Edmonds Forum

The Everett Herald, Snohomish County’s largest newspaper, has endorsed my candidacy.

Former Edmonds Mayor, Harve Harrison, has also endorsed my candidacy.

The following were my remarks at last night’s League of Women Voters Forum:

You can read about me in my brochure. I’m going to talk about Edmonds.

Although it’s important to discuss what we want for our city 10-15 years from now, huge projects, such as an urban village on the Port property, won’t be happening soon, because the current economic climate does not support large, expensive projects. Right now, Edmonds would be better served by a focus on filling our empty store fronts and offices, such as those in Perrinville and the former Old Milltown.

So, how do we fill these empty commercial buildings? We start by looking at what’s been working.

A few examples of successful projects that have enhanced Edmonds are the Summer Market, the Third Thursday Art Walk, the Murals, and the Pentaque courts. Michael Burdett’s Edmonds Sports Academy brought families into Edmonds all summer to participate in competitions at the ECA gym. These projects are from the ground up ideas — community experiments that have been successful. I call these “agile designed projects.”

Agile design is from the ground up. An individual or small group tries an idea. If it works, you do more of it. If the project falls flat, no big deal, because you didn’t spend a lot of money or create something so expensive that you can’t easily move on. Some will take, some won’t. Let the community decide. Even agile projects that don’t immediately use an empty building, such as the summer market, could develop into ones that do. No doubt, successful businesses bring more businesses.

The role of the City should be to support these experiments in agile business projects — to make it easy for people to start their projects in our city. We can preserve what works for us, while using our imagination to create new economic opportunities. I know that there are many creative ideas out there. Edmonds can build on the success of these agile projects by creating an identity as the place to come for community-created businesses. An earned identity is the best brand of all.

Thank you for being here.
For more on agile design.

My opponent, D.J. Wilson, is attempting to embarrass me by posting, on his web site, my endorsement of him for City Council, four years ago. This doesn’t embarrass me: after four years of having him in office, I changed my mind sufficiently enough to choose to run against him. Show me a voter who’s never changed his or her mind about any political office holder and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t learn from experience.

In the current election, I’m endorsing, and will be voting for, me. You may post that, DJ.

The Edmonds Chamber of Commerce sponsored a candidates forum on this last October 3. Watch the whole video and read my opening and closing statements:

Opening Statement

I’m Joan Bloom and I’m deeply involved in Edmonds: I‘ve lived here for 26 years. My husband and I raised our son and our daughter here. I run a care consulting business from my office that’s a block from the Downtown post office.

I’ve always been engrossed in the civic life of Edmonds, doing all the things that families do, and in the last seven years, I’ve been involved in the issues that come before city government. I have participated in council meetings, boards, ad hoc groups, committees, and community discussions.

Even in this difficult economy, I believe that Edmonds can prosper, but only if we work together to develop a plan that will value, preserve, and enhance both the esthetic AND commercial advantages of Edmonds. The beauty of Edmonds is obvious, and we should do nothing to compromise the attributes of the bowl, including downtown businesses and the waterfront. We also have the neighborhoods — Firdale, Westgate, Perrinville, Five Corners — and a commercial corridor, HWY 99 that links us to other towns.

Each area requires a different model of development that supports its nature. Highway 99, for instance, could support vibrant commercial activity, higher-density residential, and job opportunities. The neighborhoods, on the other hand, would need support services unique to residential needs. Finally the bowl area should provide the cultural core for vibrant, high quality community life so natural for Edmonds.

I think we can preserve what works for us, while using our imagination to create new economic opportunities.

Closing Statement

I am running a grass-roots campaign, as I have pledged to keep my campaign donations and expenses below $5000. To that end, we print campaign brochures on our own printer, and we’ve re-purposed a small number of used campaign signs, by painting over them.

I have no agenda other than the economic health and well being of Edmonds. I have chosen to run for office because I think I can add a broad community point of view. As a candidate, I am independent of any organization or group. If I’m elected, the only campaign promise I will need to keep is to look after the health of the city.

I believe that council members should be stewards, not politicians. I hope to be elected so that I can serve as a steward of the public funds, the environment, our historical assets, and our infrastructure.