Community Focus

Sewage plant

work approved

Consultants hired to evaluate the Edmonds sewage treatment plant will now get the contract to design and build their recommendations.

The Edmonds City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 15, approved a $239,458 contract for Brown and Caldwell of Seattle to replace screening equipment at the plant in downtown Edmonds. The work was identified by staff as needed and in in the 2005 budget.

Brown and Caldwell had already received and completed $37,575 contract looking at equipment and technology options for the plant’s screening process.

The total cost for the treatment plant project is budgeted at $1.1 million, however, another $700,000 is estimated to be needed for emergency repairs to the outfall in Puget Sound. The Council on Tuesday approved interim financing for the work with Frontier Bank with a 3.3 percent variable interest rate. Although the Frontier loan is for two years, the city expects to issue long term bonds in 2006 for permanent financing.

Can you hear

me now?

Cingular wireless has a new agreement to install and maintain cellular phone facilities on public right-of-way in Edmonds, following action by the City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

The Council approved a n agreement that allows New Cingular Wireless to install, operate and maintain cellular facilities. The five-year agreement calls for review and approval by city staff of such facilities. Cingular will be charged annual fees for each installation ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on location and type, according to city documents.

Finding ways

to stay home

Stevens Hospital will host an event titled “Making the Best Choices as You Age,” scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5 in the cafe at the hospital.

The event will help senior citizens form strategies and find resources in the community to help them stay in their homes as they age. Columnist Liz Taylor will be the keynote speaker, and a resource fair will follow the event.

Cost: $10, including refreshments. For more information, call 425-640-4034.

Library Board

has an opening

The Edmonds Library Board currently is looking for a volunteer to fill a vacant seat. Five volunteers make up the board and each serve a five year term. Meeting are at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of every other month at the Edmonds Library.

Duties of the Library Board include providing support and advice to the Mayor and City Council regarding planning, management, use, care and disposition of the library’s property, equipment and physical facilities. Members also help with policies, rules and regulations regarding those facilities and the administration.

Deadline for applications: 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb., 25. For more information, call 425-771-0247; to pick up an application, stop by City Hall at 121 Fifth Ave. N. in Edmonds.

Bart sets sights

on executive job

Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart will run for county executive in 2007, he announced Feb. 9.

“You can expect me to go after this position with the same tenacity I showed as a homicide detective,” Bart said. “I’m not going after this to lose.”

The sheriff, a Republican, said he filed now so he could start raising money and making plans to challenge Democratic County Executive Aaron Reardon.

The two have been at odds since Reardon took office in 2004.

Reardon said he was surprised by Bart’s decision to declare now.

“I think Rick owes it to the citizens to focus on the job he has and not politicize public safety,” Reardon said.

Community Focus briefs for the city of Edmonds can be sent to edmonds@heraldnet.com or mailed to 4303 198th St. SW, Lynnwood, Wash. 98036, attention Jim Hills. E-mail is preferred. Include contact number with area code for publication in the newspaper. Briefs are printed on a space-available basis.