By Chris Hendrickson, Monitor
So far, 2014 is looking like a busy year for the Sky Valley.
On the political forefront, the New Year will bring transition. Sultan City Council elected four new councilmembers in November's election, and the city of Gold Bar elected a new mayor. The Gold Bar mayoral candidate pool was initially sparse, with no candidates signed up to run after the county's first official filing period. Eventually, three citizens stepped forward to run for the office; although one eventually dropped out for health reasons.
In the interest of economic development, a group of agencies called the Sky Valley Recreation Group will continue its efforts toward increasing commerce by establishing the recreation-based Innovative Partnership Zone known as Port-to-Pass. While the Washington State Department of Commerce declined to designate the IPZ in late 2013, the group will continue to meet throughout 2014, with plans to reapply in 2015. The focus in 2014 will be on cultivating a more robust research and development element, including developing an established partnership between Port-to-Pass's agencies and a four-year university.
Recreational enhancement is on the agenda for 2014 with plans for expanding existing parks, the development of a new trail system, as well as the promotion of environmental stewardship through a valley-wide river cleanup day sponsored by the city of Sultan.
From recreational opportunities to economic development, there is much in store for the valley in 2014. Here are some highlights of what's coming up:
Recreation and Events
Summer Sky Valley River Clean Up Event
The city of Sultan will host a new, valley-wide river clean up event in August, 2014. Still in the early planning phases, the event will include cleanup of the Skykomish, Sultan and Wallace Rivers. Community involvement is highly encouraged.
Sultan River Nature Trails
Trail construction will begin on the Osprey to River Park trail expansion project. In October, 2013, the city was awarded $324,600 in grant funding to be used for property acquisition to secure the necessary land through both purchase and long-term lease. The 4-1/2 acre trail system will include a pedestrian bridge, observation decks, park benches and tables, as well as interpretive signage.
The Sultan Basin Shooting Range
Plans for the new shooting range will continue to move forward in 2014. Development of the range is being spearheaded by a nonprofit agency called the Sultan Sportsmen's Group. The group is working in conjunction with the Snohomish County Parks Department and includes members of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department, as well as former Sultan councilmembers. Plans for the design of the range will begin to gain momentum in 2014 with monthly committee meetings. Additional information can be found at http://www.skyvalleysportsmansgroup.org/.
Sky Valley Citizens' Academy
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Department is holding a citizens' academy to give Sky Valley residents the opportunity to learn the basics of law enforcement. The 13-week program includes instruction on patrol procedures, collision investigations, jail operations, and much more, plus the opportunity to ride on patrol with a deputy. The academy will take place from 6:30 GÇô 9:30 p.m. on Thursday nights at Sultan Middle School beginning on Feb. 6. Applications are available at Sultan City Hall and the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office East Precinct located at 515 Main St. in Sultan.
Boys and Girls Club of Sultan
After three years of discussions, site analysis, financial organization and design work, 2014 will mark the ground-breaking of the new Sultan Boys and Girls Club facility. The 17,000 square foot facility is planned for the Volunteers of America facilities located at 701 First St. in Sultan, and will include classrooms, a computer lab, a multi-purpose room, kitchen, gym and offices. The full-size gym is contingent on adequate finances, and could potentially be constructed in a later phase of the project. The original Sultan Boys and Girls Club burned down on Dec. 25, 2010. Current plans indicate that construction could begin in March or April.
Politics, Community and Economic Development
Council and Mayoral Updates
Newly elected Sultan Councilmembers Marianne Naslund, John Seehuus and Rocky Walker will be sworn in at the Sultan City Council meeting on Jan. 9. Bob McCarty, also elected during November's election, was sworn in on Dec. 12. Gold Bar's new mayor, Linda Loen, will be sworn in on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Council will be going to work on updating several items in the Sultan municipal code including the sign code. City staff and council will be developing ways to help meet the needs of the local businesses through revising the current sign code.
Boomtown
The Boomtown initiative, an effort spearheaded by Sultan City Administrator Ken Walker, will continue to build momentum in 2014. Walker would like to strongly encourage additional community involvement in the movement, which is designed to capitalize on Sultan's strengths and assets to help promote the city as an economically viable place to live, work and recreate.
After Hours Networking
The Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a new monthly "After Hours NetworkingGÇ¥ series to help promote local businesses. Local business owners are invited to host the monthly meet-and-greets, providing them with the opportunity to network with other business owners in the community and to introduce their trades. The first event will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30 at the Visitor Center located at 320 Main St. in Sultan and the offices of Sultan Chiropractic located around the corner at 311 U.S. Highway 2.
Community Awards Celebration
The 16th annual Sky Valley Community Awards and Random Act of Kindness Awards Celebration will be held on February 15 at 5 p.m. in the Sultan High School Commons. The Sky Valley Citizen of the Year will be crowned at this event that is a potluck. To inquire about nominations, please contact Debbie Copple at the Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce at (360) 793-0983.
Alder Avenue Reconstruction
Reconstruction work on Alder Avenue, from 5th to 8th Street, will be performed in 2014. The city of Sultan received grant funding from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board in November of 2012 for the roadway repairs. The project has been in the design phase and will now move forward to the construction phase.
Sultan River Pedestrian Bridge
The city of Sultan will work to obtain sources of funding for the proposed pedestrian bridge. The Bothell engineering firm WHPacific presented the city with several design options at a council meeting in September.
Tourism Grant
The city of Sultan will be adding two new "Community Event and Business PromotionGÇ¥ signs, utilizing funding received from a Snohomish County Tourism grant. The custom signs will feature different sections; the top portion a permanent decorative area announcing the city of Sultan, the middle area will be designated for community events and the lower portion will include banners advertising local businesses. The 14 foot by 12 foot signs will be placed along U.S. 2 at both the east entrance and the west entrance of town.
Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce Events
The Chamber's calendar of events for 2014 includes all the favorites from previous years such as Shindig, Gold Dust Days and the Index Arts Festival. The new Return of the Salmon festival will be back in the fall of 2014, and the newly-revitalized Veteran's Day ceremony has returned to the agenda, as well.
The Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 11:45 a.m. at the Sultan City Hall meeting room.
Sky Valley Community Coalition
The Sky Valley Community Coalition is a community volunteer organization dedicated to reducing the negative impacts of drugs and alcohol in the Sky Valley, particularly among the youth. The coalition hopes to continue building on the youth chapter's "Want MoreGÇ¥ campaign and will be featuring a presentation at an upcoming Sultan High School assembly. The coalition meets monthly in Sultan. For more information contact Sarah Davenport-Smith or Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick at City Hall: (360) 793-2231.
Sky Valley Schools and Education
Sultan School District Levy
The Sultan School District will be holding a vote to maintain the district's Educational Programs and Operations levy. The levy is not a new tax, but a replacement for the current levy that expires this year. Levy funds account for 20 percent of the district's total funding, helping to pay for technology, all-day kindergarten, transportation, curriculum and other programs. The vote will be held on Feb. 11, 2014. For more information contact the district at (360) 793-9800. Sultan School District schools include Sultan Elementary School, Sultan Middle School, Sultan High School and Gold Bar Elementary School.
Sultan Elementary School
The Sultan Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization has several new projects lined up for 2014, including the cultivation of a new "secret gardenGÇ¥ reading area to be located behind the library. The PTO will be looking to partner with local businesses and volunteers to aide in the development of this new outdoor reading area.
The new year also brings a new scholarship program through the Sultan Education Foundation called the Sultan Elementary School Alumni Scholarship. SES alumni are eligible to apply for the $500 scholarship which can be used on education-related expenses after high school graduation.
The PTO will be continuing their new monthly series of events for SES parents and students. The program hit the ground running with the new school year and has included family movie nights, craft nights and game nights. The monthly events series was designed to encourage family togetherness as well as community involvement. Cougars are allowed to let loose and focus on fun. February's event is called the "Fancy Pants Family Dance.GÇ¥
The PTO will continue to focus on expanding the elementary school's music program, and is inviting Sky Valley residents to donate old instruments in support of the endeavor.
Sultan Middle School
Sultan Middle School will continue taking strides in developing a broadened curriculum of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses. The school has officially become a "Project Lead the WayGÇ¥ school, and beginning next year will offer STEM classes for all students, grades six through eight. Project Lead the Way is a national nonprofit organization which provides strategic and robust STEM education programs for middle schools and high schools across the United States.
This is the middle school's second year utilizing Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) curriculum. AVID instruction focuses on helping students gain life and educational skills including critical reading and strategic thinking. Approximately 90 students are currently enrolled in an AVID elective course designed to promote healthy study and organizational skills, plus guide students in the practice of teamwork and other collaboration techniques.
In 2014 the school will begin to start incorporating principles from Positive Behavior Intervention Systems, a system which encourages positive behaviors in students. Students are held accountable for problematic behaviors in an effort to promote positive change among the entire student body.
Principal Nathan Plummer took over at Sultan Middle School for the 2013 GÇô 2014 school year.
Sultan High School
It's all about "Turk PrideGÇ¥ at Sultan High School this year. Certain areas of the school are undergoing a facelift; the gym was given a fresh coat of Turk blue paint over the holiday, while both trophy and award display cases have been relocated and revitalized in an effort to highlight all Sultan High School student accomplishments. These cosmetic improvements will continue in 2014.
The school will be hosting a "Commit to GraduateGÇ¥ ceremony in the Sultan High School commons at 5:30 p.m. on February 5 which will include a guest-speaker, dinner and the opportunity for 9th grade students to officially acknowledge their commitment to graduate in 2017.
Please see the Turk Pride Update from Sultan High School Principal Tami Nesting.
Gold Bar Elementary School
Gold Bar Elementary, along with Sultan High School and Sultan Middle School, entered into the 2013 GÇô 2014 school year under new leadership. Gold Bar Principal Jake Rodgers has been focused on working to align the school's teaching practices to the new Common Core State Standards, which are an established set of instructional data that clearly detail what should be expected of students at each grade level. The Common Core State Standards is a nationwide effort.
Additionally, the school is looking for ways to incorporate self-assessment as a tool for student learning, as well as working on positive student character development.
In an effort to circumvent bullying, student harassment and intimidation, the school is also incorporating methods and principles stemming from Rachel's Challenge. Rachel's Challenge is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of childhood and teen violence, based on the life of Rachel Scott, who was a victim of the Columbine High School shooting tragedy.
Valley Nonprofit News
The Determined Parents Foundation
Sultan resident Heidi Kossow Dawson will be spending a great deal of her time training in 2014, as she prepares to climb Mount Rainier in September. Dawson will be engaging in this challenge with her friend and business partner, Kelly Tipple Moran, to promote their organization The Determined Parents Foundation. The two started the nonprofit agency last year in an effort to spread awareness and offer assistance to parents raising children with special needs. The climb will be done in conjunction with Provail, an affiliate of United Cerebral Palsy, for the World CP Challenge month which runs through September. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/TheDeterminedParentsFoundation.
H3 Horses Healing Heroes
President Arleen Gibson will be starting off 2014 by heading down to Olympia to continue working towards obtaining her federal 501C3 status. The status will allow H3, a nonprofit organization which utilizes a form of therapy with horses to help former military personnel, the opportunity to apply for grant funding, enabling Gibson to help more veterans. Gibson is working on a facilities acquisition involving several cabin-like structures that are currently situated on the Volunteers of America property in Sultan. The structures must be relocated to make way for the new Boys and Girls Club; therefore Gibson is seeking a feasible plan for transporting the rustic shelters to her property on Fern Bluff Road. Gibson utilizes Equine Assisted Psychotherapy to aide in post-traumatic stress and other disorders stemming from time served in the military. For more information, see: https://www.facebook.com/h3horseshealingheroes.
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