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City of Mountlake Terrace staff provided updates on civic programs, construction projects and recent crow shootings during the monthly Coffee with the City earlier this week.
City Manager Scott Hugill said during the March 10 virtual meeting that since $1.9 trillion in additional federal funding for COVID-19 relief efforts was approved this week, the city is due to receive more recovery money. “We don’t have specifics as to what’s coming to the city,” he said. “Early projections were about $3.6 million, fewer strings attached than last year’s CARES Act funds and more time to spend that.”
An update on recreation and parks projects were also discussed, including continued work on installing the new turf at Evergreen Playfield 1, which Hugill said is “coming right along.” The Recreation and Parks Department is in the process of looking at ways to provide an “accessible paved trail” through Veterans Memorial Park “that’s lit, that will connect the Town Center and the Civic Campus with the light rail station, so people can meander through that,” Hugill said.
Responding to a participant’s question, Hugill said the city will be working to develop an understanding of what affordable housing means in Mountlake Terrace. “The next step is education for the (city) council, the planning commission and the community at large so there’s a common understanding of the definitions of various types of housing,” he said. Hugill explained there are a lot of factors that affect those factors, including the sizes of housing, funding mechanisms and neighborhood covenants. After the education process, the city can move forward “with a plan that fits” the city, he said.
City Clerk Virginia Clough said the city is progressing with its program to have a social worker embedded with Mountlake Terrace Police Department. The position will be a shared resource in partnership with the Lynwood Police Department, Compass Health and Verdant Health Commission. A social worker has been hired for the position and she will be at the next Coffee with the City on April 14, “so the community can talk to her,” Clough said. “I know the city has been chomping at the bit to learn more, so we’re excited to have (her) onboard.” More official information about the hire is expected to be provided next week.
Police Chief Pete Caw added that his department has already met with the social worker “on at least two occasions” and she is already working in Lynnwood. “It’s going to be a great program,” Caw said, “I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve been waiting a long time to do this, it’s been needed a long time, and this is very timely for us.”
Speaking about the police investigation into the spate of recent crow shootings, Caw said, “We’re on top of that. We have some significant leads we will solve that case.” The department is continuing to work with the State Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We’ll get to the bottom of it, don’t worry, just give us a little bit more time,” Caw said. “We’ll solve it.”
Other items covered during the March 10 Coffee with the City included the following:
– The city is working on coordinating more mask distributions throughout the community. After the city had mailed and handed out masks at several events last year, the city received “a huge shipment” from the Department of Emergency Management, Clough said. “So, we are going to make a significant delivery on Monday to all five public schools, some nonprofit agencies in town as well as some of the largest multi-family complexes.” She anticipated that 10,000 – 12,000 masks will be handed out.
– As of March 11, community members can now provide verbal comments in Zoom during the public comments portions of virtual city council meetings and public hearings.
– Flag poles and three benches were being installed this week outside the new city call. The lobby at the Mountlake Terrace Police Department has been demolished and reconstruction work has started. “It’s bigger and a lot more welcoming with a lot of light and glass,” Chief Caw said. “I really like it.”
– The city is tentatively planning to hold an Earth Day volunteer clean up at Ballinger Park on April 24. The effort will be similar to what the city has done in the past and if enough volunteers show up, the work could also be expanded to Veterans Memorial Park as well, Clough said.
– Registration opened this week for summer camps offered through the Recreation and Parks Department.
— By Nathan Blackwell
Concerning the possibility of a paved and lighted trail through Veterans Memorial Park, I was told by a prior City Manager that such a trail was not possible due to an agreement between the city and nearby property owners. I wonder what, if anything, has changed.