Candidates discuss issues at forum

Candidates for Marysville City Council and the Marysville School Board discussed city growth, diversity and other issues in the community at a candidate forum on Sept. 24.

The forum was hosted by the Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce.

The Nov. 2 general election will feature city council, county council and school board races, as well as some measures from some local fire districts.

City Council Pos. 1

Cindy Gobel is challenging incumbent Jeffrey Vaughan for the Pos. 1 City Council seat.

Gobel hopes that she can help the city implement their plans faster.

“I’m looking for things to be finishing. I understand looking forward and planning ahead 10 to 15 years, my concern is we’ve had the same problems as 10 to 15 years ago,” she said. “We can’t keep sitting in front of you and telling you we’re going to develop the downtown."

She believes the city’s embedded social worker program should be expanded and that the city should support incoming diversity.

“Some of that is changing the law, some of that is being a participant and supporter, and some of that is just developing those programs in the community,” said Gobel.

Vaughan also appreciated diversity in the community and the city’s diversity advisory committee.

“It helps us as policy makers in Marysville to hear all of the voices when we make our decision,” he said.

He has ideas he hopes to implement to increase community member involvement.

“Especially those who are new to our community or who have not had their voice heard before,” he said.

Vaughan said he has worked on the council without increasing local property taxes.

Growth is important to manage, but Vaughan said the city has improved by building more than just homes.

“That gives us opportunity to do more with our city. There’s so much more I do here,” he said.

City Council Pos. 2

Incumbent Mark James will face Ambyrlee Gattshall on the ballot this November.

James said he has learned a lot during his first term and hopes to return next year.

His priorities will remain “public safety, creating jobs and fighting excessive taxes,” he said.

Managing incoming development is an important part of being a city council member, he said.

“We’re really excited about the growth in Marysville,” said James. “Growth is bringing more good people and businesses that are adding to the pool of resources."

The council has traffic improvements planned that will help reduce the impact of that growth, he said.

Gattshall hopes to support small businesses and fixing basic infrastructure such as potholes.

She is a supporter of the city’s embedded social worker program and hopes to expand its reach.

Other infrastructure is needed to support them as well, she said. “I feel like we need a city-funded shelter. At least one allowing more people to go in."

The pace of change in the city needs to be increased, she said.

“We need to grow as quickly as we can and accommodate for that growth,” she said.

City Council Pos. 3

Kevin Gallagher and incumbent Tom King will face off this November for the Pos. 3 city council seat.

Gallagher said that the growth has been good for Marysville.

“One of the reasons we haven’t raised taxes is our population base has increased so fast we haven’t had to worry about it,” he said. “We have to embrace all of these changes, and it’s something we have to do as a group."

Planning for incoming development is still important though, he said.

“If you look at a city like Monroe with Highway 2, they made a bad decision there,” by keeping it at two lanes and managing intersection with stoplights, he said.

Gallagher gave Highway 9 as an example of a road that could become equally busy if Marysville officials don’t plan ahead and work to expand it.

King agreed that growth has brought a lot of advantages for the city, including tax funds that have helped with new transportation projects, parks and trails.

He also acknowledged how growth has created barriers as well.

“I bought my first house in Marysville in 1973 for $19,000 and earlier this year that same house sold for $425,000. That’s a real challenge for a lot of people,” said King.

Marysville’s embedded social worker program is good for the community, he said, and he is a supporter of help for homeless individuals.

“Earlier this year I had the opportunity to tour the pallet housing manufacturing site in Everett,” he said. “There may be an opportunity for one of these in Marysville."

Marysville School Board

Ray Sheldon Jr. and Connor Krebbs are competing for an empty seat in district 1 of the Marysville School District, while incumbent Vanessa Edwards and Wade Rinehardt are in a race for district 4.

Krebbs and Rinehardt were not able to attend the forum.

Sheldon is currently on the bond/levy committee for the district and hopes to support building new schools.

“People are not going to want to live here if we have poor schools,” he said. “We have to work together to commit to these goals,” he said.

Student safety is important for Sheldon, especially for students of color. He hopes to have a more responsive district staff.

“Our teachers have to know what the term bullying means,” he said.

Edwards is the current president of the school board and also hopes to create a safe environment for students.

“They need to feel safe and know that we’re listening to them,” she said.

Training has to become second nature, she said, which takes times.

“The other part of that is we have to take it seriously. We didn’t do that in place before,” she said.

She also hopes to elevate student voices and recently helped seat the district’s first student representatives to the board.