Re: The first 90 days

It has been an adrenaline-charged first three months in my still relatively new position as the city manager of the city of Marysville – filled with opportunities and challenges. In the absence of a recent external financial audit (a critical document used to create the city’s next budget) and a finance director, we have been presented with a tremendous opportunity to “unpack,” revisit and restructure the city’s fiscal house; and re-evaluate how best to deliver high quality city services and projects to the citizens of Marysville.

While there have been many deferred community hopes and aspirations, spring reminds us to review and celebrate the city’s many successes, as well as reconsider its prosperous future, including:

• The recent hire of Christian Sachs, a veteran Marysville Police lieutenant, as the city’s new police chief.

• The upcoming May approval of the city’s final Army Corps of Engineering permits to connect its Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Linda County Plant at which time, the city will solicit bids to construct the new pipeline to Linda.

• The completion of the city’s Pavement Management Study outlining a path forward for future road improvements.

• The start of a new City Park and Recreation Master Plan in order to better serve the recreational needs of Marysville residents and visitors.

• The long-awaited road and intersection improvements at the corners of J and 12th Street.

• The launch of the new bi-county and crossjurisdictional partnership to tackle homelessness on both sides of the river and in both counties, and to better respond to the needs of the homeless.

• The addition of a part-time animal control officer to address various animal control issues in the city.

• The final roll-out of 19 newly leased police cars paid for with cost savings from and reductions to the department’s vehicle fleet maintenance budget – all while staying within the department’s overall council-approved budget.

• The completion of another citizen’s academy training with 48 record-breaking graduates.

• The launch and ongoing study to improve Ellis Lake’s water quality.

• The police and fire departments will soon carry naloxone to combat the effects of opioid overdose (made available via a grant from the Yuba County Public Health).

• And, the overall increase in fire and building code enforcement throughout city buildings, especially in the downtown.

These are just a few of the exciting projects and improvements going on in and outside of City Hall. In an effort to keep the community up to speed on the city’s progress, we’re launching a monthly community electronic newsletter in early May. Please contact the city at contact@marysville.ca.us should you wish to join its e-distribution list and stay up-to-date with the city’s latest developments. Stay tuned for more exciting news coming out of City Hall.

Marti Brown her friends and her co-workers. We all knew what a great person she was but her greatest strengths and attributes influenced the larger community in ways most people did not know. A past program manager at First Steps, an intensive outpatient treatment program for pregnant and parenting women, Laurie also served there as a parenting instructor, an aerobics instructor, and always its strongest advocate

Her ability to connect with and lift up young women struggling with addiction and abuse was unequalled. Women improved their parenting abilities, learned how to work on healthy relationships, and how to become active in their children’s school and in the community. Graduates have gone back to school and attained advanced degrees.

Women are working in jobs and buying houses all over our area, raising their children in a positive atmosphere and investing in their own future in part due to the mentorship they received from Laurie. People did not forget the impact she had on their lives and she did not forget them.

People who counted her as a friend will miss her but the community will feel the loss for a long time. Laurie did not just participate in “Make a difference” day; she lived a “Make a difference” life.

Roberta D’arcy