At its business meeting on July 24, the Lynnwood City Council is scheduled to confirm the mayor’s appointment for the new Lynnwood Chief of Police. The position became available after current chief Jim Nelson announced his retirement in June 2023. Nelson’s last day as chief will be July 31. The agenda does not list who Mayor Christine Frizzell has appointed to fill the position. 

Later in the meeting, Deputy Chief Cole Langdon is scheduled to discuss the city’s implementation of the recently-passed legislation that will make the use of drugs in public illegal. Prior to the 2023 legislative session, a gap existed in state legislation that meant the use of drugs was not illegal, so police did not have the authority to confront this issue. In response to this issue, the City of Lynnwood banned in February 2023 banned the use of illegal drugs in public. 

Now that the state has addressed that issue, Lynnwood can repeal its legislation and adopt the state’s fix that makes possession of a controlled substance a gross misdemeanor.

The council is also scheduled to confirm Sue Philips to a position on the Lynnwood Planning Commission and read a proclamation acknowledging Disability Awareness Day. 

The July 24 meeting will be in Lynnwood City Hall Council Chambers, 19100 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Visit lynnwoodwa.gov/Government/City-Council/City-Council-Meetings for information on streaming or joining the meeting live. You can see the complete agenda for the meeting here.