Councilmember Nehring's July Newsletter

RAP Program Open House

On June 8th, the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program hosted its annual open house event at the RAP Center in Marysville. The event brought students, supporters, and community members together to reflect on the great work accomplished through the program this past school year. We heard from RAP students who shared their experience with the program, showcased their projects from the year, and talked about how the RAP Program has positively impacted their lives and future career pathways.  

YMCA Volunteer of the Year Award

Over the past year, I have been working with county staff and Rooted Northwest to establish a framework allowing for a rural village housing demonstration program in unincorporated Snohomish County. Rooted Northwest's project is an agri-village which will consist of individual homes built on a condensed part of a 240-acre farm while protecting the farmland from future development in perpetuity. Individuals living in the agri-village will have the opportunity to utilize the farmland and support each other’s farming pursuits. 

This is a unique opportunity to lower the barrier for new farmers who might not otherwise be able to afford a full, large farm while also preserving farmland in Snohomish County. In order to make the project work, we needed to adjust county code to allow for a demonstration program. I introduced Ordinance 23-051 to do just that.  

On June 14th, the County Council passed Ordinance 23-051 creating the rural village housing demonstration program. I view this legislation as a win-win because it will protect farmland and open space, support local farmers, and provide affordable housing all at the same time. Now, Rooted NW can proceed with their project. I was proud to work on this ordinance with a great team and I am excited to see the project come to fruition. Learn more about Rooted NW on their website linked here. 

Juneteenth is a federal and state holiday which commemorates the emancipation of slaves in the United States. While Juneteenth has been celebrated for many years in the black community, it is fairly recent that celebrations have become mainstream across the country. Juneteenth (a combination of June and nineteenth) is the anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Granger proclaiming freedom of enslaved people in Texas on June 19th, 1865. 

In Snohomish County, the County Council passed resolution 23-027 “Recognizing June 19, 2023, as Juneteenth Independence Day in Snohomish County.” We also held a Juneteenth flag raising ceremony on the plaza of the County Campus on June 16th.  

Evergreen Boys State 

On June 20th, Councilmember Mead and I had the opportunity to join the Evergreen Boys State leadership conference at the Warm Beach Conference Center in the Stanwood area. We were able to speak to the group of high schoolers about our roles on the County Council, local government responsibilities, and the importance of civil discourse and working together. We had a great time and both appreciated the insightful questions and thoughtful discussion about politics and government.  

The American Legion’s Evergreen Boys State leadership conference is a summer program which educates and engages teens about Washington State Government through a series of guest speakers, mock elections, mock trials, and local government simulations. I have been impressed by these students each time I have visited their program. To learn more about Evergreen Boys State, visit their website here.  

Strawberry Fields Grand Opening Event

Last month, I joined the City of Marysville, Amazon, youth soccer players, and community members to cut the ribbon for the brand new turf soccer field at the Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex. The new turf field is the first of three upgrades to the complex funded through a partnership between the County, City, and Amazon.  

The new turf field will allow for extended soccer seasons which were not possible due to poor grass field conditions in the rainy months. In addition to the field, a new children’s playground and improvements to the existing off-leash dog park will also be completed in the near future. I am very excited about the overall project as it will serve the recreational interests of community members of all ages in north county. 

This is a great example of what can happen when local governments and the private sector partner to leverage dollars on projects which benefit the community. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen!