser in upper parking lot near playground and 1 near pool service road/inner trail access.
· Pine Ridge Park (20330 83rd Ave W) - 1 dispenser near north parking lot at gate/trail access.
· Hickman Park (23700 104th Ave W) - 1 dispenser in SE corner of park.
· Mini Park (131 Sunset Ave) - 1 dispenser on north edge of park just off sidewalk.
· Hutt Park (92nd Ave and 187th Ave SW) - 1 dispenser near south entrance off 187th.
· 7th & Elm Park - 1 dispenser in center of park near road.
Remember, pets don’t have thumbs, so they need us to pick up after them!!One more tip: Don’t use biodegradable plastic bags for pet waste! – Save them for your food waste which is properly composted. Once in the trash, the pet waste goes to landfills that are designed to work without oxygen, so the biodegradable bags won’t breakdown. Instead, use recycled plastic bags.
Questions or comments? Contact Mike Cawrse, City of Edmonds Stormwater Technician, at (425) 771-0220 x1322 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Raise Your Fitness Level
Raise your fitness level! Group fitness classes, weight room and
gymnasium are available at the Frances Anderson Center. Stay
active with yoga, zumba, pilates, tai chi, martial arts and MORE!
Get kids active with zumbatomic, cheer, gymnastics, soccer or
dance! Visit www.reczone.org for class schedule and fees or call
425.771.0230 for more information.
Edmonds Police Department Celebrates their Centennial Anniversary
The employees of Edmonds Police Department are celebrating the agency’s centennial anniversary on October 16, 2012. The community that became Edmonds developed from the original homestead of George Brackett in 1876. Edmonds was officially incorporated in 1890, and in 1912 the police department was established by City Council and Mayor A. L. Waddle with Ordinance No. 254.
As part of the centennial celebration, the police department employees hosted an open house on Sunday, September 16, 2012. Over 450 visitors were provided a unique opportunity to see operations from the inside, view displays of vintage and modern police equipment, meet a K-9 team, and examine police vehicles including the mobile communications bus and the Support 7 van. Guests also witnessed the public unveiling of three recently completed, historically significant murals painted by local artist Andy Eccleshall.The mural project was conceived by the employees of Edmonds Police Department and completed without cost to the City. The three-phase project was made possible by support from the Edmonds Police Foundation, Campbell-Nelson Volkswagen/Nissan, the Edmonds Historical Museum, donations from the public, and contributions from individual employees. One of the murals depicts various uniform badges worn throughout the department’s history, while a second mural consists of a large contemporary uniform patch. The third mural is an image of the original police station with a vintage city police car parked out front. That brick and stone building, which still stands today at 118 5th Ave. North, was constructed in 1910 with a grant from the Carnegie Foundation. The city library was located upstairs, while City Hall was on the lower floor. That lower level housed offices for city business, the council chambers, as well as the police department and city jail. The building has since been placed on the National Register of Historic Buildings and currently houses the City of Edmonds Museum.
The mural depicting Edmonds’ original police station is located in the large open stairwell that links the first and second floors of today’s modern police station. Its location provides all police employees and station visitors a convenient reminder of our humble beginnings 100 years ago. In 1912 the police department was staffed by one marshal. Today our city of over 39,000 residents is served by a police force of 54 commissioned officers and 11 civilian staff members.
In recognition of the centennial anniversary, the Edmonds Historical Museum is presenting its exhibit, "Stick ‘Em Up! Celebrating 100 years of the Edmonds Police Department.” The museum exhibit runs through November 4th.
Celebration of Lights
A living fir tree will be strung with lights and placed outside of the entrance to the Frances Anderson Center. Donate $5 per name and we’ll note your donation on the main floor bulletin board inside the Frances Anderson Center. The tree will remain lit from November 19 to January 2. To request a light a light form, call 425.771.0229
Two Memorial Fir Trees Available for Dedication
Would you like to dedicate one of the living fir trees outside of the Frances Anderson Center to a loved one? These trees will be strung with white lights during the holiday season and planted in the interior of Yost Park after the holidays. A laminated sign with your choice of wording will be placed at the base of the tree and a small permanent plate will be placed on the Memorial Plaque inside the Frances Anderson Center. The trees are available for a $100 donation. Call 425.771.0232 or email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
. Purchase deadline is November 14.
Top-Rated Keynote Speaker Roger Brooks In Edmonds
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing Great Was Ever Achieved Without Enthusiasm". Roger Brooks, a native of Washington, lives by this motto. Roger is one of North America's most sought after experts in personal, business, and community branding and community development.
Try Something New in 2013!
Thinking of trying something new in the new year?
The Winter CRAZE comes out December 3.
Check it out on the City's Parks & Rec webpage
under Recreate! then click on Recreation Guide.
Welcome to the Fall Edition of Update on Edmonds
Hello again. As promised, here’s the Fall Edition of the City Newsletter. We received very positive feedback from our first effort last quarter and appreciate your comments and suggestions – please keep them coming.
It’s been busy here in Edmonds! As you’ve probably seen, we have a number of projects going on around town. Two major ones to speak of are the Perrinville/Talbot Road project and the massive redevelopment on Main Street between 5th and 6th Streets. This latter project will give a whole new look to Main Street and is forecasted to be completed by November 19th. The merchants are looking forward to the completion of the project and the “new look”. We’d like to remind everyone that during the construction process all of the quality businesses in this area are open.
The 2013 Mayor’s Budget was presented to the City Council on October 16th. The staff and I worked long and hard to pull together a budget that keeps most programs in place while taking into account our projected revenues. In the budget are $1.5 million in cuts, a 9.2 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) workforce reduction, along with plans for lowered service levels of some city services. You can view the preliminary budget on the City’s website here.
As with our finance op-eds which were in the media earlier this year, we want you to be aware of the various news, programs, initiatives, successes, and challenges inside City Hall. To that end, I continue to host “Office Hour” meetings every other Friday where community members can schedule one-on-one time with me and I will be the guest speaker at the October 25th Edmonds Chamber of Commerce Luncheon where I will discuss “Where we have been and where we are going”. If you are interested in scheduling time during “Office Hour” please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , my Executive Assistant, to set-up an appointment. For more information about the Chamber Luncheon please contact the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce.
Once again you will find a wealth of information within this edition of the newsletter and we hope you’ll take the time to give it a read and pass it along to your friends and neighbors.
Enjoy the upcoming holiday season and we’ll be back in January 2013 with the Winter Edition of “Update on Edmonds”.
Dave Earling
Mayor
Thank You 2012 Adopt-A-Flower Basket Sponsors
| Maureen & Kirk Greene | Don Hall | Gary & Jan Kirkpatrick |
| Denece M. Feldman | Renée McRae | Adrienne Fraley-Monillas |
| Leigh-Ann Hafford | The Miller Family | Dr. Mitchell & Gail Stern |
| Susan Armstrong | Robert Taylor & Sharon Culbertson | C. Patrick Fleenor |
| Herb & Natalie Shippen | Jim & Judy Finn | EHS Class of 1950 |
| Arista Wine Cellars | Jase T. Wolfe & Mateo C. Antuna | Julie Ledford |
| Nancy McDonald | Barbara Gleisner | Ed & Barbara Lee |
| Karryn Meeker | Diana White | Grant & Shannon Kollet |
| Barbara & Vern Chase | Leslie Potter-Henderson | Jim & Linda Black |
| Steve & Anne Norman | Lorraine Novack | Mike & Margaret Wilcox |
| Bob Shrewsbury II & Diane Shrewsbury | Dale & Donna Hoggins | Susan Wright |
| Bogdanovich Wealth Management | J. Rankin Jewellers | Paust Family |
| Willis R. Brown | Joe & Linda Malan | Matt & Paline Gubbels |
| Diane Buckshnis & Steve Tholl | Ross & Minna Dimmick | Lyle & Stephanie Waterman |
| Judy McCoid & Dan Wilson | Nancy & Don Olsen | The Smiley Family |
| Lisa Turner | Foundation for International Services | Sue Vermeulen |
| Chris Fleck | Houston R. Allen | Peter Gibson |
| Edmonds Floretum Garden Club | Linda Belz | Lauren Togerson |
| John Davis, Edmonds Barber Shop | Elizabeth Schmidt | Mary Jo Killbourn |
| Darline Brent | Jack Bevan | John Heinz |
| Ralph Sorensen | Brunie Trolson | Bob & Barbara Scott |
| Katherine Meeks & Susan Grossman | Ron & Michelle Clyborne | Edmonds-South Sno. County Historical Society & Museum |
| Laurie Kaufman | Robert Campbell & Better Parsons | Barbara Robinson |
| David & Sally Hyde | Carol Hardan | Beckie Peterson |
| Susan Bevan & tony Daddino | Peg Johnson | City of Edmonds Employees |
| Linda Setchfield | Christian Science Reading Room | Sharon & Bill Grader |
| Laura Hall | The Wooden Spoon | James Black |
| Salli Bevan Leslie | Rotary Club of Edmonds Daybreakers | Dr. Jack & Majel Wilson |
| Cheri Neil & Tom Crowe, Windermere Real Estate | Garden Gear | Jane Jones |
| Comquest Research | Glen & Diane Rice | Bob & Linda Strock |
| Carol Mannion | Dorothy P. Gross | Michele R. Unger |
| June & Guy Mansfield | Margo Family | Mike Brand & Kathy Kerns |
| Diane Russell | Carole E. Nowak | Maria Montalvo & Strom Peterson |
| Ward Foundation | Buster (Woof) Buckshnis | |
| Edmonds Chamber of Commerce | Jim & Ann Wold |
Sweeping Our Streets to Save Our Sound
by Kody McConnell, Executive AssistantThis summer the City of Edmonds took a big step forward in our continuing efforts to be responsible stewards of our local environment. In July, the City Council approved the purchase of an Elgin Regenerative Air Street Sweeper through a wholesale cooperative resulting in significant cost-savings to the taxpayer. By utilizing the greenest technology in the industry and with the ability to meet the strictest emission standards and performance recommendations set by the state Department of Ecology and federal Environmental Protection Agency, Edmonds has once again shown its commitment to proactive leadership in the areas of sustainability and the conservation.
“You must give to the rivers the kindness you would give to any brother.”
Chief Seattle
Up until the 1970s, the only objective of street sweeping was for general cleanliness and the removal of road debris. Since then, however, raised environmental awareness has succeeded in persuading governments to adjust public policy to reflect concerns for water quality. While not widely advertised, proper street sweeping is very effective at reducing toxins in stormwater runoff. It is now known that small particles of heavy metals from cars and trucks carry the single most substantial portion of our urban stormwater pollutant loads. Older sweepers were designed using rotating brushes to remove large scraps of road debris, but left the vast majority of microscopic toxic elements to coat the surface pavement of our streets where they remain readily available to contaminate stormwater runoff that flows into urban drainage systems and from there into rivers, streams, lakes, and the waters of the Puget Sound. Today the advanced regenerative vacuum technology available in new street sweepers is considered industry best practice in protecting waterways and fragile ecologies. Yet still, 90% of street sweepers owned by municipal governments in America rely only on mechanical brooms.
“We’re excited to have this new equipment,” says Street/Stormwater Manager Tod Moles, “It’s critically important we stay on the cutting edge when it comes to managing our storm drainage systems in an environmentally conscientious way.” The City’s new sweeper hit the streets for its maiden run September 13th, and is expected to clean over 2,200 lane miles within Edmonds over the next year. “Operating on a standard ten year vehicle replacement cycle, by the time we need to replace this piece of equipment, it will have swept enough lane miles of our city streets to have effectively circumnavigated the globe,” according to Mayor Earling. It will also be one of the top two maintenance intensive pieces of equipment owned by the City of Edmonds due to the dusty nature of its operations and the myriad moving parts necessary for it
to perform its essential role in preserving the quality of life for our citizens. This unit cost $226,762.25 including tax and replaced an older model street sweeper that had been in non-stop service for over 12 years. The retired unit will be sold at a local used equipment auction.
27th Year for Write on the Sound Conference
This year marked the 27th Write on the Sound writers’ conference over the weekend of October 5 – 7. The conference was held at the Frances Anderson Center and the keynote was at the Edmonds Theater. Presented by the City of Edmonds Arts Commission, every year the conference attracts participants from across the country, and this year was no different with attendees coming from Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Montana and beyond. A popular event, the conference sells-out every year and the revenue supports the programs of the Arts Commission. A volunteer Steering Committee, chaired by Arts Commissioner Joanne Otness, works throughout the year to plan the conference. Community sponsors are a vital part of the success of the event and this year thanks go out to Patricia Thorpe & Heather Krause of RBC Wealth Management, Windermere Real Estate-Edmonds, Edmonds Bookshop, Europe Through the Back Door, Edmonds Harbor Inn, Columbia Distributors, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Petosa’s Family Grocer, and Walnut Street Coffee.
Did you know ....?
Low–Cost Energy Assessments Still Available for Edmonds Households
Sustainable Works (www.sustainableworks.com) is continuing to offer energy assessments in Edmonds and surrounding south county area for a low cost of $95. This offer is possible with support that Sustainable Works receives from the Washington State Jobs Bill.
This is a great deal considering that residential energy assessments generally run around $500 or more. Plus there is an additional offer of up to $2,500 to incentivize energy efficiency improvements, so the more energy your improvement project saves, the more money is offered to buy down the cost. Also, up to $3,000 is being offered to incentivize solar projects.
This program is best described on their website where you can sign up and arrange for an energy inspection that will look for ways your home may be wasting energy and be given options on energy-saving improvements. Discover your potential in long-term energy savings!
Several No- and Low-Cost Energy Saving Tips Always Available on the PUD website. (www.snopud.com)
The PUD provides several tips and ways to control electric costs, reduce our environmental impact and support their efforts foster more energy conservation in the community. Check it out!
Here are examples of two simple activities mentioned on the PUD website that will save energy and energy costs:
Set the heat at 68 degrees instead of 70 during your waking hours. This will save on your heating costs. For each degree you turn down the heat, you’ll 2 to 3 percent on your heating bill. If you currently keep your home quite warm, turn down the thermostat by just 2 degrees at first, the decrease it again when you’re used to the change. An average single-family home in
Unplug chargers and adapters. The power adapters that charge mobile devices, music players, and portable game consoles continue to drain power even when you remove the fully charged device. To eliminate the energy waste, be sure to unplug the chargers or turn off the power strip they’re plugged into, when you remove the device.
Plastic bags are recyclable – but not at the curb!
The option is to take your unwanted plastic bags to your local major grocery store. Look for the designated bins that collect clean and empty plastic bags. The bins are provided there to collect the bags for recycling. Curbside recycling service in
The best way to recycle plastic bags is to stuff them all in a single bag, tie a quick knot, and bring them with you to the store.
The type of plastic bags acceptable for grocery store recycling are grocery bags, bread bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags and plastic wrap from paper products such as paper towels and toilet paper. All bags must be empty and clean with no food residue.
Please keep these bags out of your curbside recycle cart! Plastic bags cannot go through the processing equipment for mixed recyclables. The bags cause problems by getting tangled in the equipment and clogging sorting screens. At the grocery store the collection does not involve sorting equipment.
If you have any type of recycling question or comment call the City’s Recycling Coordinator at 425-771-0235 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Commemorating Neil Armstrong: Howard Duell’s “Space Capsule”
by Frances Chapin, Cultural Services Manager
The City of Edmonds public art collection includes over 25 major pieces that are sited outside and numerous smaller artworks exhibited inside public buildings. The collection is funded primarily through the percent for art ordinance, but from time to time the City receives private donations of funding and sometimes of artwork from organizations or individuals. One early example of this is the “Space Capsule” monument designed by Howard Duell, a civic collaboration dedicated on July 4, 1976 to commemorate the Bicentennial. The project was funded by the community including donations from numerous Edmonds High School students.
The idea of honoring Neil Armstrong for a Bicentennial project was proposed by Dennis Clark and other youth who felt that the moon landing was the most important accomplishment in America’s history and a significant moment that brought people together. They contacted Howard Duell to work with them to design and build the monolith. The 11 foot high sculpture was constructed out of reinforced concrete and weighs over 3,000 pounds and was originally sited at the entrance to the old City Hall plaza at 250 5th Avenue North. The detailed bronze inlay depicts Neil Armstrong and the American flag on the moon on one side, and Apollo 11 on the other side. When the old City Hall site was redeveloped for the current Public Safety Complex the monument was removed and stored until it could be relocated on the new site at the north end of the Police Station facing the parking lot.
Howard Duell was an award winning northwest sculptor and long-time Edmonds resident. Howard was an early member of Northwest Designer Craftsmen, founded in 1954. One of the first instructors hired by Edmonds Community College when it was established, Howard taught in the Art Department there for many years. He also volunteered doing both installations and jurying shows for the Arts Festival in its early years. In 1973 Howard worked with Ed Ballew to fabricate the original copper fountain in the center of town. After it was destroyed by a car he served on a committee to determine what should happen to the badly damaged piece and his vote was for recycling the copper into a new artwork. Five years later the same copper was recycled into a new artwork on the south side of City Hall. In 2006 Duell donated another sculpture to the City, the bronze fish called “Of Sea and Life” which start at the front door of City Hall and lead up the stairwell. See the Public Art Walking Tour for the location of the “Space Capsule” as well as other sculptures in the City collection. http://www.edmondswa.gov/visiting/walking-tours.html