Editorial: Schwab, Zarlingo for new Everett council positions

From the Herald editorial team

Due to a recent change in the way voters elect members of Everett City Council and the decisions of three current councilors to step down by the end of the year, city dwellers can enjoy a significant change in the composition of the city after this year’s election Expect rates. At least three new council members will take over the leadership of the city in 2022.

The creation of five boroughs in the city means that this year voters will elect councilors for each of the new boroughs. With the exception of major offices, which are not available for election this year, voters elect the councilor for the district in which they live.

Two candidates each stood for election in Districts 1, 2 and 4 and adopted the ballot papers for the parliamentary elections. Districts 3 and 5 each ran three candidates, not current councilors, and asked voters in the August 3 primary to elect the two finalists for the November 2 general election.

The reorganization of the municipal council elections, which were themselves approved by the city’s voters, and its significance for the future direction of the council and the city, increases the importance of voter participation in this year’s primary and parliamentary elections.

District 3

District 3 is in the west of the city and includes the neighborhoods of Boulevard Bluffs, Harborview-Seahurst-Glenhaven, View Ridge-Madison, Evergreen and neighborhoods along Hardeson Road.

Everett residents, Lacey Sauvageau, Don Schwab and Jacob Vail, all first-time candidates, are applying for the position.

Vail recently ran a small business, was an account manager for an internet development company, and had been a life coach for 12 years. He is a member of the city’s public service commission and the County Parks Board, and has completed an online professional mediation training program after graduating from Everett Community College with a degree in business marketing. Vail lives with a disability and is committed to serving the needs of this community.

Schwab has retired from a 30-year career with the Everett Fire Department. He was assistant treasurer for the county, associate faculty at EvCC, and employee representative for the local fire service union. Schwab has a bachelor’s degree in organizational management. He has volunteered as a coach in youth and adult sports, local boards, Volunteers of America, and the Red Cross.

Sauvageau, an Emergency Services dispatcher, holds an EvCC associate’s degree in criminal justice and serves on the Snohomish County 911 Security Committee and volunteer on the Lynnwood Police Department’s citizen patrol. She is active in her church and volunteers in the city and in the district.

All three candidates met with the editors via conference call and discussed the structural budget deficit of the city and possible solutions, housing issues and public safety issues.

All three candidates showed understanding of the city’s financial problems and the struggle to strike a balance between services and tax base. Sauvageau and Vail said they are ready to consider consolidating services, including transit, fire and ambulance services, and exploring opportunities for property tax increases. Schwab agreed, but foresees some complexities in the “moving parts” related to consolidation and tax adjustments.

On the availability and affordability of housing:

Schwab sees the need to build apartments that meet the broad income spectrum. The city council can have a significant influence on zoning and would like a concentration of apartments along the city’s traffic corridors. An upcoming inventory of the city’s housing needs will support direct city action, he said.

Vail agreed that zoning is key to increasing the housing stock so that more urban workers can live here. In addition to increasing inventory, Vail sees a need to fuel business growth and increase income. Vail also wants the city to buy vacant or available hotels to house the homeless.

Since there is only little land available for single-family houses, according to Sauvageau more apartments and multi-family houses should be promoted, especially along the traffic corridors. She also suggested training programs that would help homeowners develop maintenance and related skills.

All three candidates were quick to praise the city’s police department and its management, as well as recent reforms and accountability programs. Sauvageau said she would support an increase in the department’s budget, particularly for training. Schwab, who had worked side by side with officers, said the department was a modeling agency. Schwab said he would consider looking into alternatives to phone calls related to mental health issues and expanding the program to include social workers with patrols. Schwab sees it as a challenge for the ministry and the council to implement the recently passed state law enforcement laws as needed. Vail would also support increasing the public safety budget and hiring more officials, but also sees the need to reallocate funds to resources other than law enforcement in some situations.

All three candidates showed detailed knowledge of the problems and opportunities Everett faced, but Schwab impressed with his history with the city and the community and the ability to see different angles and avoid unintended consequences for certain actions. Schwab would bring a new perspective but also experience to his district and the council.

District 5

Located in the south of the city, District comprises 5 boroughs in parts of Pinehurst-Beverly Park, Cascade View, Twin Creeks and Silver Lake.

Everett residents Ben Zarlingo, Kelly Fox and Demi Chatters, all first-time candidates, are running to represent the district.

Chatters is a retired small business owner with 10 years experience in property sales, valuation and property management in Counties Snohomish and King. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on marketing and leadership and is aiming for a master’s degree in business administration. As a member of Evergreen Middle School’s equity team, Chatters served on boards and volunteered with organizations in Snohomish and King counties.

Fox is currently the Executive Director of Snohomish County EMS and has held public service positions for Renton Fire and EMS, Seattle Public Utilities / City Light, and Puget Sound USO. She has a master’s degree in social work. She has served on the city’s salary committee, community emergency response team, and volunteer with the Red Cross, Pride Foundation, and ACT and 5th Avenue theaters.

Zarlingo works in project management at Hewlett-Packard and previously worked at Agilent Technologies. He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was a member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Association and the Neighborhood Action Committee, and has volunteered in Forterra’s forest restoration work in Silver Lake and other neighborhoods. He has also volunteered on construction projects for Cocoon House and Helping Hands Thrift Store through United Way.

In an interview with the editors, the candidates gave their insights into the city’s budget as well as taxes and housing issues.

On urban budget and tax issues:

Fox said it will be a tough sell, but the city will need to consider some tax hikes to help address the structural budget deficit. She also wants to think about ways to work with service organizations that offer them resources, but also opportunities for agencies to offer services that are now administered by the city. She also helps consolidate Everett Transit with Community Transit as it can improve service across the city.

Chatters sees both a communication deficit and a budget deficit. The city, she said, needed to better help city dwellers understand what the city’s budget deficit was and how it could be resolved. More clarity is needed on issues such as the consolidation of transit, fire and rescue services and possible tax increases, she said. These are big changes, she said, and city dwellers need to be involved in these decisions.

Zarlingo agreed to the need for public relations work on the issue and recalled discussions with then Mayor Ray Stephanson. If the city can demonstrate the modest portion of the property tax it receives in relation to school districts and others, it could convince the public of the need to raise the tax cap. The city could also appeal to state lawmakers to reconsider the 1 percent cap on the city’s ability to increase its share of the tax. Zarlingo has not yet finalized its fire and transit regionalization efforts.

About apartment availability:

Zarlingo sees a healthy supply of housing in the city, but a clear need for more living space. He supports the city’s ongoing efforts on Metro Everett and Rethink zoning and believes that greater density needs to be focused near services, including local transportation. He also supports changes to ease restrictions on additional housing units.

As with the household, Fox sees a need for community outreach on housing issues and the city’s efforts to resolve homelessness. There are ways to adjust the zoning to encourage residential unit construction.

Homelessness, Chatters said, has become the most visible aspect of housing problems and an indication of a lack of response from the city over time, with police hired to address the issues that arise. There is an immediate need for housing that enables resources to be made available that can help this community become stable again. Regarding the availability and affordability of housing – both to buy and rent – Chatters said the city needs to partner and address the regulatory landscape to increase the stock of affordable housing.

As in District 3, voters in District 5 have an abundance of capable and knowledgeable candidates to choose from. Fox and Chatters show promise as future city guides, but Zarlingo’s previous leadership role in the Silver Lake neighborhood will serve him well in representing his district. His previous commitment to city-wide issues of development, the overall plan, wetlands, and commercial and residential development will serve the city as a whole.

Election information

For information on voter registration, a link to the voter guide, and ballot box locations, visit tinyurl.com/SnoCoVote2021.