Marysville mayor candidates focus on growth, public safety

MARYSVILLE — This growing city has had the same mayor for almost a decade.

Now, Mayor Jon Nehring is facing a challenge from political newcomer Michael Patrick. In the Nov. 5 election, voters also will decide two City Council positions.

Both mayoral candidates plan to focus on traffic, drug-related crime, and increasing the number of jobs and businesses.

Nehring, 49, has lived in the city for 26 years. He started on the City Council in 2001 and was appointed mayor in 2010. He was elected a year later and ran unopposed in 2015.

He said the city has made solid strides with public safety, transportation and budgeting.

More than a year ago, the city started to team up social workers and law enforcement to reach out to people who are homeless and may be using drugs.

Nehring also has helped create Stay Out of Drugs Areas in certain parts of the city, including downtown.

“What that means is, if you’ve been convicted of a drug crime of any kind and you are seen in that area for any reason other than work or school, you go to jail, no questions asked,” he said.

It’s been about five years, and drug and property crimes since then have gone down by 50% in that area, he said.

The city also has been working on $150 million in transportation projects, he said.

An exit to I-5 is to be added in coming years, and another lane on that freeway is expected to open in 2022, heading northbound between North Everett and Marysville.

If re-elected, Nehring plans to focus on public safety and hire more police officers.

He hopes to revitalize the downtown area with more businesses, and to work on parks and trails in the city.

Nehring’s opponent has similar ideas.

Patrick, 64, has lived most of his life in Lynnwood and moved to Marysville about five years ago.

He retired from the Boeing Co. a few years ago.

Patrick would like to continue with the social worker program, but wants it to go further.

“There is nothing in that program that prevents the users of tomorrow,” he said.

If elected, he hopes to work with friends and families of people who use drugs in an effort to halt addiction.

Patrick also hopes to build a hospital in Marysville before the population becomes any larger.

“Marysville didn’t do a good job for all the increased traffic the commercial and residential development was going to cause, and I’m afraid we are doing the same thing with a hospital,” he said. “We don’t see the need for a hospital today, but once the growth hits we might be behind.”

City Council races

Marysville voters will decide on two City Council members this election.

Jeff Seibert and Kelly Richards are up for one of the positions.

Previously, Seibert served on the council for 16 years. He lost an election to Council member Tom King in 2017.

He hopes to work on public safety, traffic and creating a better quality of life for residents.

“I have the experience knowing what’s going on around the city and what it takes to get things done,” he said.

Richards has never run for public office, but is on the city’s planning commission that works closely with the City Council.

He hopes to increase the number of jobs in the city so people can work where they live. That in turn could mean less traffic in and around the city, he said.

Richards is an elementary school paraeductor.

“I see the families daily, I see the struggles they go through,” he said. “I know how to get groups of people together to come up with the best solution, and it may not even be the solution I thought of or want, but if it’s best for the community that’s what I’m going to go for.”

In another City Council race, incumbent Stephen Muller has a challenge from Katherine Iverson.

Muller has lived in Marysville for most of his life, and has been on the council for eight years. He’s focused on public safety and economic development.

Iverson has no elected experience. She favors reducing the size of government and zoning restrictions in the city. She’d like the city to become toxin-free, according to her statement in the voter’s pamphlet.

Ballots are due by 8 p.m. Nov. 5.

Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @stephrdavey.