To the Editor:
A concerned citizen sent me a copy of a Facebook post by our former Mayor, John Kartak, accusing our “leftist” Council of trying to “ruin everything” by planning for our future Municipal Campus.
His post says that the Fire District and the City “seized through eminent domain” the Steuber property, stating that the Pursuit Church had an agreement to purchase the property. The former Mayor says we “YOINKED it right out from under them” …meaning the church. As if a property tax-exempt church was the victim of the government. He knows the phone number of the City and could have easily checked the facts.
Is it “leftist” to plan for a better future? The truth is that the Fire District and the City purchased this property from the landowning family for over $6 million. The visionary plans are to create a Municipal Campus that will serve all the citizens of this city, no matter their religious or political beliefs. This effort expands our capabilities to serve everyone in new environmentally friendly facilities that will last for generations. We will consolidate services for more efficiency and let go of some of our older properties that need significant renovations.
A church serves only the few members of that church. This purchase and sale will allow this property to serve the whole of our community.
Karen Guzak
Snohomish
Snohomish City Councilmember
