An Introduction
A quick reintroduction, a few reflections on Mountlake Terrace, and a new space for local connection, maybe.
Hi neighbors,
I’m Dustin DeKoekkoek. If we’ve crossed paths before — through MLTnews, nextMLT, MLTCF, a city council meeting, or a sidewalk conversation — you know I’ve been a pretty engaged Mountlake Terrace resident over the past 18 years. I’ve worn a few hats over the years: local journalist, civic advocate, dad, sidewalk nerd. But for this newsletter, I’m just Dustin. I’m not representing any group or organization, just sharing my own thoughts as a longtime neighbor who cares deeply about this place.
You may have seen me at council meetings, volunteer events, or out for a beer at Hemlock. Admittedly, not much recently. Life is full: I just wrapped up a two-year home remodel, my wife and I are raising two teenage daughters, and I have a good career in transportation planning and engineering. I don’t prioritize many of the ways I used to stay engaged with community life, and that’s okay. So goes this phase of life.
Still, I miss connecting with folks and talking about what’s happening around town. I have a few spare minutes on my commute. I can still send a message. I still show up when something matters. So this newsletter is my low-key attempt to reconnect, reflect, and share some musings about Mountlake Terrace.
This won’t be a news site or a complaint forum. Just a personal outlet for updates, stories, questions, and civic observations — shared in the spirit of love for this city and the people who call it home.
I should also say: some of what I write here may come across as more "political" than what you're used to from me. But to me, politics today is often a matter of values, ethics, and what kind of community we want to be. I’m concerned about some of the recent decisions being made that affect the direction our city is heading. The recent vote to adopt surveillance cameras was one of those decisions. And after witnessing how that vote played out, I seriously question whether the majority of our city council is up to the challenge of leading our community in 2025. While I won’t get into all of that today, it’s something I plan to explore in a future email.
In some ways this is inspired by a former council member who had an email newsletter many years ago. That was mostly before the heyday of blogs and social media. Some of you old timers may have been subscribers of Z-Man Community News. I’m finding myself going full circle, tired of the mostly anonymous, back-and-forth online discourse on platforms owned by tech oligarchs. If something I write causes you to want to respond, just reply to the email. I’d love to learn from you and hear your perspective. I’ll write back.
I should also confess: I have a tendency to start a lot of things. My interests are varied, and time is limited. This might end up being another one of those projects I don’t fully follow through on. But if all this ends up being is a single message to let you know I’m still here — still paying attention, still caring about this place — then maybe that’s enough.
I don’t know how often I’ll write. Maybe weekly, maybe monthly. Maybe this will be the first and last edition you get. But I wanted to create a space for more thoughtful reflection, context, and connection.
If this doesn’t sound like your thing, no hard feelings — there’s an unsubscribe link below. But if you’re still with me, thanks for reading. We’ll see how it goes.
More (maybe) soon,
Dustin