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A Look at What’s Happening Around the Community for Residents and Businesses City of Marysville * 1049 State Avenue Marysville, WA 98270 * (360) 363-8000 * marysvillewa.gov September/October 2014 New Bike Patrol on the beat to tackle nuisance crimes Marysville Police School Resource Offi cers Dave White and Chris Sutherland spend countless hours bringing a police presence on local campuses during the school year, but after the last bell of the school year rings, they get on their bikes and ride. The department’s new Bike Patrol was initiated to further tackle crime in Marysville, with prior- ity on nuisance crimes such as aggressive panhandling, illegal camping, vandalism and graffi ti, drug and alcohol use, disorderly conduct, loitering, littering and vehicle prowling, says Operations Cmdr. Jeff Goldman. During the spring and summer months, nuisance crimes increase, adding to losses resulting from property damage and thefts. The bike patrol offi cers’ emphasis is mainly focused on the downtown area between and includ- ing Comeford Park, Ebey Waterfront Park and Jennings Park. These are areas heavily populated during the day, bustling with plenty of business activity and recreation and leisure in the parks. The SROs bike patrol activities serve to enhance common patrol practices in these locations, adding extra peace of mind for citizens and visitors. For instance, in dealing with the illegal camp- ing problem, offi cers on bicycles have more accessibility than patrol cars do and can therefore respond to issues more quickly. By the time you notice them on their bikes, they may already have noticed you doing something wrong. “The bad guys are looking for patrol cars,” Goldman explains. And, he adds, bike patrol offi cers may only have two wheels, but if you try to get away, you won’t get far. “Their radios work great, so getting on them and notifying offi cers in regular patrol cars is no problem.” So far, Goldman says, the offi cers have made a positive impact. “The reception from businesses, citizens and park users has been very well-received.” Bike Patrol Office Dave White and Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux at the grand opening of the Marysville Spray Park. Not pictured, fellow Bike Patrol Officer and Team Member Chris Sutherland. In just the fi rst month since the Mayor, City Council and Park Board members cut the ribbon to open the Marysville Spray Park June 26, City offi cials have been as awash with delight as the kids and families who have made the park the downtown’s newest favorite attraction. “We’re very happy,” says Jim Ballew, Parks and Recre- ation Director. “We’ve had very high usage, minimal prob- lems, and we’ve been getting plenty of praise and thanks for an attraction that is changing the culture in the downtown corridor, and increasing recreational activity for our citizens.” Ballew says the level of use is about where offi cials fi g- ured it would be - the streak of hot sunny days hasn’t hurt, either. The park is averaging 350-400 visitors per day since opening. “That’s pretty impressive,” Ballew says. To handle the heavy visitor traffi c, the City has opened a 40-stall gravel parking lot northwest of the park on 7th Street for Spray Park visitors only. The City is also preparing to open a second lot at 5th and Delta Avenue across southwest of the Ken Baxter Community Center. The Spray Park is currently scheduled to close just after the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 1. For more information, visit the City website at http://marysvillewa.gov/spraypark. Marysville Spray Park downtown’s new hit attraction Marysville Spray Park downtown’s new hit attraction ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Marysville CityScene September/October 2014 Marysville Police offer tips to avoid becoming victim of residential burglary Lock all doors and windows, even when leaving for a shot time. Record all serial numbers of any and all personal property; use a free, trusted online property tracking program like TrackMole.com to log your items (endorsed by the City of Marysville). Install locking devices on all windows. Don’t hide spare house keys outside the home. Find a trusted neighbor instead. Do not let strangers enter your home. Pick up your newspapers every day, or have someone do it for you if you’re going to be out of town. For extended periods, arrange with Postal Service to hold mail. Do not leave valuables outside or in view from windows. Police invite you to become an MVP Volunteer, help in crime prevention efforts Marysville Police have launched a coordinated strategy to bring crime levels down this year for the three most active crimes here and in the region - home burglaries, vehicle theft and vehicle prowl. So far, the results are paying off. Residential burglaries were down 13% for the fi rst quarter of 2014 compared to same- period statistics for the year prior. While police continue to take a pro-active approach to re- ducing burglaries by focusing on individuals with a history of involvement in break-ins, you can help protect your home by avoiding becoming a victim yourself with a few prevention tips. The Marysville Volunteer Program (MVP) was created by the Police Depart- ment so that regular citizens could have a hand in making the community a safer place to live and visit. The group’s role in crime prevention is a vital one. MVPs are volunteers interested in assisting others and giving back to the community. They provide a service to as- sist Police Offi cers as another set of eyes while on patrol. While volunteers have limited enforcement authority, their focus is to aid and educate citizens on state laws and Marysville Municipal Code laws. Their duties include: Performing security patrols around schools, business parking lots and parks, Vacation house checks, Event parking and security, Fingerprinting children, and Providing crime prevention info. They also participate in the Strawberry Festival, Marysville Street Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, National Night Out, Special Olympics, and other events. Today, the program is 20-strong, but seeks new members to add to the team. New recruits must be at least 18 years of age, able to walk/stand for extended periods of time, and must pass a back- ground investigation. The program asks that volunteers be kind, friendly, energetic, willing to help people, and able to main- tain confi dential information. For more info, contact MVP Supervisor Ron Wagner at (360) 363-8325, or down- load application at http://marysvillewa. gov/mvp. Return to the Police Department at 1635 Grove St. 2 If you haven’t tuned into your local community access TV stations lately, the City of Marysville is giving you more rea- sons to reach for the remote and see what you’ve been missing. Under cable franchise provisions with local cable providers that give them ac- cess to public rights of way in Marysville, Comcast Cable Corp. and Frontier Com- munications grant the City a governmental and educational channel that are available to viewers as part of their basic service package. As a result, residents in 13,119 cable households within Marysville can watch simulcast programming on Marys- ville TV21 (Com- cast) and Marysville TV25 (Frontier), as well as educa- tional channel 26 on Comcast that the City has granted the Marysville School District to run and operate. The City is currently in fran- chise negotiations with Comcast and, on a smaller scale, Wave Broadband, serving primarily the Lakewood area. Local program- ming is unique among the hundreds of choices you have on your TV program- ming menu. It’s a valuable community resource because it presents an eye on our own community and the people who call it home, issues that our area faces, and timely news and information about avail- able programs, activities and events. For example, under the new weekly pro- gramming lineup you could have watched the Mayor’s State of the City Address, the Strawberry Festival Grand Parade, Tulalip Tribes/Northwest Indian News programs, the 2014 Marysville Volunteer Apprecia- tion Banquet, ribbon-cuttings, and a pro- gram highlighting Marysville’s history (for weekly listings, visit http://marysvillewa. gov/cabletv.) “In the past, you were likely more often than not to see repeating bulletin board messages, rather than video on the channels,” says Doug Buell, Community Information Offi cer. “We’re adjusting that to create more air time for video and locally-produced cable programming, but we still invite government, service clubs, non-profi t groups and other non-commercial users to submit mes- sages for the chan- nels’ bulletin board. Mayor Jon Neh- ring and Chief Ad- ministrative Offi cer Gloria Hirashima led the charge to expand local cable program- ming. In the social media age, many devices and apps make access to video easier than ever, so some City-generated programming will also be available online. If you’re a cable subscriber, stay tuned to Marysville TV21 or TV25 in the months ahead. Mayor Nehring appeared on a recent segment of Comcast Newsmakers while attending the Association of Washington Cities annual conference in Spokane. Comcast produces the series. City expands local cable access TV programming Want to use the Cable TV Community Bulletin Board? When Marysville’s local access stations aren’t broadcasting video programs, the Community Bulletin Board is available for your nonprofi t group or agency to display event or meeting notices, and other useful information. Becoming an authorized user of this free public service just got easier. Use our Online Form to submit your message. You can also attach a logo, image, fl yer or even a ready- to-run Powerpoint slide (640 x 480 pixels, please.) For best exposure, Community Bulletin Board announcements for events, meetings and activities should be submitted three weeks in advance. To try it out, access the Online Form at: http://marysvillewa.gov/cabletv ---PAGE BREAK--- September/October 2014 Calendar Key September 31 31 October City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall Community Events Planning Commission, 7 p.m., City Hall 3 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 28 29 29 30 30 4 5 6 18 19 19 20 20 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 29 29 30 30 Park Board, 7 p.m., Jennings Barn - Library Board, 4 p.m., Library - Civil Service Commission, 9:30 a.m., City Hall LEOFF 1 Disability Board, 3:30 p.m., City Hall Hearing Examiner (tentative), 7 p.m., City Hall Diversity Advisory Committee, 3:30 p.m., City Hall Mayor’s Youth Council, 3 p.m., City Hall Salary Commission, annually as necessary Fire Board Fire District Board, 7 p.m., Station #62 - Shoultes Recreation Programs Meetings subject to rescheduling or cancellation. For most cur- rent info, contact the City Clerk’s Offi ce at (360) 363-8077, email [EMAIL REDACTED], or visit us at marysvillewa.gov. Planning Comm. Free Community Events 1 Work Session Civil Service Library Board Hearing Exam. (tentative) Youth Council Touch A Truck 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 Asbery Field, 1605 7th St. 12 12 13 13 15 15 16 16 17 17 3 City Council Planning Comm. 11 11 Hearing Exam. (tentative) 1 2 Park Board Diversity City Council Diversity Marysville Multicultural Fair 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 Comeford Park, 514 Delta Ave. 21 21 Planning Comm. Autumn Craft Show 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 Ken Baxter Community Center, 514 Delta Ave. 28 Order Up Gift Show 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 Ken Baxter Community Center, 514 Delta Ave. 2 Hearing Exam. (tentative) Hearing Exam. (tentative) Youth Council 3 7 Civil Service Fire Board 14 14 22 22 Library Board 8 9 10 10 Touch A Truck Autumn Craft Show Multicultural Fair Work Session City Council City Council For more information, call [PHONE REDACTED]. Please bring a donation for the Marysville Community Food Bank. No pets please. Labor Day holiday - City offi ces closed Want to volunteer this winter? You can help the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department with winter preparation of parks, and assisting with City holiday events. Call (360) 363-8400 to fi nd out more. Volunteers wanted....and needed Planning Comm. ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Marysville * 1049 State Avenue Marysville, WA 98270 * (360) 363-8000 * marysvillewa.gov Published by the City of Marysville, CityScene is a new community newslet- ter that contains information on City issues, policies, events and programs. To receive this publication by email, click the NotifyMe button and “CityScene newsletter” at http://marysvillewa.gov. Links to our social media sites are also provided on the City website. p C y Share your comments about this new publication. Contact: Doug Buell, Community Information Offi cer Phone: (360) 363-8086 Cell: (425) 754-3641 Email: [EMAIL REDACTED] LIKE THIS PUBLICATION? DROP US A LINE! Mayor Jon Nehring (425) 346-9472 [EMAIL REDACTED] Council President Jeff Vaughan (360) 651-0805 [EMAIL REDACTED] Councilmember Stephen Muller (360) 657-4844 [EMAIL REDACTED] Councilmember Jeff Seibert (360) 659-2226 [EMAIL REDACTED] Councilmember Michael Stevens (425) 530-5646 [EMAIL REDACTED] Councilmember Rob Toyer (425) 760-9471 [EMAIL REDACTED] Councilmember Donna Wright (360) 659-7027 [EMAIL REDACTED] Councilmember Kamille Norton (360) 657-3496 [EMAIL REDACTED] M J m j C D ( d C J j C C M ( m Sales tax rate increase to go into effect Oct. 1, 2014 Effective Oct. 1, 2014 in the City of Marysville, a two-tenths of one percent sales tax and use increase take effect to be used for transportation system improvements. People and businesses within Marysville will be subject to the new tax rate on items purchased for business or personal use. New tax rate: 8.8% Mayor Jon Nehring honored local magazine owner-publisher Renae James as Volunteer of the Month for her involvement and leadership in programs for women and businesses in the community. James and her husband own the Hometown Values Coupon Magazine. She has been a Soroptimist Club member for seven years, including three as President. They provides annual scholar- ships to young women students, hosts an- nual auctions, and other fundaisers.James is raising awareness about human sex traffi ck- ing, particularly among unwary teens. She also serves with the Emissaries group through the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, and Ambassadors group within the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce. The City of Marysville hon- ored an organization of hard- working people, the Everett Steelhead and Salmon Club, as May Volunteers of the Month. Their service is not limited to Marysville, but their presence is cherished as sponsors of the annual Fishing Derby in Jen- nings Park now in its 20th year. The Club raised more than $1,000 to purchase rainbow trout for the Fishing Derby. They spend $1,500 on triploids for Jennings Park Pond alone, in addition to thousands of dollars spent on stocking other ponds and lakes in the region. Old tax rate: 8.6% City and State elected offi cials, chamber and his- torical society leaders attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 18 to welcome the new Wal- greens store at Fourth Street and State Avenue. City to get head start on TBD pavement preservation projects h Ci f ill h Honoring Marysville’s dedicated volunteers of the MONTH The City Council in July authorized the Mayor to award a $1.1 million contract to Cemex Inc. for pavement preservation projects this summer that will repair streets in serious need of resurfacing. The projects, set to start in August toward completion by the end of October, are: Overlay of State Avenue from 88th north to 92nd (92nd-100th was completed last year.) Grove Street overlay from south of 73rd Street NE in the Marysville foothills to west of 67th. Overlay of 108th from 51st Avenue NE east to west of 67th Avenue, which is fi rst on the schedule ahead of school starting in September. Voters earlier this year approved a $16 million transportation improvements pack- age for Marysville for 2015-2025, which will generate about $1.6 million per year. In all, 33 arterial, collector and residential pavement preservation projects were sub- mitted to the City’s Transportation Benefi t District (TBD) Board, and this summer’s projects constitute an early jump on the 2015 project list. “The Mayor and Council are excited that we are able to move ahead with some of these projects ahead of schedule,” says Kevin Nielsen, Public Works Director. The City also received a grant for an overlay of 67th from 88th to 108th, but that project will happen next year, alongside other 2015 TBD pavement overlay projects. Cutting the ribbon at new Walgreens