Everett public budget meetings
EVERETT — The city is trying to figure out how to solve a $12.6 million budget deficit for 2025 and has scheduled public budget meetings and set up a public survey.
The next one will be Thursday, Aug. 22 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Evergreen Branch Library, 9512 Evergreen Way. An initial meeting was held Tuesday, Aug. 20.
There will also be a listening session with elected officials Monday, Aug. 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Everett Station, 3201 Smith Ave., in the Weyerhaeuser Room.
The city put out a simple public budget-priorities survey at www.everettwa.gov/2025budgetsurvey . It is open until Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Second public bathroom coming to Everett; planned third one has budget overrun
EVERETT — The city’s second public bathroom is anticipated to open this fall near EverPark Garage, 2815 Hoyt Ave.
The city is buying these using the $20.7 million it received in federal COVID-19 relief dollars.
The plan for a third bathroom outside the Cope Gillette Theatre by Wetmore Plaza, though, has a funding gap, a city official said last week. The City Council will be asked to allocate possibly $500,000 from a different source to fund the third bathroom, according to city community development director Julie Willie. An exact figure from the city was not available by press time.
The city’s first public bathroom opened in July near City Hall.
The city has used $1.25 million in COVID-19 dollars for the bathrooms.
Interstate 5 Everett-Marysville HOV lane open to traffic, to get finishing work
EVERETT — The Interstate 5 northbound HOV lane from Pacific Avenue in Everett to near the Marysville flats opened to traffic Aug. 14 after months of construction.
The end of the HOV lane currently becomes the fast lane on I-5 with no merging necessary.
The lane still has finishing work to do. The roadbed has rough pavement and there is a jarring pavement transition on the highway.
The finishing work is due to come. WSDOT said that “contractor crews will do the final paving on this section of northbound I-5 during overnight lane reductions through the end of August, then crews will paint the permanent lane markings in September.”
The HOV lane is one piece of a project in the area to add new ramps from I-5 northbound onto state Route 529, and state Route 529 onto southbound I-5 and also to build a roundabout at the I-5 - SR 529 interchange.
Snohomish summer meal program serves 11,000 so far
SNOHOMISH — The Snohomish School District’s free summer meal program, Kids’ Cafe, has served 11,395 meals as of Aug. 14, Superintendent Kent Kultgen said. The numbers are up by 600 meals versus the same time last year.
Snohomish’s free meal program runs until Friday, Aug. 30 this year.
For details, see www.sno.wednet.edu/kidscafe or read the June 19 Tribune for free at the Snohomish Library.
— Compilation reporting by Tribune staff
