Marna Hanneman leads first town council meeting as mayor

A new year, a new mayor.

It's been a long while – going back to January 2008 – since that sentence has applied to the Town of La Conner.

Now it does.

Former planning commissioner Marna Hanneman, who has spent the past six months prepping to succeed retiring four-term mayor Ramon Hayes, transitioned into her new role at a Jan. 9 hybrid town council meeting at Maple Hall that ended with a half-hour executive session.

Council members Annie Taylor and Mary Wohleb also took ceremonial oaths of office early in the 90-minute meeting. In addition to regular monthly department head reports, public comments from residents Dan O'Donnell and Linda Talman and disturbing news of increased vandalism at Pioneer Park and on Town docks, included two initiatives from the mayor.

Hanneman said she will meet with the public during a "Saturdays with the Mayor" forum every other month at La Conner Swinomish Library and said she has asked Town Administrator Scott Thomas to develop a formal ethics code for Town officials.

"It's a nice reminder," Hanneman said, "not that we don't do it now. I just think it's important that we set the right tone."

Thomas will draw from codes that Washington state and the cities of Enumclaw and Kirkland use.

"I think it would be a good thing for us to have as a town," Hanneman stressed.

She said the first of the "Saturdays with the Mayor" will be 10-11 a.m. Jan. 20.

Public Works Director Brian Lease reported that vandals had broken a restroom lock at Pioneer Park and sprayed graffiti beneath Rainbow Bridge.

"The issue," said Lease, "is that people who know the (timed locking) system know they can block the door, go inside and when the door locks, they'll have a free hotel room overnight."

Lease said closing the restrooms is one option. That has been done before.

Code Enforcement Officer Aaron Reinstra and Skagit County Sheriff's Office deputies have stepped up patrols at Pioneer Park.

"We see vandalism around town from time to time," Thomas lamented, "but it seems to have hit Pioneer Park hard lately. Although surveillance cameras have been installed at the park, so far those have not proven helpful in identifying the perpetrators. We will be developing a plan for next steps and discussing this matter with the parks commission."

Thomas added that over the New Year's holiday a fire was set at the boat launch dock that resulted in more than $2,000 in repairs.

"Anybody who sees anything," pleaded Hanneman, "let us know."

Lease told council staff are monitoring tidal conditions on Swinomish Channel and local weather forecasts. A king tide and a combination of weather factors resulted in major flooding in December 2022.

"The concern I have," Lease said, "is that the highest tides haven't been here yet."

Thomas praised personnel for going out at 4:30 one morning when a king tide was predicted.

Town planner Michael Davolio said that based on the success of the October "mingle" on short-term rentals, another is planned for February, addressing First Street parking.

Talman, brought up downtown parking during public comments, saying, "I think parking could be solved another way, without one-way or angled parking. Do yourselves a favor in 2024. Let it go. Let it go."

Councilmember MaryLee Chamberlain had a different angle: "We need a streets meeting," she said, "to discuss all the different options for First Street that we've been talking about. It's important to consider all the options."

O'Donnell, a former mayor, reiterated his complaints about water use charges imposed upon La Conner by the City of Anacortes. He calculates that Anacortes has overcharged the town by $49,000.

"For nine years," he said, "I've been fighting the City of Anacortes over the way they account for water."

"I will not give up," O'Donnell vowed. "I will not give up on Anacortes."

Hanneman thanked former mayor Ramon Hayes and town staff for having eased her transition to the mayoral position.

"They've been amazing while I've had my training wheels on," she said.

The council agreed to serve as directors of a local transportation benefit district that will raise street maintenance revenue. They also approved a contract to retain Frontline Cleaning Services, which has been maintaining the public restrooms. Restroom cleaning costs will increase about $175 per month.

The council approved contracting for HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) upgrades at Maple Hall, but passed on similar work at the fire station due to cost. D.K. Systems of Burlington bid $294,500 for the Maple Hall work and $163,900 for the fire hall. Lease said those figures are significantly higher than bids in 2023.

Councilmember Rick Dole reported a neighbor had asked Skagit County staff the prospects for painting the Rainbow Bridge and got a reply of $4 million and that much of the cost is for paint containment and environmental protection measures.

Hanneman said no action was taken during the executive session, in which possible litigation was discussed.

Speculation among those waiting outside the meeting room was that the internal discussions, which included Davolio, may have focused on the controversial 306 Center Street apartment/condo project.