Trouble in Arlington needs attention

I read Kristin Banfield’s quotes in both the local daily and the Arlington Times with a great deal of interest. She states that since Mayor Larson came on board, they have really worked to raise the bar. If you do the math, you will find that Larson has been in office most of the time this theft was going on. How much was missing before Larson took office? Obviously, since some $775,000 was embezzled within the last six years — no one was watching the store. Whatever happened to auditors that could catch this kind of major fiasco or using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles? Did the annual audits specify who had dual responsibility in two departments and therefore, had the opportunity to perpetrate this kind of theft? I believe the citizens of Arlington are responsible for these monies being paid into the city. I hope that everyone in Arlington that pays these taxes are as incensed as we are. How could this happen if anyone was paying attention.

August 19, 2008 5:11 pm

I read Kristin Banfield’s quotes in both the local daily and the Arlington Times with a great deal of interest. She states that since Mayor Larson came on board, they have really worked to raise the bar. If you do the math, you will find that Larson has been in office most of the time this theft was going on. How much was missing before Larson took office? Obviously, since some $775,000 was embezzled within the last six years — no one was watching the store. Whatever happened to auditors that could catch this kind of major fiasco or using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles? Did the annual audits specify who had dual responsibility in two departments and therefore, had the opportunity to perpetrate this kind of theft? I believe the citizens of Arlington are responsible for these monies being paid into the city. I hope that everyone in Arlington that pays these taxes are as incensed as we are. How could this happen if anyone was paying attention.

We have had problems dealing with their planning department — tell us one thing, find out they gave us incorrect information, even after checking with them twice — and they caused us months of delays and problems with our building project. They say that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but we thought we were asking the experts. Not so.

We thought we were moving into Arlington to get away from noise and traffic. Trying to deal with the police is a total disappointment. They are ineffective at the very least and somehow blame the innocent party for problems created by another whom is a lawbreaker.

Hopefully, the employees of the city will take action on their own to protect what is theirs as apparently, the theft was from their retirement and benefit accounts. None of them — the Council, the Mayor or her staff answer communications on any topic — we have been trying for over two and a half years and get no response from the these people we are paying to do their jobs. They apparently have better things to do, but it isn’t guarding against theft of $775,000. My communications to this city have become very angry as they cannot or will not do anything to help their citizens who pay taxes which the city uses to operate and to pay their own salaries. I received an email from Banfield on June 24, promising a “No Compression Brakes” allowed sign on Highway 530 and 531. That has now been well over six weeks ago and still no sign. Marysville and apparently Lake Stevens, do not allow the use of these very noisy braking systems near their neighborhoods. I think the top layer of city management must be highly overpaid. Anyone notice, the Mayor has not responded to any of this scandal?

I noticed the letter to the editor in the local daily that talked about “jake” brakes, and very loud motorcycles and I was extremely interested in the gentlemen’s comment on Lake Stevens citizens insisting on disallowing the use of these very loud compression brakes used by truck drivers — especially if they are passing by housing developments. We have traveled over all of the western states and have noticed these signs even on major highways I-5 and I-80. Marysville citizens are also lucky enough to live where their government is concerned about the level of noise on their highways. It is the worst kind of noise pollution. We have asked the city of Arlington to do something about these truckers on Highway 531 to no avail. There was supposed to be a sign installed disallowing these compression brakes weeks ago, but there is no sign of the “sign.” I guess they are still spending their time looking for their $775,000.

We understand that we cannot stop all the very loud motorcycles that pass our development nor will the Arlington police do anything about the men and their toys wherein they change the muffler systems to make the most noise possible and insist on using them in housing developments. These systems are louder than those motorcycles this gentleman mentions. There is a State Law RCW 46.37.390 that states that every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order … and no person shall modify the exhaust system … in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine … however, there is apparently, according to the Arlington police, no way to stop this problem. They are heard before 6 a.m. and as late as 11:30 p.m. Since this activity was reported to the police, the noise is now louder. They are nasty bullies that haven’t outgrown the school yard and they are led to believe, by the Arlington police, that they have a right to cause this nuisance noise and that someone had the gall to report them.