On Nov. 17, I was honored to be joined by current and former councilmembers, volunteers from our advisory boards, commissions, and committees, and staff to kick off the start of construction to remodel City Hall and Monroe Municipal Court. This project is important in our efforts to create a place of belonging on the Municipal Campus, to provide better access to city services by improving building efficiency, and to enhance department coordination. 

Thanks to the City Council for working to fund the remodel of the administrative offices (City Hall/Administrative Wing) and to Senator Hawkins and our 12^th District legislators for helping appropriate $1.1 million to create designated space for our Municipal Court (Justice Wing). The state funding support facilities improvements that will provide for a therapeutic court for people experiencing substance use challenges.

Remodeling costs are primarily funded through councilmanic bonds which commit the City to pay the debt within existing revenue over the next 35 years. The City Council and I are pleased that funding for the project was found within our existing revenues and does not impact funding for other capital projects.

Construction to remodel City Hall and Monroe Municipal Court is expected to begin in a few weeks. Access to the Police Department will remain open during construction, which is anticipated to take up to two years. City Hall is temporarily located at 14841 179^th Avenue SE, Suite 320 and Monroe Municipal Court is temporarily located at 769 Village Way. Project background and updates can be found on the Municipal Campus Improvement webpage. 

PHOTO: Pictured left to right – Monroe City Council members Heather Fulcher, Tami Kinney, and Ed Davis; Monroe Municipal Court Judge Jessica Ness; Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas; City Administrator Deborah Knight; Council members Kirk Scarboro, Kyle Fisher, and Kevin Hanford; and City Project Manager Jordan Ottow

I hope you all enjoy this week's edition of Monroe This Week which features details on:

• The bird flu exposure at Lake Tye
• The certification of the Nov. 7 General Election results
• A ceremonial check from Congresswoman Suzan DelBene
• Applications for Lodging Tax Awards
• Pet licensing changes
• Fireworks rules and regulations for NYE
• The City's living christmas tree program

Please reach out to me with what may be on your mind about and for Monroe. I can be contacted at [email protected].

Yours in Service,

Mayor Geoffrey Thomas 

UPDATE ON BIRD FLU EXPOSURE AT LAKE TYE

After consulting with the Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the City of Monroe is continuing the bird flu notice at Lake Tye. Despite a dramatic decrease in mortality the week of Nov. 20, WDFW is still receiving reports of occasional sick or deceased birds. Currently there is no estimated date to remove the bird flu notices. Based on past WDFW experience, these events typically last 2-4 weeks and the event at Lake Tye is entering its 4th week. However, the City of Monroe is located along the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route, and there is the potential for new cases emerging during this time. 

The City will continue to coordinate with WDFW and the WA State Dept. of Health until the outbreak has passed and we will continue to keep our community updated until it has passed. For additional information please see the WDFW website, or check out the KOMO news story regarding this event.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY CERTIFIES GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS

Snohomish County Auditor’s Office has certified the Nov. 7 General Election results. We thank Monroe voters for passing Proposition No. 1, Monroe Transportation Benefit District (TBD), by over 57%.The TBD is a 0.2% sales tax that funds transportation improvement projects such as street overlays and street reconstruction projects in the City. The renewal begins January 2025 and expires in December 2034, unless renewed by voters.

Additionally, congratulations to newly elected City Councilmembers Heather Fulcher (Pos. 4), Jacob Walker (Pos. 5) and Jason Gamble (Pos. 6). Their four-year terms begin Jan. 1, 2024. I look forward to working with the Council in 2024 to update the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and adopting the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget.

City Council Study Sessions are scheduled for the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Business meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays. Agendas, memos, meeting minutes and Zoom links are posted to our agenda portal. Meetings are currently held at the Monroe School District Administrative Building located at 14692 179th Avenue SE, in Monroe. You can attend meetings virtually or in-person. Public comment is accepted at the beginning of each meeting and as part of public hearings. Should you wish to contact the City Council, please email [email protected]. 

Thank you for supporting your city by voting, staying informed, and engaging with us.

CITY RECEIVES CEREMONIAL CHECK FROM CONGRESSWOMAN DELBENE

We were so pleased to be presented with a ceremonial check from U.S. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (Washington 1st District) that symbolizes the $481,000 federal appropriation she sponsored for the regional Mobile Mental Health program. 

The Mobile Mental Health program, administered by the Volunteers of America-Western Washington (VOAWW), provides emergency mental health resources, joining with police, fire, and emergency medical personnel when responding to people experiencing mental health crisis. This co-response model enables mental health professionals to meet people where they are and assist them in seeking out resources to support their recovery and stability. In addition to federal funding, the program is supported by the cities of Monroe and Sultan and Snohomish County. Currently, Monroe and Sultan are served by one mental health professional. 

For more about our Human Services programs, please visit our website or contact Rachel Adams, Human Services Coordinator at [email protected] or 360-863-4610.

PHOTO: Pictured left to right Deborah Knight, City of Monroe City Administrator; Brandon Foister, Clinical Director, Behavioral Health, Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW); Jessi Beyer, East County Co-responder, Mobile Mental Health Program; Rep. Suzan DelBene; Rachel Adams, City of Monroe Human Services Coordinator; Kristi Meyers, Chief Operations Officer, VOAWW; Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas

CITY NOW ACCEPTING LODGING TAX AWARD APPLICATIONS

The application window for 2024 Lodging Tax Awards opened this week, with applications due no later than Jan. 11, 2024 by 4:30 p.m. Submissions will be reviewed by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee who will make recommendations on awardees and award amounts to the City Council.

To be considered for funding, the request must be used for one of the following activities (RCW 67.28.1816):

• Tourism marketing;
• Marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists;
• Operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations as defined by the IRC 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6).
• Verification of nonprofit status will be required.

Priority consideration will be given to applications that feature events scheduled from November through April of each year, and activities that promote tourism during November through April. 

Lodging taxes are collected for lodging in hotel and motel rooms in Monroe. In prior years, they have supported events like TriMonroe, Kid’s Fishing Day, Fairfest 3on3, theatre productions with Sky Performing Arts, Music in the Park, Fair Days Parade, and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce to run the visitor information center. For more information on the 2024 award cycle or Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, please visit our website. All applications can be mailed or delivered to City Hall at 14841 179th AVE SE Monroe, WA 98272 or emailed to [email protected].

PET LICENSING UPDATE

At its Nov. 28, meeting, the Monroe City Council voted to repeal existing household pet licensing requirements, citing a significant decline in pet licensing compliance over recent years, along with cost inefficiencies and societal advancements in pet reunification—such as the widespread adoption of microchipping and the use of social media to bring attention to lost and found pets. The repeal, as established by Ordinance No. 022-2023, takes effect on Dec. 4, 2023.

Under previous regulations, residents of the City of Monroe were required to obtain an annual license for their dogs and cats. The cost for a license was $15 for spayed or neutered pets and $30 for unaltered pets. This fee had to be renewed for the entire duration of the pet's life, accompanied by proof of rabies vaccination.

There are no changes to several areas of the existing animal control code, including sheltering fees, regulations on dogs running at large, animals left unattended in a vehicle, failure to remove animal feces, and excessive barking. The repeal also does not affect dangerous dog declaration and registration fees, as well as kennel licensing requirements for businesses. 

For more information, please visit the City of Monroe Animal Control webpage or contact the Monroe Police Department at (360) 794- 6300.

FIREWORKS RULES & REGULATIONS FOR NYE

December is full of celebrations and should your holidays involve fireworks in the city, please go to our fireworks webpage to familiarize yourself with rules and regulations. The sale of consumer fireworks is allowed within city limits from Dec. 27 - 31 from 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The discharge of consumer fireworks is allowed within city limits on Dec. 31 from 6:00 p.m. to Jan. 1 at 1:00 a.m. Fireworks are prohibited in city parks. More information will be shared on our Facebook page in the coming weeks. Thank you for celebrating safely.

MONROE'S LIVING CHRISTMAS TREE PROGRAM

Do you have Christmas trees on your mind or unsure where to go? If you are planning to purchase a Christmas tree, consider purchasing a living tree. If you purchase a living tree in a container, and you don’t intend to plant it on your own property, you may donate it to our local Monroe city parks. 

You may find suitable living Christmas trees for sale at the following local Monroe businesses:

Fred Meyer: 18805 US 2 (360) 805-1996

Lowes: 19393 Tjerne Pl SE. (360) 365-4060

Pine Creek Farms and Nursery: 23225 Sofie Rd. (360) 863-8866

West Coast Nursery: 18720 WA-203 (360) 794-5457 

Woods Creek Nursery: 21008 Woods Creek Rd. (360) 794-6823

Our living Christmas tree program allows residents who use living Christmas trees to donate suitable trees to the City for planting in our parks and open spaces after the holidays. This is a resourceful way for everyone to enjoy the tree for years to come.

UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE

The City Council will next meet in a Regular Business Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The meeting will be held in a hybrid format; members of the public may participate in Monroe City Council meetings either in-person at our temporary location (Monroe School District Administration Building, 14692 179th Ave SE) or remotely via the Zoom remote meeting platform. Participation information will be posted with the Dec. 5 agenda, which can be accessed by clicking the button below.