Everett Daily Herald, January 09, 2015

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A pattern of resignations Mill Creek’s City Council doesn’t even have to explain to its city managers why it has forced half of them to quit. By Amy Nile Herald Writer

MILL CREEK — The City Council might have set some sort of record, having forced half

of its city managers to resign since Mill Creek was incorporated in 1983. The pattern has people concerned. Most recently, city manager Ken Armstrong resigned,

effective Jan. 2, after more than five weeks on paid leave. The council on Nov. 25 unanimously passed a resolution stating its intent to terminate Armstrong from his $144,200-a-year job and passed another measure that put him on leave. Council members still won’t

give a reason for the decision, citing concern for Armstrong’s privacy. Mayor Pam Pruitt said state law prevents her from discussing the matter publicly. “If I did, I would be doing a disservice to the people I represent,” she said. See PATTERN, Page A2

Five times a year, Village Theatre packs up and heads to Everett for a month

It’s quite the production

Village Theatre’s >> Review: production of “Mary Pop-

EVERETT — What does it take to get Mary Poppins, her umbrella, carpet bag and a gang of dancing chimney sweeps to the Everett Performing Arts Center? Five times each year, Village Theatre moves its musical productions from its home theater in Issaquah to Everett for another month of performances. Each move blows her mind, said Sherrill Dryden, the Village

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pins” is as good as any you’d find in New York or London, A&E, inside employee who manages the performing arts center. “I marvel at how well it all goes,” she said. When the curtain fell Sunday on the final matinee performance of “Mary Poppins” at the Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah, the stage crew was poised to strike the set. Six moving trucks waited, ready to take the entire

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show 45 minutes north to Everett, where it opens a month-long run tonight. Weeks before, dozens of Village employees met to plan the logistics, which involve moving scenic backdrops, sets, lights, sound equipment, props and costumes. The plan is detailed and all the puzzle pieces must fit. Whatever ends up at the back of the first truck has to be the first thing unloaded and installed. The loaded trucks arrived in Everett in the wee hours of Monday.

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By Jerry Cornfield Herald Writer

At 8 a.m. the electricians got to work, followed at 9 a.m. by Local 15 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the riggers at 2 p.m. The sound crew arrived at 11 a.m. Tuesday, followed by the lighting and sound folks. The director who makes Mary Poppins fly on stage tested his equipment Thursday, right before the technical (and only) rehearsal before Friday’s opening night performance. See THEATER, back page, this section

See AUDITS, back page, this section

DAN BATES / THE HERALD

Herald Writer

Smaller areas struggling to file financial reviews available for examination by the state say they lack staff to fill out tedious paperwork.

OLYMPIA — Hundreds of special districts in Washington, including several in Snohomish County, failed to make financial reports available for review by the state auditor last year. There’s not much the agency can do about it, either. Thirty-one in the county and 580 others throughout Washington violated state law by not filing annual reports covering the 2013 fiscal year, or what they did turn in was late or incomplete. And for five special purpose districts in the county, and 295 statewide, it was the third straight year they had failed to file anything, according to a report released this week by State Auditor Troy Kelley. “This lack of transparency makes it difficult, if not impossible for taxpayers to hold local governments accountable,” the report concludes. In Snohomish County, those that did not file reports for 2011, 2012 and 2013 are Snohomish County Fire Protection District 19, Snohomish County Diking Districts 2 and 4, Lake Ketchum Maintenance and Robe Valley Flood Control District. “I know it’s required but I think it’s an undue burden on a small district like ours,” said Ruth Brandal of Everett, a commissioner for Diking District 2. The tiny district has roughly a dozen property owners and encompasses 500 acres of farmland on the east side of Ebey Slough between the Everett trestle and Silver Hill, she said. She and two other property owners serve as commissioners. “We’re here to just maintain dikes. We’re accountable to each other,” she said. “That to me is much more important than turning in records to the auditor.” She said not much money is involved — an estimated $20,000 in collections in 2013 — and no cash goes through the hands of commissioners. The county collects the taxes and disburses

Stage specialists, both staff and members IATSE Local 15, install three full-width backdrop curtains and six 3-D set pieces for the Village Theatre production of “Mary Poppins” at the Everett Performing Arts Center.

By Gale Fiege

Reports tough in some districts

The Buzz Prisoners’ meals bring new meaning to the words mystery meat. Page A2

Repetition 49/41, C6

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