EVERETT — A judge is helping the Marysville Strawberry Festival out of a jam.
The Daily Herald newspaper reports that the event’s former board reached an agreement last year with its then-director, Mark Jensen, that banned six volunteers from working with the festival for life. Jensen agreed to resign, but he had accused the volunteers of attacking his reputation, and their ban was made part of his resignation agreement.
The state Attorney General’s Office sued, calling the agreement “blatantly illegal,” and the festival’s current board wants the volunteers back before this year’s event begins June 9.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Eric Lucas on Tuesday granted the state’s motion for a preliminary injunction, which allows the volunteers to participate pending his ruling on the case. The judge found that the state was likely to win.
