MARYSVILLE — The city of Marysville’s open house regarding the Ebey waterfront Oct. 14 drew exactly one attendee in its first hour who wasn’t associated with the city itself.

Marysville City Council members Donna Wright and John Soriano sat in at the Marysville Library, as Engineering Services Manager Shawn Smith and Planning Manager Cheryl Dungan explained the city’s application for a Brownfields Cleanup Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for $20,000.

However, the only citizen who showed up at the start of the open house at 6 p.m. was Dan Bartlett, who maintains a boathouse at the Geddes Marina property at 1326 First St., just west of Ebey Waterfront Park, that the city bought in July.

“I’ve got a 50-year-old boat out there that’s been there longer than any of the others,” Bartlett said. “It’s a classic, bought by my grandfather. When I heard the announcement of this meeting, it sounded like the grant was already approved, in which case the work would start within months.”

Smith explained that the grant application deadline was Oct. 15, the next day, and that the city wouldn’t receive word back on whether or not they’d been selected to receive any funds until next spring.

“If we were chosen, it’d be this time next year before those funds were even awarded,” Smith said. “From there, the grant period would last three years.”

Smith and Dungan acknowledged that they’re facing nationwide competition for these grant funds, which would be used to remediate contaminated ground at the five-acre site, since past activities at the site or on an adjacent property could have impacted the soil, groundwater or sediment.

According to Smith, the end user for the property has yet to be determined, and could even include commercial use.