New managers at Sno-Isle Libraries

Monica Jackson, Lindsay Hanson and Kaley Costello were promoted to new library manager roles at Sno-Isle Libraries.

Monica Jackson took over the Arlington Library. Jackson has extensive and varied library experience, including eight years with Sno-Isle Libraries as a children’s librarian at Lake Stevens and Mukilteo. She spent the past year as Mukilteo’s temporary assistant library manager. Jackson follows Kathy Bullene, who retired in September.

Jackson started her new role in late November.

“I’m really looking forward to supporting the dedicated staff and volunteers who work here and getting to know the Arlington community,” she said.

Jackson was a teen services librarian at Seattle Public Library and a reference librarian at St. Louis Community College.

“What I’ve loved about all these roles are the wonderful community connections that are made through our programming and outreach efforts and through helping people with their informational, educational and recreational needs,” she said. “When school groups come to the library I always ask them, ‘What do you think is the most valuable resource in the library?’ The answer, of course, is the people. Our staff, the people, are here to help and happy to be a part of the communities we serve.”

Lindsay Hanson is manager of the Lake Stevens Library. Hanson spent the past year managing the Lake Stevens Library as a career development opportunity before being named to the permanent position in October. Hanson joined Sno-Isle Libraries in February 2011. She started as a substitute librarian and worked as a librarian in several community libraries. She earned national recognition for her work as data analysis librarian at Sno-Isle Libraries Service Center.

“I love supporting my staff and serving the community,” Hanson said. “This is the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had.”

Kaley Costello joined Sno-Isle Libraries in 2014 as a part-time public service assistant in the Marysville Library before working in the Langley Library. She held the career development library manager position at the Lakewood/Smokey Point Library for about a year and a half before her promotion in October.

Costello said she loves being in a leadership position. “Making connections with other leaders to provide important services to the communities we serve is really important to me,” she said.

Cindi Cruz is City of Edmonds Employee of the Year

Customer Service program coordinator Cindi Cruz was voted the City of Edmonds 2019 Employee of the Year by her colleagues.

The award was announced by Mayor Dave Earling at the city’s annual holiday brunch at City Hall last week.

Cruz has been with the City of Edmonds for 40 years, working in a variety of capacities, including planning, finance and community services/economic development.

“During her time at City Hall, Cindi Cruz has consistently gone above and beyond in serving our community and is one of the ‘unsung heroes’ of our dedicated staff,” Earling said in a press release. “She not only plays an instrumental role in helping our city programs and events run smoothly, but she fills a demanding role with integrity, compassion, and humor. She is a role model for us all.”

“Cindi has been a lifesaver,” added Economic Development and Community Development Director Patrick Doherty. “Since my first day here at Edmonds over five years ago until today Cindi has been an invaluable resource for me — a veritable walking encyclopedia on everything Edmonds!”

According to Doherty, Cruz has a four-decades-long list of accomplishments too long to list, but a few highlights certainly stand out, including successfully coordinating and promoting the initial development of the Edmonds Center for the Arts, helping direct tourism promotion, assistance with numerous community events, unwavering support to several citizen commissions, including start-up of the Diversity Commission, and foundational involvement in creating the Puget Sound BirdFest and the Edmonds Holiday Market.

Not only is Cruz celebrating her 40 years of accomplishments with the city, she also celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary earlier this year and is in full swing planning her retirement later next year.

She has spent most of her professional career with the city while raising her two children. She looks forward to being a full-time “Gramma” to her five grandchildren.

Local shelter wins $5,000 grant

The PETCO Foundation is awarding the Everett Animal Shelter with $5,000 as part of a national giving campaign.

Bree Corbin nominated the shelter in a letter to the foundation about how she adopted her dog Noodle, who suffers from a spinal cord injury, at the shelter.

The dog inspired Corbin to volunteer at a camp for children with disabilities, the letter said.

Corbin and the shelter were surprised with the $5,000 check last week. The PETCO Foundation campaign is donating nearly $1 million to shelters nationwide.