As the election season wore on, I was becoming more confident that Joan could win DJ Wilson’s seat. It is amazing what Joan has done with just short of $5000.00 in contrast to Mr. Wilson’s overflowing treasure chest of $35,000.00. The hand-made signs have won people’s hearts and minds. I shake my head over the deluge of mass-produced campaign signs that have littered the city’s right-of-ways. I have noticed that Mr. Wilson has, in many instances, installed two signs in the same location.

I was happy to have the opportunity to have been a part of the campaign. I have met many wonderful people while working on Joan’s campaign.

Joan has done a great job in her run for city council. She has door belled, attended many events, and gained endorsements from a variety of organizations. If Joan wins, and I think she will, it will be a statement that not every election can be bought.

Mr. Wilson assumes that what a person thought four years ago should be consistent with what one believes today. I respectfully disagree.

Sincerely,
Barbara Tipton

I wish you the best on your endeavors. Your message of stewardship is a needed effort in Edmonds.

I can’t help but think of all the tax dollars that were wasted on payment to Ogden Murphy Wallace in legal fees as well as numerous staff hours fighting my husband and me with our attempt to acquire a single family building permit for a lot we purchased in 2007 at 9330182th PL. S.W. for $220,000.

Ogden Murphy Wallace was successful in advising us to appeal staff interpretation of storm water management requirements for development of our lot as our only viable alternative to keep our permit application active. We had just paid $1,800 for a building permit application with the promise of acquiring a meeting with city staff to discuss the project and the unreasonable requirement to divert storm flows from the city’s drainage piping system out in the street onto our lot as a condition of building permit issuance.

However, the meeting was cancelled the day before it was to occur, and we were instead advised to appeal staff interpretation for storm water mangement to the Hearing Examiner as our only means of continuing the permit process. The letter we received from the city said, “staff would not talk to us outside of the appeal process.” Unfortunately, I took the bait.

Ogden Murphy Wallace and the city staff used their expertise in navigating the court system and the difference given to the city within the legal system, and ultimately placed a burden on our lot that we must divert storm water from the city’s storm drainage conveyance system and onto our lot as a condition of acquisition of a building permit. Wow, this is storm drainage from a surrounding 6.5 acre urbanized drainage basin including city streets, house rooftops, and driveways. This is absurd, but the city can abuse the legal system to obtain absurd results if they so choose. I have experienced first hand.

The party line that city council heard from staff and legal council was, “We keep telling the Breske’s what to do they just won’t do it.”

Gary, this is code speak for We placed an unreasonable burden on development. No one on the council ever thought to question, hey the Breske’s paid $220,000 for a building lot, it they have been given a reasonable requirement they would have built on the lot.

It is up to the City Council and the Mayor to provide direction to staff and the legal council and how they want their city run. In the city of Edmonds it is not, when you will get a building permit, it is if you will get a building permit.

By the way, I still own the lot and continue to pay property tax on a lot which for all effective purposes is a regional detention facility for the city. If the city wants to lot for regional storm drainage managment, why don’t they just buy it from me.

Sincerely,

Donna L. Breske, P.E.
donnabreske@comcast.net
Phone: 425-334-9980