LYNNWOOD—Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell delivered her State of the City address at the Lynnwood Event Center on Wednesday, February 26, centering on the theme of a “purpose”-driven future, prioritizing the safety and improving the quality of life all Lynnwood residents.
The event was emceed by Frank Percival with the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to the Mayor taking the stage, Lynnwood City Council President Nick Coelho shared a few words and Mike Evans, with the Snohomish Tribe, shared the land acknowledgment, recognizing that the area was once home to the Coast Salish people long before the city was incorporated.
Mayor Frizzell’s reminded the public first and foremost that the Lynnwood government is separated into three co-equal branches—the City Administration, the Municipal Court, and the City Council—each tasked with serving Lynnwood’s community members uniquely and effectively.
She then thanked the City Council, City staff, the Lynnwood Facilities District, and the elected officials—both state and federal—for their continued advocacy for a thriving Lynnwood.
“When the City lacks purpose the entire community suffers,” the Mayor said. “As a city, our number one Purpose is to serve our community members. We do this day in and day out – 24 hours a day. Our employees are proud public servants who use their talents and draw from their years of experience and expertise to make decisions and take action to ensure that Lynnwood thrives.”
The City does this, Mayor Frizzell added, through its core values and Strategic Priorities of Inclusion, Collaboration, Accountability, and Innovation. These values ring true through several community members, she said, and one of those community members is Lynnwood Times 2022 Person of the Year, Olympia Edwards, CEO of Project Girl Mentoring, who followed Mayor Frizzell’s opening remarks to share inspirational words about empowering the next generation.
Continuing with the theme of “purpose,” Mayor Frizzell noted that the City of Lynnwood has thrived for the past 66 years due to its purpose-driven planning for the future. Much of that planning has come to fruition including the opening of the Sound Transit Link light rail extension to Lynnwood, its future extension to Everett, and redeveloping the City Center—an idea which was coined decades ago.
“It’s not hyperbole to say that this decade is one of the most critical periods in Lynnwood’s history. So much that has been planned on paper and envisioned in the minds of community members is now coming into sharp focus,” said Mayor Frizzell.
Other notable projects in Lynnwood include rebuilding of 36th Avenue, redevelopment of 196th Street, massive park and trail improvements around Scriber Lake, and multifamily housing units being built in the City Center area around Alderwood Mall that is taking place currently.
“Since the 1990s, our community has had the shared goal of becoming a regional model of what transit-oriented development can and will look like not only in Lynnwood, but throughout Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties,” said Frizzell.
The City also completed the huge task of adopting its Comprehensive Plan, a multiyear plan for future growth and result of years of community outreach, research, and presentations.
This plan, updated from 2015, provides a 20-year strategy for growth, infrastructure, and services, with a vision for the community through 2044. It includes eight very important elements: Environment, Land Use and Community Design, Housing, Transportation, Capital Facilities and Utilities, Economic Development, Community Health and Public Safety, and Parks, Recreation and Open Space.
The adopted 2025-2026 biennium budget, the mayor shared, accounts for inflation and overall cost of operating a city, including increased fees for services, liability insurance, and addressing the growth that has always been envisioned for the City. It plans for hiring additional employees to address public safety concerns, maintaining and improving critical infrastructure, employee benefits, as well as wage increases from collective bargaining agreements.
The City is audited by the State Auditor’s Office ever year and has received the Governmental Finance Officers Association Award for Excellence for the last seven years. The City’s current Standard and Poor (S&P) Bond rating is AA+ with a stable outlook.
As for public safety, the expansion of the City’s Civic Justice Center and the re-imagined Community Justice Center are progressing.
The new CJC includes a police department, a state-of-the-art misdemeanor jail facility, and an expanded municipal court. The police and jail portion opened last fall, and the court renovation is nearly complete.
The new building will also offer enhanced medical services, social services, and leverage community partnerships to improve care and access to resources for those in custody.
“This project strives to provide a safe and supportive environment for justice-involved community members, with the goal of breaking the cycle of re-offending,” said Frizzell.
The proposed Lynnwood Crisis Care Center, however, sits vacant after the provider who had agreed to operate the facility determined last year that they could not financially operate it due to funding and reimbursement challenges. Mayor Frizzell reassured that the City hasn’t given up on this project yet and thanked Representative Lauren Davis who is advocating for new bills that will help address issues like these statewide.
Addressing the dark side of public safety issues within the City of Lynnwood, Mayor Frizzell acknowledged the loss of three teenagers over the last eight months due to, what she called, “senseless acts of violence”.
“I grieve for their families as they try to come to grips with the loss of their children. No one should have to go through this sorrow. The journey ahead for all who knew the teens will continue to be difficult,” said Frizzell.
The City and its departments are working together with existing partnering agencies to address gang violence within the city and throughout Snohomish County.
One of these tragic incidents involved a 14-year-old juvenile who was shot and killed near the Somerset Village Apartments, owned by the YWCA, on New Years Eve. Mayor Frizzell invited Mary Anne Dillion, Vice President of Programs for the YWCA, to speak about some of the ways her organization is handling youth violence going forward.
The City will continue to work closely with its local and regional emergency management agencies and first responders like 911, South County Fire and other Snohomish County agencies to enhance natural disaster readiness. Internally, local employees will be renewing efforts of preparing for disaster situations utilizing the new Emergency Operations Center.
This EOC space was created inside the new Community Justice Center and will serve as the nerve center of addressing a multi-day disaster. Its employees have already undergone, and will continue to undergo, multiple levels of FEMA training which is the national emergency management standard across the country.
Mayor Frizzell also said the City will conduct Department Performance Studies to maximize efficiency. The idea stemmed while the Mayor and Council discussed its new budget and will involve working with trusted third-party companies to examine the City’s processes, workforce, and output to identify how it can improve to better serve the community.
Related to this, the City hopes to continue its emphasis on customer service, engaging with community members through offering classes at the Recreation Center, to providing permits, to inspecting construction projects, addressing concerns, enforcing codes, and cleaning parks and green spaces.
“Regardless of the scale of the interaction, our community members anticipate an exceptional level of service when dealing with our City. It is our responsibility to surpass those expectations. With the significant growth we are experiencing, these interactions are increasing daily, and we are continuously seeking ways to enhance our service to the community,” said Frizzell, who reminded the audience that Lynnwood’s slogan ‘All Are Welcome’ represents treating each other with respect and dignity.
Next month residents of Lynnwood will hear more about the National Community Survey which will capture opinions on the economy, mobility, community design, and other elements of Lynnwood’s overall livability.
Another avenue of communicating input, the Mayor said, is bringing feedback to the annual Community Open House. This year’s Community Open House will move from the Lynnwood Event Center to City Hall on Wednesday, April 30, from five to seven.
Next Mayor Frizzell emphasized the importance of small businesses in Lynnwood—a city with over 3,000 businesses calling Lynnwood home, many of which are small or independently operated.
Just last month, Lynnwood’s Development and Business Services Department launched a Small Business Development Program that is designed to support local businesses like these as they grow and succeed.
The City also hosts Small Business Workshops, which will be held on March 10 this year at 4 p.m. at the Lynnwood Library.
For summer events such as the Fair on 44th, Shakespeare in the Park, Meet Me at the Park, Sandlot Cinemas, and National Night Out, the Mayor encouraged residents to check the City’s website to stay informed about updates.
She also encouraged audience members to consider enrolling in Lynnwood University which is aimed at educating the public on the inner workings of City government.
“I have called Lynnwood home for most of my life, so I may be biased when I say that it’s the best city in the country. People from across the world make this their home to live, work, play, and learn. Lynnwood is a special city,” said Mayor Frizzell. “I feel incredibly blessed to serve as your Mayor. It is an honor and a responsibility I take to heart, and I believe that it is truly my Purpose to serve you.”
In closing Mayor Frizzell brought her speech back to the theme of the morning: purpose, asking each audience member to reflect on their own purpose and how they can help the City become a better place for future generations.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
