The Snohomish Squeeze

The City of Snohomish continues to slow progress and choke commerce re-enforcing outside impressions about what it’s like to live, work or own a business in the city.

Recent observations from business owners have many of them irate with the inconsiderate attitude the city exhibits towards business and their customers.

One example came on the eve of Memorial Day weekend when the city allowed First Street at Ave D to be closed for construction during one of the highest traffic periods of the year. This created traffic backups from all directions causing would be customers to contemplate shopping elsewhere.

On Tuesday night’s city council meeting lead by Mayor Guzak in a 4-3 vote they decided to rein-in property owner’s development rights because of their own poor financial situation. The city has approved a six month moratorium on 400 acres north of Blackmans Lake. A public hearing has been scheduled after the fact for July 27th.

It all comes down to money and how the city decides to manage the funds it has whether it is for bike trails, subsidizing the school district pool or city sewage. Chasing development down the street makes no sense to a city that can’t seem to slow the downward spiral of reduced revenue.

As recently as yesterday, traffic was backed up for nearly a mile around Airport Way because of the new changes to the intersection and reduced turning radius at the corner of First and D. It’s almost impossible for a delivery truck headed north to turn right from Avenue D onto First Street. In the end delivery times to downtown Snohomish may take longer and in turn cost the shipping company more money for that route.

Leadership in a time during a lower revenue base requires more than the smoke-n-mirrors of public hearings and fancy taxpayer sponsored questionnaires. Putting aside personal agendas and rolling up your sleeves to get commerce moving and development growing again.

Planting trees is an added bonus to a healthy community but if you can’t pay to keep them alive what does that say about the overall vision coming from our leadership.