Accomplishments

I am proud of what your city council has accomplished over the last two years. While there is still much work to be done, we have made significant progress toward the long term betterment of Marysville.

Public Safety

Public safety continues to be my top priority on the city council. Ensuring that our residents feel safe is of the upmost importance to me. One of the first things I did after being appointed to the council in July 2022 was do a ride-along with one of our police officers. It is impossible to know all they go through day in and day out without seeing it first hand. This helped inform how to create public safety policy, and how to make sure the council's actions were benefiting our officers, and the community. I am proud to be a founding board member of the Marysville Police Foundation, and I am proud to have the endorsements of former Marysville Police Chief Rick Smith, and former Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney.

Unfortunately, actions out of Olympia have not made policing easy in Marysville. While steps have been taken to remedy flawed policy, there are still laws in place that tie the city's hands as it relates to addressing crime. Even still, our council has gotten creative and passed policies that have worked to my Marysville safer. These include:

Mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders. I believe that if someone is consistently committing crime in our community, there needs to be consequences for those actions. Together, the council passed a series of mandatory minimum sentences that target drug crime, property crime, and other prevalent crimes. These sentences only kick in once an offender has committed a crime three times, and includes a series of progressively longer jail sentences, starting at 30 days, and capping out at 364 days. It is no secret that a large percentage of crime in our region is driven by a drug addition, so giving an individual the opportunity to sober up in a dry bed with a dependable meal has proven to help turn lives around. After being off drugs for a number of weeks or months, a person can begin to make better choices about their future. We have had countless people enter our jail on drugs, and once thinking straight, they have chosen to seek treatment and mental health support.
Strengthening our ability to fight the drug crisis. Far too often drug crime, and related crime, is referred to the County Prosecutors office, and for one reason or another (usually staffing problems) those crimes are not prosecuted. To me, that tells the offenders that they can continue to commit crime in Marysville. That is not the message we want to send. To address this, the city council passed a series of ordinances that give our municipal court the ability to prosecute drug crime on city property (parks being the most important), as well as transit stops and on transit buses. Because our municipal court is fully staffed, we are able to address these crimes as they come in, and ensure that if someone commits drug crime in our parks or transit buses, they will be held accountable.
Streamlining of antiquated police hiring. It is no secret that there is a shortage of police officers in Washington State right now. For the first year I was on council, our police department was regularly down 10-15 officers. This puts additional stress on our existing offciers, and city resources. Because of our hiring policies, we would have an officers apply, and in the time it took to go through our process, they had already been offered another job with a neighboring department. The city council worked to update antiquated police hiring procedures that needlessly extended the time it took for our HR department to hire officers. This change was purely rehgarding paperwork and processing, and still allows the city ample time to ensure we are only hiring the best candidates. Because of this, we have cut police vacancies in half over the last two years.
Invested in the Flock camera system. In our last two budgets, the city council has invested money in a number of Flock cameras that have been placed around the city. These cameras DO NOT store personal data and instead give our police department abilty to better find vehicles that have been involved in crime, or are stolen. These cameras have been HIGHLY successful.
Support continued investments in police technology. During my time on council, I have worked on two biannual budgets, and each time funding for our police department was my top priority. The city council has invested millions of dollars into the most cutting edge policing technology to ensure that our police officers have the best tools at their disposal to fight crime.

Homelessness

Homelessness is one of the most pressing issues facing our city. It is something that every Marysville resident notices, and something that our region has continued to struggle with. The root causes of homelessness are complex, and nuanced. If there was a one size fits all cure for it, I am sure every city in Washington would get on board, but there isn't. Instead, our city works everyday with our police department, non-profit community, and faith community, to work to bring an end to homelessness. As a city, we have taken steps to work to get people off the streets and into treatment programs, and long-term housing. I will be the first to say that it is not enough, but I believe the actions we have taken are putting us on a path to helping people and saving lives.

Together with our community, the city council has done the following:

Expansion of MESH Housing. MESH Housing (Micro Extended Shelter Housing) units are a series of properties that have been purchased by the city to house individuals who were previously homeless. To qualify, the individual must have completed some sort of drug treatment program, and work or volunteer. While the properties are purchased by the city, the program is administers through a partnership with the Everett Gospel Mission. The city council understands that they are the ones on the front lines of fighting homelessness, and are much better equipped to work directly with the MESH home residents. This program has been so successful, that the city has purchased a number of additional units of housing in the last two years, utilizing grant funds for a large chunk of the purchases.
Support non-profits doing important work to combat homelessness. We have so many phenomenal non-profits in Marysville that are doing amazing work to support those in our community that need assistance. From LINC Northwest to the Marysville Food Bank, to the Salvation Army, to all our churches, we are so lucky to have such dedicated people in Marysville. Much like our relationship with the Everett Gospel Mission, the city council understands that these organization often time are more qualified to doing the work of homelessness prevention. Because of this we have continually helped to fund these organizations through Community Development Block Grants, Human Services, grants, and the sharing of resources. In fact, when our Parks and Recreation Department moved from its location in Jennings Park, we contracted with local non-profits to use the office space as a resources center for those looking to get connected with resources. Because of the success of this arrangement, we have voted to continue the lease each year.
Continued use of social workers and mental health professionals. Marysville was one of the first cities in Snohomish County to pair mental health professionals with our police officers to help better address the needs of the community. This does not replace the need for officers but enhances the response that people get when they call 911, or are in crisis. These mental health professionals work to develop relationship with the homeless in our community, and work to connect them with needed services. This program has been extremely successful, and many cities have used Marysville as a model.

This work is not done, and I am looking forward to continuing many of these actions in the future.

Fiscal Responsibility

Fiscal responsibility is one of the hallmarks of good government. All other things that we are able to accomplish stem from being wise about how we budget and spend money. Not prioritizing fiscal responsibility and restraint can lead to many issues, and we have seen the consequences of this right here in Snohomish County. I am very proud of the work of our Mayor, City Council, and City Finance Department in making this a priority. At the end of the day, all government money is taxpayer's money, and my pledge is that I will be as careful with your hard-earned dollars as you would be with it. In addition to my role as a member of the council as it relates to finance, I am also a member of the council's finance committee. Here we take a deeper dive into city spending, investments, fees for service, and other similar topics. This has given me an even broader understanding of municipal financing and budgeting, and a greater appreciation for the hard work by our past city leaders to get us to the solid financial state that we are in.

The City of Marysville has a long track record of being fiscally responsible, and I am happy to report on the following steps we have taken recently to continue this tradition:

Budgets. During my time on council I have the opportunity to work on two biannual budgets. Being on the finance committee, I am able to dig deeper into the budget and ensure each line item is what it should be, and if adjustments need to be made. One of the things I am proudest of from my time on council has been passing these balanced budgets with NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASES. While cities around Marysville regularly take their allotted 1% increase (and sometimes more), Marysville has continually worked to live without our means. It is the job of government to work with the money we have, not constantly go back to the taxpayer for more.
City investments. In 2024, the city council voted to change how our investment gains would be budgeted. This change allows for investment income to be kept in the city's general fund, which is traditionally the hardest fund to raise as it is mostly dependent on property taxes. The council does not want to raise property taxes, so the ability of keeping the investment income in the general fund means that we can increase the revenue there without asking for more from the citizens.
Capital improvement plan. Last year the city also published its first ever capital improvement plan. This plan goes over all the necessary capital projects that the city needs to take on in the next six years. It then lays out the realistic timelines and funding sources for all the projects. This will help the council continue to wisely budget, as we can see on paper how much things will cost, and how urgent some of the improvements are.
Prioritized grants. We have continually prioritized grant funding for all city projects. There are so many grant programs that our city is eligible for, and many of these grants can help to offset the costs for major projects the city wants to take on. Thanks for the hard work of city staff, we have been extremely successful in getting grants over the last few years.
Reviewed city fees. There are many ways that the city can collect revenue in addition to taxes. Fee for services, particularly planning and development services in another big one. These include application fees, permit fees, review fees, etc. In 2023 the finance committee and city council began the process of reviewing these fees, and it turned out many of them had not been updated since 2009. We were able to raise some of these fees, while still being the lowest cost city to do business in Snohomish County. Because of this update, the tax payers does not have to bear as much of a burden for city revenues.
Garbage rate reduction. After reviewing our garage rates in 2022, the council determined that we would be able to lower the cost of garbage service for customers in Marysville by 7%.

Planning and Land Use

My day job is in land use, my position is specifically in project feasibility. Because of this, I take a keen interest in our city's Community Development Department, and the policies we are creating around planning and land use. I currently sit on the city's Economic Development Committee, which reviews many of these policies.

Directly tied to planning and land use is growth and development. Marysville has grown substantially over the last decade, and the effects of that growth are felt everywhere. From new housing developments, to traffic, to parking problems, growth is something that our council takes very seriously. Our community needs to grow so that we can continue to fund necessary improvements, however, uncontrolled, unmanaged growth can lead to serious problems and change the quality of life we have come to expect. Our council has taken a balanced approach to growth, that takes into account the need for more housing, specifically affordable housing, while not allowing our community to be overdeveloped. While much of land use is dictated by state law, specifically the flawed growth management act, there are some things that we have control over. Here are some of the things we have done recently:

Comprehensive Plan update. In 2024 the city went through a major Comprehensive Plan update. This plan sets forth how the city will grow over the next twenty years, and the policies that we will frame that growth around. The update comprehensive plan focuses residential growth downtown, understanding that we do need a wide array of housing types, but there are housing types that are incompatible with single family neighborhoods.
Plan for a Swift route. Community Transit is planning the gold line, a Swift bus route in Marysville. This type of bus route is different from a traditional route as there are less stops and is meant to get commuters from point A to point B faster. The city has been working with Community Transit over the last few years to decide on a route and places for new bus stops to be constructed. It has been a priority for the council to make sure the community's input is included in this new route, and that it is something will be of benefit to Marysville residents.
Downtown code changes. The council recently changed city code downtown to allow for resident development over commercial development. This means that projects now become more feasible for developers, and more redevelopment of downtown will increase. We have already permitted one large project due to this code change, and more are in the pipeline.

Transportation

Transportation projects are often one of the most frustrating things for city residents and leaders alike. They take a long time, and they cost a lot of money. In addition to this, when the construction starts it can be very disruptive to commuters. Your city council has been working on a number of large and small transportation projects geared at reducing traffic in Marysville and making it so our residents spend less time on the roads, and more time with their families. I am very proud of the work we have done to partner with Washington State Department of Transportation to get a lot of these projects constructed, and our city's resourcefulness at securing grant dollars to carry out this work. Many of the large projects you see taking place now have been funded either exclusively by grant dollars, or with majority grant dollars. This saves our taxpayers money and makes it so we can keep tax rates low. Below are the projects that have been completed or are in the works:

SR 529 Interchange. This project has been in the works for over a decade now. Thanks to the steadfast leadership of Mayor Nehring, it is now near completion. This project will add another I-5 interchange in Marysville and allow for commuters to bypass the train tracks. This project was funded with state and federal grants and should be finished in late 2025.
156th Interchange and rail overcrossing. The city has secured funding to complete an I-5 interchange at 156th Street NE where the current I-5 overpass is. This will allow residents to exit I-5 into Marysville without having to take 172nd, which is one of the most congested parts of out city. In addition to this, the city is pursuing grant funding to complete an overpass over the rail crossing west of 156th, to allow commuters going into Lakewood and unincorporated Snohomish County a chance to get home without ever getting on 172nd. This will help relieve congestion on that road and give our residents another way around the train tracks. Work on the freeway interchange will start in the next few years, and the rail overcrossing is dependent on grant funding we should know about soon.
State Ave widening. In the Summer of 2024, the final piece of the State Ave widening project was officially completed. This section from 104th to 116th was the last part of widening State Ave to five lanes throughout the entire city. This makes traveling on this major road easier and more dependable.
88th Street widening. The city is currently pursuing grant funds to widen 88th Street from two lanes to three. This would add a center turn land along with new sidewalks. 88th Street has long been an issue for drivers in Marysville, as it was originally developed as a rural farming road before the city limits were anywhere this part of town. Due to residential development on either side of the road, two cemeteries, and the train tracks, widening this street has been all but impossible. This city has worked with over eighty property owners along 88th Street to acquire the necessary property to complete the widening, and securing additional grant funding will make this project closer to reality.
Transportation benefit district. Thanks to the overwhelming support from the Marysville voters, the Marysville transportation benefit district is able to collect sales tax revenue specifically allocated to transportation improvements. The council has chosen to use most of this money to repave streets throughout Marysville. You will see this work start up again soon, and this summer we are excited to be repaving a number of roads in all neighborhoods.

Parks

We are very lucky in Marysville to have the robust parks that we do. This is thanks to many decades of hard work on the part of the city, and generosity on the part of the community. Many of our parks, most notably Jennings Park, were established with land that was donated to the city. We are forever indebted to those families that chose to make this gift.

I am committed to further development of our existing parks, and the creation of new parks. There are a number of new parks projects in the works, and many that have been recently completed.

Gissberg Twin Lakes transfer. After working with the county, Gissberg Twin Lakes Park was officially transferred to city ownership in the Fall of 2024. This is a major addition to the city, as we have heard from many residents in North Marysville, Smokey Point, and Lake wood that they would like more parks in this part of the city. While there is a lot of work to do to get this park up to the standards we set for our parks in Marysville, we are in the process of planning the necessary improvement. It is only up from here for Twin Lakes!
Strawberry Fields improvements: Thanks for a generous donation from Amazon, the city was able to upgrade one of the soccer fields at Strawberry Fields to turf. This is noteworthy, as these fields flood every fall and winter, making them unusable many months out of the year. In addition to this, we installed play equipment at Strawberry Fields, so children can enjoy the property as a play park as much as an athletic field.
Deering Acres caretaker house. Deering Acres is one of the hidden gems in the Marysville parks system. In 2024 the council replaced the caretakers house at the park. This new facility makes it easier for the caretaker to perform Maintenace on the property and makes the experience much better for those visiting.
Ebey Trail. The continued development and construction of the Ebey Trail has been a top priority for the city council in the last three years. Thanks to a number of grants, we were able to expand the trail system to include new access points on Sunnyside Blvd, and a new connection to Jennings Park that will be completed in the Summer of 2025.
Bayview Trail extension. The city has partnered with the City of Lake Stevens to continue developing Bayview Trail south into Lake Stevens, eventually ending at 20th Street SE. Thanks to another grant that was received, Marysville is now nearing construction of a new addition to the trail that will allow residents on the south side of 64th more direct access.

Peter Condyles for Marysville City Council