As a resident of unincorporated Snohomish County with a post office box, the closest grocer, hardware store, fuel stop, auto parts and library all located within Sultan, I’ve witnessed the struggle and sense of decline in Sultan over the past two decades. The youth I see on the streets of Sultan seem unfortunate and disenfranchised. Crime up the valley has increased, and vandalism seems particularly cruel. The increase of a homeless settlement near Rudolf Reese Park and elsewhere fuels a sense of uneasiness.
It is for these reasons that I support the consideration of Sultan folding into the city of Monroe. It might lend a structure and stature that is lacking in Sultan, frankly.
Monroe hasn’t always made the best choices managing growth, resulting in a hodgepodge for sense of place and identity. But it seems Monroe has learned from those mistakes and the lake and walking trails near the Fryelands are evidence. Monroe’s self-esteem is something Sultan could use a dose of.
Sultan area property values would be bolstered, school districts could consider merging, a second set of services, management, vehicle maintenance, and policing could likewise be eliminated or made satellite and infused with a sense of “more than,” rather than Sultan’s historic less-than profile.
I don’t know how this merging of forces could be accomplished, but I find it encouraging that it’s on the table for discussion.
Susan Hobbs
Sultan
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