Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today? Yes, I want to support My Lynnwood News!
Key takeaways:
- The Council unanimously approved a contract for a full-time Lynnwood community health worker funded fully by a grant from Verdant Health Commission.
- Local leaders accepted the City’s proclamation for Lunar New Year.
- Mayor Hurst addressed community concerns over federal immigration enforcement activity in Lynnwood.
Lynnwood now has its own dedicated, full-time community health worker, a fully funded grant position connecting people to resources in times of crisis or general need. The Lynnwood City Council unanimously approved the contract at its Feb. 9 meeting. Mayor George Hurst also proposed the City create a committee of local officials and service providers to respond to federal immigration enforcement presence in Lynnwood.
Community health worker contract
Following unanimous approval from the Council Monday, the City will enter an interlocal agreement for $500,000 with South County Fire to fund one community health worker through the end of 2026. The contract is fully funded by a grant from Verdant Health Commission and replaces a previous social worker contract through the Snohomish County Outreach Team (SCOUT) that ended Dec. 31, 2025.
Lynnwood Police Chief Cole Langdon told the Council the new contract significantly expands services over the previous arrangement. Last year, Lynnwood split one social worker with Mountlake Terrace for two days a week under the SCOUT program, who primarily served homeless people. The new contract secures a full-time worker for Lynnwood for 40 hours a week and expands services for matters including substance-use disorder, domestic violence, and mental and behavioral health. The new contract saves the City $40,000 – Lynnwood’s portion of the previous contract.
“We now have a broader spectrum,” Langdon said. “SCOUT was very narrow in its focus of working with homeless folks… Community health workers have a broader spectrum to include community outreach.”
The contract also continues Lynnwood’s access to the Snohomish County Diversion Center in Everett to provide stabilization services for substance use and addiction services for up to two weeks per person.
South County Fire Capt. Keith Sharp said the community health worker will collaborate with the fire agency’s community resource paramedic program that has been in operation for more thana decade. The paramedics can respond to acute crises, such as substance-use disorders or domestic violence, and hand off cases to community health workers for long-term resource connection and care management.
“They walk alongside the people that we serve and make sure that they’re successful every step of the way,” Sharp said.
Sharp said South County Fire’s community resource program has a 70% success rate with addiction treatment through direct community outreach, as opposed to the 10% success rate seen in self-reported cases. This is achieved through collaboration with mental and physical health care providers, in-home care, medication assistance and connection to social services. While Lynnwood’s health worker would be employed 40 hours a week, Sharp said the community will have 24/7 access to services between South County Fire’s larger team of health workers and paramedics.
The community health worker and paramedics also provide senior/disability services, chronic disease management, food and housing services, adult living resources and other individual needs. The worker will follow up with a care plan, ensuring individuals have a long-term plan for success. The program also provides transportation services to appointments and has $100,000 in hotel vouchers for people who don’t qualify for service at the diversion center, Sharp said.
Chief Langdon said interviews for Lynnwood’s community health worker are set to begin next week. Lynnwood police and South County Fire will begin reapplying for the grant in the summer and expect to know by the fall whether they will receive the grant again.
Lunar New Year proclamation and immigration enforcement response
The meeting began with a proclamation for Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 17. Also known as Chinese New year, the holiday centers around a 12-year cycle based on Chinese astrology, with 2026 marking the year of the horse, according to ChineseNewYear.net. The proclamation was accepted by leaders of the local Asian community, artists and City and County officials.
During his comments, Mayor George Hurst announced a potential plan to respond to the presence of federal immigration enforcement in Lynnwood. Hurst proposed a “mayor’s committee” of local services providers, government officials and local law enforcement to take action if someone is detained in Lynnwood.
The idea is in its beginning stages, Hurst said, but he intends to move it along quickly. Once completed, the group could work to verify whether arrests are authorized by a judicial warrant and provide the detainee’s family members with financial services if needed. Hurst said he plans to work with local faith organizations to fund the efforts.
“I’d just like the community to know there is a concern here and we’re ready to take some actions,” Hurst said Monday.
Hurst’s announcement comes after reports on social media last week of federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers making arrests in Lynnwood and throughout Snohomish County.
Before Monday’s meeting, Hurst released a joint statement with Chief Langdon, promising to comply with state immigration enforcement laws and encouraging people to call 911 if they see federal immigration officers or are unsure about an unmarked vehicle.
Full statement:
“Message Regarding ICE in our Community from Mayor George Hurst and Chief Cole Langdon
To our community,
The City of Lynnwood is steadfast in its belief that our community members from across the world belong and are welcome. For weeks, we have witnessed the senseless acts of violence in Minneapolis against protestors who are standing up against the questionable removal of their neighbors at the hands of ICE and our federal government.
We have experienced ICE activity in our own community. During times of unrest, rumors and misinformation begin to swirl, and the lines between reality and fiction become blurred. There have been questions, comments, and confusion about the City’s, specifically the Lynnwood Police Department’s, involvement with this activity.
Chief Langdon and I are committed to continuing to comply with the 2019 Keep Washington Working Act, which restricts the involvement of state and local law enforcement in enforcing civil federal immigration law.
If you see this activity in our community or are unsure about a situation involving an unmarked vehicle, please call 911.
Our officers will carry out their duties of responding to crimes committed within our City, encouraging crime prevention strategies, and engaging with community members respectfully and without discrimination.
For those of you who are expressing your First Amendment right to assemble and peacefully protest what is happening in our community, we will continue to firmly support your right to do so.
This is a tumultuous time in our country’s history. While we may not always have immediate answers, we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions to help clear up any confusion about what is happening in our community.
George Hurst
Mayor, City of Lynnwood
Cole Langdon
Chief of Police, Lynnwood Police Department.”
Design contract awarded
Under new business, the council authorized Hurst to execute a contract with Perteet Inc. for design services related to the 38th Avenue West and 194th Street Southwest Ring Road project. The contract is not to exceed $1,917,460. Council President Nick Coelho noted that the item was intended for the consent agenda but was moved due to the main agenda due to a clerical glitch. The Ring Road project is the City’s contribution to the Lynnwood Public Facilities District’s major redevelopment planned for the event center campus known as “The District.”
Perteet Inc. has spearheaded design for several public infrastructure projects across Washington, including redevelopment in downtown Kirkland and infrastructure improvements in Mountlake Terrace, Snohomish, Wenatchee, Leavenworth and for the State of Washington.
Other business
The Council also voted to amend the schedule for the upcoming City Council annual summit on Feb. 21. The meeting time was revised to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at City Hall inside Council chambers. The public is invited to attend in person or watch the meeting live on the City’s website.
Additionally, the Council named Councilmember Chelsea Wright – appointed to Position 6 last week – to represent Lynnwood on the Snohomish County 911 board.
The meeting agenda and recording are available on the City’s website.
— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.
Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.
By commenting here you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read our code at the bottom of this page before commenting.