HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02 Hazelnut Newsletter - Volume 44 No. 1JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
VOLUME 44, NUMBER 1
WHAT'S INSIDE:
SPECIAL EDITION
The City of Tukwila
2023 Annual Report
Messages from
the new Mayor and
Council President
TukwilaWA.gov
A City of Tukwila publication for our residential and business communities
Minimum Wage and Fair Access to Additional Hours of Work
In 2022, voters in the City of Tukwila approved
Initiative Measure No. 1, which provided
Labor Standard requirements for affected
employers and certain employees who work
in Tukwila. After the initiative passed, City
staff invested many hours to implement the
voters' intent. Without adding any additional
staff, we researched legal interpretations,
published draft rules, accepted public
comments, answered questions, and
published the final rules on time. We
created posters, notices and forms, and
notified potentially affected employers
and employee organizations. The City will
continue to update information, answer
questions, monitor compliance, and take
enforcement action as necessary. More
info at TukwilaWA.gov/minimumwage
City of Tukwila Equity Policy
The City adopted a policy that states our
commitment to fair access to all. In order
for all to have access, the City must remove
barriers to opportunities and services.
A dedicated group of staff, City officials,
and community members are working
to dojustthat. In 2023,
the City's Equity Policy
Implementation Committee
(EPIC) received the
International City/County
Management Association
Community Equity and
Inclusion Award. This award
recognizes EPIC's ongoing
efforts, such as improving
access for diverse language
groups.
The Equity and Social Justice Commission
(ESJC) builds community, and advises the
City on matters of social justice. Social
justice is undoing social inequalities caused
by racism and other forms of oppression.
One way ESJC contributed was collaborating
on a well -attended 3rd Annual
Juneteenth Celebration at
the Sullivan Center. The
holiday was commemorated
with African American
traditions and calls for action
to end racial injustice. You are
encouraged to learn about
the City's six Equity Policy
goals and read the original
policy, adopted in 2017.
TukwilaWA.gov/EquityPolicy
J UNETEENTH
COMMEMORATION
MEMORATION
Tukwila: The City of Opportunity, The Community of Choice
MAYOR'S
MESSAGE
Please allow me to
introduce myself
Hello, Tukwila, I am Thomas McLeod, your new Mayor. After
serving six years on Tukwila's Planning Commission and then
eight years as a Tukwila City Council member, I am proud to
now serve as your Mayor.
I grew up in the south -end of Seattle attending Glacier High
School, Highline Community College, and later City University
of Seattle. I just finished a 30-year career as a Tax Accountant
serving clients that ranged from small family -owned businesses
to high -net -worth clients, and - when needed - representing
them before the IRS. My parents still live in Tukwila, and I was
fortunate to raise my three children in Tukwila, watching them
learn and grow moving through our Tukwila School District. In
my personal time I stay very active spending time with family
and friends, dining at our many fabulous restaurants, following
local sport teams, and exercising by biking, swimming, and
playing a game of pickleball from time to time.
In my time as a Planning Commissioner, I enjoyed working on
such projects as I -fly Indoor Skydiving, Hotel Interurban, King
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
Human Services
In 2023, Tukwila Human Services staff assisted residents with a
variety of needs. These include housing and utility instability,
food insecurity, physical/emotional health services, and a
wide variety of other self-sufficiency resources like English as a
Second Language classes, training/employment program and
minor home repairs.
Many residents are still experiencing financial impacts from
COVID, inflation, and increases in the costs of meeting basic
needs (housing, utilities, food). Staff responded to over 2,700
calls during 2023, and one-time rent and utility assistance
enabled the stabilization of 104 households, 7% more than 2022.
County Library, and Tukwila Village. I was especially proud
to see Tukwila Village win the Washington State Governor's
Smart Community Award. As a Councilmember, I really enjoyed
working to create our traffic -calming program, enhanced Public
Safety measures, balanced budgets and significant committee
efforts that lead to our transformation from Tukwila Fire to the
Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority.
My vision for Tukwila centers around connecting people to
people. In an ever-growing world of technology, artificial
intelligence, political divide, and social isolation, we seem to
be getting away from the very fabric that binds us together:
our need to connect to one another. Following the COVID
pandemic, we found we could gather virtually for a service, a
meeting, or simple conversation. And while this technology
is revolutionary, it deprives us of "Third Places" that serve as
connectors to one another. Outside of home and work, where
are those "Third Places" where we meet new people, engage
in a new experience, or come to understand people that are
different from us?
What am I looking for in my term as Mayor? Those "Third
places" that bring us together and move our community closer
to one another. It could be a new neighborhood coffee shop, a
beer hall, events that get us out of our house and engage with
one another. Of course, I care about Public Safety and housing
issues. Let's say that's a given, but beyond the obvious, I want
to help create a space where you and I can come together, learn
about each other, and grow together That is Tukwila to
Mayor, City of Tukwila
Technology & Innovation Services
TIS collaborated with multiple agencies and coordinated the
development of the Student Private LTE network serving the
Tukwila community. Approximately 400 Tukwila students who
reside in the Tukwila Hill, Allentown, Cascade View and Tukwila
International Boulevard neighborhoods have access to fast,
free internet on their new Private LTE Enabled Chromebooks.
The network is scaled to support the educational enrichment
of 1,200 students, enabling future growth and provides a
foundation for future smart city Initiative.
The City's network and email security was strengthened
with the deployment of new softwares to stop breaches,
ransomware, and cyber-attacks.
At the end of 2023, TIS refreshed laptops for City staff to
ensure our hybrid workforce is stable with current laptops and
updated operating systems.
2
THE HAZELNUT
City Council meeting minutes and the
complete text of all legislative items
are available online in the
Digital Records Center at TukwilaWA.gov.
For additional information about the work of
the City Council, please call 206-433-8993.
New year, Council President and Councilmembers
Hello to the Tukwila community - I am excited to serve as your
2024 City Council President. We have a lot of work ahead of us,
but we have a great team and I'm looking forward to a year of
collaboration on important issues.
This year, the City Council welcomes four new members:
Armen Papyan, Jovita McConnell, Dennis Martinez, and
Hannah Hedrick. We appointed Hannah to serve with us after
an application and interview process that concluded last
month. We are appreciative of all those in the community who
applied.
This year we are also trying something new for our meetings.
We've reduced the standing committee meetings down to
just once a month, and will instead meet in an informal work
session format every 15t and 3rd Mondays at 5:30 p.m. prior to
the Regular Meeting. We've committed to revisiting this format
in six months to see how its working.
One of my duties as Council President is to appoint Chairs and
members of the four standing committees. For 2024, they are:
COUNCIL
CORNER
by Mohamed Abdi,
2024 Council President
2nd Mondays - 5:30PM
4th Mondays - 5:30PM
Community Services
and Safety
Jovita McConnell, Chair
De'Sean Quinn
Hannah Hedrick
Transportation and
Infrastructure Services
Armen Papyan, Chair
Dennis Martinez
Hannah Hedrick
Planning and
Community Development
Dennis Martinez, Chair
Tosh Sharp
Armen Papyan
Finance and Governance
De'Sean Quinn, Chair
Tosh Sharp
Jovita McConnell
You can read more about the work of the City Council by
visiting our web page at TukwilaWA.gov/council. We want
to hear from our fellow community members - you can find
contact information on the website and on the last page of
this newsletter. Subscribe to Council meeting agendas at
TukwilaWA.gov/city-clerk.
CITY COUNCIL
In 2023, the City Council held 17 Regular, 21 Committee of the Whole,
17 Special, and 74 Committee meetings. This is all while members also
represented the City on over 25 regional boards.
L to R: Allan Ekberg, Kathy Hougardy, 2024 Council President
Mohamed Abdi, Kate Kruller, Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson
In 2023, under the leadership of Council President
Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson, the Council focused
on effective relationship building and successful
collaboration. This was a focus of the annual retreat and
ultimately led to revised Rules of Procedure to include
more details around meeting conduct, expectations, and
civility. The new rules will help the City Council work
better together, with City staff and with the public
At the last meeting of the year, the City Council
honored outgoing Mayor Allan Ekberg and outgoing
Councilmembers Kathy Hougardy, Kate Kruller, and
Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson with appreciation for their
years of service to the Tukwila community.
JAN / FEB 2024
3
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
J�
Public Involvement for the
Comprehensive Plan
The Planning Staff held numerous outreach events and
meetings, and sent a newsletter update to many community
members to gather input for the Comprehensive Plan. This
input helped shape the drafts that the Commission considered.
Planning Commission Activities
The Tukwila Planning Commission had a busy year. They
convened twice a month to meet the state's Comprehensive
Plan adoption deadline of December 2024. They reviewed the
proposed changes to the 10+ Elements of the Comprehensive
Plan. Much of the year, the Commission focused on
Housing Element changes required by new State legislation
intended to address the State's housing crisis. They also
held public hearings to review proposed zoning regulations
and a development project. (More information available at
TukwilaWA.gov/CompPlan.)
Tukwila Tree Giveaway
In October 2023, the second annual Tukwila Tree Giveaway distributed
270 trees to 140 households and businesses in Tukwila! This program is a
collaboration between the Tukwila Department of Community Development
and King Conservation District, with support from the Tukwila Parks and
Recreation Department. Tree Giveaway recipients either picked up their one
or two free trees at Hazelnut Park, or had them delivered to their house.
The Tree Giveaway offered 15 different types of trees, all with different
characteristics - there was a tree for everyone!
If you are interested in receiving your own free trees, the Tukwila Tree
Giveaway will be back in October 2024. Applications for trees will open in the
summer. Details will be posted on TukwilaWA.gov/tree-giveaway/ when
annlications are onen.
Wetland and Watercourse updates
In 2023, The Department of Community
Development, with support from the King
Conservation District, began updating the
mapping of wetlands and watercourses in the
City's online map, Tukwila iMap. It had been
almost 15 years since these features
had been updated. These improvements
to the online map allow City planners and
Tukwila community members to more
accurately understand the environmental
features of our city.
To make these updates, staff have been
surveying the streams in Tukwila to determine
if fish are able to access them. Salmon and
trout are important parts of the natural
ecosystem in Tukwila, so it's critical we
protect their habitat.
4
THE HAZELNUT
Recycling Activities in 2023
The Residential Collection Event held at Foster High School
collected 388 carloads of recyclable material, amounting to
43,245 pounds or 21.62 tons of material kept out of the landfill.
The City and its previous waste hauler Waste Management
conducted a Re -Think Waste Art, Photo and Video contest for
Tukwila K-12 students, with winners receiving cash prizes. Nine
students and one teacher won for their recycle -focused art
works or support for the project. Winners were selected by a
panel including members of the Tukwila Arts Commission, and
presented to the City Council in May, where family members
were invited to join in the recognition.
Tukwila Business Recycler of the 2022 was awarded to Seattle
Chocolate Company. The company was recognized for its
significant success at reducing its waste stream and reducing
its carbon footprint. Former Mayor Ekberg presented the award
in April 2023.
PUBLIC WORKS
152nd Water Main Replacement
The existing water main was an undersized, dead end 6" cast
iron pipe from the 1960s that needed a lot of maintenance,
including regular flushing. This new water main is a larger
12" ductile iron pipe starting at Macadam, extended 1,800
feet to tie into an existing water main along Sunwood
Boulevard, thus improving water quality for residents and
reducing maintenance for City staff.
Intersection of 152nd and 57th presented
numerous utilities to avoid, including fiber, gas,
high voltage lines, and a large water main
Installed a 14-Ton water vault
due to the difference in water zones
JAN / FEB 2024
5
POLICE
DEPARTMENT
In spite of staffing challenges in 2023, the Tukwila Police
Department is proud to have continued to serve the Tukwila
community. We remained committed to ensuring that
everyone who worked, lived and visited Tukwila felt safe, and
that everyone had access to our services.
Our officers and support staff continued to dedicate their time
towards our community engagement efforts, participating in
several events. We were very appreciative for the time spent
with the Tukwila community members and businesses. This
page features some of the highlights.
As we look to the future, we want to continue to build
even stronger relationships and create even more fun and
interactive events for our Tukwila community. We hope you
will join us!
Special Olympics
Washington Torch Run
- This is a longstanding
tradition that we were
honored to participate in
every year.
Paint with the Tukwila Police Department - We had several
new and old graffiti covered, picked up trash, met property
owners and employees, and made some new partnerships in
the process.
Coffee with a Cop
- We spent time
with the customers
and employees at
Starbucks, making
and drinking coffee.
Our own K9 Apollo
even had his own
Pup Cup.
Night Out Against Crime -
We were spoiled with all the
delicious food served by the
Tukwila communities and
businesses.
"School Is Back" Haircut
with Affluent Barbershop
- Thanks to Affluent
Barbershop, Tukwila
school students were able
to receive free haircuts in
time for back to school.
We also handed out school
supplies and Tukwila PD
stickers at the event.
Bailin' with Badges - Our officers took on shooting hoops with
the kids and provided free school supplies to them.
Halloween - Our officers
stopped at the Foster -Tukwila
Presbyterian Trunk or Treat
to hand out glow sticks, and
walked some trick or treaters
around the neighborhoods.
Shop with a Cop - Our
officers took selected
students from the
Tukwila School District
to Target and JC
Penney to shop for
their families. They
also wrapped the gifts
and had lunch after the
shopping was done.
Battle of the Badges: We handed out our evidence bags full
of holiday spirit to those who stopped by Battle of the Badges
at the Renton Community Center. (The other 26 participating
agencies also decorated their department vehicles.)
6
THE HAZELNUT
PARKS AND
RECREATION
HEALTHY PEOPLE
0
6,554
Youth in sports
programs
28,956
Adults in fitness
programs
60,011
Rounds of
golf played
20,934
Youth and seniors
in meal programs
4,299
Senior adults in
fitness programs
HEALTHY GREEN SPACES
OUR PARKS
Tukwila is home to over
150 acres of open space
GREEN
TUKWILA
PARTNERSHIP
Protecting our urban
forests and green
spaces since 2017
338
Survival rings cut around
trees to save them from
invasive ivy
Miles of trail mowing
12
Active restoration sites
2,716
Native plants planted
TUKWILA
PARKS &RECREATION
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Follow us @TukwilaParks 000
STRONG COMMUNITIES
$702,000
Grant dollars
won in support
of programs
5,767
Senior adults in
enrichment
programs
32,169
Community
members served
through rentals
50,000
Square feet of
graffiti painted out
Nr7
317,298
Total square footage of
green space restored
94
Stewardship volunteer and
work crew parties
7,223
Youth and teens
served by outdoor
programs
$38,000
Spirit of Giving
donations
supporting
families
experiencing
homelessness
97,205
Pounds of loose litter
collected in parks
381
Native trees
planted
r 1
5,980
Stewardship volunteer and
work crew hours
JAN / FEB 2024
7
THE HAZELNUT
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Postmaster: If named addressee has moved, deliver to current resident.
The 2024 application is now available for
Tukwila's City of Opportunity Scholarship
In 2014, the City created a scholarship program for
high school students living in Tukwila. Its purpose:
providing financial assistance and opportunity to
deserving students for continuing their education
beyond high school. We are taking applications from
those enrolled for undergraduate study in colleges,
community colleges, trade schools, and universities.
Selection criteria includes, but is not limited to,
residency in Tukwila, academic accomplishments,
community service, references, financial need, and
personal essay. To see the complete list of eligibility
requirements, and to download the application, go
to TukwilaWA.gov/scholarship. The deadline to
submit scholarship applications is March 31, 2024. For
more information, contact Executive Assistant Cheryl
Thompson in the Mayor's Office at 206-433-1850 or
Cheryl.Thompson@TukwilaWA.gov.
TUKWILA CITY HALL
6200 Southcenter Boulevard
City Hall campus in -person hours:
Monday/Wednesday/Thursday, 8:30AM-4:OOPM
Phone: 206-433-1800 Fax: 206-433-1833
Email: Tukwila@TukwilaWA.gov
Website: TukwilaWA.gov
MAYOR Thomas McLeod 206-433-1850
Mayor's Office
Administration Offices 206-433-1850
Marty Wine, Interim City Admin ...206-433-1851
Economic Development 206-433-1832
Administrative Services
City Clerk's Office 206-433-1800
Human Resources - Personnel ...206-433-1831
Human Services 206-433-7181
Community Engagement 206-454-7564
Technology Services 206-454-7575
Community Development Dept.
Nora Gierloff, Director 206-431-3670
Code Enforcement 206-431-3682
Economic Development Strategy
After extensive community
engagement, the City
completed its first Economic
Development Strategy. This
document includes goals
and strategies to achieve
Tukwila's vision for its future
economy. Learn more at
TukwilaWA.gov/economy
PRESORT STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SEATTLE, WA
PERMIT NO. 12698
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Tukwila Health and Wellness Center
In June of 2023 the City completed selling vacant land to HealthPoint,
where they will build a new health and wellness center. The property
is located on the east side of Tukwila International Boulevard at the
corner of South 146th Street. It was purchased by the City after some
high crime motels were closed in 2013. HealthPoint's first phase is
scheduled to open in 2026 and will include primary care medical,
dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and childcare. Learn more at
healthpointchc.org/support-us/building-a-new-community-health-
and-wellness-center-in-tukwila.
Finance Department
Vicky Carlsen, Director 206-433-1835
Parks/Recreation Department
Pete Mayer, Director 206-767-2342
Police Department
Eric Dreyer, Chief 206-433-7175
Mindi Mattson, Emergency Mgr206-971-8750
Public Works Department
Hari Ponnekanti, Director 206-433-0179
Emergency - Fire, Police 911
MUNICIPAL COURT
15005 Tukwila International Blvd 206-433-1840
TUKWILA COMMUNITY CENTER
12424-42nd Avenue South
Recreation Division 206-768-2822
Senior Center/Services 206-767-2323
FOSTER GOLF LINKS
13500 Interurban Avenue South
Pro Shop 206-242-4221
PUGET SOUND REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY
All fire -related services 253-856-4300
PugetSoundFire.org
2024 TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL
Mohamed Abdi, Council President
2023 Council President 206-798-4872
Mohamed.Abdi@TukwilaWAgov
De'Sean Quinn 206-331-5939
Desean.Quinn@Tukwil aWA.gov
Tosh Sharp 206 507-6440
Tosh. Sharp @Tukwil aWA.gov
Armen Papyan 206-888-3380
Armen. Papyan@TukwilaWA.gov
Jovita McConnell 206-600-3533
Jovita. Mcconnell @TukwilaWA.gov
Dennis Martinez 206-960-1607
Dennis. Martinez@TukwilaWAgov
Hannah Hedrick 206-580-8123
Hannah. Hedrick@TukwilaWA.gov
To email the entire Council at once:
CityCouncil @Tukwil aWA.gov
Laurel Humphrey, Analyst 206-433-8993
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
7:OOPM in Council Chambers
Regular Meetings lst/3rd Mondays
Committee of the Whole 2nd/4th Mondays