The Everett Community Streets Initiative, a task force looking at street-level social issues in the city’s commercial cores, will meet for the first time next Thursday, July 24, from 3-6 p.m. in the Weyerhaeuser Room at Everett Station.
“Our goal is to foster a vibrant and healthy community by better understanding social issues on our streets,” said Mayor Ray Stephanson. “I’ve asked residents, business owners and service providers to join us in learning more about the challenges we face and identifying actions we can take as a community to address those issues.”
The task force will be co-chaired by Sylvia Anderson, chief executive officer at the Everett Gospel Mission, and Chris Adams, an Everett attorney and chair of the City’s planning commission.
The group will meet every other Thursday through Nov. 13. The meetings will be open to the public, and community members are invited to attend to learn alongside the task force members. The City has hired facilitator Karen Reed to help guide the process.
“We’ll look at a variety of factors that contribute to street issues in Everett, including homelessness, mental health, addiction, public safety, public spaces and commercial streetscapes,” said David Hall, deputy city attorney. “We’re inviting service providers and experts from other communities to share their experiences and successes with us.”
Hall will represent the city on the task force, along with Police Chief Dan Templeman and Lanie McMullin, executive director for economic development. Other city staff will serve as resources throughout the process.
For more information on the task force or to share feedback, click here.
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July 21, 2014
Everett, Everett Government