Snohomish County mayors urge patience as stay-at-home order continues

The mayors of Snohomish County issued a joint statement Friday to their communities, acknowledging the burden of the stay-at-home order and the sacrifices being made every day by county residents.

Snohomish County Executive says ‘we’ll get through this together’

“It’s now been over a month since our communities closed down following the statewide orders to stay home, stay healthy, changing life as we knew it,” the letter reads. “Governor Inslee’s and our community’s early and decisive action, while difficult, has protected the lives of countless Washington residents.”

The sacrifices and the adherence to public health guidelines, the mayors say in the letter, are “achieving the intended result.” While new cases continue to emerge every day in the state and in the county, there are signs of hope.

“Our county is, in fact, leading the state in flattening the curve. We’re proud of our communities for taking this public health threat seriously and doing their part to keep us all safe.”

The mayors recognize that residents are out of work, kids are out of school, and many businesses are struggling to survive.

“There is a strong desire, that we as mayors agree with, to better understand the governor’s plan for a path forward to return to work, recreate, shop and worship again in our communities. There is a strong need for a logical, fair and equitable return to a ‘new normal’ when we can safely do so,” the statement continues.

The county’s mayors believe they owe it to their county to communicate a “transparent and realistic plan,” and offered the governor their direct assistance in the efforts to reopen.

“We’d like to assure you that we’re working hard to get ready for the next phase of response in this pandemic, which is economic recovery and bringing vitality back to our communities.”

The Snohomish County Executive, county councilmembers, the Snohomish Health District, and other regional partners are all working together with the mayors to develop a plan for reopening the economy as soon as it is safe to do so.

“Our plan will be tailored to meet the different needs and characteristics of our cities, but aligned in principle and process. It calls for a sector-based, gradual and phased approach – with testing, tracing, monitoring and evaluating – to ensure we don’t inadvertently cause a resurgence of COVID-19 in our communities. The last thing we want is to re-open too much, too soon, and undo the great progress we’ve achieved in fighting this disease together.”

The mayors say they are advocating at both the state and federal levels for economic relief for businesses and nonprofits in the county. While they recognize there is no timeline yet for the end of the Stay Home, Stay Healthy initiative, the mayors assure residents that Snohomish County will be ready.

Gov. Inslee says data will direct reopening Washington, not ‘irrational forces’

“In the meantime, we urge your patience and continued cooperation in staying home and physically distancing when you need to go out. We’ve come so far in slowing the rate of infection and reducing the tragic loss of life. Let’s see this through to the finish line and become the first region in the country to effectively and lastingly shrink the threat of this deadly virus.”

The letter was signed by the mayors of Arlington, Bothell, Brier, Darrington, Everett, Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sultan, and Woodway.

Find news on the COVID-19 response in Snohomish County online here.