The candidates for Maple Valley City Council Position No. 2 covered a variety of topics during a 90-minute debate Aug. 6 at the Tahoma School District headquarters.

Bill Allison and Jim Flynn are challenging incumbent Deputy Mayor Glenn Smith who is seeking his second term on the council.

Questions formulated by The Reporter editorial staff, the host of the debate, ranged from the future of Lake Wilderness Golf Course to economic development to Summit Place, which is also known as the donut hole. The candidates also fielded questions from the audience for 30 minutes.

Barry Fountain was moderator and Maple Valley Rotary members Patti and Dale Jenson acted as timers for the event.

Fountain began the evening asking the candidates their plans for encouraging businesses to come to the city, and what the City Council should do to bring in businesses.

Smith said the focus on residential housing growth was not the best way for the city to start off, considering the real estate market bust.

“There needs to be a balance between business and residential taxes,” he said. “Homeowners should not have to pay all of the taxes. We should allow for some anchor stores that have a potential for daytime foot traffic. We’ve had many restaurants that have closed and not come back.”

Smith stated the city should encourage lifestyle centers and commercial plazas like Fred Meyer is developing at Four Corners.

Flynn said the city needs to get a better grasp on what businesses the residents want in Maple Valley.

“First of all, we need to reach out to our citizens and clarify exactly what they want,” Flynn said. “One thing is more sit down dining. The first step, reach out to citizens of Maple Valley and clarify what they want. The council needs to create incentives once those targeted businesses are identified.”

Creating living wage jobs is one way, Allison said, to help improve the city’s economy while criticizing the Council for a “lack of forward thinking” that has caused businesses to locate in neighboring Covington instead.

“We have to have jobs that create jobs, that will allow people to afford homes here,” Allison said. “The only way to generate foot traffic is to create living wage jobs. We need to develop the property that we have now that the city owns so people can come in and create living wage jobs.”

Allison, who is focusing his campaign on the concept of a change in leadership, brought the point up again when the candidates were asked how the city needs to deal with YarrowBay Group on the planning of Summit Place.

“It’s going to be a very fine line that we walk with YarrowBay,” he said. “The question really comes down to this: what type of leader do you want sitting down and dealing with YarrowBay? It’s incredibly important to Maple Valley. It’s absolutely going to happen. I think the development of Summit Place can accomplish some of the needs of the city right now. If we work with them properly we can get some necessities.”

Smith pointed out that YarrowBay, a Kirkland based developer, has slowed down because the timing isn’t ideal “and that’s advantageous for us.”

“I want to preserve as much open space on the donut hole as possible,” he said. “We don’t want to be stuck with a place we can’t afford with too much development going in.”

Flynn said the infrastructure of the project such as water, sewer, roads will have to be mitigated by the developer because the additional people on the 156-acre property will have impacts on Maple Valley.

“There’s possibilities to gain some things from the development that we don’t have,” Flynn said. “We could provide some incentives to get the right kind of commercial development there like a movie theater or other entertainment. You need somebody who understands both sides, somebody who understands developers, somebody who understands the game, and that’s me.”

On the topic of Lake Wilderness Golf Course, which the city purchased in late 2006 to prevent it from being developed into another subdivision, Flynn and Smith said the city should get out of the business of running a golf course particularly due to the losses the restaurant has sustained.

“We’ve done fantastic moving toward profitability already,” Smith said. “The fact is that the golf course is profitable. We should strip off the development rights and find someone who wants to own it as a golf course.”

Flynn, who was on the City Council when it voted to buy the course, said his support for the purchase “was conditioned on an exit plan.”

“The most realistic way to go about this is to create a transfer of development rights program,” Flynn said. “Then you can take the development rights off that property … then sell the property to a golf course operator as a golf course. Whether we get all of our capital back or not is unclear given the market, but we could get money back and put it back into sports fields where it should be.”

From Allison’s perspective, the city paid $2 million over the appraised value of the course, so getting out of it now would not be wise.

“The bigger mistake would be to walk away from our investment,” Allison said. “The golf course is making $30,000 a year. The restaurant is losing $100,000 a year. We can, however, save the golf course by marketing it correctly. You have a jewel sitting right here in the middle of Maple Valley.”

Allison suggested marketing it to the right demographics such as senior golfers and leagues would increase tee-time bookings at the course and major changes to the restaurant could create results.

Each candidate was also asked about criticisms specific to them.

Flynn has been accused of a conflict of interest due to his extensive ties to the local business community.

“In almost 11 years that I was on the City Council that happened four times, only one involved a property that I owned,” Flynn said. “In all of them I recused myself, I left the room, council took action. I think I upheld the highest ethical standards that could be required. I think I set an example that should be followed.”

Allison manages Jamba Juice in Covington as well as serves on an advisory board for that city. His loyalties to Maple Valley have been questioned as a result.

“When we chose a place to live as a family … we chose Maple Valley. My kids attend school in Maple Valley. Our heartbeat is for Maple Valley … this is where we live. We are grounded in Maple Valley.

“The reason I manage a business in Covington is because Jamba Juice did not see a viable place for a smoothie business in Maple Valley.”

Smith answered two issues he has been criticized for – first flip-flopping on decisions at council meetings, specifically related to Summit Place.

“With the donut hole I have to understand with the joint plan we’re not getting everything we want,” Smith said. “If we don’t work together then, we’re not going to work together at all. We have rights and we’re going to fight for them. It was not (flip-flopping), it was understanding the issue.”

In recent weeks, it came to light Smith’s religious convictions led him to make some questionable decisions. During a January 2008 meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. he told of an experience were he found gemstones sent by a divine presence. He admitted to planting the gemstones at the meeting.

“I am not a full time minister,” Smith said. “I’ve made some mistakes in ministry and I’ve had successes in ministry.”

Audience questions covered topics like ethical behavior, building ball fields in the city, Maple Valley’s permitting process and the lack of programs for young people.

Flynn said while The Den at the Greater Maple Valley Community Center is a step forward “it’s kind of an insult” to the original ideas proposed a decade ago for a permanent facility.

“We need to focus and move on now to sports fields,” he said.

Allison reminded the audience that one-of-three people who live in Maple Valley is under 18.

“They created The Den. Is it enough? No,” he said. “When I had the opportunity to speak with the We the People class (at Tahoma High) they said, ‘There’s nothing for us to do.’ They want a movie theater. They want a bowling alley.”

Smith said the city also needs more parks and sports fields and “we have to push for more activities for our kids.”

During his closing comments, Allison returned to his platform of change saying he believes, “it’s time for new leadership that is proactive and decisive and gets things done.”

“Who do you want to see on the council,” Allison said. “It needs to be the person who you see accomplishing the visions and the dreams that you have for the city.”

Smith said it’s critical to “preserve the quality of life we’ve grown accustomed to.”

“We’ve got to have people on the council who understand both sides of the issues and care about them,” he said. “I am dedicated to going out and talking to those people … who are living in the community.”

Flynn also believes change is needed on the council.

“I have a long track record of honest, unbiased and ethical service to Maple Valley,” Flynn said. “I have the depth and experience to serve Maple Valley.

I have a proven track record in the private sector that shows I can get things done. I am willing to represent the community rather than special interests.

I understand the local business community. I’m a leader, not a follower. I can combine all of these traits that can help move Maple Valley forward.”