LYNNWOOD, Wash., March 29, 2022 – The Lynnwood City Council terminated the mayor’s emergency proclamation, established a Youth Task Force for a youth council, and recognized City Attorney Rosemary Larsen for her time served at its Business Meeting Monday, March 28. All members were in attendance except Council President George Hurst.

The meeting commenced with a moment of silence honoring the deaths of fallen Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha and Edmonds Officer Tyler Steffens who were both killed in the past week.

Proclamation honoring City Attorney Rosemary Larsen

Council’s business meeting began by passing a proclamation recognizing the professional services provided by Inslee, Best, Doezie, and Ryder, P.S. recognizing Rosemary Larsen for her years of service as City Attorney for Lynnwood.

“I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with everyone here at Lynnwood; there’s so many dedicated people here. I just can’t say enough good things about City staff. Everyone on staff has always been so welcoming it’s just made it so easy to do my job and have a good time doing here – for that I have a big thank you,” Rosemary Larsen said.

Larsen has been practicing law for more than 29 years and has served as City Attorney for Lynnwood from June 28, 2010 until March 31, 2022, providing superior and professional legal counsel to the City which has protected it from potentially-adverse conditions.

This proclamation proclaims the City’s recognition of Larsen’s services and other members of Inslee Best.

Termination of Mayor’s emergency proclamation

Mayor Christine Frizzell terminated the emergency proclamation issued on February 14, 2022, confirmed by council through resolution 2022-04, establishing:

“As a public emergency, the response by city staff may require emergency purchases and the waiver of the public procurement process may be utilized where the competition is not practical (LMC 2.92, RCW 38.52.070, and RCW 39.04.280), and City service may require waiver of water service discontinuation (LMC 13.34.070A)”

The effective termination date of the Mayor’s emergency proclamation was Monday, March 28.

“It is my determination that the circumstances that threatened the health of the public in January has abated to a level that permits the termination of the emergency proclamation and that the staff may return to normal operations in regards to the applicable waved statutes,” Mayor Frizzell said.

The Mayor has the authority to proclaim emergencies under state law and city code and may also terminate such emergencies when the threat to the safety and health of the city’s community and property is abated.

Appointment of Youth Task Force

Mayor Frizzell, through word of the absent Council President George Hurst, appointed Councilwoman Julieta Altamirano-Crosby as chair, alongside council members Shannon Sessions and Josh Binda as members, to study and report on creating a youth council.

This task group will report to council no later than June 14, 2022.

Consent agenda

As part of the council’s unanimous consent agenda, a memorandum of understanding was established between the city of Lynnwood and Teamsters Local 763 which amends the current collective bargaining agreement to include cost of living adjustments for 2022 and 2023 and recognizes Juneteenth as a paid holiday for Teamster members. All other terms and conditions of the current collective bargaining agreement are extended to December 31, 2023.

In addition, council unanimously authorized the award of a construction contract with Award Construction Inc. for the rebuild of two separate traffic signals on 196th Street SW at 76th Avenue West and 68th Avenue West.

Council rules for virtual attendance

Council President Hurst, through Council Vice President Jim Smith, has asked the council to postpone approving council virtual attendance rules until April 11, seconded by Councilwoman Altamirano-Crosby and passed unanimously by council.

Council previously discussed an amendment to council rules that would allow, yet limit, council members to attend meetings virtually up to three times a year, excluding executive sessions. The number of allowed virtual attendances has been debated but will, at President Hurst’s request, be discussed and approved at council’s next business meeting.

Community fair

Council Vice President Smith returned to his community fair ideas, introduced at a council summit on January 29, when the council discuss having a business community fair celebrating the end of lockdown. However, he pronounced the project “dead” following the lack of council support demonstrated at past meetings.

The concept of the fair, “Meet me at the Heart,” would have offered booths, live music, games, K9 units, fire trucks, and more in an effort to both celebrate the reopening of the city and support local businesses.

Smith hoped to utilize $20,000 of ARPA funds to recognize this idea, which falls under the “Assistance to Business” category of acceptable funding options, striving for a July 30-31 date.

While many council members agreed that Smith’s vision would be a great outing for Lynnwood residents, Councilwoman Shannon Sessions questioned whether the project was moving too fast, requiring much more time for permits, budgeting, and planning to get right.

In the last work session, Council President George Hurst echoed many of the concerns Sessions brought to the table, adding that he would like to gauge the amount of volunteer support the event could get before voting in favor of it

“This community event that would have provided additional entertainment and sense of community to our residents, as well as our small businesses given a platform to connect with our community,” Council Vice President Smith said. “The bottom line is for this to work we can’t be having roadblocks from the city. We can’t be having roadblocks from council members. My thoughts are, to me, I think this is just dead.”

Body worn video disclosure actual cost

In January of 2022 the Lynnwood PD implemented a Body Worn Camera (BWC) program. Officers within the Bureau of Field Operations, as well as members of the city’s Community Health and Safety Section, wear body cameras and capture recordings that are public records and subject to the Washington State Public Records Act (PRA), Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 42.56.

As explained by the Chief of Police during a presentation to council on March 15, the cost and work involved in reviewing and redacting audio and/or video can be substantive, and the Lynnwood Police Department is proposing the imposition of a fee for certain requestors for the reasonable costs of redacting audio/video footage prior to disclosure to support this work.

There were no public comments or council question. Adoption will be considered by council at their next business meeting on April 11.