LYNNWOOD—With the words “To the best of my ability,” at his oath of office given by Mayor Christine Frizzell today, Robert Leutwyler is confirmed as the newest member of the Lynnwood City Council, he will fill the Position 5 vacancy left by the resignation of Dr. Julieta Altamirano-Crosby on January 6, 2025. Leutwyler will fill the vacancy until November 25, 2025, when the winner of the General Election will then be confirmed to fill the remainder of the term for Position 5.
Councilman Robert Leutwyler shared the following statement to the Lynnwood Times for residents on his recent appointment:
“It is a deep honor and privilege to join the Lynnwood City Council and continue serving this community. As [a] Councilmember, I will strive every day to earn and build trust as an advocate for all residents.
“I also want to recognize and thank everyone who stepped forward and applied for this position—it takes courage and commitment to step up and participate in public service.”
Robert Leutwyler was born and raised in Texas. After completing his undergraduate education, he began his active-duty military service at Fort Benning (now Fort Moore) in Georgia, where he attended Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course and Airborne School.
After completing his military training, he was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. During this time, he was deployed to the Arghandab River Valley in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he served as an Infantry Platoon Leader for his nine-month deployment. Robert’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Since arriving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2011, Robert has been proud to call the Pacific Northwest his home. After living in Tacoma, Northgate, and Lake City, he became a proud first-time homeowner in 2018, when he moved into Lynnwood’s Meadowdale community.
Robert earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and has worked as a program manager in the retirement and financial benefits industry since 2015. Prior to joining the City Council, Robert served on the Planning Commission since 2023. His hobbies and interests include marathon and half-marathon training, gaming, and spending time outdoors in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
The City of Lynnwood has committed to being a “Veteran-Supportive and Ready City” and has initiatives to support veterans, including events like the Heroes Among Us Luncheon and a Veterans Park Memorial Program.
Musical Council Seats
The lead up to Leutwyler swearing in was akin to a “Game of Thrones” season. Rebecca “Becky” Thorton was voted unanimously on February 29 to fill the Position 5 seat, however, just hours prior to her confirmation she withdrew from consideration.
The Council then on March 10, selected Jessica Roberts; however, it was discovered that she was an adult-theme OnlyFans model and allegedly expressed disturbing Reddit posts about women. Roberts were to be sworn in at the City Council Work Session at 6 p.m. on March 17 at Lynnwood City Hall, however the Lynnwood City Council scheduled a Special Meeting on March 13 to discuss rescinding their vote for her. Just hours before the Special Meeting on March 13, Roberts withdrew from consideration.
In an email sent to Assistant City Administrator Julie Moore on Saturday, March 15, Naz Lashgari, one of four remaining candidates to fill the Position 5 vacancy announced her intent to withdraw from consideration for the position.
“Over the past eight years, I have dedicated my time and expertise to serving this City, believing that experience, commitment and qualifications would be the foundation of the selection process,” Lashgari wrote. “Unfortunately, it has become clear that other factors took priority in this process. Rather than focusing on leadership, experience and the ability to serve, the process appeared to emphasize style over substance, overlooking the depth of knowledge and dedication that many candidates including myself brought to the table.”
Lynnwood resident Lashgari is the former Chair of Lynnwood’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission. She implemented successful initiatives, such as the development of the Race and Social Justice Coordinator position, spearheaded the “All Are Welcome” campaign to advance the process of creating a more inclusive culture in Lynnwood, and currently serves on the Lynnwood Planning Commission as well as serving on the Board of Snohomish County Public Facilities District which includes the Lynnwood Convention Center, the Edmonds Art Center and the Angel of the Winds Arena.
The remaining candidates for consideration were Forrest Baum, Robert Leutwyler, and Chelsea Wright. However, on Monday, March 17, just hours before the Work Session, it was announced that Chelsea Wright withdrew from consideration.
Wright has been a resident in Lynnwood since December of 2012. She currently serves on the DEI Commission for the City of Lynnwood and works for the state of Washington in Labor & Industries as a Program Specialist within the WERC (Work Equity Research Center).
On Tuesday, March 18, Forrest Baum then withdrew from consideration to fill the vacant Lynnwood City Council seat.
Of the original 19 candidates, only Army combat veteran Leutwyler remained.
Leutwyler was selected in a Special Meeting on Wednesday, March 19, to fill the Position 5 vacancy with a vote of 5 yeas and 1 abstention. Councilwoman Derica Escamilla abstained from voting for Mr. Leutwyler because he wasn’t diverse enough stating that “in good conscience” she “cannot support an appointment that does not reflect the full spectrum of voices in our community.”
Below is Councilwoman Escamilla’s comment during the March 19 meeting in its entirety as to why she did not vote for Leutwyler:
“Good evening, fellow council members and community. Tonight, I will not be voting for the appointment of the remaining candidate for the open city council position. This decision is not a reflection of the individual seeking appointment, but rather a deep disappointment in the process and lack of representation that truly reflects our diverse community.
“Our city is made up of people from all backgrounds, estimated at:
- 50% white (with over half female)
- 19% Asian
- 14% Hispanic or Latino
- 8% black or African American
- 11.3% with 2 or more races
- 5.7% other races
- less than 1% Native American, Pacific Islander or native Hawaiian.
“Based on these demographics, it is crucial that our governing bodies reflect that diversity so that all voices are heard. This is not about diversity for diversity’s sake or any specific initiative. It is about ensuring that every community within our city has a seat at the table and the opportunity to contribute to the decisions that impact them.
“The appointment process should encourage broader participation and representation, including those that you do not see at this table, and a process where the community gets to provide input when the unforeseen happens. Unfortunately, this process has not led to that outcome. So, in good conscience, I cannot support an appointment that does not reflect the full spectrum of voices in our community.
“I do understand and commend Mr. Leutwyler’s service to our country, and I love that. And that too, I wanted to mention. I want my community to know that my indecision does not reflect my professionalism and ability to work together with Mr. Leutwyler and this council.”
Other City Business
At its Business Meeting on March 24, the City Council unanimously approved with a vote of 7-0, $219,830 in two separate motions to fund the Lynnwood Police Dept request of an embedded social worker for the Snohomish County Outreach Team—$177,500 is funded through a grant awarded by Verdant Health Commission and $42,330 from the opioid fund.
Through this program the City of Lynnwood will be able to provide assistance to those in the community who have unmet social service needs related to homelessness and housing, mental illness, substance misuse and abuse, veteran status, medical concerns, financial needs and other related concerns.
The total cost of the program is $262,161 of which $177,500 is funded through a grant awarded by Verdant Health Commission. The remaining $84,661 is unfunded and is proposed to be split between the city of Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace who will be sharing the services.
Editor’s Note: Robert Leutwyler’s biography was provided by the City of Lynnwood.
Author: Mario Lotmore
