I have also introduced an amendment which would add embedded social workers to work with the Sheriff’s Office of Neighborhoods to address issues of homelessness, addiction, and mental health in our communities. When the Office of Neighborhoods was temporarily disbanded to address staffing issues, the social workers assigned to that unit were re-assigned. This amendment would add social workers to partner with Office of Neighborhoods deputies again by utilizing federal grant funds.  

The County Council held two public hearings on the budget on October 25th (one at 10:30 AM and one at 6:00 PM). We will hold one more public hearing on Wednesday, November 9th. This will likely be the last public hearing on the budget as we are scheduled to vote on budget adoption that day. If you would like to provide testimony on the budget, you can attend that meeting next week or submit comments in writing by emailing contact.council@snoco.org.  

Drug Treatment Ordinance 

On October 19th, the County Council held a public hearing and voted on Ordinance 22-033, my proposal to require drug treatment for individuals living in county-owned hotels who are actively using drugs. The Council heard public testimony for over an hour from 17 individuals who attended the meeting to testify in addition to 40 emails received prior to the meeting.  

While the majority of the testimony was in favor of the ordinance, the Council declined to adopt it with Councilmember Low and I voting in favor and the remaining three councilmembers voting in opposition. 

While I am disappointed that the Council did not adopt this proposal, I am committed to continuing to monitor these county-owned hotels. If the approach currently being taken does not show success in helping individuals overcome their drug addictions, this policy may be revisited. I believe it is critical that as a county, we do everything we can to not solely provide shelter, but also provide a pathway toward a healthier lifestyle free from drug addiction. 

You can read more about the vote in the coverage by the Everett Herald linked here.

Housing Solutions Breakfast 

On Thursday, October 20th, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion at the Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties’ Housing Solutions Breakfast.  

The discussion centered around ideas for increasing the supply of affordable housing in the Puget Sound. I shared my insights regarding development regulations and ways that local government can implement meaningful reforms to increase the supply and lower the cost of housing. Specifically, I highlighted our work on missing middle housing, accessory dwelling units, and SEPA exemptions in Snohomish County. These are all proposals that have received broad support in Snohomish County and have been passed into law by the County Council. 

UTSAV Event 

On October 24th, I joined Councilmember Sam Low in Lake Stevens for a Diwali Festival of Lights celebration hosted by UTSAV USA. UTSAV has a mission of connecting South Asians with local communities to make a difference. This was their first event in Lake Stevens and there was a great turnout. We got to hear from youth speakers, eat great food, and watch fireworks! 

Mike Sells Award Ceremony 

State Representative Mike Sells has been our longest and most outspoken supporter of the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program in the legislature. Even before the inception of the program, Representative Sells was there to guide our efforts and help us navigate through the legislative process.  

Representative Sells is retiring from the State House of Representatives at the end of this year and has been recognized by the Snohomish County Labor Council with an award named in his honor: the Mike Sells Labor Champion Award. The Inaugural banquet was held on October 25th and I was honored to attend to recognize the great career of Representative Sells. Mike served for more than 30 years as a teacher, 28 years as Secretary-Treasurer for the Snohomish County Labor Council, and 18 years in the State Legislature.  

I appreciate Mike’s service to his community and his ongoing support of the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways Program.  

Public Works Roll Call 

I recently joined the morning roll call for road maintenance employees in Snohomish County Public Works at the operations center in Arlington. Each morning, they gather for roll call to go over assignments for the day and receive updates relating to their work. I had a few minutes to speak with them and thank them for the great work they do in Snohomish County.  

Snohomish County Roads Maintenance is responsible for over 1650 miles of roadway and 200 bridges throughout the County. That is approximately the distance from Everett to Minneapolis, MN. We are blessed to have such a great crew working to keep our roads and bridges safe for us in Snohomish County. 

MSD Dia de los Muertos Event

The Marysville School District hosted a Dia de los Muertos kick-off event at Marysville Middle School. My family and I had the chance to attend and appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the holiday and participate in the festivities. It was great to see Superintendent Dr. Zac Robbins at the event. 

State of the Station Address

At last month’s Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce meeting, we heard a “State of the Station” address from Commanding Officer Joshua Menzel. He provided an update on the work happening at Naval Station Everett.  

Naval Station Everett is one of Snohomish County’s largest employers and has been a partner in the community for nearly 30 years. I always appreciate hearing about what is going on at the base and thank CO Menzel for taking the time to share with us.  

Remember to Vote – November 8th

If you haven’t already, make sure to mail your ballot in or drop it in a ballot drop box by 8:00 PM on November 8th! We have many important federal, state, and local elections on the ballot this year. For a list of ballot drop box locations, visit this website.