Linda Redmon sets plans as mayor-elect of Snohomish
SNOHOMISH – Linda Redmon, candidate for the reunification of the city, will replace Mayor John Kartak in January.
Redmon led by 119 votes against Kartak and there were 75 Snohomish ballots remaining as of Sunday, November 7. Kartak praised Redmon in a phone call on Friday night.
The turnout saw about 3,500 people, or half of the city’s 6,900 eligible voters, vote.
Redmon will retain city administrator Steve Schuller and intends to work full time as mayor.
Redmon said his first order of business will be to investigate the reasons for the discord within City Hall. “I don’t know the root, but if we are trying to serve our community, we have to make sure that the staff are taken care of so that the staff take care of our community.”
Another objective will be to think about how to have more housing in Snohomish by reviewing the planning code. The historic district has apartments, quadplexes and small apartment buildings that offer a variety of housing, but construction of more here is currently not permitted by city code, Redmon noted in an interview.
A third goal will be to seek options for Snohomish to be more environmentally friendly “while being mindful of taxpayer dollars,” Redmon said. These can include efforts to increase the tree canopy, add bee-friendly flora, set goals for the city for renewable energy, and add a permeable pavement that reduces stormwater runoff. .
Redmon crushed a rumor that she was slashing the police department’s budget. “Question # 1 I’m asked is: are you going to fund the police? No, I would not, ”she said,“ I am not in any way thinking of funding the police ”and said she will not change the current model of police staffing. She would, however, like to add mental health services in addition to the existing police department staff, if possible. The city’s contract with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office specifies the size of the police force, and city officials have a say in the department’s priorities.
Redmon’s rapid rise in politics – she was elected to city council in 2017 – raised a question posted by City Councilor Larry Countryman in a cartoon depicting Redmon primarily as an upholsterer. (They never argued, Redmon said.)
Redmon’s family came to Snohomish in 2009. Professionally, she has a Masters Degree in Nutrition and runs her family’s private psychology practice. She began studying her local government around 2015, sparked by a public rumor that the town’s skate park would be phased out as part of a larger plan to reuse the Hal Moe Pool (Averill Field), he said. she declared. Skate park users, including her son, have asked city council to intervene.
In January, five years after joining city council, Redmon will lead a town of 10,000 people.
Redmon asked Kartak to acknowledge May 31, 2020 concerns
The events of May 31, 2020 struck a chord in the community. People invaded Snohomish this Saturday afternoon over rumors that anti-fa protesters were coming to do property damage. Toward sunset, open gun carriers and members of the Proud Boys appeared in the crowd.
In the days that followed, Kartak never condemned the bearers of arms or those displaying the Confederate flag. At the time, Kartak said his position was that people were exercising their First Amendment rights, even though he disagreed with what was posted. He and then police chief Keith Rogers faced political backlash.
Redmon said, “I said to (Kartak) ‘you can fix this if you say you heard people have concerns’, and he didn’t, and it sealed his coffin. “
“I didn’t want to run for mayor, I wanted to stay on the board,” Redmon said. She said she ran away because the public pressed her, especially after dealing with the events of May 31.
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