‘Friday the 13th’ budget protest: County Exec will not sign Council-adopted budget
EVERETT—In a surprising use of his authority, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, known for his reserved and sagacious leadership, announced late Friday afternoon that he will not sign the $3.22 billion 2025-26 biennium Council-adopted budget. “Since receiving the budget from the County Council on November 27, my team and I have been carefully reviewing what […]
County budget talks heated, new questions arise of former sheriff’s residency
EVERETT—Controversary surrounds former Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary after a damning audit report by George Skiles, Partner at Sjoberg-Evanshenk Consulting, on both Executive and Council Office staffing operations, pointed to “duplicative” and “overlapping” staff positions as a contributing factor to a proposed $3.07 billion 2025 Biennial Budget. While the number of core staffing positions has remained relatively the […]
County Executive clears the air and stands firm with $3 billion budget proposal
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—A week after a damning audit report by George Skiles, Partner at Sjoberg-Evanshenk Consulting, County Executive Somers stands firm and clears the air on his proposed 2025 Biennial Budget. Below is a statement by Snohomish County Executive Somers in its entirety: “As budget deliberations continue, my priority remains sustaining core county services that deliver for our […]
County Executive says funds are tight, a recent audit could point to why
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—In Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers’ proposed 2025 Biennial Budget, he said funds are tight for the county driven by inflation, rapid population growth, and COVID relief funds hitting the end of their limits. But a recent county audit, conducted on both Executive and Council Office staffing operations, may point to another contributing factor […]
Exclusive interview with Wil Johnson, SnoCo’s newest DEI Officer
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—The Snohomish County Executive’s Office officially announced that Wil Johnson will be taking over the role of Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer on Tuesday, September 10, leading the county’s Office of Social Justice. “We are so grateful to welcome Wil to our team. His experience in building strong relationships, educating diverse audiences, and […]
Application period for Community Sponsorship Initiative grants now open
Snohomish County—Executive Dave Somers today announced that the Snohomish County Office of Social Justice (OSJ) is accepting applications for its community sponsorship initiative. The initiative provides up to $5,000 in financial support to organizations working to advance efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is the first of four funding rounds in 2024. “Snohomish […]
Young leaders inspired to fight for social justice at student leadership conference
EDMONDS, Wash., April 20, 2022 – The Edmonds School District hosted a student leadership conference focusing on the theme “Becoming Leaders of Change” at the Edmonds Center of the Arts today. Notable speakers included Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas and Dolores Huerta, civil rights activist and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association. “I never thought I’d […]
Lynnwood Times finds WA BLM falsely accused of lack of financial transparency
SEATTLE, Wash., February 16, 2022 – Recently, the Washington Examiner reported that the state of Washington informed Black Lives Matter (BLM) they need to immediately cease fundraising due to lack of financial transparency. However, Black Lives Matter refers to 11 separate entities in Washington state registered with the Secretary of State’s Corporations and Charities filing […]
What does equity mean to you?
On Wednesday, October 6, the Lynnwood Times facilitated an interview forum with several candidates running for Mayoral, City Council, and School District positions in Lynnwood and Mukilteo. It was an insightful experience listening to each candidates’ response and perspective. There was one question in particular, though, that has left staff both puzzled and concerned: What […]
