[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5978133,"mediaKeyId","5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485","parentId",5793650,"title","Residents urge council to halt plan for Flock surveillance cameras, cite data‑sharing and civil‑liberties concerns","audioSeconds",423,"startMs",90000,"endMs",513000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485&start=90&end=513","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485/thumbnail_90000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5978133/Mountlake-Terrace/Snohomish-County/Washington/Residents-urge-council-to-halt-plan-for-Flock-surveillance-cameras-cite-datasharing-and-civilliberties-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978133-033de711861125aaf5f41f985ad023ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703023&Signature=J4UDLyCRXy~Ei7vCSw3PbVCleGcXFVxjUo6HGYpXxNmdVJ1vp2Rz3Mq3JSeljAeTchjlsvjXgNJB1gjFQ7Y12AV~e6vgIfXy4s3INhmbyTqNTXPdLRpv~z78zBEgfHLnRT2qp9Iy~p5Hed2Qr70lgaXsId-pAPwAzTOjhfD7oh0CHXHuL-o29xarxaLRRYq55KCyfgrKlWcfBC4y2yooA~IpODh2xSKJMnb5dOy7F2oWtDy4T05VyR1EddnKM63MQWdtmFdT~LNO47s~jBQvOWe6mEo~yIa5L3xO5~Da8njBqIp06RpZyTS8XnSlqv8d~g-hBE2Ho5opp96cF7IsGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mountlake Terrace, Washington","date","2025-09-19T08:39:56Z","article","Two online speakers used the public‑comment period at the Mountlake Terrace City Council meeting on Sept. 18 to urge the council not to proceed with planned Flock surveillance cameras and to instead direct pandemic‑era funds to public‑health measures.

“After all the legitimate and serious concerns residents have raised, after all the lies Flock has been caught in, after learning Flock’s history of corruption and working with ICE, how can you still seriously be planning on installing these cameras?” said an online speaker who identified himself as Adam. He asked the council how it would respond if the company shared data with federal immigration authorities and warned that people could be “plucked from their homes and shipped off to be held indefinitely.” Adam also stressed regional COVID‑19 infection rates and argued the city should spend on masks, HEPA purifiers and other public‑health tools instead of surveillance systems.

A second online commenter, identified as Jillian, said she walks in the community and questioned the incremental safety benefit of a municipal camera system when many residents already use private cameras such as Ring. “If a company has already lied to you, why would you keep doing business with them?” she asked, saying the council should reevaluate the contract and consider whether oversight requirements mean the company should not be used.

No council member took action on the comments during the meeting; the remarks were part of the public‑comment period and will be part of the public record. Council members thanked the commentators for speaking and acknowledged the concerns. The transcript shows council members Erin Murray, Steve Woodard and William Page had earlier expressed reservations about Flock in prior meetings, and commenters singled them out for praise during public comment. The city did not respond with a policy decision at the Sept. 18 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mountlake Terrace City Council Meeting - September 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Two online speakers criticized the city’s plan to install Flock license‑plate and surveillance cameras, saying the company has lied, cooperates with federal immigration enforcement and exposes residents to data‑sharing risks; no council action was recorded at the Sept. 18 meeting.","taxTitle","Mountlake Terrace, Snohomish County, Washington","taxId",70959,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5978139,"Mountlake Terrace resident says home‑business licensing process caused months of enforcement and legal fees; city manager to follow up",335,545000,880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485&start=545&end=880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485/thumbnail_545000.jpg","/articles/5978139/Mountlake-Terrace/Snohomish-County/Washington/Mountlake-Terrace-resident-says-homebusiness-licensing-process-caused-months-of-enforcement-and-legal-fees-city-manager-to-follow-up","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978139-00d464c7370e806a0de579e118594d3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703023&Signature=ieuacOZqcH1l~Rgudf6YYMVbFbD~a7HF6wNX7jJoUVupGcJgZLSRLii~UMgX2N5eIFYPiJDzhzczHbNKNbFgeRlIpzt-OKSP3PI45hvBR6UnHkYTXQ5WxyeOCUSyboCI-jHfLWnHpPDVQrj2D7ZbFNDttJvIw3x5wJYLCcbPluxk1VwMBNc0U2S6I2RKiN~B6wnURI-TTFtVLp1~kxzaeM31b5dGWNECoz-Z~qphnDffnWwx-w~ErFD3inFswlXulPqftc5U8UAHgcgwjYlQaO6H9Q5eLtu5jvvCU8tuhWB1IezXicTdeSAFufPJlekT3M8bJe1sl1ONHK3uxGx3XA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Mountlake Terrace resident told the city council on Sept. 18 she has faced months of code‑enforcement action and legal costs after the city questioned whether she needed a home‑business occupation license for work she said she does from her laptop.

Kim Guadalupe said she has been a local business owner for more than a decade and that a recent change in where she kept personal items and worked prompted repeated enforcement contacts beginning about eight months ago. Guadalupe said her attorney sent a letter to the city and all council members on Sept. 9 documenting the interactions and that she spent thousands of dollars on legal bills to secure license approval. “My home business occupation license was approved after I hired an attorney, after months of back and forth, after thousands of dollars to the city,” she told the council.

Guadalupe described the home‑business start fee as $1,000 with a separate $1,000 deposit; she said the city refunded half of the deposit and that she has incurred nearly $10,000 in attorney fees while trying to resolve the matter. She also said she filed a public records request and used the city’s records to confirm what staff had done in response to a complaint about a nearby property operating a home business.

The council did not respond from the dais but Mayor Pro Tem said staff had received Guadalupe’s email and the city manager would follow up directly. City Manager Jeff Knighton told the council he and staff had reviewed the letter and would contact her in the next day or two.

During Guadalupe’s remarks she named a code enforcement staff member, Laura Stevenson, and said she believed staff had closed a neighbor’s enforcement file without adequate investigation. Guadalupe also said she called the Washington Department of Revenue and was told in one conversation she might not need a second business license for the activity she described.

The council did not take formal action on the matter at the Sept. 18 meeting; the city manager acknowledged receipt of the written correspondence and committed to having staff respond to Guadalupe directly to explain the city’s actions and next steps.","At the Sept. 18 meeting, resident Kim Guadalupe described months of code‑enforcement actions and significant attorney fees tied to a home‑business occupation license; the city manager acknowledged receipt of her attorney’s letter and promised staff follow‑up within days.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5978144,"Council approves $68,000 professional services agreement for citywide branding despite one dissenting council member",331,900000,1231000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485&start=900&end=1231","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485/thumbnail_900000.jpg","/articles/5978144/Mountlake-Terrace/Snohomish-County/Washington/Council-approves-68000-professional-services-agreement-for-citywide-branding-despite-one-dissenting-council-member","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978144-cccedbb411ddbf7895f949a1578766ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703023&Signature=JzpwXZRjy3PQOEmJX9dhU5B~k5DiK6TGuIEG4AXiyOLV6P5oWLqLducnMzHINxPRhDr999rvlKdIceuvXSKYWs-JvLNtHvfD1e4qK4IrNTqu3pPvAh8P9ds0GudrsE~eU103lfRNqyFEr9LCoz91SCxI6DU6s6Gq6L1wYnLcpWnipRUK2g~oUjbeNp4m6lafD~IuKfSOVCEMtNUsjW2KjgOCGbJzoLHgIbYsDNn0Ta6Shu3q4gV1rMYxYq8dPLpxj0TDB76Q-NBnj7cgMjbaqbDWpKTvXHSs8mI1oS~6TWE4DJwM8ZskA7QPmdpsOW~UVISl4TnKwnL98VCf-PUVwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mountlake Terrace City Council voted to approve a professional services agreement with Altogether LLC for citywide branding, placemaking and marketing on Sept. 18 after a brief discussion and the removal of the item from the consent agenda.

City Manager Jeff Knighton told council members staff had checked references for the selected consultant and summarized positive feedback from other jurisdictions, including Park Ridge and Antioch, noting work products such as brand guides, marketing plans and place‑making events. “One of [Altogether’s] greatest strengths was the ability to navigate change with key stakeholders and elected officials,” Knighton said.

Council member Sanmore asked to remove the item from the consent agenda and raised objections to outsourcing the work, arguing the city’s communications and economic development staff could handle the tasks. “I think our communication specialist and economic director could handle these tasks,” Sanmore said, listing deliverables in the consultant scope including kickoff and alignment, a brand and communications audit, community survey, stakeholder listening sessions, and placemaking workshops. Sanmore described the proposed contract amount (discussed in meetings as about $68,000) as a poor return on investment given existing staff capacity.

Council member Erin Murray moved to approve the agreement; the motion received a second and passed. The vote passed during the consent‑agenda portion of the meeting with verbal “ayes” recorded. Council did not adopt a separate implementation budget at that time; staff said they would incorporate contract costs into existing appropriations and the consultant scope includes community outreach and deliverables intended to support business recruitment and placemaking.

The staff memo attached to the agenda included reference checks from several municipalities and noted the consultant’s prior work on place‑making events and marketing campaigns; Knighton said staff had contacted all listed references. Council member Sanmore said she would vote no if the item were individually considered, reiterating her view that the work was within current staff responsibilities and that the city should prioritize core services over new expenditures.

No formal amendment to the contract terms was reported on the record during the Sept. 18 meeting. The agreement moves forward with the expectation that staff will manage the consultant and report outcomes to council as part of routine project updates.","After removing the item from the consent agenda for discussion, the council approved a professional services agreement with Altogether LLC to provide a citywide branding, placemaking and marketing strategy. One council member objected to outsourcing work she argued city staff could perform.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5978149,"City manager warns rising public‑safety costs will strain Mountlake Terrace budget",401,3974000,4375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485&start=3974&end=4375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485/thumbnail_3974000.jpg","/articles/5978149/Mountlake-Terrace/Snohomish-County/Washington/City-manager-warns-rising-publicsafety-costs-will-strain-Mountlake-Terrace-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978149-f628bcd8ba6fa91854d54e47262a9902/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703023&Signature=AUq1UpJlVLs~LK-Zs-obOEjubiolmzblbsY1nhEWb2a1hFhqB3kNnery02PD-FSeDLrgfAq6ah9ABNmGFCzbZw2cjEHEIX-YGT2d3qujhuBMnBb~Gq~RrOxKcKf69vGhbRdRRXKBx15Ej45ht2I16jLxPpWH2GTp1yxtXUk5YoPu8B05SM4SBD4EOSi6-TiTyK2YvVpx2HmxuvwTP3Asi~MKS62zx8QhF0AUSBb2w88ZjKURJoifh3y3C0sfB85rEfc7Kvl9sYz7FAFnfGDadtTklbZZWstM4gwVH93XlctdWHLEpMQ-PPuuQbOMzK-9KQSRxY2M6G36pDMrxrJuVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mountlake Terrace’s public‑safety budget is a growing share of the city’s general fund and is likely to rise further in coming years, City Manager Jeff Knighton told the council on Sept. 18, citing rising salaries, contract costs for prosecution and public defense, jail housing fees and other indirect expenses.

“Public safety is one of the fastest‑rising costs we have,” Knighton said. He told the council that public safety accounted for roughly $9 million in expenditures in 2024 and represented about 42.7 percent of the city’s general fund in his memo. The general fund total cited in the memo was slightly over $21 million for 2025.

Knighton flagged several drivers of the increases: salaries and benefits for sworn officers and civilian police staff; growing workload for public‑records and body‑camera redaction; indirect costs such as fleet replacement and insurance; and contract costs for prosecution and public defense. He said the city’s current contract prosecutor costs $150,000 a year but that next‑year contracts will likely exceed $200,000 amid regional salary increases. Public defense spending rose from about $18,000 per month in 2024 to $26,500 per month in 2025, and the manager said future contracts could reach $35,000–$40,000 per month because of new caseload standards.

Knighton also highlighted jail‑bed costs, noting nightly housing rates at regional facilities that the city uses are roughly $200 per inmate per night and that those rates are increasing. He said calls for 9‑1‑1 services and SNOCOM fees are rising as well. “All those costs together, in 2024, totaled a little over $9 million and it’s only going to continue to rise,” he said.

Council members asked how the city could respond. Council member Sanmore expressed concern about rising public safety costs eating into the rest of the general fund and suggested caution about new contracts or projects that could divert operating funds. Council member Erin Murray urged staff to bring comparisons to prior years and to continue seeking efficiencies through technology and regional coordination. Murray also recommended examining early‑intervention and prevention strategies—human services, youth programs and partnerships with schools—to reduce long‑term demand on the criminal‑justice system.

Knighton said the city has already begun exploring efficiency options, including an online payment system for traffic infractions intended to reduce court filing fees, and plans to issue requests for proposals for prosecutor and public defender services when current contracts expire at year end. He also noted the police department is operating with fewer sworn officers than in 2010—28 now versus 32 in 2010—and with fewer supervisory and records positions, which tightens capacity while demand has grown.

Council discussion ranged from short‑term operational steps—improving ticket collection and trimming indirect costs—to longer‑term regional or preventive strategies, including working with South County partners on shared services and diversion programs. Knighton and council members said the city’s financial sustainability task force will also review operations and recommend efficiencies.

No formal action was taken at the Sept. 18 meeting; staff said they will return with follow‑up data and cost comparisons for further council review.","City Manager Jeff Knighton outlined increasing public‑safety expenditures—personnel costs, prosecution and public defender contracts, jail housing and 9‑1‑1 fees—saying public safety now consumes about 43% of the general fund and those costs are expected to continue rising.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5978154,"Mountlake Terrace council adopts urban forest management plan to protect and grow city tree canopy",2567,1453000,4020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485&start=1453&end=4020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793650-a3d07a0523f1cafbb8aec39bc8e77485/thumbnail_1453000.jpg","/articles/5978154/Mountlake-Terrace/Snohomish-County/Washington/Mountlake-Terrace-council-adopts-urban-forest-management-plan-to-protect-and-grow-city-tree-canopy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978154-8995894a73f6f99927a88b0ea45d5d5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703023&Signature=QLTIP8r6oLkRiiqOe75Wb7P7cK8eOghcZ~qXglbR7bi66PB2nRmnWs~Ku2ndHpGOb0c87svNem11GmlJbQm60j6c5L28VP5dpfcHAdhlmOYlgQJGQoB48~xEbsHeaKF2xaVt44ilw7DR4OwvahmmFb9-AsymAmjheWaBw~KF8sYhmXN6zxMGFc6jssB6xB~jXDHQtRBHP3ouqHHzf1vjT~fzyI967ixBSjaz9A7gd8sKoQ9yViDPr5Ld-SIijIGWRGs~zB-nhqeDIv~gbuCXvsIh506n4weeXIJeWb3y0lZ51rwncLzijZF1LC6gcsM3xcCgda~nCLnZdn~0vUcrsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mountlake Terrace City Council unanimously adopted an Urban Forest Management Plan on Sept. 18 after a presentation from the city’s environmental programs manager and a short public hearing. The plan sets goals and metrics for retaining, growing and equitably distributing the city’s tree canopy and identifies implementation options that the council can fund in future budget cycles.

City Environmental Programs Manager Patrick Hutchins told the council the plan is a guidance document that lays out measurable targets, specific strategies and metrics to track progress. “This plan is grounded in community values, rooted in equity and focused on resilience,” Hutchins said, noting the city’s street‑tree inventory shows nearly 7,000 city‑managed trees and a current canopy coverage of roughly 32 percent.

The urban forest plan matters because trees deliver “green‑infrastructure” benefits—stormwater reduction, carbon sequestration, shade and public‑health gains—Hutchins said. The staff presentation cited an estimated annual economic value of two million dollars in ecosystem services from the city’s trees and proposed a goal to raise canopy coverage to 38 percent over time, with monitoring and a no‑net‑loss approach afterward. Hutchins described priority actions grouped under five goals: engage (education and volunteerism), maintain (proactive care and training), grow (tree planting in underserved neighborhoods), retain (policy and development measures) and monitor (data and reporting).

A city volunteer who spoke during the public hearing, Michael Ness, said he supported the plan and the city’s long‑term approach to tree stewardship. “As a member of a city volunteer group, I enjoy the opportunity to care for and plant new trees, and I’m excited to see that we’ll be planting more,” Ness said.

Council members praised the plan’s community process and recommended next steps. Council member Steve Woodard thanked the staff and commissions for the community‑driven work and highlighted how the city’s evergreen canopy is a visible, distinctive feature along I‑5. Council member Erin Murray called a written plan “an incredibly important part of reaching the vision that we want for our community.”

Hutchins told the council the plan was prepared with assistance from a Washington Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry grant, consultant Planet Geo and local outreach support from Starbird Environmental. He also reminded the council that the city recently adopted a tree code and that funds collected through tree fee‑in‑lieu provisions feed a tree fund used for plantings and preservation.

The council adopted the plan by motion and second and approved it unanimously. Hutchins said staff will return with specific budget options for implementation; the plan document included four implementation funding scenarios ranging from minimal added staff responsibilities to a fully funded program. Hutchins told council he intends to seek a mix of grant funding and stormwater fund allocations when the council considers a budget request.

What happens next: staff will bring back updated cost estimates and a proposed prioritization of actions for the council to consider during budget deliberations; the plan also creates eligibility for certain grants the city could pursue. The city manager and Hutchins indicated staff will coordinate cross‑departmental responsibilities and public reporting on progress.

Adoption of the urban forest plan positions Mountlake Terrace to pursue grants and to track canopy change over time through remote sensing and recurring canopy assessments, staff said.","The Mountlake Terrace City Council unanimously adopted an Urban Forest Management Plan after a public hearing and staff presentation outlining goals, implementation strategies and funding options to increase canopy from about 32% toward a 38% target and strengthen long‑term tree stewardship.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge council to halt plan for Flock surveillance cameras, cite data‑sharing and civil‑liberties concerns

Mountlake Terrace resident says home‑business licensing process caused months of enforcement and legal fees; city manager to follow up

Council approves $68,000 professional services agreement for citywide branding despite one dissenting council member

City manager warns rising public‑safety costs will strain Mountlake Terrace budget

Mountlake Terrace council adopts urban forest management plan to protect and grow city tree canopy