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• <br /> September 29, 2021 <br /> In 2022, our municipal court hopes to secure grant funding for a program to help <br /> people with substance use disorders who are involved in the criminal justice <br /> system. The goal is to reduce recidivism rates by providing assessments of <br /> defendants more quickly and helping them into treatment and services. We've <br /> seen how successful this type of approach can be with the court's mental health <br /> alternative program (MAP), which has reduced recidivism rates by over 90% since <br /> the program's inception. <br /> My proposed budget also sustains funding for our fire and emergency <br /> management teams so they can continue to ensure our city is well-equipped,well- <br /> prepared and well-trained to fulfil their mission of being here for us when we need <br /> them most. This includes funding to support an anti-bias training curriculum, <br /> aligned with our diversity, equity and inclusion objectives. <br /> I'm so grateful for the dedication and commitment of these public safety teams <br /> and thank each and every one of our police, fire, emergency management, legal <br /> and municipal court team members for their service to our city. <br /> • <br /> Public safety also includes our animals! And our Everett Animal Shelter continues <br /> to do great work to advance the safety, health and well-being of our local furry <br /> friends and family. My budget includes adding hours for veterinary support staff. <br /> Our plan is to offer reduced-cost vet services for income-qualifying residents. <br /> Sadly, some people may have few options but to surrender a beloved pet when <br /> they face unanticipated costs in veterinary care, or they may delay seeking that <br /> care altogether. Our intent is to improve animal care and keep pets together with <br /> their family and out of the shelter. Next year we'll also continue to build our <br /> program to provide spay and neuter services for other animal welfare <br /> organizations. This increases their adoption and transfer capacity and generates <br /> revenue for our shelter. <br /> Responsive & responsible government <br /> The last category I'll highlight today is being a responsive and responsible <br /> government, which of course involves being a good steward of our City resources, <br /> pursuing cost and operational efficiencies, and seeking to continuously improve <br /> how we deliver services to our community. <br /> • <br /> 11 <br />