In the mystery surrounding the Bothell mayor’s role in the purchase of the Wayne Golf Course back-nine, there is a rumor that the corporation that the mayor declines to mention is Toll Brothers. (See Bothell Reporter March 18, 2015, mayor triggers investigation)

Toll Brothers is the developer of Piper’s Glen. Toll Brothers is a very large builder with developments in 19 states and billions in annual revenue. Toll Brothers is large enough to have its own divisions for architecture, engineering, landscaping, golf course development, marketing, mortgages, title insurance and commercial development. Toll Brothers bought local developer CamWest and paid $113 million for a number of CamWest properties. Toll Brothers has a number of developments under construction in the Seattle area. With its Piper’s Glen development in Bothell, Toll Brothers has significant experience dealing with the city of Bothell and with the geology and slide potential of Norway Hill.

Why would Toll Brothers need to partner with Element Residential and its owner, chairman, president, treasurer and secretary, mayor Joshua Freed? Or with the mayor’s Wayne Manor limited liability corporation? What would Mayor Freed bring to the partnership that Toll Brothers doesn’t already have?

Dennis Skofstad, Bothell