At the meeting the Mountlake Terrace City Council finalized its 2025 liaison assignments to city boards and outside commissions and heard a city manager report that two items will affect the January calendar and summer community events.

Council members selected liaison roles in turn by seniority from a list posted on the meeting screen. Staff noted one correction on the list: the Snohomish County Cities Finance Committee position is appointed by the county group and not by the council. Several council members accepted board assignments and alternates for external groups, including the Lake Ballenger-McAleer Creek Watershed Forum and the Seashore Transportation Forum; staff said the finalized list will be distributed to council members the next day.

City Manager Jeff (staff name per transcript) told council that because a quorum of council members will attend the South County Cities dinner scheduled for Jan. 16, the regular council meeting that night will be canceled. "Because a quorum will be at that meeting, city council meeting for January 16th will be cancelled," he said and asked members who still needed a ticket to contact staff.

The city manager also announced that the Smith family, who have run the Tour de Terrace for about 30 years, are retiring from the event. The Tour de Terrace has been run by the Smith family as a volunteer-led community event rather than as a city-run festival. Staff said the city will evaluate options and report back on potential alternatives or successors for the July event and that some contracts and planning deadlines mean that earlier decisions will be needed if the city pursues a replacement.

Council members praised the Smith family and several offered memories of the parade. Staff said it will circulate the formalized liaison list to council and will work on next steps for the Tour de Terrace planning discussions.