Megan Dunn'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: Megan.Dunn@snoco.org
Paula Rhyne, Legislative Aide
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Dear Friends:
I hope that this newsletter finds you well. With the days getting a little longer and flowers and trees budding, it’s nice to know that spring is on its way. These last two months have been busy and I have enjoyed settling into my new leadership role as Council Chair. In this role, I coordinate and facilitate meetings, assign committee representatives, decide meeting agendas and speak on behalf of the council. With the decline in COVID case counts, we are anticipating resuming hybrid council and committee meetings in council chambers but will continue to have an option for remote participation.
In this newsletter, I’ll provide updates on the council-initiated tree canopy proposal I have introduced, link to a virtual housing informational panel I hosted, share a COVID update, funding opportunities for the arts, and more ways to get involved in the community.
As always, our office is here as a resource to you. You can also find me online on Facebook and Twitter. My office is committed to being responsive and helpful. If you have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at Megan.Dunn@snoco.org. You can also call my office at 425-388-3494.
A healthy urban forest contributes to not only to our tree canopy cover but it also contributes to our economic vitality, increases our environmental stability, and promotes a better quality of life. As the county continues working on our Comprehensive Plan Update, I have worked to include a council-initiated proposal that will promote and support tree canopy coverage and policy goals in the document.
I’m proud to champion this effort with support from the League of Women Voters because trees and an adequate tree canopy is necessary for our cultural, historic, and ecosystem services and are a significant part of life in the Pacific Northwest. There is a need for a holistic framework that promotes efficient land use to accommodate growth and ensure the region is a healthy, attractive place to live as Snohomish County grows with the projected addition of almost 424,000 residents and 225,000 jobs by 2050. The question of how to maintain an urban tree canopy while maximizing housing affordability and economic development is an increasingly important issue but finding a balance is possible. I shared more about the importance of this initiative with the League of Women Voter’s Magazine on the Air’s podcast on February 14, 2022. You can find the link to the podcast here.
As this proposal moves forward, the council will first vote to request that the Planning Commission reviews the proposal and provides feedback and then send it back to Council for further review and consideration for the final 2024 Comprehensive Plan. I look forward to a robust public process as we move this forward. If you would like to share your thoughts on this matter to council, please feel free to email contact.council@snoco.org or call our main phone line at 425-388-3494 to leave a message which will be forwarded to councilmembers and aides.
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On January 25, I hosted a virtual Housing Informational Panel discussion with several local leaders to highlight the current situation of housing affordability and homelessness in Snohomish County. Panelists included jacque julien with Communities of Color Coalition, former Washington State Representative Beth Doglio, housing advocate Mindy Woods, and Chris Collier with the Housing Authority of Snohomish County. We were able to cover a lot of ground during our one hour discussion including gauging just how affordable is housing in our county, barriers to access housing, and racial disparities to affordability and access.
I am hopeful that this discussion will inspire others to advocate for housing affordability and homelessness alleviation at all levels and to continue to learn more about these issues. Understanding our past can help understand our present housing landscape. Here’s a webpage from the University of Washington’s Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project with l information on systemic racism in housing practices right here in our region. Redlining, deed restrictions, and other practices have contributed to the disparities in heath, educational attainment, and generational wealth held by white families compared to families of color. Please check out the page for more information, videos, and educational resources.
Thank you again to the panelists who joined for the discussion to share their time and knowledge. Click on the thumbnail below to watch the panel discussion:
As you may have heard, Governor Inslee has pushed up the timeline for lifting our state's state-wide mask mandate from March 21 to March 12. With declining case counts, hospitalization rates, improving vaccination rates, and broader access to testing, the state will be moving into a less restrictive phase of COVID-19 response. Masks will still be required in healthcare settings and other spaces that have guidelines set by the federal government, but as of March 12, masks will no longer be required in schools, restaurant and bars, houses of worship, or other places.
In Snohomish County, with the drop in case counts and with nearly 80% of eligible residents having received at least one vaccine, the Snohomish Health District is adjusting their schedule for testing and vaccine sites:
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Testing at Oakes Ave & Broadway in Everett: Open Monday through Friday from 9-4. Appointments encouraged but not required.
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Ashway Park & Ride: Testing offered Tuesday through Thursday and weekends from 9-4. Testing appointments encouraged but not required. Vaccines offered on Fridays from 9-4p. Vaccination appointments required: www.snohd.org/covidvaccine
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Testing at Lynnwood Food Bank: a temporary testing clinic, will be hosted at the Lynnwood Food Bank, located at 5320 176th St Southwest at the Silver Creek Family Church. The site will be open Mondays from 9-4 through March.
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Evergreen State Fairgrounds testing site: effective February 14th, Discovery Health MD has taken over operations of the Monroe testing site. New hours of operation are. 8:00 to 6:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Testing appointments required.
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Vaccinations at Everett Mall: Effective February 20th, this location has been closed. Please visit www.snohd.org/covidvaccine for other appointments.
As I shared in a previous newsletter, I was appointed to the Environmental Protection Agency's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) which is a formal advisory committee that advises the EPA Administrator on critical environmental issues impacting local governments. It is an honor to not just represent Snohomish County, but Washington State and ensure that the full variety of our state's environmental concerns are heard. This month, the LGAC committee adopted recommendations on the agency's implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This work was highlighted in their recent press release. Please click here or on the graphic below to read the full article.
On Tuesday, Feb 22, Paula and I participated in Snohomish County’s Point In Time count, or “PIT Count.” On one day each year, volunteers fan out over the entire county to count the number of people who are unsheltered and unhoused. The data that is collected helps to inform the housing and homelessness work that we do at the county and across the region. The count was suspended in 2021 due to COVID, so the last data that we have is from January of 2020 which counted 1,132 people who were without a permanent place to stay. Of these folks, 41 were veterans, 532 people were chronically homeless, and 121 households also had children under the age of 18.
Paula and I covered three maps in central Everett and met a number of residents along Evergreen Way. We handed out warming kits and shared information about the county’s warming centers. Seeing our neighbors desperately trying to stay warm on one of the coldest days of the year and connecting people with resources was a good reminder of the important work that we are doing at the county to address housing and homelessness. Results from the count are expected in the coming months.
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Paula and I getting ready to head out from Carnegie for the Point In Time Count |
In my role on the Coastal Caucus with Washington State Association of Counties, I learned about the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation's effort to oversee the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area workgroup. This workgroup looks to build partnerships and increase collaboration to support coastal communities spanning over 3,000 miles of Washington State’s saltwater shoreline. They recently drafted a Management Plan which is available for public comment. Please take a look at the plan and take a brief survey to share your input. They are also hosting virtual office hours on March 1 from 5-6p to walk through the plan and answer questions. Please click on this link to look at the draft plan, fill out the survey, or register for the office hours.
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The Everett Station District Alliance (ESDA) is a nonprofit organization working to enhance the area near the Everett Station by collaborating with local businesses, property owners, residents, and other stakeholders to make the neighborhood more vibrant. The ESDA recently announced a Mural Project to install four murals in the neighborhood this year. Check out this page to either be one of the (paid) artists, have your business wall painted, serve on the Community Advisory Group, or help paint a mural.
Governments and 501(c)(3) non-profit agencies can apply directly for grants and/or act as required agency sponsors for applicant groups and individuals. All applicants must be over the age of 18 years old at the time of application.
The Snohomish County Arts Commission reviews and recommends awards for projects: with equitable benefits to the public in Snohomish County, and in alignment with commission goals to celebrate and promote a diversity of cultural expression; to broaden the definition of art and culture; to provide easy access to arts and education; to connect artists and communities; to support local artists; and to form strong partnerships.
Projects for underserved populations and first-time applicants will receive priority consideration. All applicant projects must fall within one of three grant categories: Arts Learning Grants, Cultural Enrichment and Performance Arts Grants and Fellowship Grants.
In closing, our Council passed resolving to stand in solidarity with our Ukrainian neighbors, to send thoughts and prayers for peace in Ukraine and committing to stand ready to welcome and support any refugees which may arrive in our county and state as a result of the invasion. In light of the recent attacks on Ukraine and the world-wide turmoil on top of a pandemic, it’s understandable that our societal anxieties are high. Please be kind and gracious to yourself and others, and know that you are not alone.
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