Everett Council of Neighborhoods

Council of Neighborhoods Meeting Minutes June 22, 2015 Meeting was called to order at 4pm. Agenda and minutes of the previous meeting were approved. Attendance: Andrea Tucker, Dennis Dudder, Victor Harris, Michael Trujillo, Liz Hawkins, Nikki Oku, Art Olsen, Shelley Weyer, GeorgaDee MacLeod, Elly Smith, Tom Norcott, Vanessa Randall Staff: Wendy McClure, Deborah Wright, Carol Thomas Citizen Comments: None Mayor Stephanson: unable to attend City Council Liaison: President Scott Bader – Council will have first information session on comp plan coming up to review issues and proposals. County council approved idea that Everett would take 60,000 new residents. City thought we were taking 40,000 new residents. City and County need to go through a process to reconcile those differences. Council will have to talk with residents about the difference in impacts, economics. Mayor Stephanson sent letter to County Council stating city’s concerns. This week there will be a first reading for recreational marijuana codes. Council will be briefed on this tomorrow. Three new police officers are to be sworn in tomorrow. City has budget capacity for new officers, trying to continue hiring. July 1 meeting includes an update on the Community Streets Initiative, which is a hot topic now. July 8 update will be about county courthouse project. Council is in midst of ongoing budget review. Council policies and procedures are still in review but delayed due to absences from some councilmembers. A proposal in 4-6 weeks should be forthcoming. Question – re: update on streets initiative. Council requested updates on all aspects of initiative. Not likely to have new ordinances until later in summer. Administration and staff looking for possible initiative ordinance that meets sweet spot of what is needed with what council will approve. Councilmember Bader is hearing about this issue when he is out doorbelling. People ask how can we help homeless and make city more livable in terms of dealing with transients in area. Acknowledging Dave Koenig Council reps stood and applauded to thank and honor Dave Koenig, Planning Dept. who is moving on to City of Marysville – Dave shared that he has enjoyed working with neighbors over many years in Everett. He mentioned the importance of residents being involved in the comp plan, the changes that have come with how hospital, college and new WSU campus will be changing. Andrea acknowledged he also has been helpful to historical preservation efforts, and shown leadership on those topics. Dave commented that he first got involved on a local historical project during an internship in Olympia. He said that historic overlays happened in Everett thanks to many neighbors working together. Now investment is happening due to preservation. He commented that this brings up whole area – it is more stabilized thanks to codes and overlay. It’s because of citizens support, at city council etc. talking to electeds about what they want. City and Community Reports: Cultural Arts Dept - Carol Thomas announced that Thursday starts first marina concert, near Lombardi’s. Concerts will occur Thurs and Sat nights through end of August. Schedules are available. Silver Lake has lots of concerts for kids. Family movie nights for babies up to 12 year olds at Silver Lake as well. These are free events. She outlined all the July 4th events -- 11am parade downtown. Pre-parade entertainment – music buskers and stilt-walkers will be out up and down the route. Motorcycle stunt riders also and a new flyover historic WWII planes. The parade leads off with fire dept. and is followed by a festival at Legion Park, with arts and crafts, events for kids, music stage. Fireworks start at 10:20pm in river channel. Carol said parade judges needed, please contact her if you are interested. 425 257-7101 or cthomas@everettwa.gov. Free Everett Transit buses will circulate to get to Legion Park – bluff and roadway is part of festival. No parking out there. Fare free day to festival, Broadway lot across from college. Free shuttles to and from park. Michael asked about buses routing on return. Loading will be at Alverson north to West Marine Drive. Not through north end neighborhoods. New bus route avoids challenge of peds and buses together. Bands will be performing at festival -- Seattle Rock Orchestra (dance tunes, Motown hits), Sisters (duet). Judging of parade involves coming down to viewing stand and using a checklist to rate the entries. 62 entries – write down your impressions, entertainment value, like music, etc. Additional community events include: Yankee Doodle Dash, Imagine Children’s Museum, Skate rink open at Comcast, Police Dept public safety open house. Faith Baptist holds their fun in the sun fair. Everett AquaSox will play a game and have fireworks. Potala Farms - Alicia Moreno – Alicia circulated two info packets with an overview of the plans for the year round market under construction on Grand Avenue. Alicia explained she is the farm manager for Potala Farms and showed a floor plan diagram with several spaces for individual farmers, a local bakery going in, and a signature restaurant. She detailed the particulars of the various elements within the building, including plans for a deli, processing kitchen, restaurant, and additional vendors. At this point, they are planning for an October opening. Liz asked about models for this type of market. Alicia says this is a new concept, which is a hybrid between retail grocery and traditional farmers market. Accessible, convenient to average consumers, frees up farmers to be on the farm. Alicia is talking with local non- profits about food donations but the main emphasis is on making products on site with shelf vulnerable produce. Alicia has been discussing market with Karen Erickson from Everett Farmers Market, and Sno-Isle Food Co-op, and all agree this is another option for consumers and a new marketing approach for growers. Question about parking – there will be parking two levels below market, with one floor for building residents, one floor for market shoppers. Over 100 spaces in area. Exciting to see this development near the hotel. Partnership is positive and development will be a boost to community and to growers. Teamwork: Diversity and School partnerships – Victor reported on diversity outreach efforts, with schools, collaborating with Diversity board members. This may begin in fall, so groups are on short time frame to get organized with schools. Diversity board likely to continue discussion of partnership at their July meeting. Third Monday in July, all are welcome.  July 4 Booth at Police Dept. – Alexa will send out time confirmations for volunteers who are helping to staff booth. Social media training follow up about next workshop topics and dates will be finalized with the Library staff, who gave very helpful presentation in first session. Follow up training dates and info will be sent soon. Mini Grants – neighborhood groups need to indicate to Office of Neighborhoods whether they plan to make full use of the mini grant. Unrequested funds will be made available to neighborhoods which needs additional dollars for their projects. Announcements: Michael announced he has Farmer’s Market posters for distribution, info on both markets. Andrea announced Historic Everett – poster with info on cemetery tour on Saturday, concentrating on certain people’s lives and trees at the cemetery. $5 for event, will be on Brownpapertickets. Gene Fosheim will lead tour. Dennis announced Economic Alliance Waterfront Place event, Port’s plans for grand opening celebration $25. July 9, 2015 4-5:45 social events. Reminder that August 23 rate change takes affect for Everett Transit. The transit advisory committee discussed this change. Small schedule changes involved. Transit is retiring articulated buses. Broadway Bridge coming along well, a bit ahead of schedule due to good weather. Neighborhood Reports: Bayside - held a meeting but no report Blvd Bluffs no meeting Cascade View - 12 in attendance, officer spoke. JR Erickson, Public Works, spoke at meeting about monthly utility billing system and rate increases. Discussed Monte Cristo nominations, NNO event at library and partnering with Westmont/Holly. Book-walk. Proposing a clean up of a neighborhood parcel at 3rd Ave and Everett Mall Way. 10 acre site, owned by Everett Housing Authority, need permission, area businesses, cut vegetation, trim trees to discourage living on site. Shelters in place, tents, etc there with homeless. Delta – Had entourage from WSU-Everett, including the architect about college annex – 95,000 sq ft on Delta side of Broadway, nice facility for engineering, broadcasting, hospitality mgmt. 12-25 in attendance. HSG – May 19 guest speakers were Sylvia Anderson, Chris Adams, who spoke about community streets initiative effort. HSG has people living in the woods in the neighborhood. Group had modest turn out, need to get info in for mailing sooner to get meeting attendance up. NNO is next event. Bridge to beach is closed at Howarth Park for safety. Paul Kaftanski request for $400,000 to retrofit bridge to Howarth Park and then the next project, beach restoration work, will take place. CEMEX wants to come out to community in fall, and to speak to residents at the HSG NNO. Also in HSG, there is Radio Day, June 27, 28. Stop by, radio enthusiasts will be available to talk with visitors. October class for radio licensing class. Roger is contact for radio training. October 22 Thursday is the candidate night. Kate Larsen from library will participate to promote event. After primary the candidates will be notified. Probably will be held at Evergreen Middle School.  Lowell – Gearing up for Lowell Days Promenade – lots of activities are planned including riverfront park street fair, car show, parade, bluegrass band, photo scavenger hunt. August 8, all day 10-3 and Sunday Bark in park 10:30 – 3pm. Northwest – Mayor was guest speaker, 30-40 people, pies baked by June Robinson, 10 different pies made by June Robinson, Mayor discussed what is coming up. NW had the clean up event, received donations. Pinehurst – Guest speakers spoke about community streets initiative. NNO event planned at Lions Park. Port Gardner – 27 people attended, had police report, adopted a sustainability theme for the year’s meetings. Two NNO events will take place, at Kiwanis and Rucker Hill Park. Dumpster day had good turn-out. Riverside – No report Silver Lake – No report South Forest Park – Officer report was given, group focused on preparing for dumpster day and NNO. Last month Paul Kaftanski reported on park plans. Dumpster day event successful, they filled 3 garbage dumpsters, 1 yard waste, collected 2,000lbs of scrap metal. Raised $95 dollars. Valley View – met last week. Had a speaker from Port of Everett, had discussion about new mini grant and plans for Valley View Commons, planning a picnic to celebrate Commons later in summer or early fall. View Ridge – Paul Kaftanski from Parks presented power point of Parks programs, activities, pocket parks etc. Jackson Park will have community garden. He reviewed items including Howarth Park, walks and hikes, day trips offered. Casino Road Futbol – a lot of activities going on. Top 5 Items to report: Comp Plan wrapping up, last chance to comment will be at city council, 60,000 new residents anticipated for Everett under County plan. Community Streets Initiative – update at city council coming up. Dave Koenig, moving on to City of Marysville. July 4th stuff, cultural arts, transit service is free Radio Field Day – test radios in neighborhoods too Candidate Forum Oct 22nd Parks Comp plan to fill out survey on line Meeting adjourned at 6:00pm. Next meeting on September 28, 2015 (No meeting in August) Minutes prepared by Wendy McClure