City pursues agreement with Verizon

Following a lengthy executive session Thursday night, council voted to enter a joint defense agreement with the law firm Ogden, Murphy and Wallace, against Verizon Northwest, which is requesting $59,500 from the city in tax refunds.

Councilman Andy Chapel was absent, and the remaining six council members split the vote, with Timothy Loney, Arne Wennerberg and Timothy Pearce dissenting. Mayor Dianne White broke the tie, voting in favor of entering the agreement.

Joyce Papke, city administrator, said 15 cities have either signed or plan to sign the agreement, according to Ogden, Murphy and Wallace.

Papke explained it wasn’t that the dissenting council members were not in favor of paying Verizon, they simply weren’t convinced signing a joint agreement was in the city’s best interest.

Council unanimously authorized White to enter a possession and use agreement with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) concerning a strip of land alongside SR 532 near the fire station. The agreement formally allows WSDOT to continue their work of widening the highway and installing the retention pond.

Once the work is completed, the city plans to sell the property to WSDOT, as it will no longer be of use to the city. WSDOT will then be liable and responsible for that section of road, along with the rest of SR 532.

In other city council news:

• Rebecca Lind, planning director, presented the first phase of sign code amendments to the council. This first phase of the amendment dealt specifically with clarifying the language, which Lind said was necessary before proceeding with changing the regulations themselves. Once the first phase is approved, the second phase will examine and amend the code itself. Council decided not to vote on the amended language, and asked the ordinance be brought back for review on March 25.

• Papke asked council for permission to have a sample contract worked up, detailing full services from District 1 Fire and EMS, to compare with the current service agreement. Council said they wanted to review the “scope of material” before it is submitted.

• Student advisor Teague Nelson noted the high school would be entering the first phase of the new high school proficiency exam, which has replaced the WASL.

Nelson also noted that Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation scholarship applications were due Friday.

Finally, he noted that both the high school boys’ basketball teams and the science team both made showings at state competitions.