Mayor Redmon lays out city goals at State of Snohomish speech

SNOHOMISH — Mayor Linda Redmon laid out plans for a safer and more eco-conscious Snohomish, as well as celebrated past successes, in a “State of Snohomish” speech in the Carnegie Building Saturday, March 16.
A near-packed room of about 80 people came.
Protestors, too, who held posters during the speech. A couple had concerns about Snohomish being slow on processing land-use permits. Others came to oppose the LGBTQ+ Pride events.
Redmon acknowledged the protestors as expressing their rights in a democracy as part of thanking the crowd for coming.
“Imagine a Snohomish that is vibrant, diverse, welcoming, and safe,” Redmon opened.
The mayor highlighted that the city is working on pedestrian and road safety with a new local road safety plan to be enacted this week at City Council.
First Street will undergo a master plan soon that touches on parking and pedestrian safety.
Redmon also gave a save-the-date for Averill Field park’s reopening: Its ribbon cutting is April 19.
A transportation planning open house will be 4-7 p.m. April 30 in the Carnegie.
Redmon called collaboration a running theme of her work.
Community-oriented outreach, too. In remapping City Hall’s org. chart, Redmon spotlit she added a community navigator to field issues. In adding more public-facing services, the city will be doing “Snohomish 101” lessons starting in May, and a financial spending web portal meant to show how the city spends money.
The city will be creating a formal business retention and expansion program. Also, a rental assistance program to help renters offset costs launches this summer; it uses the city’s sales tax for housing. The city will be investigating how to reduce tire rubber contamination, poisonous to salmon, in city stormwater systems.
The city securing $3 million in federal funds to build the North Sewer Trunkline prompted applause.
As well, “I have made it a priority that all members of our community feel that this is their home and they belong here,” Redmon said, noting there is now a Snohomish Pride event and a Holi event.
“People love Snohomish for its unique charm. Many people think it is the physical appearance and the location that makes Snohomish so appealing,” Redmon said. “I would argue that our special something is the caring nature of our community that brings us together.”
Post-speech, Redmon said the public’s responses say to her that “we’re doing the work people want to see.”
Lifelong resident Melody Clemans said she liked what she was hearing.
“I’m very happy with how the town is going,” she said.
Resident Rod Smith said the speech felt like a presentation of a tax-and-spend plan.
Resident Will Knudsvig is concerned on the city’s direction, such as the city’s push to saturate more multifamily housing. Single family home ownership allows generations to pass down homes, and that’s being forgotten in the conversation, he said.