Disaster Assistance Center 

The impacts from a flood emergency can last long after the water recedes, especially for those whose homes were damaged. If your property was damaged by flooding and you are looking for information and assistance, I encourage you to attend one of the Disaster Assistance Center events on January 13 or 14 in Sultan. 

Snohomish County has partnered with Volunteers of America Western Washington to host a disaster assistance and resource center at the Sky Valley Center, 617 1st Street in Sultan. The center will include representatives from multiple organizations who can provide guidance and support to those impacted by the flooding. The center opened for the first time on Sunday, Jan. 11, and will be open again: 

• Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

• Wednesday, Jan. 14 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

More information: https://bit.ly/snocoflooding  

Flood Vouchers for Solid Waste Extended 

The voucher program that waives disposal fees for flood-damaged household items has been extended through March 19, 2026. Vouchers are available that allow households to dispose of items that were damaged by the December flooding at no cost at Snohomish County solid waste facilities.  

Residents do not have to present formal documentation or proof of damage to receive a voucher. Addresses will be recorded at the time of voucher redemption to support post-event reporting and evaluation. Customers may bring multiple loads but must have one voucher per load. Lists of acceptable flood-damaged household materials and other restrictions and drop-off locations are printed on the voucher. 

Please visit the county solid waste webpage for a list of locations to pick up vouchers, additional flood voucher information, and facility locations and hours: https://snohomishcountywa.gov/207/Solid-Waste  

Supporting Local Businesses 

Many businesses were impacted by flooding, due to direct damage or major road closures, including washouts of Highway 2 heading into the Cascades. This reduced traffic at a time of year when these communities usually get business for holiday shopping and travel. 

The Snohomish County Tourism team spent some time this week in East County communities to talk with leaders and business owners as they gather information for a campaign to support economic recovery. You can check out more from their visit in the video on the Highway 2 Campaign webpage. I joined Mayor Patsy Cudaback on Main Street in Monroe to stop by some businesses there during the afternoon portion of the team’s tour, which also took them up toward Sultan, Gold Bar, and Index. I want to thank the mayor and business leaders for their time, and I’ll be back on Main Street soon as a customer.  

I encourage people to shop local and show their support for flood-impacted businesses as well as businesses that went above and beyond to help their communities during the flooding.  

I am proud that Snohomish County is one of the many partners who helped move the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center forward, and we had a chance to celebrate on Friday, January 9. 

The neighborhood center brings together crucial resources in one place. Creating this kind of community hub requires dedicated partners. The City of Lynnwood, Trinity Lutheran Church and Schools, Volunteers of America, and world traveler and philanthropist Rick Steves all have made crucial contributions of resources and time. And that’s not a full list – there are so many people and organizations to thank for this great work. 

Snohomish County invested $4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the center. That funding will help support more than 60 spots for child care, including infant care. It also will support mental and behavioral health services providing about 10,000 appointments per year. 

Our goal with investing recovery funds was to listen to the community and use ARPA money to build up great ideas and strong partnerships. We wanted to see progress that would make a real, lasting impact for generations to come in our county. I think the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center is an example of exactly what we hoped to invest in. 

It was also my honor to proclaim January 9, 2026, as Rick Steves Day in Snohomish County. Rick is a well-known and much-loved travel writer, public television and radio personality, and businessman who has integrated his “travel as a political act” philosophy into philanthropy at home and around the world. The Edmonds High School graduate has invested in our community time and time again, and his contributions and passionate support for the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center are just one example of his giving. 

More information about the neighborhood center is available at www.voaww.org/lnc.  

The Evergreen State Fair Advisory Board has three positions that are currently open to any county resident. Applications can be found at www.evergreenfair.org/131/Fair-Advisory-Board and are due by January 16, 2026. 

The board aids in managing and preserving the largest publicly owned fair in the Pacific Northwest. They advise on topics like maintaining ties to our agricultural roots, expanding programs for youth and teens, supporting local food systems, broadening public safety efforts, evaluating budget, reviewing and recommending entertainment, and more. The 2026 Evergreen State Fair will run August 27 to September 7.