Mukilteo Beacon - Your Hometown News Source

The Mukilteo Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) is a three-member committee created by the Washington State Legislature (RCW 47.60.310) appointed by Snohomish County to serve the local Mukilteo community. The Mukilteo FAC shares information from...

Despite more delays plaguing the construction of the new Mukilteo Ferry Terminal, there’s still a lot happening that we as Mukilteo residents need to be aware of. The most recent delay caused by the lowest valid bid for the construction of the new...

RCW? ?47.60.310? ?created? ?local? ?ferry? ?advisory? ?committees? ?to? ?provide? ?local? ?perspectives? ?and recommendations? ?for? ?the? ?Washington? ?State? ?Department? ?of? ?Transportation.? The Washington State Ferries website says, “State la...

Mukilteo has a public safety problem. Not the typical “we need to give police and fire more money so they can respond better to emergencies,” but rather making the pedestrian and vehicle interaction in Mukilteo safer. The latest red flag came...

Ten years ago, a top Mukilteo priority was to build a park-and-ride at Paine Field. It was the reason the airport cut down all the trees near where Lombardo's Pizzeria is now. When I was a new councilmember, the former airport director showed me...

This month marks the end of my second four-year term as a Mukilteo city councilmember and, accordingly, this will be the last column I write as a councilmember. It also marks the 30th anniversary of my moving to Mukilteo, where roughly the last 15...

Congratulations to our new mayor-elect Jennifer Gregerson! I’m confident that Jennifer will bring to Mukilteo a new level of cooperation, communication and professionalism that many of us have been longing for. To say that I’m excited for Mukilte...

After attending a council work session a couple of weeks ago and learning the current plan (and I use the term extremely lightly) for development of the waterfront, I’m not expecting much benefit to Mukilteo for probably at least another decade....

This month, there are a number of items I’ll attempt to get everyone caught up on. It’s not all pretty, but it is factual (for those who tend to confuse constructive criticism and facts with negativity). Promotional video At the Aug. 20, 2012...

The Rosehill Community Center is now open an additional 15 hours per week for our residents. As of June 21, Rosehill is open an additional four hours on Fridays (6:30 a.m.-9 p.m.) an additional four hours on Saturdays (8 a.m.-9 p.m.) and seven hours...

Summer is a great time in Mukilteo with the start of Open Mic at the Red Cup Café and the Farmer’s Market at Lighthouse Park. Both events occur every Wednesday throughout the summer with the Farmer’s Market running from 3-7 p.m. and Open Mic fro...

This year Mukilteo voters will be deciding who they want to represent them as mayor and three city council positions. Next week is filing week when the incumbents and anyone else wishing to run officially apply for the position. I don’t plan on bei...

I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a very serious character flaw as a city councilmember. I’m not a very good “Mukilteo politician.” I don’t have much tolerance for city officials who make stuff up to get their way. I’m really bad at...

A sense of community is a great thing that many cities strive to obtain. Sometimes, however, that sense of community we all strive for comes to us incidentally without any deliberate actions. The success of the Tails and Trails Mukilteo Dog Park is...

Sometimes it takes a hard look outside of Mukilteo before realizing the reality that is Mukilteo, at least as Mukilteo politics goes. After reviewing my experience on council committees and the resulting effectiveness, I came to the conclusion that...

The year 2013 is upon us, and despite the 13 – and how some will inevitably view the tone of this month’s column – there will be many opportunities for Mukilteo, if only city officials can do what’s best for Mukilteo. This year is an election...

As 2012 comes to an end, the council has passed another deficit-ridden budget for 2013 and, as if trying to demonstrate how inept federal government agencies can be, the FAA gives Mukilteo and the region a rock for Christmas. The FAA has issued its...

Japanese Gulch Although Proposition 1, a levy to purchase property in Japanese Gulch for parks and open space failed to get the 60 percent required to pass, it did get nearly 58 percent, which sends a clear message to the City Council this is...

This month I’m straying a bit from my normal desire to justify my decisions based on the facts before me and am asking you to vote ‘Yes’ in November on Proposition 1 to “Save the Gulch,” just because it’s the right thing to do....

This month I’ve found there are more topics to comment on than available space. The plastic bag ban proposed by the city’s Sustainability Committee and approved by the council will be implemented in Mukilteo. I do find the comments by Todd...

There comes a time when one has to consider if the expense in time and money applied toward shaping the Rosehill Community Center into more of a community asset than a place for private parties (i.e. weddings) is worth it. Despite many repeated...

About six years ago when the Beacon’s publisher, Paul Archipley, and myself were discussing me writing a monthly column as an elected official, I thought it was a good idea. The idea was to tell it like it is from the inside. I think I’ve done a...

Spring is always a great time to be in Mukilteo. Open Mic at the Red Cup on Wednesdays between 6-8 p.m. and the Farmers Market at Lighthouse Park between 3-7 p.m. are in full swing and always enjoyable for everyone. Mukilteo's waterfront is a...

Depending on who you listen to, you may be under the impression that the city is managing its finances well because we are staying within our budget, revenue sources are at or exceeding budget expectations, and we have a plan in place to eliminate...

The new Rosehill Community Center has been open for over a year now. Although the community center has the Rosehill room open to the public, unlike other city buildings, including City Hall and the Chamber Office, the community center is the only...