Councilmember Nehring's May Newsletter

Snohomish County, Washington sent this bulletin at 05/01/2024 04:00 PM PDT

Dear North County Neighbors,

I hope you and your family are doing well. April was another busy month on the Snohomish County Council with our Comprehensive Plan discussions moving forward and a number of community events and new legislation.

RAP Spring Showcase

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of co-hosting the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program’s second annual Spring Showcase event. The Spring Showcase invites the community, program stakeholders, and elected officials to the RAP Center to learn about the program, hear from students and staff, and see the great work happening to prepare our future workforce in the building and construction trades.

In The News

County Council weighing, waiting on shelter drug residue test rule | Snohomish Tribune, April 2, 2024

Public invited to celebrate Strawberry Fields improvements | Lynnwood Times, April 28, 2024

Community events

May 4 – Marysville Fishing Derby

May 11 – Arlington Garden Club Plant Sale

May 11 - Spring Craft Fair and Bazaar (Stanwood-Camano)

May 19 – Marysville Multi-Cultural Festival

May 27 – Arlington Memorial Day Parade

The Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program is a registered pre-apprenticeship program located at Marysville Pilchuck High School. The RAP Program is in its fifth year of training high school students in the building and construction trades. Through partnerships with local school districts and industry partners, students in the RAP Program gain valuable education and skills to prepare them for the workforce after high school. You can learn more about the RAP Program by visiting this website.

We had over 100 guests join us at our annual event. Students took guests on guided tours of the RAP Center and explained the projects they are working on and the skills they are learning. Following the tours, we had a speaking program to share more about the RAP Program.

RAP Director Dr. Anne Carnell gave an overview of the goals and vision of the Program and explained the growth we have seen since starting the Program 5 years ago. From an initial cohort of 24 students, the RAP Program has grown to 75 students with more applicants than we currently have capacity for. This is a testament to the great work happening and the dedication of the RAP students and staff.

We also heard from RAP graduates talking about their entry into the work force, one of the RAP teachers about the students’ success at the SkillsUSA competition, and a few of the current students talking about the value of the RAP Program.

Also during the program, I had the opportunity to announce the RAP Champion award recipient for 2024. This year, we recognized Herman Calzadillas, Dean of AMTEC and Career Connected Learning at Everett Community College. Herman has been part of the RAP Team since day one. The partnership with EvCC allows RAP students to achieve college credit, OSHA and CPR certification, and access to a Career Readiness Counselor. Herman has shared our vision and dedicated significant time and effort to the success of the RAP Program. It was an honor to recognize him at the event yesterday.

I am so appreciative of the many community members who joined us to learn about the RAP Program and support the students who will be the workforce of tomorrow.

Snohomish County Update Presentation

On Friday, April 26th, I had the opportunity to present an update on Snohomish County to the Greater Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce. I always appreciate the opportunity to share the work we are doing on the Snohomish County Council and answer questions about county government.

At this presentation, I shared updates on Snohomish County’s budget, economic development efforts throughout our area, the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program, local parks and infrastructure projects, broadband expansion efforts, affordable housing issues, and public safety. If you have a group that would be interested in one of these updates either virtually or in-person, please contact my office at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org.

Drug Testing Ordinance

This morning, the Snohomish County Council passed my ordinance to require annual testing of County-owned supportive housing facilities for hazardous chemicals. Ordinance 24-011 was adopted on a 3-2 vote with Councilmembers Low, Mead, and I voting in support.

The new requirements direct the County Department of Facilities and Fleet to test for methamphetamine and, at the discretion of the Director, other hazardous materials and controlled substances. The testing is indented to identify the presence of dangerous drugs in county-owned housing, including the hotels purchased in Edmonds and Everett.

The ordinance comes following several documented reports of meth and/or fentanyl contamination in supportive housing facilities throughout Snohomish County. It is imperative that we regularly test these facilities to prioritize the health and safety of workers and tenants and to ensure that we are being good stewards of the taxpayer dollars which are being used on these programs.

I am thankful to my Council colleagues for their support as we continue to grapple with the crisis of homelessness and drug abuse.

Comprehensive Plan Update and Public Participation

The Snohomish County Council is currently considering updates to the County’s Comprehensive Plan. The Comp Plan is a planning document that guides the county’s policies regarding land use, housing, transportation, natural environment, parks and recreation, economic development, capital facilities, and infrastructure. These updates will set the vision for the next 20 years in Snohomish County.

If you would like to learn more about the proposed updates, you can visit the Comprehensive Plan Update website at this link.

The County Council will be considering which updates to include in the final draft plan and will be providing our feedback by the end of May. If you have thoughts or feedback you would like the Council to consider, you can attend one of our meetings to provide public comment or you can email contact.council@snoco.org. To view the meeting schedule, visit this link.

I send out monthly newsletters to keep you informed about what I am working on and how I am representing North Snohomish County on the County Council. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate in reaching out to me at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org or 425-512-4810.  

Sincerely, 

Nate Nehring
Councilmember, 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