As we approach year’s end, I want to let you know about some of the good work your city has accomplished this year. City employees work hard every day to deliver essential services, including streets, water, sewer and garbage. Our police, jail and court maintain public safety and offer local access to justice. Marysville continues to attract residential and commercial development. And our residents enjoy stellar parks, culture and recreation offerings. During my administration, the City Council and I have asked departments to do more with less and they consistently deliver. Your city operates on lean principles, delivering projects and services in the most fiscally responsible ways. Marysville has voted not to raise your general property tax levy rate since 2001, yet the city has made good progress on several fronts. Here are just a few examples of the city’s most important achievements in 2017. Police
•Due to proactive policing strategies, overall city crime rate down 22 percent since 2014
•Ongoing emphasis to locate and remove illegal encampments and to reduce panhandling, trespassing and theft
•Code Enforcement hired two new officers and handled more than 600 nuisance cases •Hired seven patrol officers, three custody officers and one records officer •Two new dual-purpose (narcotics and tracking) K9 officers trained, certified and on the job •Anti-Bullying Campaign in February, Citizen Academy in February and Youth Academy in June Fire
The city contracts with Marysville Fire District 12 for fire response and emergency management services. The cities of Marysville and Arlington and Fire District 12 are jointly exploring the formation of a Regional Fire Authority.
•Responded to about 15,000 fire and aid calls (12 percent fire, 88 percent EMS)
•Completed more than 1,500 commercial inspections and 391 plan reviews Community Development
•Continued work with Snohomish County and others to earn Regional Center recognition for Arlington Marysville Manufacturing Industrial Center •Opened new One-Stop Permit Center to assist small businesses and homeowners
•Adopted Lakewood Neighborhood Master Plan
•Made several updates to outdated building code provisions Public Works
•Built new Sunnyside water treatment plant
•Replaced aging sewer on Grove Street
•Improved Third Street with new storm water treatment, traffic safety improvements and full overlay
•Built new sidewalks on 116th Street NE, Sunnyside Boulevard and Grove Street
•Completed nearly $1.2 million in pavement preservation projects throughout the city Parks, Culture and Recreation
•Completed and opened new Ebey Waterfront Trail and Comeford Park BBQ Pavilion
•Hosted 138 events to date at Marysville Opera House, with several new programs, including country concerts, special children’s events, adult prom and Halloween dance •Continued strong participation in youth sports, summer camps and popular community events, including Easter Egg Hunt, summer outdoor movies and concerts, Touch A Truck and holiday events
Municipal Court
•Improved web access to court information and implemented online payments
•Worked with prosecutor to develop special calendar for Code Enforcement citations Finance
•New transparency model provides more current financial data to citizens on website
•Changing banks for city business reduced fees, saving taxpayer dollars
I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve as your mayor. I don’t take that lightly. As we approach Christmas and New Year’s, may you have a blessed holiday season with family and friends.
Jon Nehring is the mayor of Marysville. His column runs monthly.
