Councilman Nehring's April Newsletter

I hope you and your family are enjoying some of the spring weather we experienced in March. As we move into spring, my work continues at the Snohomish County Council to serve the residents of North County. In this month’s newsletter, I will highlight Broadband Access Week, my presentation to the Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce, the retirement of PDS Director Barb Mock, the Sheriff’s Office awards ceremony, and a visit to government classes at Marysville-Getchell High School.  

Broadband Access Week 

Broadband access for residents and businesses continues to be a top priority for me at the County Council. Early last month, we launched the Snohomish County Broadband Action Team (BAT) to work on strategies for addressing the gaps in reliable, high-speed internet. I wrote a column about the BAT in the North County Outlook that you can find here.

One of the first initiatives that the BAT took on was Broadband Access Week in Snohomish County. We are currently in the middle of broadband access week which started on Monday, March 29th and ends tomorrow, April 2nd. Throughout this week we have been pushing out the access and speed survey to residents, students, and businesses across the county. We have messaging to increase the awareness of the importance of reliable, high speed internet and education about our efforts to bring it to more people. 

I encourage all of you to participate in the survey linked here. This information is critical to identifying the gaps and securing future funding for broadband infrastructure expansion.  

Stilly Valley Chamber Presentation 

On March 9th, I attended the virtual Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. I was invited to give an update on Snohomish County government and provide information about our initiatives in North Snohomish County.  

At the luncheon, I presented on topics including the 2021 Snohomish County Budget, our response to COVID-19 and economic recovery, transportation projects in North County, commercial air service at Paine Field, the RAP Program, regional coordination work, our Broadband Action Team, and homelessness & the opioid epidemic.  

I always appreciate the opportunity to speak to groups like the Stilly Valley Chamber and would welcome and invitation to speak to any other community groups that would be interested. Please feel free to contact my office at nate.nehring@snoco.org for more information.  

Barb Mock’s Retirement 

Last month, long time Snohomish County employee Barb Mock retired after forty-four years of service to county residents. Barb finished her career as Director of Planning and Development Services but started her career as a receptionist working in PDS. Because of her great work ethic, deep knowledge of planning and land use issues, and character, Barb worked her way up PDS, taking on many leadership roles in the county and region.  

On March 15th, the County Council and County Executive passed a joint resolution honoring the service of Barb Mock to Snohomish County. You can find a copy of the resolution at this link.

I will be forever grateful to Barb for her service and mentorship. As chair of the Council’s Planning and Community Development Committee, I worked closely with Barb over the past four years. She was always gracious with her time and was willing to help answer questions and give advice on complexed issues and policies. I wish her the best of luck in retirement. Thank you, Barb! 

Sheriff’s Office Awards Ceremony 

On March 25th, I had the opportunity to attend the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Awards Ceremony. It was inspiring to hear the stories and recognition of our men and women in law enforcement who have gone above and beyond to serve the residents of Snohomish County. A big thank you to all the staff at the Sheriff’s Office! 

Class Visits at Marysville-Getchell High School 

On Monday, March 29th and Tuesday, March 30th, I joined my fellow County Councilmember Jared Mead for a series of classroom presentations to Mr. Natterstad’s government classes at Marysville-Getchell High School. We were invited to speak with students on the importance of civic discourse, being aware of media bias, and the role of county government.  

We spoke to five classes over the two days and answered questions from the students about government, politics, and how we can work together despite political differences to do the right thing for our communities. Jared and I had a great time with these students and I was truly impressed by the depth of their questions and their genuine curiosity about our government and society and the issues we face.  

In addition to these classroom visits, we were invited by the school district to participate in a virtual town hall. Many students, staff, and community members attended the town hall and asked great questions. My favorite part of the job is interacting with residents and discussing thoughts and ideas on solutions to local issues, so I really enjoyed this opportunity. Thank you to Councilmember Mead for participating and to the Marysville School District for hosting. These students have a bright future ahead!