If a candidate for Bothell City Council supported the following:

• Increasing the debt of the city by $18,750,000

• The debt was used to purchase land that the city up-zoned and will attempt to sell for a profit (land speculation)

• In up-zoning the property, proposed setbacks and buffers not granted during the past 30 years to another commercial development

• Voted for a 200-percent increase in compensation (medical insurance for the council and their families)

• Supports the deterioration of the public process and council meetings

That candidate most likely would not get elected. Yet most of the incumbents have voted to support such a platform.

Surely there are better candidates that walk among the citizens of Bothell. Please file for the City Council positions in June.

Paul O. Cowles, former Bothell mayor, Woodinville

Thanks for caring

Dear friends,

It has been a year (May 19) since Kelly Clark clung to life in Harborview’s ICU after her car accident. At that time, we began reaching out to everyone and anyone who would help and support the family. And through your prayers, your giving, your service and kindness, we are able to enjoy living life with Kelly. The response was immediate, deliberate and unbridled.

The Clark and Avery families’ journey these past months has been one that has changed our lives in ways that we had not anticipated. We have felt the true nature of what it means to give, by being on the receiving end of so much of your giving. Our hearts have been lifted and our closeness galvanized by the examples of love that has blessed each of us.

Kelly, Mark, their daughters, Rowenna and Kennedy, and the rest of the Clark/Avery families would like to mark this one-year anniversary and thank you for all the love you have given.

The Clark/Avery families, Bothell

North Bothell vision may be doomed

The vision of a Bothell annexation of its sanctioned growth area by a public vote is a result of the hard work of dozens of citizens over the past decade involving the NEWBA group (North East West Bothell Annexation), and could fail when presented to the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board (BRB) at 6 p.m. May 28 at the Bob Drewel Building Public Meeting Room 2.

This NEWBA effort is the fulfillment of a vision of past citizens and leaders: the late Wendy Brady, an honored citizen activist; Paul Cowles, former Bothell mayor; Dave Schmidt, former state representative and chairman of the North Creek Valley Action Committee (pro North Creek city); and many other citizen workers, all of whom had a vision for south Snohomish County but in different ways in the early ’90s. In 1992, a choice was made between a Bothell annexation of Canyon Park versus incorporation of the city of North Creek.

Why is this vision possibly doomed? In a recent discussions, King County wants to grab our solid waste (20,000 tons per year?) in accordance with an existing contract with Bothell without regards to future revenue to Snohomish County, which has planned and has provided for this waste transfer and has invested millions of dollars in capital improvements. Also, in my judgment, to haul 17,000 tons (it will grow to 30,000 tons by 2025) of solid waste per year down I-405 to a King County transfer station is nuts compared to a local transfer station in south Snohomish County. King County is already getting our waste water and that should be enough. We hope for a resolution for this issue by the leadership of the city of Bothell, Snohomish County and King County prior to the BRB hearing. King County leadership must realize the unique role of a city that resides in two counties when considering this selfish revenue grabbing with total disregard to the planning of Snohomish County. (Brightwater permit issues I hope are not a revenge factor, for we the citizens will lose.)

The NEWBA vision is at an important milestone for moving on to an election, and sadly our effort may go down the drain or into our own garbage. We need Snohomish County’s support for this annexation in cooperation with the city of Bothell at the BRB hearing. Solid waste support must remain with Snohomish County in perpetuity.

King County should not interfere with this process regardless of obsolete contracts that should account for sound engineering and planning by Snohomish County. It is time for regional cooperation and not destructive competition and downright obstructionism by King County.

There are only a few days left for resolving this issue. This vision for north Bothell will be destroyed for years to come if the BRB does not sanction this election.

Gene Grieve, NEWBA worker, Bothell