Terry Ryan's eNewsletter
Snohomish County Council
3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609
Everett, Washington 98201
8th floor, Robert J. Drewel Building
Phone: 425-388-3494
E-Mail: Terry.Ryan@snoco.org
Pam Pruitt, Legislative Aide
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First $1 Billion Budget Passed
The Snohomish County Council passed our 2020 Budget on November 12th with a 4-1 vote.
Some Budget Highlights:
- Budget is fiscally responsible.
- This is the first $1 billion dollar budget in Snohomish County government history.
- Our budget is balanced with NO general property tax levy increase.
- We added $1.6 million to our “Rainy Day” fund (New fund total is $4.2 million). This rainy-day fund will help the county get through the next recession.
- Our budget includes Prosecutor Adam Cornell’s new “Innovative Justice Program” which will prosecute lower level drug cases, making our streets safer for everyone.
- We honored our fund balances for the General Fund, REET I & II which were first set during the work on our 2017 budget several years ago. This improves our liquidity and the overall fiscal health of our county.
- Our budget includes money for a law and justice study which may lead into another diversion program (or a consolidation of County sponsored diversion programs).
- We passed this budget on November 12th which long time County employees told me is the earliest Council approved budget in County History. Thank you to Councilmembers Brian Sullivan, Sam Low and Vice Chair Nate Nehring for voting with me to approve this Bi-Partisan budget.
As Chair of the Council, I worked hard to make sure this was an open and transparent process. All of the information from our analysts was shared with every council member. Council also met with all the departments and elected officials to fully understand their requests and needs. I shared our information with the Executives office as well. In complete transparency when we emailed the Chair budget to our Council, we also emailed a copy to the Herald newspaper.
Thank you to our analysts, clerks and employees who did a stellar job of helping us to put this budget together. Thank you to our County Executive, the Deputy Executive and their staff who all worked closely with our Council and staff.
The bottom line is this was a great process and a great outcome--certainly a template for future Snohomish County budgets.
Holiday Thank You!
Christmas is a time to cherish and give thanks to all those who bring so many blessings to our lives. Thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers in our county, cities, churches, charitable organizations, food banks and youth leagues who make Snohomish County a special place to live. Our county is truly a better place to live because you chose to get involved and make a positive difference in others’ lives!
Please accept our sincere thanks for those blessings this Thanksgiving, Christmas and throughout the New Year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! Be safe, have fun, spend time with your family and friends. May God bless you and your families!
All my best,
Terry Ryan
For the past 21 years, I have given our firefighters, EMTs and paramedics, a home cooked Thanksgiving dinner. I have been doing this since Station 76 in Mill Creek first opened. It’s my way to show appreciation for all they do for our community. Thank you one and all!
 Left to right - Ronda Steinbach, Matthew Ball, Alex Fatkin, Terry Ryan, Darby Hepper, Benjamin Bloomquist
The General Election was certified on Tuesday,
November 26. The results are below for District 4.
 The County Council will hold a Public Hearing on
December 4 at 10:30 a.m. on the South County Regional Fire Authority’s proposal to ban fireworks in the area it serves. This includes the unincorporated areas surrounding Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace. No action is currently planned for other areas of the County where Prop. 1 also passed.
Carolyn Weikel
County Auditor Carolyn Weikel was appointed County Auditor in 2007 and went on to win election three times from 2008 – 2019 before being term limited out of office. Her 43 year career for County government began with King County Licensing in 1976, advancing to the position of Licensing Supervisor. Carolyn started with the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office in 1990 as a License Manager, and in 2003 she was promoted to Elections and Voter Registration Manager. Because of her high standard of conduct and professionalism, Carolyn Weikel was awarded County Auditor of the Year in 2012.
Among the qualities possessed by Carolyn that have made her indispensable to Snohomish County Auditor’s Office include her integrity, transparency, responsibility, political savviness, her goal to continuously improve the Office and enhance customer service.
Carolyn, I have enjoyed working with you! Thank you for your many years of service, professionalism and dedication to Snohomish County. You are a great public servant!
Sonya Kraski
Sonya Kraski has served as the Snohomish County Clerk for twelve years, from January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2019.
She began as a file clerk and was quickly promoted to cashier, to courtroom clerk, lead courtroom clerk, supervisor, and in 2001 she was promoted to manager of Clerk’s Juvenile & Court Services Divisions. Sonya successfully ran for the Clerk of Snohomish County in November of 2008 serving three terms of four years, being termed limited.
Sonya has made great strides improving efficiencies by implementing a new statewide case management system, replacing the 37 year old legacy system which resulted in a paper on demand court, eliminating the need of a physical court file, as well as implementing numerous online services and the recent implementation of electronic filing of Superior Court records; and
Sonya also has demonstrated her commitment to serving the community as Board President for Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County, she is a member of the Rotary Club of Everett, she served on the Board of Directors for SnoCope Credit Union from 2005-2016, and is currently serving as the President of Washington State Association of County Clerks.
Thank you Sonja for your many years of hard work for Snohomish County and our greater community. You are a great public servant!
Ty Trenary
Ty Trenary has served as the Snohomish County Sheriff from 2013 – 2019.
In 1991 Ty began his career as a deputy with Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, assigned to the patrol and community policing teams in both North and South Snohomish County being certified as a Field Training Officer and EVOC instructor.
Due to his proven leadership, Ty was promoted to Sergeant in 2001 and Lieutenant in 2008, from 2008-2012 Ty served as the Police Chief for the City of Stanwood, then in 2012-2013 he was promoted to Captain, and in 2013 he was appointed by the Snohomish County Council as Sheriff.
As Sheriff, Ty was responsible for oversight of 800 employees and 400 volunteers, including eight different represented employee groups, development and administration of over $120 million dollar budget, a 1,200 bed correctional facility, management of law enforcement services contracts with five communities, and responsible for over 2,000 square miles of geography which includes large areas of mountainous wilderness and more than 2,000 miles of shoreline requiring robust search and rescue operations involving over 350 volunteers.
Ty is a proven innovator. He created the “Office of Neighborhoods” teaming sheriff deputies with social workers, Ty has also implemented sweeping reforms in the booking process at the jail addressing addiction, homelessness, and mental health, which have garnered national recognition.
Thank you Ty for your career long commitment to Snohomish County, improving the lives of the less fortunate and putting the safety of all first! You are a great public servant!
Kirk Sievers
Kirke Sievers has served Snohomish County for 45 continuous years of dedicated elected service, starting as the Snohomish County Treasurer from 1974 - 1995, as a Snohomish County Councilmember for twelve years from 1996 - 2007, and again as Snohomish County Treasurer from January 2008 - December 31, 2019; and
Since 1934, the people of Snohomish County have voted for a Sievers, Kirke’s father Verne held the positions of County Treasurer and County Auditor between 1934 - 1974; and
After Kirke read in the newspaper that his father was not running for reelection, Kirke made a bid for treasurer where he spent 20 years, then the next 12 years on the County Council, being term limited, then ran for Treasurer again in 2008; and
Due to their legacy of 85 years of public service in office between Verne and Kirke Sievers, Snohomish County Council honored them by naming a County landmark after the father and son, installing a plaque, “Sievers Plaza” in the middle of the County Campus grounds. What an incredible career!
Thank you to Kirke and his family for their lifelong commitment to public service and Snohomish County! I want to add my sincere appreciation and gratitude for the years of Kirke's guidance and advice.
Steve Thomsen
 Steve Thomsen
Steve Thomsen began his employment with Snohomish County since 1986. Steve quickly moved up the ladder, being promoted from his start as an Engineer II, to PW Group Supervisor II – ES, to PW Group Supervisor III – ES, to Engineering Manager – Design, to PW Deputy Director and in 2006 to PW Director
Steve was responsible for overseeing 600 Public Works employees who serve more than 800,000 County residents through the development and maintenance of County roads; control and management of surface water and fish habitats; and the handling and recycling of solid waste; and
During his 33 years with the County, Steve has been involved with approximately $1.3 billion in Road Fund ACP/TIP budgets. Under Steve’s 13 years as the County Engineer and Director, he has overseen $4.4 billion in total budgets, approximately $800 million in Road Fund ACP/TIP budgets, and directed the implementation of over $1.2 billion in infrastructure projects for transportation, surface water, and solid waste, all while securing a quarter billion dollars in grants to leverage County dollars towards the successful delivery of capital projects; and
No incident or project displayed Steve’s exceptional leadership more than his response to the devastating SR 530 landslide near OSO on March 22, 2014. Steve arrived on scene within hours, immediately coordinating efforts between public and private entities, stationing himself at the Incident Command Post in Arlington, often working 14-hour days, 7 days a week for 44 days.
As Chairman of the Public Works Committee, I was fortunate to work with Steve Thomsen. Steve is a great public servant and a first class individual.
Thank you Steve for all you have done for Snohomish County. Our residents and businesses will benefit from all your hard work and successes for years to come.
Dr. Daniel Selove
 Dr. Selove
Dr. Daniel Selove began his time with the County as a half-time Associate Medical Examiner from 1994-1998, and again as a temporary employee in 2014, then hired as the Chief Medical Examiner in 2015.
Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office exists to provide the citizens of Snohomish County with a modern medicolegal death investigation system and to assure that their interests and those of their loved ones are safeguarded during their time of personal loss, to which Dr. Selove has carried out the mission of the office with great competence; and
Dr. Selove’s encouraging and positive leadership style brought stability to the Office of Medical Examiner which was undergoing multiple very public management shakeups. Not only has Dr. Selove earned respect from his staff and colleagues, but most importantly from the families effected by his work. In an occupation of much needed sensitivity, Dr. Selove is known for his integrity, truthfulness and compassion.
Thank you to Dr. Selove for your leadership, kindness and professionalism as our Chief Medical Examiner.
 Forrest Dill, Pastor David Casson, Chair Ryan, Neil Pedersen
Thank you to Neil Pedersen, Pastor David Casson and the North Creek Presbyterian Church for inviting me to participate in the ceremonial “flipping of the switch” for their new solar project.
The generating capacity of this project is equivalent to about 15 homes worth of power usage (92 KW) and there will be over 200 solar panels mounted on top of North Creek Presbyterian Church to generate this amount of power. Snohomish County PUD, through a program managed by WSU, will be supporting the output for a five year period. At the end of the five years, the investors will be paid off and the system operating in the black. Over the next 25 years it is expected to save the church $181,000 in utility expense and create an offset equivalent to 1,596 tons of coal. What a great project!
Also, on February 20, 2019 Snohomish County passed a Joint Resolution committing to 100% clean electricity by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2045.
Did you know that Snohomish County has an Office of Energy & Sustainability (OES) working to conserve natural resources, reduce our climate impact, and facilitate environmental stewardship? OES partners with departments across County government and in the community to develop innovative programs and policies to actively address environmental challenges.
Snohomish County partnered with Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union (PSSCU) to launch an Energy Smart Loan program for Snohomish County residents to increase access to energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects. The Energy Smart Loan Program is now in its fourth year of operation and has made more than $10 million in low-interest loans to Snohomish County residents for energy efficiency home improvements!
Learn More about the Program & Apply
You can learn more about the program and apply online by visiting the PSSCU web site. View program standards (PDF) for eligible equipment, and view the program brochure (PDF). Contact PSCCU with questions or apply over the phone by calling 425-283-5151.
Don't forget the Rebate!
Energy Smart Loans can work great with rebate programs from local utilities, and help you save even more on your home energy projects. Click here for View a listing of incentive programs in our area.
For more information on the Energy Smart Loan Program, contact Kevin Ruuhela at 425-388-3117 or email.
The Evergreen State Fair is undoubtedly a regional summer favorite, and 2019 proved to be one of the biggest years yet. The fair brought in record breaking attendance of 355,597 attendees which was up 3.3% from last year
- 8,486 fair goers donated 33,866 lbs. of non-perishable food items for the Opening Day Food Drive – up a few thousand from last year!
- Over 4,500 people attended the rodeo with over 200 participants.
- Carnival gross sales up 7.4%.
- Youth Live Stock Auction sales up by 34%.
- 2,597 total livestock exhibits.
- 23,140 total competitive exhibits.
- 199 vendors and sponsors.
The next Evergreen State Fair will be August 27-September 7, 2020! More about the Evergreen State Fair at EvergreenFair.org.
Bothell
Tree Lighting Festival…for the entire family! Join Downtown Bothell businesses and your community for the annual Tree Lighting Festival on Main Street! Santa arrives at 5 PM and the Tree Lighting follows promptly thereafter. Come early to shop at the the Holiday Market at Main Place (north of Main Street) and get a bite to eat at one of the food trucks. Then, stick around for holiday merriment on Main Street with a festival of activities, refreshments, and an appearance by Santa and holiday characters. Some activities may be supply-limited.
Schedule – Sunday, December 1, 2019
2 PM
Introducing the Holiday Market near the food truck court
4:30 PM
Free holiday activities and treats on Main Street by merchants and Bothell businesses and community organizations
4:30 PM
Carolers, holiday music, and favorite holiday characters
5 PM
Santa’s Arrival • Lighting the Tree
Bothell's Tree Lighting Festival On Main Street
Bothell's Annual Tree Lighting Festival on Main St, 1st Sunday in December. This event is organized and supported by downtown Bothell businesses.
Brier
Brier Annual Tree Lighting
Santa arrives at Brier Park at 6 PM
Mill Creek
Seattle Hill Elementary Craft & Vendor Fair
Sat, December 7, 2019
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST
Location
Seattle Hill Elementary
12711 51st Ave SE
Everett, Wa 98208
Come and enjoy the start of the holiday season with your community! Get a jump on your holiday shopping with dozens of local vendors, concessions, entertainment and raffle drawings!
Santa’s Coming to Town
Mill Creek Town Center
Hours: 2 – 8 PM
Embrace the holidays at the annual Mill Creek Santa Parade and Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 7. In addition to the day’s main events, families will be able to enjoy cookie decorating, carriage and train rides, reindeer, musical performances and pictures with Santa.
Santa will be staged for professional pictures from 10 AM to 6 PM. at Brooklyn Brothers Pizzeria (15121 Main St.). Free train rides for children will run from 2 to 6 PM at the north end of the Town Center.
The Santa Parade starts in Mill Creek Town Center at 3:30 PM beginning at LA Fitness (15024 Main St.) and winding south on Main Street to the City Hall North parking lot (15720 Main St.).
The Tree Lighting immediately follows the parade at 4 PM at City Hall South (15728 Main St.). The event includes performances by the Henry M. Jackson High School drum line and Voices Northwest Chorus and cookie decorating.
There will be free carriage rides through Town Center and live reindeer from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. The day’s events will conclude with a free Cherry Cherry Christmas Concert. The concert will be held at the Forum (15129 Main St.) from 6 to 8 PM.
Mill Creek Tree Lighting
Saturday, December 7
Hours. 4 – 5 PM
Mill Creek City Hall
15728 Main St.
Mountlake Terrace
Eve Worrell Painting Exhibit
December 1 – December 31, 2019
Mountlake Terrace Library
23300 58th Ave W
Mountlake Terrace
Cost: FREE
Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday, December 6
The Tree Lighting Ceremony is held annually on the first Friday evening in December at 6:30 PM at Evergreen Playfield, 22205 56th Avenue W.
Thanks to our Tour de Terrace volunteers who serve cocoa, coffee and cookies at the Evergreen Playfield concession stand while local school children sing carols. The "tree", which can be seen from miles around, is actually a frame constructed with 1,800 LED lights and sits atop the city's water tower.
Experienced attendees know that Santa will make his grand entrance on a Fire Truck! Guests should dress warm and wear boots if the weather is wet because it is a dirt field.
The Tree Lighting event is funded through sponsorships and the 2018 event was sponsored by Mountlake Terrace Plaza. The event is free to the public, however cash donations will be accepted at the concession stand for the Michelle Ringler Youth Recreation Scholarship Fund. Since 2002, the Fund has helped over 400 children register for recreation programs at the Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion.
The Tree Lighting Ceremony brings our community together with holiday spirit. For more information, please call the Recreation Pavilion at 425-776-9173.
Mountlake Terrace Community Senior Center
Community Breakfast! First Saturday of the Month!
23000 Lakeview Drive
Mountlake Terrace
Join us on the first Saturday of the month for a community breakfast. Breakfast will be served from 8:30 -11:00 AM and plates are $5/person & $2/kids. All proceeds go to the Senior Center so come out and enjoy breakfast for a great cause!
Holiday at the Lake
Saturday, December 7 from 8 AM – 3 PM.
Start the morning off right with a delicious breakfast sandwich and craft fair! Breakfast will be served from 8 - 10 AM for $5. There will also be lunch and snacks served from 12 - 2 PM. If you are a vendor/crafter/collector and would like to set up a table, please contact the center at 425.672.2407. The fee is $35/table.
Breakfast with Santa
Dine with Santa on Sunday, Dec. 8 and benefit children in need during the Annual Santa Breakfast sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, S. Al Wilcox Unit 234. The event will run from 9 AM to noon at the American Legion Hall, 22909 56th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace. Cost is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for kids age 3-10. Under 3 is free.
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