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Langley mayor calls arson possibility 'deeply troubling,' urges calm after farm fire and vandalism
Summary
Mayor Kennedy Horstman told the council the possible arson at Blackseed Farm is “deeply troubling” and asked residents to report vandalism at the Community Center that included anti-LGBTQ language and swastikas, urging a measured, community-led response.
Mayor Kennedy Horstman opened the Aug. 5 City Council meeting by acknowledging a recent fire at Blackseed Farm and saying the possibility that the blaze was arson is “deeply troubling.” She said the farm’s mission is to reconnect BIPOC to the land and to address food insecurity and asked the community to be invested in its success.
Horstman also described vandalism at the Community Center that included anti-LGBTQ language and swastikas and asked residents to report any such incidents. “We need to be cleared-eyed and calm in our response, starting with recognizing it and acknowledging it and resisting hate calmly and steadfastly together,” she said. The mayor said the cause of the fire remained under investigation and gave no timetable for completion.
The remarks were delivered at the start of the council meeting and framed both as community safety concerns and as calls for civic solidarity. No formal council action was recorded on either item during the meeting; the mayor’s comments were delivered as part of the opening words and mayor’s report.
