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Mayor's 2010 State of the City AddressMarysville on Right Path to Economic Recovery |
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For the record, 2009 was a difficult year for our local economy, to say the least. The economic recession has caused Marysville and other communities to bend under the weight of housing foreclosures, declining property values, high unemployment, lackluster consumer spending and other financial stresses. Yet in spite of those pressures that closed out a sobering 2009, I am confident that a bright future awaits our City in the New Year. Marysville and its citizens make up a resilient and innovative community. Throughout our history we have adapted to social and economic demands with “can do” resolve, and worked together to create more opportunities. We may bend under the weight of economic uncertainty, but we never break. I want to focus here on sharing with you some of the City projects and initiatives that stood out in 2009 that set the pace for positive changes ahead in 2010. Without much fanfare, Marysville can point to signs that we are making headway on the path to recovery, and economic growth, while at low ebb, is still poised for a return to higher tides. Incorporation of the Central Marysville Annexation area, continued commitment to our key community priorities of public safety and transportation infrastructure investments, and our pledge to advance job growth and economic opportunity in the face of difficult times – especially during difficult times. That’s our Marysville stimulus package, so to speak. Before I get further along, I would like to recognize the members of the Marysville City Council present. Our City Councilmembers work hard to serve their constituents and to address the needs of residents today and into the future. I thank them for joining us today. I would also like to thank Mary Swenson, our tireless Chief Administrative Officer, and the more than 260 city employees who work hard every day to provide services to residents. Central Marysville Annexation Let’s talk first about the Central Marysville Annexation. The City Council approved the Central Marysville Annexation in November. It became effective on Dec. 30. We are setting up future community meetings. This will give us an opportunity to share some of the many opportunities available to them as the newest part-owners of the City. Ownership has its advantages, from gaining a direct voice in local government and more influence into how local services can better meet the needs of the community and their neighborhood. In return, newly-annexed residents will be able to ask elected officials and staff about what annexation will mean in their everyday lives, socially and financially. The Central Marysville Annexation annexed the City’s entire Urban Growth Area, adding 2,846 acres and as many as 19,000 more residents to the existing 37,060 population, pending the outcome of a door-to-door census that is now under way. Apart from the City’s 2010 Budget, a separate budget was prepared for the Central Marysville Annexation with the goal of staying within the expected revenue while gauging the public service needs for the new addition to our community. Funds will be derived mainly from a 0.1% state sales tax credit provided to the City for each 10,000 additional population. The funds are intended to help offset municipal services costs in the annexed area. This is new sales tax money from the state’s share, above and beyond what Marysville already receives. We want to thank the Snohomish County Council, County Executive and county staff for working in partnership with the City to jointly adopt the inter-local agreements that made this annexation a reality. Through the inter-local agreement process, the City and County Council also approved an agreement for 88th Street NE improvements between 67th and State Avenue. The County will fund a portion of the costs to widen and improve the road, and help the City find grant money for the rest. Public Safety In tough times, our Police are delivering solid results. Marysville is a safer place than it has been for many years. Crime has rolled back to 2004-05 levels, even though the City’s population increased by more 25% between 2004 and 2009 - not counting the Central Marysville Annexation. Many forces are at work, and working together, to account for the dramatic drop in crime:  The pro-active team, or N.I.T.E. team of specialized, swift-action officers dedicated to combating
graffiti, gangs and drug houses, concluded its first full year in operation; A Crime Analysis Unit that has used crime data and intelligence-gathering more logically; Aggressive enforcement and cleanup of graffiti, a blight across many communities; and School Resource Officers (SRO) program that puts officers in select secondary schools.Graffiti Working together with Chamber members, in 2009 the N.I.T.E. team, SROs and City’s Crime Analyst identified 27 taggers, and made about 15 graffiti-related arrests. Vehicle Thefts Through our participation in the multi-agency Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force and local enforcement, 2009 saw auto thefts in Marysville go down, from 242 to 213 reported cases – a 12% drop. Traffic Collisions Collisions are also down 15% based on statistics for the period of January through November to year prior, from 1,341 in 2008 to 1,141 in 2009, or 200 fewer. Central Marysville Annexation Marysville police have had mutual aid agreements with Snohomish County for years, and have responded to calls either for or alongside sheriff’s deputies when called upon. In addition, Sheriff John Lovick and the Sheriff’s Office have helped immensely by sharing information about law enforcement response in the newly-annexed area, intelligence that will help our officers do a better job policing the area. Transportation In the 2010 budget, the City’s Street Fund has been nearly depleted due to decreases in the fuel tax, declining sales tax revenue and past voter-approved initiatives; that impact our ability to address streets in need of improvement and alleviating traffic congestion. During the 2010 budget process, I encouraged City Councilmembers to take a look at all available funding sources - either from existing sources or future revenue streams yet to be determined - to replenish this fund. In December, they began discussions on variety of options to help meet this need. Ultimately, they adopted an Admissions Tax that has been in effect for years in other cities in the region, and increased the utility tax on phone service by 1%, from 5% to 6%, to help replenish the fund. Shortages in the Street Fund did not affect major transportation investments completed in 2009, nor will they deter scheduled capital projects. These are long-term capital projects that leverage local transportation dollars with a significant infusion of state and federal grant money obtained by the City. For example, two key road projects that wrapped up in 2009: State Avenue improvement project from 136th to 152nd Street NE expanded to 5 lanes, completed
in November 2009. 67th Avenue overlay project from SR 528 north to Grove Street, a full-width street overlay project
with added bike lanes, funded fully with federal stimulus money.Through our strong partnership with Community Transit, in December 2009 they opened their newest Park and Ride at Cedar Avenue and Grove Street, adding much-needed capacity. The new Park and Ride offers 200 parking spaces and boarding platforms for 3 buses, serving commuter routes and nearby transfer stops. Marysville has many key road and sidewalk projects that top the priority list in 2010: Ingraham Boulevard – full extension of 88th Street from 67th Avenue to 74th Drive, create
continuous east-west corridor between I-5 and SR 9. Construction will begin next week. Lakewood Triangle Access/156th Street Overcrossing, and connecting roadway between Twin Lakes
Boulevard and State Ave. 47th Avenue NE improvement project – adding curb, gutter, sidewalk improvements, road widening,
signal improvements and bike lanes between Armar Road and Grove Street. Funded through state Safe
Routes to Schools grant.Parks and Recreation/Healthy Communities Project And speaking of parks, this is a good time to talk about our parks and recreation system. Like many cash-strapped cities and counties in Washington state trying to weather the economy, Parks and Recreation departments have taken a large budgetary hit, and have had to scale back on programs, events and leisure activities for which our Citizens have grown accustomed. Marysville Parks and Recreation is no different. Fortunately, we have a parks and recreation system that has responded to the challenge, and been resourceful in finding ways to keep our active and passive parks vibrant for the enjoyment of our Citizens, all the while maintaining recreational opportunities at a level that restates our commitment to health, fun and fitness for families and individuals. Parks and recreation are a vital “quality of life” component supporting economic development and a community’s livability. Here are some of Parks and Recreation’s more notable achievements in 2009: Established 4-mile Jennings Park and 1.6-mile Northpointe Park Loop Trails; the latter now includes 9 fitness stations. Installed comprehensive drainage system for soccer fields at Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex. Took over stewardship of Rudy Wright Memorial Ball Field, a central field used by Marysville Little League, as part of the City’s purchase in 2009 of the former 10th Street School at Cedar Avenue and 10th. The Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County is now running programs on site. In 2009, the Marysville Healthy Communities Project completed its first full year of carrying out environmental changes that promote healthier lifestyles, making for a healthier Marysville community. Simply put, Healthy Communities is our pledge to reverse the damaging trends of obesity and related chronic diseases through a community-based policy approach that focuses on promoting more free to low-cost recreational opportunities and physical activity, and healthier eating. We achieved many successes to be proud of in 2009, thanks to the involvement of many community organizations and individuals, some of whom are in this room today. First-ever Healthy Communities Challenge Day drew more than 3,000 people. Completed 2009 Healthy Communities Annual Report to assist in drawing grant funding. 8.2 miles of striped and signed bike lanes have been added around Marysville for a total of 15 miles. Free Walking Mondays and Wednesdays under lights at MPHS Track, stairs; and free swims at MPHS pool and YMCA. Wilcox Farm Community Garden signed up all 66 plots; available plots will double in 2010. Giving Gardens
program and farm-harvested vegetables incr. contributions to food bank from 4,000 lbs. in ‘08 to 20,000 in ’09.The Marysville Healthy Communities Project has been recognized nationally by YMCA Pioneering Healthier Communities as a community model. Through the Marysville School District’s strong involvement in Healthy Communities, new Fitness Centers have been built in two middle schools as a result of Physical Education Program, or PEP Grants, and the Focused Fitness curriculum has been initiated in elementary and middle schools through physical education and after-school programs. Focused Fitness will be carried out in all City parks later in 2010. I should also mention that the City of Marysville earned a WellCity Award from the Association of Washington Cities in 2009, a sure sign that our employees are walking the talk, too. Economic Development Looking to the future, the City is in better financial shape than it could be, due to the City Council’s conservative fiscal policies. During these uncertain times the City will carefully budget its resources, analyze future retail trends to stay ahead of the curve, and move forward with caution. The 2010 Budget was one of the most difficult budgets I have delivered as your Mayor. Marysville will work within a tight $118.3 million budget in 2010, with a $34.1 million general fund budget for delivering core public services, a 2% decrease from 2009 revised spending levels. This spending plan reflects a disciplined operating philosophy and responsible maintenance of our current and growing infrastructure. As revenues began to decline, the City responded by amending the 2009 General Fund budget and enacting more than $4 million in reductions. These reductions included program cuts among some city-sponsored activities, and cutbacks in general supplies. The City also offered severance packages for voluntary layoffs; five employees took advantage of the early retirement offer. This helped reduce expenditures but did not quite go far enough, which prompted further workforce reductions that included elimination of four other positions through layoffs. The 2009 reductions continued to help as we moved into preparing the 2010 budget. Directors were asked to prepare their departmental budgets keeping reductions in mind, assuming no new programs or staff. Another factor considered in the 2010 budget process was the Central Marysville annexation. Among other measures to keep expenses in check, we delayed capital fleet vehicle purchases, and entered 2010 with the vehicles and equipment we currently deploy. Doing so will enable us to run more efficiently and cost-effectively, whether meeting our day-to-day operational needs or responding readily to a major snow and ice event when one occurs. Despite the many fiscally prudent measures we have implemented in 2009, the downturn in the economy necessitated that we prepare a General Fund budget that required dipping into reserves, a measure that put reserves below the previous 8% rate against expenditures, and setting us back temporarily from our desired policy goal of 10%. The annexation budget will contribute only a minimal amount to the 2010 expenses since distribution of the annexation sales tax credit will arrive in early fall. We will not have as much funding from sales and property taxes available to attract new commercial and industrial business ventures. In fact, the 2010 spending plan estimates a less than 1% increase in sales tax from the 2009 amended budget, holding steady at 2009 revised estimates. Like many other communities, we have seen too many shuttered storefronts. Yet at the same time, we have seen something else: the entrepreneurial spirit hard at work in our community. Just in 2009 alone - and I don’t usually track these - myself and the City Council cut the ribbon at 23 newly opened businesses and restaurants. These enterprising individuals aren’t letting the economy dampen their optimism. Neither are we. We will continue to do all we can to aggressively pursue new economic development so we’re ready when the market recovers. The City Council and I remain firmly committed to economic development as the solution to building a strong, diverse tax base, a healthy local economy, and a vibrant center attractive for business, employment and tourism. Passage by the City Council of the Downtown Master Plan gives us a long-range planning document and civic improvement strategy for creating a more park-like, pedestrian-friendly downtown and waterfront, blending high-rise housing with new retail and office space. The plan will fuel the image and identity, tourism and recreational potential of our community. The same goes for the Smokey Point Master Plan. As the economy rebounds, and the construction, light manufacturing, capital lending markets and commercial real estate industries ramp up for more building activity and job creation, Marysville will be ready. The Smokey Point Master Plan will guide development of a light commercial/industrial part in northeast Marysville. The plan will provide design and development guidelines for future economic development activity that will one day provide 10,000 family-supporting jobs. Over the course of 2009, the City Council approved several measures in an effort to tackle the slowdown in the housing market. Collectively, these are things our City can do to: Stimulate more activity on new and existing permit applications Ease the financial burden on builders, and Get our local economy moving again.Here are some of the actions the Council enacted to make our already streamlined-permitting system more flexible in the down economy: Subdivision, construction plan, and building permit extensions. Moving time of payment for general facility charges for water and sewer to building permit, in lieu of final
plat approval. Reviewing and reducing impact fees for new development. Reviewing and reducing building permit fees by creating a “basic” plan program. Providing additional flexibility to enable redesign of prior approved subdivisions. Upfront costs for builders can be huge. In a tight economy, the extra cash flow created through these
measures should motivate builders to get their projects going sooner, and put people back to work in
Marysville.Seeing some money later is a much better option than seeing no development now. The other bookend to our economic development approach is our commitment to existing businesses - both small business and large - who choose to make Marysville and Tulalip the place to do business. As a key partner in the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce’s new Buy Local campaign, I encourage you to shop locally at these and other local businesses - put your sales tax dollars back to work in the community where they can do the most good. Difficult economic times have tested our resolve, and that has made it hard for many local families, friends and neighbors to remain confident in the face of continued uncertainty. I want you to feel confident that the City Council and Administration are sensitive to these conditions and in control, keeping Marysville on course toward a prosperous future. We have much to be proud of. Some tough choices lie ahead, but I can assure you that we will do whatever needs to be done to continue providing quality services to all our Citizens. My vision for Marysville remains a community in which all residents work together to enjoy the rich quality of life they want and deserve. Together, as a City and as a community, we are making this happen.
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