EVERETT — Everett residents got one more chance to hear from a bevy of candidates last week before receiving their ballot.
Candidates for two Everett City Council positions, Snohomish County Sheriff and Everett School Board participated in a forum Oct. 16 upstairs at Everett Station. The forum was sponsored by the Everett Council of Neighborhoods and moderated by the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County.
Ballots were mailed to voters Oct. 19 and must be mailed or dropped off at an election box by Nov. 7.
City Council candidates answered questions ranging from how to improve infrastructure and transportation to improving affordable housing and tackling homelessness issues.
Candidates from two races were answering questions during the forum. Scott Bader and Demi Chatters are vying for the at-large Position 6 spot on the council being vacated by Councilwoman Brenda Stonecipher while incumbent Judy Tuohy and Judith Martinez are competing for the at-large Position 7 seat.
When asked about what they would do about improving the city’s infrastructure, Tuohy noted that the city has fallen behind on maintenance. “We need to constantly be able to prioritize infrastructure needs,” Tuohy said, with a focus on improving roads and sidewalks especially around schools.
Martinez mentioned the need for sidewalks and noted there isn’t any sidewalks in her neighborhood, in the southern area of the View Ridge-Madison Neighborhood. She would like to see attention placed on plowing and sanding sidewalks during snowstorms, which would help people with limited mobility. “Weather does not forgive.”
Bader, who previously served nine years on the Everett City Council said, “the city has been prioritizing keeping our roads in good shape,” noting there is also room for improvement. He added the city is reviewing what infrastructure looks like and how well it’s been maintained.
Chatters said she’d look at public transportation and the need for a multi-modal transportation system as well as updating the city’s bike plan.
She’d also take a closer look at the city’s transportation improvement plan. “A lot of these projects sit on the list and don’t really move forward.”
Chatters noted the need to incentivizing green building techniques that would encourage construction in a more sustainable way.
When questioned about affordable housing Bader noted the city’s efforts addressing the issue.
“Everett has been a leader in the area when it comes to innovative approaches to trying to make housing more affordable,” Bader said. Zoning changes included higher density zoning and allowing construction of “mother-in-law” structures.
He stressed the importance of working with partners to address the “missing middle” of duplex, triplex and quadplex housing.
“I certainly worry about my kids affording housing in this area,” Bader said.
Bader said another question that needs to be answered is Everett hasn’t grown much while other areas in the county have.
Chatters, who is chair of the Everett planning commission, said regarding ways to increase housing stock that “we need to adjust our land use and zoning to ensure it allows the type of housing solutions so that families need to be able to utilize the property they own.”
Chatters said she doesn’t want to see an organization such as the Master Builders Association to write land use and zoning policy but said the city needs to address their needs concerning permitting and inspections and streamlining the process.
Martinez said that she “would love to see more affordable apartment complexes built in the city. It would provide an affordable way for people to save money to buy a home but noted high rents.
“I would like to see more places where people can rent and call home,” Martinez said.
Tuohy noted the city is revising its comprehensive plan and a draft will be ready by the end of the year. Everett has adopted regulations that allow duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes on single-family properties.
“We need more pathways to home ownership,” Tuohy said adding, “we want to make sure Everett retains its neighborhood character.”
City Council candidates also answered questions about recent pedestrian deaths, preserving open space and developing property near light rail stations.
