Category Archives: People

City Manager Candidates Announced & Opportunity to Meet the Candidates

CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED & AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE CANDIDATES

At the April 7, 2015 meeting, the Council selected the final candidates for the Mill Creek City Manager position. There are a total of 5 finalists. The following are the names of each of the final candidates & a short bio for each.

City Manager CandidatesGeorge Korthauer Mr. Korthauer served as City Manager in Petoskey, Michigan, for 25 years, until retiring in 2009. A four-season resort community along the shores of Lake Michigan in the northern portion of the state’s Lower Peninsula, Petoskey serves as the region’s governmental, commercial, medical, educational, recreational, and arts and cultural center. It has a year-round population of 6,000, and the area is the summer home to many of the Midwest’s rich and famous. Petoskey has been listed in publications that include The Best Small Towns in America, The Great Small Towns of America, and America’s Best Places to Retire. Smithsonian magazine named Petoskey on its list of “The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2013.” Since leaving Petoskey, Mr. Korthauer has served as CEO of Allied EMS Systems, a not-for-profit entity that has provided emergency-medical services through contracts with governmental units located in five counties. He also recently concluded a 12-month engagement as part-time Interim City Manager at Cheboygan, Michigan, a Lake Huron shoreline community of 5,000. Mr. Korthauer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Western Illinois University and holds a Master’s of Public Administration degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

City Manager Candidates2Richard Leahy Mr. Leahy has 33 years of city management experience and is currently the City Manager of Woodinville, Washington. He previously served as City Administrator of Mukilteo, Washington for 12 years; and as a Deputy and Assistant City Manager of Paramount, California in Los Angeles County. He is proudest of his work in Woodinville with respect to the development and implementation of mixed-use regulations for the City’s Downtown. Stalled for almost 10 years before his arrival, he was able to help the City Council amend the Downtown Master Plan, adopt development regulations to implement the Master Plan vision, and negotiate a Development Agreement to construct the City’s first mixed-use project in the downtown. This $200 million development is under construction with the first phase scheduled to be completed this summer. Mr. Leahy has Masters of Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of the Pacific.

City Manager Candidates3Rebecca Polizzotto Ms. Polizzotto has 20 years of municipal experience having served her community as a police officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer and city manager. During her tenure with the City of Conyers, GA, Mrs. Polizzotto played a significant role in the Centennial Olympic Games having responsibility for the financing, sponsorship development and leasehold agreements for the Georgia International Horse Park, the largest and second most expensive venue of those Olympic Games. After marrying her husband, Mrs. Polizzotto returned to her home state of Alaska where she has spent the past 11 years working for the Alaska Attorney General’s Office. As a Senior Assistant Attorney General, Mrs. Polizzotto provides legal advice to State agencies in the areas of employee benefits and public pensions. Mrs. Polizzotto holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, a Master of Public Administration Degree and a Juris Doctor. She currently resides in Juneau, AK, with her husband and their 10 year-old daughter.

City Manager Candidates4Donald “Pete” Rose Mr. Rose has 22 years experience as a City / County Manager and Administrator in Washington state. He has been the City Administrator of Lake Forest Park since 2012 and was the City Administrator in Woodinville. His other lengthy tenure was as the County Administrator of San Juan County from 2006 to 2012. Among his many achievements, he believes the most relevant to be the transformative process he has used in Lake Forest Park. When he arrived, the City’s budget had been in decline through the recessionary years. The result was staff furloughs. The City had little capacity to grow out of the doldrums. Yet now it is on an “all other things equal” path to be balanced through 2018. The effort began work in the 2012 budget when they did everything they could to hold the budget to the five year growth forecast of 1.4% — one of the lower growth rates in the region. In addition, he formed a benefits committee to examine other health benefit options. Management developed a budget tool that showed impacts of the represented and unrepresented groups’ impact on the budget by staying within or exceeding their “fair share” of the budget. It allowed the groups to manipulate key variables without a management filter. As a result, all three groups took a lower level of benefit support in exchange for small programmed pay increases and no furloughs. The effort was written about in the October 2013 edition of City Vision magazine. Mr. Rose has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Davis and a Master of Arts in government from Cal State University in Sacramento.

City Manager Candidates5Scott Somers Since 2009, Mr. Somers has been first the City Manager of Reedsport, OR, and is currently the County Manager of Clatsop County, OR. Mr. Somers has a number of achievements of which he is very proud. One of these was integrating the County Vision and Focus areas with the strategic plan. Before he arrived, the Board had adopted the 2012 Strategic Plan, which was essentially a list of capital projects that lacked broad overarching goals or long term vision for the County. Mr. Somers took those and aligned the recently adopted County Vision and Focus Areas. The result will help the Board and the budget process for years to come and will result in clear direction to staff. Mr. Somers has a Bachelors Degree from Arizona State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arizona.

Council is scheduled to hold interviews with each of these candidates on Friday, April 17th in executive session. Executive sessions are confidential and not open to the public. The Council is tentatively scheduled to make a selection on April 21st.

PUBLIC RECEPTION On behalf of the Mayor & the City Council, the public is invited to attend a reception to meet these candidates. The reception will be held at the City Hall Annex Building, 15720 Main Street at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2015. Each candidate will provide a short presentation on their background and interest in the position. Those in attendance will then have the opportunity to meet and talk with the finalists one-on-one. Snacks and coffee will be provided. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kelly Chelin, City Clerk at 425-745-1891.

3 Local Relay For Life Events to Join Forces

rfl3_RGBAmerican Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Edmonds, Mill Creek & Mukilteo will kick off their Relay season next week!

Looking to build upon the momentum these three local Relay events have gained in the past 5 years, planning is underway to recruit teams & start fundraising. Interested members of the greater South Snohomish community are invited to attend this Kick-off meeting at 6:30pm, Wed March 4 at the Courtyard by Marriott  – 4220 Alderwood Mall Blvd, Lynnwood, WA.

Relay for Life is a team-oriented event to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those who have been lost to cancer, honor those who are fighting cancer & fight back, by raising funds for cancer research & for local cancer support programs. Teams take turns walking around the track throughout the night, representing the reality that cancer never sleeps. This year’s combined event will be held May 30, 2015 at McCollum Park.

 The kick off meeting on March 4 is the right time to come find out more about this powerful local event, sign up a team, or volunteer to help organize & promote the event. Relay for Life is a great way to unite with people in our community who have been affected by cancer, and use your passion to save lives and create a world with more birthdays.

www.relayforlife.org

 

Trunk or Treat in Mill Creek

happyHalloween

Mill Creek Parks & Recreation along with co-sponsor, Canyon Creek Church will be hosting the Annual Trunk or Treat Halloween Haunt on Friday, Oct 31st from 6:30 – 8PM. This will be held in the City Hall Annex Parking Lot, located at  15720 Main St Mill Creek, Wa 98012.

The event features a parking lot full of cars – whose trunks will be decorated & FILLED with candy. Children go from car to car “trunk or treating”. This event provides a safe environment for children & their families who wish to trick or treat, and is great community event for parents to enjoy a little social time while keeping an eye on their trick-or-treaters. Children ages 12 and under are invited to join the FUN.

Remember to bring your own bag for collecting candy.Do tell.

This event is Free, but please bring a non-perishable canned food item for the Mill Creek Food Bank. Thank you!

 

New Employee/ Position to Department of Community Development

CityofMillCreeklLogo

Eric Carter was recently hired by the City of Mill Creek as a Building/Right-of-Way inspector, which is a newly created position. His primary functions will be: Performing field inspections of buildings & public right-of-way, and administering the City’s building codes & engineering standards. Do tell.

Eric is a certified ICC Residential Building Inspector. He has 15 years of experience in the building trades; the last seven of which, were spent as site superintendent. He will work directly with contractors & homeowners. Eric is a long time native of the Mill Creek area, and is excited to begin his new job here at the City.

When not at work, you will find him spending time with his wife and children, or engaging in his favorite pastime of fishing the local rivers, trying to land “the big one.”

Mill Creek Employee Appreciation

The City of Mill Creek held its Employee Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, October 8th 2014.

Michele Miller
Michele Miller

The luncheon included employees, Council members & Board/Commission members.

This luncheon is held annually to thank all of the City employees & volunteers for their service to our City. Specifically, the City recognized Building Permit Coordinator Michele Miller for 20 years of service to the City!

Pam Olson
Pam Olson

 

 

The City recognized Recreation Manager Pam Olson for 15 years of service to the City.

The final award of the luncheon went to Recreation Assistant Brian Davern who was selected as the 2014 Employee of the Year.

Brian Davern
Brian Davern

 

 

Do Tell Mill Creek would like to thank all the City of Mill Creek Employees & volunteers for their hard work & dedication to making Mill Creek such a great place to live, work & play.

Cheers to Pam Olson, Michele Miller & Brian Davern!

Mill Creek Family Game Day

Come to the University Bookstore – Mill Creek this Saturday October 18th for an afternoon of fun! This is brought to you by the University Bookstore Reading Allowed program. The entire family is invited to come & try out all the hottest new games of the year. “Game night refreshments” will be served. Do tell.

Saturday, October 18, 2014 at 1PM University Bookstore located in the Mill Creek Town Center at 15311 Main St. Mill Creek, WA 98012  425-385-3530

doTellLogo

 

Mill Creek Concerts – Dates Added

Breaking news!

The Annual Mill Creek Summer Concert Series has been so popular it has been extended through September! See schedule below.

We hope that our popular, sunny, warm summer weather will be extended, as well. Do tell.

MCTC Summer Concert Poster Sep #1

Dana Osborn & the Mellow Heads

MCTC Summer Concert PosterDana Osborn & the Mellow Heads featuring Joel Gamble will open up the Mill Creek Summer Concert Series 2014. Bring the family this Wednesday evening to enjoy classic rock with a modern twist. 6-8PM @the Forum in Mill Creek Town Center.  All the concerts are free, so come & enjoy. Arrive early to stroll Main Street, shop & try one of the many restaurants. Do tell.

These concerts are presented by the Mill Creek Town Center Business Association along with generous community sponsors.  For more information visit:    MillCreekTownCenterBusinessAssociation

 

Mill Creek Second Thursday Art Walk 2014

Art Walk Poster 2014

Get it on your iCal, text your friends, set an alarm! The Second Thursday Art Walk in Mill Creek Town Center 2014  is coming. Thursday, June 12th 5-8PM will be the first of three nights this summer for you to enjoy art in Mill Creek.

20-plus merchants will play host to artists who work in a variety of media. That includes music! Plan to come early & take that stroll up Main Street. Enjoy the art. Eat & drink. Do a little shopping. Do tell.

If you are an artist, who would like information about participating, contact: MCArtwalk@gmail.com

For more general info visit: millcreektowncenter.biz

MOD Pizza Coming

doTellLogoHave watched many pizza places come & go over 35 years in Mill Creek. The usual big chains, mostly. Would love to see Pagliacci come to our area, but was still glad to hear that MOD Pizza will open soon in the Mill Creek Plaza because I do like their pizza. They will share the new building ( in old Shari’s spot ) with recently opened, Wells Fargo Bank.

MOD has a different concept. The standard pizza is 11 inches, and is, as they say, infinitely customizable with toppings — all for the same price of $7.17, except for the cheese only which will be a dollar less. Do tell.

After a little digging  into the website for information, did learn there are in fact other size pizzas available & prices for those along with sides, salads & beverages. They do not deliver . “We’ve made a conscious decision not to deliver our pizzas as we feel they are best straight out of the oven. However, if you can’t dine in, you can always take out.” — from MOD FAQ page

For more information about MOD, visit: MOD Pizza

Another recent article in the Seattle Times about the company & its founders. MOD Pizza raising $15M in Expansion Effort  Hope they are not trying to do too much, too quickly. Quality over quantity & all that. We shall see.