Ambassadors to the Future: Civic Ambassadors Program Engages Volunteers in Comprehensive Plan

Your chances of running into Bill Webster around Snohomish on any given day are pretty good. Bill is a Snohomish resident, painting contractor, and prolific volunteer. “We have a lot of energy,” he says. Bill and his wife, Erin, have a strong sense of community and volunteering is a way to turn their gratitude for Snohomish into action. In addition to being president of the Kla Ha Ya Days board of directors, a Snohomish Chamber board member, and a food bank volunteer, Bill is now one of the City’s Civic Ambassadors.

The Civic Ambassadors program, which began in the spring of 2023, engages volunteers in spreading the word about the City’s comprehensive planning process. As Bill is quick to point out, there can sometimes be a stigma around government. Working with community members like Bill allows the City to reach people who might not otherwise feel comfortable sharing their thoughts on pressing issues such as growth and development. Bill says Snohomish is “the greatest place most people have ever lived,” and that its residents feel strongly about its sense of place.

Civic Ambassadors hear out these concerns and help residents provide feedback to the City. While they don’t discuss their own opinions, they can help provide context by sharing information about the City and its comprehensive planning process. Civic Ambassador Jan Lengenfelder, a resident of the historic district and former Public Safety Commissioner, points out that the City is expected to grow by less than 3,000 people over the next 20 years. “Compared to our neighboring cities,” she says, “that is a very modest increase.”

Kelly Holderman also believes that the Civic Ambassadors program is helpful in bridging the gap between the City and its residents. Kelly, a retiree who spent 25 years working for Volunteers of America, has lived in Snohomish for 39 years. In addition to being a Civic Ambassador, she also volunteers at Providence Hospital and Snohomish First Presbyterian Church. “People don’t understand what rules we have in this city and why we have them,” she says, “and we’re leading people to find the information.”

Civic Ambassadors help survey the community in a couple of ways. The City’s middle housing survey asked residents about their thoughts on housing types (such as cottage housing, duplexes, or townhomes) that fill in the “missing middle” between single-family homes and large multi-family developments. Next up is the comprehensive plan survey, which asks people to envision what the future of Snohomish should be. To help spread the word, Bill leverages his networks within the community, talks to his customers, and tries to hold coffee chats at Looking Glass

Coffee at least twice a month. Jan, meanwhile, takes advantage of how interconnected the community is – many of the people she talks to are members of multiple community organizations. Kelly’s focus is her own neighborhood, where she knows everyone and walks five days a week. But keep an eye out for her and other ambassadors around town. “I try to wear my button when I go anywhere in the City,” Kelly says.

As the Civic Ambassadors stress, it’s important for everyone to share their own experiences and individual perspectives. Volunteers like Bill, Jan, and Kelly help empower Snohomish residents, but you don’t have to wait until you meet them to provide your feedback to the City. Take the comprehensive plan survey today by scanning the QR code below or by visiting the City’s website at: https://www.snohomishwa. gov/184/Comprehensive-Plan.