ML voters want response

Voters in Medical Lake came out to listen to the four mayoral candidates Tuesday night in the City Hall auditorium to see where they stand on the issues.

Residents had a chance to ask questions of candidates Tony Harbolt, Mayor John Higgins, Laura Parsons and Mikeal Suniga. Many of the questions revolved around the problem of the police department and getting full-time firefighters and EMTs.

In fact, the first question asked the candidates was what their feelings were on manning the fire department with full-time employees, rather than the current volunteer force. One resident complained that it once took emergency responders 35 minutes to get to Medical Lake Middle School.

Higgins said that this topic was one city council has discussed many times over the past year. He said that it costs the city $850,000 a year to staff the police department and it would cost at least that much to staff a full-time fire department, which would mean higher taxes for the residents.

Higgins said that if it seemed the city could no longer serve the public with an all-volunteer department, he would put the issue to the voters to approve a tax hike.

Harbolt said he would like to work on improving the volunteer program already in place. He wants to find a way to entice new volunteer firefighters and EMTs and work to retain them as well.

Suniga said he would like to start resident firefighter programs in which students who want to learn the skills of emergency response can stay at the station while they attend school.

“They want to have that experience,” Suniga said.

Parsons said this topic was one that came up often when she was on the city council between 1998 and 2005.

“I want to have a full-time fire department here in Medical Lake,” she said.

She said she wants to find a solution to the problem if elected.

Another resident wanted to know how much public input the candidates wanted as mayor when it came to big decisions such as contracting police services through the county.

Harbolt said he would love to have the opportunity to hold public forums where the residents can come and speak their minds.

“I think there could be a lot more outreach to the community,” he said. In most cases, the city government would have the time to discuss the issue with the residents before a decision was made.

Parsons said citizen input is very important, and when she was on the city council she said it was disheartening when community members didn’t come.

She said it is important for community input and wants to have an active Web site with e-mail updates and she is willing to even blog about what is going on in the city.

Suniga wants to start having public forums. He said making big decisions like contracting the police department and hiring a full-time fire department “shouldn’t be a voice of seven.”

Higgins said that the discussion about what to do about the police department has been a hot topic for a year and a half, and urged citizens to come to the council meetings to discuss these issues.

“It’s OK to criticize the people that sit on that council,” he said. “But you do elect them.”

He said he religiously returns every phone call he gets and again urged residents to come to city council meetings and discuss their concerns.

Ballots for the primary election will be mailed starting July 29 and must be postmarked by Aug. 18.