Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today?
Yes, I want to support My MLTnews!
I am writing in response to Steve Mosman’s recent “Reader view” on MLTnews and the many comments it generated. Steve argued that the City’s decision to spend $68,000 on marketing is wasteful because Mountlake Terrace is not, and never will be, a tourist destination. Many commenters agreed, pointing out other priorities like fixing streets, lowering water rates, and keeping costs down.
I hear those concerns. They are valid. But I see this differently.
This contract is not about turning Mountlake Terrace into something it is not. It is not about chasing tourists or competing with Edmonds or Seattle. It is about telling our story and showing potential businesses, developers, service providers and grant makers who we are today and who we are becoming.
Mountlake Terrace has always evolved. At one point it was forest. Then a postwar suburb. Then known mostly as a bedroom community. Now it is a light-rail city with a growing Town Center. Change is already here. The question is whether we shape it in ways that benefit residents or let it happen without us.
Marketing matters because reputation matters. A city that only sees itself as a bedroom community is invisible to outside partners. It does not attract new businesses. It does not get taken seriously for regional, state, or federal funding. And when that happens, the burden for paying for basics like roads, parks, and utilities falls more heavily on residents.
Some commenters, like Jorge, Sam and Dave, pointed to what many of us feel: We want more options to shop, eat and gather without having to leave town. That is not tourism. That is quality of life for the people who already live here. And Wilma and Kim are right that we need to keep our infrastructure strong. But a broader tax base and outside investment are how we pay for those things.
Mountlake Terrace is not what it used to be. And that is OK. The real task before us is making sure the next chapter reflects our values, that we stay family-friendly, walkable and affordable while also welcoming the kind of investment that keeps our community strong.
That is what this $68,000 is about. Not changing who we are, but making sure others see us clearly for who we are today and who we want to be tomorrow.
Dustin DeKoekkoek is a Mountlake Terrace resident.
Interesting perspective with solid logic. Thanks.
As an example, imagine you are a prospective entrepreneur who wants to start your own new business (let’s say a new bar for people who like foosball). When looking for a potential location, it would be easy to miss a place like Mountlake Terrace, which is growing with more retail space available, has a light rail station right there to make it easier for people to get to your new business, and could have a city that is willing to work with new businesses to incentivize them to come here.
But let’s say you don’t know any of that. You pick Bothell or Kenmore or some other town because you come from there or know someone who had a lead on a place available, for example. That is a potential loss for MLT, both in tax revenue, but also a quality of life improvement for those nearby (assuming those nearby like foosball). THAT is what the marketing is for. Not to promote some touristy gimmick like the world’s 134th largest candy-cane striped swing set, but to try to educate and promote opportunities for people and businesses to come here that otherwise wouldn’t know about it. It’s a potential win-win, both for businesses and for residents.
Bravo! Well said.
Mountlake Terrace is just unfortunately geographically disadvantaged in a way. Lynnwood is right at the crossroads of I-5 and I-405 with Alderwood Mall right there contributing to so much development and attracting so much traffic and people, along with Highway 99 cutting right through the city which results in many people driving through the city and potentially stopping in places and shopping/eating, and allows larger scale businesses to operate just due to the amount of space and zoning laws, unlike in Mountlake Terrace which doesn’t have such a large arterial cutting through it. Edmonds has it’s historic downtown, ferry terminal and waterfront. Mountlake Terrace, other than Lake Ballinger and having I-5 accessibility (and now a light rail station) doesn’t have nearly as much within its city limits to attract developers and new exciting businesses. Even a “downtown” Mountlake Terrace realistically is only going to be a few square blocks, you’ll barely be able to even call it a “downtown” or a “town center.”
Totally agree, great piece Dustin. This community has so much to offer and now with Light Rail we are even more relevant for tourists and businesses.
Agreed and well said
I miss the parades and all the booths. Car shows and the Bands. You also had great fireworks. But you needed more parking spaces for the handicap. Roger’s market was a great place to shop. MLT used to have a KFC,ARTIC FOOD HAMBURGER shop. Now I only see high apartments. Retail below. I miss the old Mountlake Terrace!!
As a transplant from Seattle, MLT has become home and I’ve had two friends move here because I can’t stop bragging about my tiny slice of parodies in the forest. I happily live and spend here. I use the light rail to commute to work (what attracted me here 2 years ago), the beautiful parks, the community events, the friendly people walking their dogs, it’s everything I want for my family. My only complaint is all too often I have to leave for entertainment and shopping. As our community grows we have the opportunity to shape MLT into something truly special for all of us who call it home.