Mill Creek Celebrates A Cedace Of Cityhood -- Festival, Run Mark Blossoming Of County's Newest City

MILL CREEK - Snohomish County's youngest city is putting a 10th candle on the cake this year.

As milestones go, Mill Creek's 10th anniversary may not seem like much when compared with Everett, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

But Mill Creek residents said the city has passed its infancy and is enjoying a happy childhood. And that's enough reason to celebrate.

"I think Mill Creek has come a long way as a city. I think 10 years is a nice landmark," said Michele Schutz, one of the first two employees hired when Mill Creek officially became a city on Sept. 30, 1983.

When the city was incorporated, Schutz started a petty cash fund with her own money so Mill Creek could afford to buy stamps, Mayor Pamela Pruitt said. Ten years later, Mill Creek isn't too concerned about its finances.

"Outside of the debt for the city hall (building), we don't owe any money . . . and we set aside enough money every year so we can pave our roads," Pruitt said.

Tenth anniversary celebrations planned for this weekend include the Mill Creek Festival and Run of the Mill.

The festival will feature arts and crafts and food booths, parade, beer garden, pony rides and live entertainment.

The schedule: tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 to 7 p.m., at the Bothell-Everett Highway and 164th Street Southeast.

The Run of The Mill is a 5.5-kilometer run starting at 9 a.m. tomorrow at Mill Creek Country Club, 15500 Country Club Drive. There's a $15 entry fee for participation.

City officials hope to show the friendlier side of Mill Creek, which has been called "snobbish" in the past. The city, per capita, is one of the wealthiest in Snohomish County and some of its neighborhoods have strict covenants.

"People assume we are snobbish . . . but that has always been such a small portion of our people. I would hope that image would be gone," Pruitt said. "People in Mill Creek are very involved and very giving."

The city began as a planned community built by United Development Corp., a Washington firm created by two large Japanese corporations. Mill Creek had 3,351 residents when it became a city in 1983. The city now has 8,610.

Pruitt said Mill Creek has moved away from being a retirement community and has become a city for families.

Which is why there's a greater emphasis in providing services for that segment of the population. The city had no public parks as recently as 1985. At the time, all of the recreation sites, including the Mill Creek Country Club and tiny neighborhood parks, were private.

Today, the city has a total of 9.3 acres spread among three public parks, with plans for more.

And 43 employees have joined Schutz on the payroll.

Mill Creek became Washington's 266th city and the first community in the state to incorporate since Ocean Shores in 1970. Mill Creek was followed by the incorporations of Federal Way, Burien, SeaTac and Woodinville, all King County cities.

"At first it was Mill Creek, the community. Now, it's Mill Creek the city," Schutz said. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mill Creek: then and now

1983 1988 1993 .

Population 3,351 5,261 8,610 .

City employees 3 20 44 .

Size (square miles) 1.92 2.5 3.5 .

Parks (acres) 0 0 9.3 .

General fund budget (millions) $1 $1.8 $3.7 .

Assessed valuation (millions) $163 $282 $549 .

Businesses 150 255 307 .