City of Snohomish losing experienced women staffers

The City of Snohomish has an issue with the retention of professional women. Since the last election, three high-level professional contributors have left. All have been women. Their employment predated the current mayor’s election, in two cases, by many years. One woman worked for the city in two professional capacities successively. Another woman held the positions of city clerk and human resources manager simultaneously. These were valuable contributors. They did not leave to “spend more time with their families.” These women left for comparable jobs with other local city governments, some of which entail much longer commutes.

As it stands, our economic development manager is the last of the original cohort of high profile, public facing, female managers/administrators in Snohomish city government.

Economically, the City of Snohomish is doing well. This outcome was not always assured. One need look no further than the Proud Boy vigilante incident of last year that put Snohomish on the map in the ugliest and shrillest possible way. To say we looked dumb and dumber is sad understatement. We looked worse.

Much credit for the city’s current prosperity is owed to our economic development manager. In well timed, well balanced statements and written articles our economic development manager has given voice to our better, truer selves, all while supporting, during the covid 19 restrictions, Snohomish’s merchants. She deserves our thanks and our wholehearted support.

Jan Lengenfelder

Snohomish

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