As a member of the Marysville City Council for more than eight years, Jon Nehring understands the challenges and opportunities ahead of him as he takes over the mayor's chair on August 1.

"I know what happens around here," said Nehring. "The economy has presented us with a host of challenges to face on a daily basis. Fortunately, Dennis [Kendall] has left the city in really good shape, and we have a great staff in place."

Like his predecessor, Nehring comes from a sales and business management background. He has a degree in Business Administration and has made a living in sales force management for the past 16 years.

"The mayor has to sell the city all the time," he said. "It's my job to help attract project funding, attract businesses to the area."

Job growth within the city is one of Nehring's priorities. He plans to work hard to build a "solid manufacturing and jobs base" in Marysville.

"The city has done a good job of attracting retail businesses, which help generate sales tax revenue," said Nehring. "Now we need to work to create family-wage jobs here in town, so residents can work where they live."

Nehring plans to continue Kendall's emphasis on Marysville's Healthy Communities initiative. A walker and runner, the new mayor wants to see improvements to trails and sidewalks, resulting in a "more walkable community."

He also shares Kendall's view on the importance of ongoing partnerships with other cities, Snohomish County and the Tulalip Tribes. He plans to continue to find ways to work together and pool resources.

Like most towns across the state and across the nation, Marysville has had to tighten its fiscal belt recently, but thanks to efficient management, the effects have been fairly minimal so far.

"Our staff is the envy of a lot of cities," Nehring explained. "The people who work for the city really make it go. They bring an incredible amount of knowledge and experience to the table everyday."

The City Council also contributes to the overall healthy climate of city management, according to Nehring.

"Council members work together well with a great deal of mutual respect," he said. "They're able to put personal differences aside and work in the best interest of the city. It's not about getting all the credit-it's about making the right decisions."

The new mayor is being brought up-to-date on ongoing issues, but he admits he still has some gaps to fill.

As a councilmember, Nehring helped shape Marysville's Downtown Master Plan, but specific plans for the city-owned marina and riverfront area are still up in the air. The plan relies on private investment and commercial development, which hasn't materialized yet.

And there's no timeline yet for the planned administrative complex, combining most of the city's customer-focused departments in one location, according to Nehring. Economic uncertainty and tightening financial markets have put the project on hold "indefinitely."

When asked about the city's role in the odor conflict with Cedar Grove Composting (see page ??), Nehring produced a slight grimace.

"We're well aware of the problem," said the Marysville resident, "and we're committed to finding a solution. I'm not sure what form that involvement might take, but the city will be advocating for its citizens."

Nehring has lived in Marysville since 1993. He and his wife Marie-Anne, a nurse, have three children who attend schools in Marysville. Nathan, 15, will be one of the first class of students at the new Getchell High School in the fall. Kristen, 12, attends Totem Middle School and 10-year-old Nicholas is a student at Allen Creek Elementary.

The mayor's job will be up for election, along with the now-vacant City Council seat, in November 2011. Meanwhile, the council will begin accepting applications to fill Nehring's position soon, with the goal of finding a replacement by mid-September.

blog comments powered by Disqus