2021/09/29 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

• September 29, 2021 Other priorities for 2022 include designing the California Street Bicycle Corridor which will provide a regional bicycle link between our downtown and US Highway 2. We'll also begin construction on the Edgewater Bridge replacement on Mukilteo Boulevard. The bridge has aged beyond its useful life and needs to be re-built to meet modern seismic safety standards. Construction will require closure of the bridge for roughly 12 months, which will be a challenge for everyone who lives or travels in the area, but all in all this is an important investment in our transportation infrastructure and the safety of this neighborhood— reducing the risk of it being isolated in the event of a major earthquake. Public safety Keeping our city and everyone in it safe will always be a core priority. My proposed budget continues to support our public safety teams in Everett Fire, Police, and Emergency Management as well as our legal department and • municipal courts. These teams have served on the front lines through the duration of this pandemic along with all of their other responsibilities to keep our community safe, help those in need and keep us prepared. My budget for police supports training, community policing programs, and the completion of our Council-requested police department assessment. We're increasing funding for our Community Outreach and Enforcement Team and adding a social worker intern to our library and hopefully other areas to further expand resources to respond to the rising challenges of homelessness in our community. Other critical partners in public safety are our legal team and our municipal court. Our prosecutors work side by side with law enforcement, prosecuting crimes and supporting alternative pathways such as diversion and treatment. This team is playing an important role helping analyze new police reform legislation adopted in Olympia this year, so we can update our policies and procedures accordingly. • 10