Councilmember Nehring's November Newsletter

Dear North County Neighbors,

I hope you have all enjoyed the fall season and a fun and safe Halloween. My November newsletter will highlight the inaugural meeting of the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways Program Advisory Board, our SnoCo Tap Kickoff and Beach Clean-Up, and an update on the county budget.

As you have likely read in my previous newsletters, the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) program has started at Marysville Pilchuck High School and the students are very enthusiastic about the program. It is great to see the excitement these students have about hands-on training in the skilled trades to prepare them for a successful career. A crucial part of the establishment and continuity of the program is community and stakeholder involvement. This has manifested in the RAP Program Advisory Board which met for the first time on October 23^rd. The Advisory Board is made up of representatives from labor and apprenticeship programs, K-12 education, higher education, industry, and local government. The Board will help guide the program, from specific instruction and ensuring that students are learning relevant skills to community outreach to ensure ongoing support and future success of the program. The Advisory Board will meet on a quarterly basis to receive updates on the program and provide guidance. The Arlington Times provided a great write-up on the start of the RAP Program and it was featured in the Herald Business Journal linked here.

Last Saturday, I was pleased to join Zero Waste Washington, the Snohomish Health District, and WSU Extension Beach Watchers for the kickoff of our SnoCo Tap initiative through a beach clean-up. SnoCo Tap is an effort to reduce plastic bottle waste by advertising businesses and other public locations that will fill reusable water bottles for the general public, free of charge. Participating locations can sign up through Zero Waste Washington and be listed on the TapApp for mobile phones. Users can use the app to see locations near them where they can have their bottles filled with clean drinking water. This helps to reduce the use of plastic water bottles and encourages healthier living. I am grateful to the partners who have helped make this happen and for those who attended Saturday’s beach clean-up to help kickoff the effort.

Fall is also budget season at the Snohomish County Council. In my last newsletter, I shared that we had received the Executive’s proposed budget for 2020. Since then, Councilmembers and staff have been reading through the budget, identifying priorities, and proposing potential changes. The next step is for the Council Chair, Terry Ryan, to propose his amendments to the budget. Once the Chair’s Amended Budget is proposed, Council will consider the budget along with proposed amendments at a public hearing. At this point, we are aiming at budget adoption on November 12^th. I will have an update in my next newsletter to share more about the details about the adopted 2020 budget. If you would like to learn more about the budget process or how to give your input, you can visit the 2020 Budget website here.

Finally, I would like to remind you that the November General Election is coming up on November 5^th. We have many important local elections on the ballot and it is important that your voice is heard. Local government is the closest and most responsive to residents. You can vote up to 8PM on Election Day but are encouraged to send in your ballot early. You can mail your ballot (no postage required) or drop it in a local ballot drop box. A list of ballot drop box locations can be found here.

I will be sending out newsletters on a monthly basis to keep you informed about what I am working on and how I am representing the residents of North Snohomish County on the County Council. Please feel free to reach out to me at 425-388-3494 or Nate.Nehring@snoco.org.

Sincerely,

Nate Nehring
Councilman, District 1

Snohomish County Council 3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609 Everett, Washington 98201   8th floor, Robert J. Drewel Building  Phone: 425-388-3494 E-Mail: Nate.Nehring@snoco.org   Russell Wiita, Legislative Aide