Will Liberty Lake get too big? Two women face off for city council seat, with competing ideas on library system and growth

Two women are facing off for a chance to be on the Liberty Lake City Council: Arlene Fisher, who has worked in city government for decades, and Judie Schumacher, a retired Wells Fargo and Fortune 500 financial services employee.

Mike Kennedy, who holds the council seat Fisher and Schumacher are vying for, opted against running for re-election.

Fisher said she joined the race because Kennedy asked her to run in his place.

“I think the reason Mike reached out is that I have 25 years of municipal experience managing cities,” Fisher said.

The two are both political newcomers, although Fisher was involved in Liberty Lake’s incorporation back in 2001 and has been involved in several city governments since then, including working as a city manager for Mountlake Terrace and city administrator in Cheney.

Schumacher is endorsed by current City Councilwoman Linda Ball, former City Council members D.G. Garcia, Tom Sahlberg and Rick Klingler, who is a current candidate for position 4 on the city council. Fisher is endorsed by incumbent Kennedy, former Liberty Lake Mayor Steven Peterson and former Councilwoman Judy Owens.

The status of the library is the biggest issue facing the city council, Fisher said. The current library in Liberty Lake is too small for the city, and because of that, the library cannot have the types of programs people want there, Fisher said. The council is striving to have a new library, but two library bonds have failed in the past two decades, Fisher said.

In November, Liberty Lake residents will have the opportunity to vote on whether a new library should be built. The vote is not binding and doesn’t suggest how the library will be paid for. The city estimates the cost will be $13 million to $15.6 million. Officials are considering putting the library on a 4-acre parcel at Town Square Park that hosts the Liberty Lake Farmers Market.

Fisher said she is excited to see what results the advisory vote will bring.

Schumacher is disappointed with the council’s decision to run an advisory vote for the November ballot.

“It’s only going to confuse and frustrate voters. The council should have spent the time to present an actual decision to the city,” Schumacher said.

The advisory vote only leaves room for questions, she said.

“What is the right option for the city? What does the community want? What are the funding possibilities?” Schumacher said.

These are all things the council should have discussed before going to voters, Schumacher said.

If elected, Fisher said she will be focused on keeping the small-town community feel that has brought so many people to Liberty Lake. She said she is running her campaign on truth, trust and transparency.

“I have the experience, education and desire to serve,” Fisher said.

Fisher had some bumps in the road with the Public Disclosure Commission after she chose to file full reporting, which obligated her to file weekly and monthly financial reports during her campaign. She did not file either until she was contacted by PDC in August. Fisher said she learned how to file everything while on the phone with the commission for several hours.

“I should have filed mini reporting,” Fisher said. “It was an innocent mistake. I learned a lot, and I’m fully compliant now.”

Fisher also has a notable employment record after leaving her positions as city manager in Mountainlake Terrace and Union Gap. Fisher denied receiving a settlement from Mountainlake Terrace, but according to the Everett Herald, the city paid her $75,000 as part of a settlement agreement in 2015. Fisher said she resigned from both city manager positions for different reasons.

“There was a new council that was installed, and following that I resigned. That is not uncommon in the city manager world,” Fisher said of her resignation at Mountainlake Terrace.

Fisher resigned from Union Gap for medical reasons. She is healthy now and capable of being a part of the Liberty Lake City Council, Fisher said.

If elected, Schumacher’s priority will be listening to residents, she said.

“We need to really listen with a desire to understand someone else’s perspective and make an effort to know someone’s story,” Schumacher said.

And that goes for the council members, too.

“How can we come together and find common ground?” Schumacher said. “I’d like to help the council work towards compromising and consensus building.”

Schumacher says she is approaching this race seeking input and is not coming to the council with an agenda.

“I’m coming with a humble and open mind,” Schumacher said. “I’ve been talking with voters left and right. I started knocking on doors in June and have been out there every day of the week.”

The two candidates agree that growth management is an issue in Liberty Lake. The current population of the city is 13,000, and Fisher says the city can only hold 20,000.

“There are going to be 8,000 more residents in the coming years. We need to thoughtfully plan this out,” Schumacher said.

Because of that growth, the City Council needs to be thinking ahead and spending money wisely .

Since most of the city is zoned for housing, the council should focus on keeping that housing affordable, Fisher said.

“Most people here rent,” Fisher said. “Liberty Lake has a good mix of land zoning in the city, so there will continue to be a mix of multifamily units and single-family homes. We’re not in a housing shortage.”