u/AnonymousReed2

while I've been trying to advocate for a better stadium deal... we've also been working on a really fun project in the 4th avenue neighborhood of south everett! 😎

this project is a collaboration between voyager middle school students, local property owners, snohomish county public works, and funding support from the city of everett.

first comes a neighborhood trash cleanup and overgrowth mitigation day

then primer/base coat day(s) 🫟

then two community “paint by number” murals designed by south everett resident @kujabicreates with your help painting them!!!

we’re also giving nearby fences a fresh coat of paint alongside the mural walls to help set both the artwork and the neighborhood up for long-term success. having a clean, consistent base makes it easier (and aesthetically looks way better) to quickly paint over vandalism with the correct color and sheen instead of random mismatched squares so we can make year-round touch ups if/when needed (pending property owner approval)

the goal is to make maintenance easier, faster, and more consistent over time while helping the neighborhood feel cared for again.

reminders will be posted as we get closer to all of this, but we’re really going to get into the nuts and bolts of this issue and work toward improving quality of life for everyone who passes through that neighborhood.

dates may change due to weather or unforseen circumstances*** meet at the voyager middle school parking lot and look for the big yellow van... no crazy experience required! 😌

can't go to council tomorrow but can record my comments 20billiontrillion times

email council 🙂‍↕️: council@everettwa.gov

thanks for the kind words

hello friends sorry for spamming the sub this week 🫠 I'm one and done today but I have some volunteer opportunities through my nonprofit bunker arts collective I'll be announcing tomorrow!

council approved another $10M for the stadium. the conversation stayed focused on location, timelines, league requirements, and the fines the team is currently facing. there was a lot of visible excitement in the room, especially from property owners, developers, and construction unions, about what this project could bring.

but as of today, there is still no confirmed written agreement in place for the two USL teams the city is relying on as tenants.

and the question of how this investment benefits the rest of everett wasn’t treated with the same urgency.

we keep hearing about projected tax revenue and future growth. but projections aren’t the same as commitments. there is no clear, written plan for how this investment shows up across the city, and no clear return to the community beyond the taxes the project is expected to generate, while services are stretched thin and public spaces continue to decline.

and based on current conditions, it’s fair to ask whether those revenue projections will even be met. even if they are, that revenue is then split across multiple city departments, making it difficult for residents to see how those dollars translate into real improvements across everett.

this isn’t just about one project. it’s about a broader pattern.

councilmember scott bader has been clear that residents deserve a real return on their tax dollars when it comes to projects like sound transit. we agree with that. but that same standard wasn’t applied here, even though this project is being driven by a private ownership group’s need for a new stadium due to league requirements.

the only no vote came from councilmember judy tuohy, who cited concerns about the financial risk of the current deal. beyond that, there was no discussion of a community investment fund, no clear written expectations for community return, and no revisiting whether the projections the city made a year ago still hold true.

if public dollars are doing the heavy lifting, there should be clear expectations for what we get in return across everett. thoughtfully designed public spaces. better pedestrian infrastructure. real measures to address illegal dumping. vandalism mitigation.

or something as simple and tangible as bringing back the forest park pool 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

we’re not against the stadium. we want it to succeed. but success isn’t just the project itself, it’s whether people across everett actually feel it.

if we want everett to be a place worth coming to, we have to invest in all of everett.

we’ll keep doing the work. cleanups, showing up, taking care of the spaces we can. we received a $9,000 grant from councilmember rhyne in july 2025 to use this calendar year, and we’ll put those funds to work (with your input!!!) while continuing to ask for more from both the city and private ownership groups when we see things start to slip.

we will continue to document what we’re seeing across the city and share it. we will continue to push for a community investment fund. we’re not done, and we will be asking more specific questions as this continues.

we need to expect more from our elected officials. not just big projects, but consistent investment in the places people use every day.

if you’re seeing the same things across everett, keep pressing council respectfully. your perspectives do matter.

moral of the story: everett needs a better deal, and until then, we’re not letting our foot off the gas 😤

tl;dw: i asked the city to require a stronger commitment from the aquasox, specifically $600k to $1m annually directed back into the community to help offset services that are being reduced, merged, or cut entirely. their current contribution is about $10 million, or roughly 8% of the total project, and it has remained flat while public dollars now cover the remaining 92%.

y’all… i think it’s lame the aquasox haven’t had to meaningfully increase their contribution as this project has grown. i think it’s lame the city keeps putting more public dollars into this while other services continue to be cut or stretched thin. but i’m not naive. this project is likely moving forward. so at the very least, why aren’t we asking for a better deal?

the aquasox aren’t a mom and pop operation. they have the capacity to contribute more. if public funding is covering the overwhelming majority of this project, there should be a real, ongoing return back into the community.

if this resonates, consider emailing council your thoughts or showing up to the next council meeting! i will be there 🙂‍↕️

here's their email: council@everettwa.gov

demand a better deal from the aquasox before it's too late 🫩