Same few hear mayor's challenges

At Saturday’s Meet the Mayor session at the La Conner Swinomish Library, Mayor Marna Hanneman ended the hour upbeat, telling the seven assembled they were awesome and that she was encouraged. “I keep saying it takes a village,” she said, suggesting, “let’s take it on the road,” to Shelter Bay and other communities, in a collaborative effort to tackle greater La Conner’s problems.

And while she noted, “It’s all of us, farmers, merchants, the Tribe, Shelter Bay,” everyone at the table had faithfully attended most of these near monthly meetings since Hanneman began them in February.

Questions and topics were wide ranging for the voice-your-concerns open agenda potpouri.

Resident Leslie Smith’s early question was about the possible level of PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the town’s compost, whose source material is treated wastewater sludge. A recent New York Times article highlighted the problem of low levels of these cancer causing chemicals in wastewater nationally. Laboratory testing is necessary to measure PFAs presence.

Concern for the future operation of La Conner’s Sunrise Foodbank was expressed if the Masonic Lodge building it operates from sells.

Channel Drive resident Susan Macek asked for an update on the Port of Skagit’s development plans for the La Conner Marina. In May 2022 the Port made a public presentation to the town’s council and planning commission.

Town Administrator Scott Thomas responded work was ongoing but not in public view. He thought some administrative staffing changes might cause a delay. He reiterated that developing workforce housing is critical to supporting marina employers’ staffing needs.

Hanneman expressed the town’s biggest concern there: increased traffic on North Third Street, now the only route.

The port is stretched thin, she noted, with projects at the former Northern State Hospital and the Burlington airport. Funding for a fireboat is her first ask, she said.

Dave Buchan, also of Channel Drive, asked about the south end planning project around the former Moore Clark property and expressed his hope for housing, calling it a prime location and underutilized space. The retired Seattle planner asked about modifying the area’s zoning.

Hanneman praised planning consultant Tom Beckwith and shared that she and town staff had recently assessed the property with him, an architect and a structural engineer.

The experts suggested “amazing things” can be done with salvaging structural timber in the all-but condemned building. Critically, the building’s owner is more interested in flying airplanes, his daughter has told the town.

The consultant’s report will be done at year’s end.

Zoning changes can take place in 2025 after the town’s updated comprehensive plan is approved next June, Thomas said. “The time is now to make comments,” he emphasized.

Extending First Street to Caledonia Street and the boardwalk to Waterfront Park are on planning lists but completing each will be complex.

Hanneman volunteered that she hears people love La Conner but does not hear a specific answer of what they love. “I feel we’re missing a specific identify,” she lamented, suggesting Leavenworth, which created a Bavarian theme. She called La Conner “a diamond in the rough.” Someone responded, “Get on it.”

The mayor also reported on her meetings with the Shelter Bay Community board of directors, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Senate Chair Steve Edwards and pre-school opening events she attended for the La Conner School District.

Her school report was positive. She said students and staff are excited and she was enthused that there are 15 new babies in the preschool’s Baby and Me parenting class.

School property north of campus buildings has the possibility of housing for staff that cannot afford living locally, she said, more as an idea than a plan.

More troubling is the long term decision on keeping the high school open.

With South First Street becoming one way Oct.9, the mayor expressed hope people will pass the word on social media.

Other topics brought up were downtown planning, including the former Lighthouse Restaurant and Italian restaurant buildings, the Tribe’s South First Street property, Stan O’Neil’s refurbishing the Hotel Planter and his confectionery store under it, creating a historic preservation commission, emphasizing historic facts about the Swinomish Channel for building a community ethic and U.S. Department of Agriculture grant funds for housing.

Responding to Leslie Smith’s hope for grass under the Rainbow Bridge as the “bestest” view in town, Hanneman asked, “How can we get more people here? I don’t want this to be controversial. How do we get more people here?”

The question was not about grass under the bridge so much as metaphorical grass growing under non-involved residents’ feet.