HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-04 Hazelnut Newsletter - Voume 43 No. 2"MARCH%A'PRI'L 2023
/ VOLUME 43, NUMBER 2
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PUGET SOUND REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY
Brian Carson
Fire Chief, PSRFA
New Fire Chief sworn in
Following the retirement of Fire Chief Matthew Morris after 33 years in the fire
services, Assistant Chief Brian Carson was sworn in as the next fire chief for Puget
Sound Regional Fire Authority (PSRFA) on February 16, 2023. After being given
his oath of office at the Change of Command ceremony, Chief Carson's wife Megan
pinned his badge to his uniform.
The new Fire Chief will oversee a staff of more than 450 firefighters and non -
uniformed support personnel. PSRFA provides fire suppression, technical and
water rescue, FD Cares, fire prevention, public education, hazardous materials
response, and emergency medical services to the communities of Covington, Kent,
Maple Valley, SeaTac, Tukwila, and King County Fire Districts 37 & 43.
Chief Carson brings 31 years of fire service experience to the position. Upon the
City of SeaTac's contract for fire and EMS services in 2014, Chief Carson joined
PSRFA (formerly the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority) as a Captain.
Since that time, he has served as a Captain and Battalion Chief for the Operations
Division, a Deputy Chief in the South King County Fire Training Consortium, and the
Assistant Chief of Operations.
On his future vision for PSRFA, Chief Carson commented "I believe we exist to
serve. We have an incredible team at Puget Sound Fire that believes the same
and provides exceptional service to our communities. I am always guided by our
four strategic goals - taking care of our communities, taking care of our staff,
building connections in the community, and ensuring we are a resilient, sustainable
organization. This partnership with the City of Tukwila aligns with those goals.
Tukwila is a long-standing partner for Puget Sound Fire, and I look forward to
expanding on the already great relationship."
Look inside for information about:
• Community Policing in Tukwila (page 2) • Council statement to community (page 5)
• Free anti -theft tool for Hyundais (page 3) • April is Earth Month (page 6)
• Emergency Communications month (page 4) • Recreation for all ages (page 7)
Mayor's Message
Tukwila Police Department embraces
advancements in community policing
The City of Tukwila and its Police
Department holds a steadfast
commitment to building trust with its community, and this
responsibility includes transparency and accountability. We are
proud of our dedicated Police Department, and the compliance
and safety standards it upholds.
The nature of policing has changed over the past few years, and
the Tukwila Police Department has embraced these changes
and is a leader in the state to make improvements to benefit
our community. I wanted to take a moment to highlight these
for our community:
♦ The City of Tukwila Police Department was the first in
Washington state to outfit its officers with both body
cameras and dash cameras in 2017.
♦ Because of our work with community, the Department has
received multiple Federal grants to support our Community -
Oriented Policing efforts.
♦ Chief Eric Dreyer led the Department's push for, and
achievement of, accreditation in November of 2021 through
WASPC, and maintains best practices in law enforcement.
♦ In 2021 the Department created a Use of Force Review Board
comprised of four community members (Accountability/
Transparency), two defensive tactics instructors (Use of
Force Subject Matter Experts), and the Deputy Chief (Admin-
istrative/Policy Expert). The Board reviews every use of force
on a quarterly basis, and presents an annual report summa-
ry on Use of Force to the Tukwila City Council.
♦ Chief Dreyer expanded services in 2021 to include a full-
time Mental Health Provider (MHP) on staff, to partner
with Sound Health to provide resources for those in crisis.
Recently the City won a grant for an additional MHP, who is
expected to join the Department in April 2023.
♦ Chief Dreyer was asked by the Washington state Governor's
staff to apply for the Governor's new Office of Independent
Investigations Advisory Board. He was appointed to the
position as a co-chair in November of 2021.
♦ The Department created a volunteer panel of community
members who sit in on the Chief's interview process for
new Tukwila Police Department hires, helping to select the
next generation of law enforcement serving the Tukwila
community.
♦ The Department's Strategic Planning Committee, which
consists of Police Department members and community
members, is convening now to explore potential changes to
the Department's core values and mission statement, along
with helping establish a five-year strategic plan.
♦ Earlier this year the Tukwila Police Department's
Community Engagement Coordinator, Brooke Lamothe,
was brought onboard to help organize the Police
Department's outreach efforts with the community.
I am proud of our men and women in the Tukwila Police
Department who serve this community, and for the
thoughtful, committed leadership dedicated to innovation and
collaboration in its mission to protect our City.
01--Ze0
Mayor, City of Tukwila
THE HAZELNUT
Tukwila PD partners with false
alarm management company
One of the most common types of calls
that our officers are dispatched to are
residential and commercial alarm calls.
The vast majority of these alarm calls
are false alarms triggered by pets, wind,
employees with wrong codes, and other
sources that cause false alarms. These
unnecessary responses are a burden in
expense and to our resources, reducing
unit availability to respond to real
emergencies.
In an effort to reduce the large volume of
false alarm calls requiring response from
our officers, we have partnered with
CryWolf - a false alarm management
software company - to manage alarm
registration, invoicing, payment and
processing of false alarm activations.
More information regarding the program
and the false alarm fees can be found at
CryWolfServices.com/TukwilaWA.
1
Attention,
Hyundai
owners!
Puget Sound et Small changes we make to reduce polluting
starts HeTU rainwater can make a big difference!
When it rains, pollution from cars wash into storm drains, and then straight into
local streams, lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound. Pollutants like oil, car wash soaps
and chemicals, and bits of tire dust are bad for water quality, and harm people and
wildlife - like salmon and orcas - that depend on clean water to survive.
Tire Maintenance
Check monthly for proper inflation so tires wear down more slowly
Tire alignment and rotation service to prevent uneven wear on your tires
Car Washing
Use commercial car washes, which are required to treat their dirty wash water.
f If at home, wash car in grassy area that soaks up water and prevents runoff.
Don't Drip and Drive
Check your vehicle for leaks regularly and get them fixed promptly
Dispose of used motor oil properly by bringing it to local auto
shop for recycling. Call or visit 1-800-RECYCLE for locations.
Use ground cloths or drip pans if you find a leak or
are doing engine work. Clean up spills immediately
Small actions to keep pollution out of our creeks, lakes and rivers
add up to a BIG difference for Puget Sound and its marine life!
Find much more at PugetSoundStartsHere.org
The Tukwila Police Department is working with Hyundai
and KIA, in response to the increasing car thefts targeting
Hyundai and KIA vehicles without push-button ignitions.
KIA and Hyundai are providing free steering wheel locks, as
available, to law enforcement agencies across the country for
distribution to residents who own or lease affected models.
Here is how Tukwila residents can obtain a free lock:
• You must be a Tukwila resident.
• You will need a Hyundai or KIA vehicle registration
• Bring your driver's license.
Only one lock will be issued per resident. Please come to the
Justice Center - at 15005 Tukwila International Boulevard
- between 9:00aM and 5:OOPM, Monday through Friday. Our
records staff will ask for your registration and driver's license,
then issue you a free steering wheel lock. In addition to
locks, KIA and Hyundai have launched software upgrades for
enhanced security to prevent vehicle theft.
MARCH/APRIL 202
Let's plan ahead together for flooding
Did you know more than 57,000 people in King County live in
areas at high risk of flooding? Thousands more people work
or commute every day near rivers, streams and shorelines that
are at risk of flooding.
No one should be left behind when a flood happens. King
County is developing a plan that will shape flood -related
programs, policies and infrastructure for years to come. You
don't need to be a flooding expert to join the conversation.
Visit the 2024 King County Flood Management Plan
engagement hub today. You can share what flooding
problems concern you and what services would benefit your
community in an online survey, open through June 30. You
can also check out an upcoming events calendar or suggest
events for King County to come to in your community.
For more information about this project, please go online to
KingCounty.gov/FloodPlan, or contact Jason Wilkinson at
206-477-4786 or Jason.Wilkinson@KingCounty.gov.
3
April is Emergency Communications Month
Imagine it's a lovely sunny morning in Tukwila. You're in the
kitchen refilling your cup of coffee when you notice some
movement in the tree outside. You look a little closer and mutter
"Is that a -a -a monkey?!" (This actually happened in Pennsylvania
on January 21, 2022, when three monkeys
escaped from a collision involving a truck
carrying 100 laboratory monkeys. An emer-
gency message went out to surrounding
communities telling them not to search for
or attempt to capture the monkeys.)
Monkey messages aside, mass notification systems have been
used nationwide to notify entire communities at once about
emergency weather alerts, boil water orders, flood warnings,
shelter -in -place, active shooters, school lockdowns, evacuations
and more. Many scenarios could prompt the need for our
Emergency Management Team to reach you quickly, alerting you
about potential hazards and threats that impact Tukwila.
If we can't reach you, we can't help you stay informed. How
can we attempt to contact thousands of people quickly? The
answer: Mass Notification Systems that send real-time alerts with
important, sometimes lifesaving information.
The City of Tukwila uses ALERT King County (CodeRED product)
as its mass notification system to alert you of emergencies in our
community. Sign-up is free and easy to complete online.
You provide the necessary information, such as your phone
numbers, email, address, and how you'd like to receive your
messages. Enrollment is a one-time process. If you change your
mind about receiving alerts, you can modify your information or
cancel at any time.
Your registration information you submit to ALERT King County is
safeguarded by CodeRED as proprietary. This means the City of
Tukwila cannot see your individual information entered into the
system, but we can use it to send emergency alerts.
Are you a business owner? This system is for you too! Consider
signing up for ALERT King County to receive critical emergency
messages that could protect you, your business and employees.
Sign-up is free and easy!
TukwilaWA.gov/AlertKC
For more information or questions about Alert King County,
or for assistance in signing up, please contact the City of
Tukwila's Emergency Management Division at 206-971-8781 or
EmergencyPrep@TukwilaWA.gov.
(c.))
ALERT
KING COUNTY
City Council Actions
Highlights: January -February, 2023
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 any of these actions,
please call 206-433-8993.
• Elected Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson as 2023 City
Council President
• Established the titles, duties and schedule of the 2023
City Council Committees (Res. 2063)
• Approved grant funding for the 42nd Avenue South
Raised Crosswalk Project, Nelsen Side Channel Project,
Transportation Demand Management Program
Amended Civil Service Commission makeup to aid in
police recruitment efforts (Ord. 2697)
• Approved lodging tax -funded contract for 2023-2024
Seawolves Partnership
• Adopted King County Animal Code (Ord. 2698)
• Adopted a revised Fire Permit Fee Schedule
(Res. 2065)
CONFIRMATIONS
Congratulations to following community members who
were confirmed to City Boards and Commissions. Tukwila
thanks you for your volunteer service to our community!
Arts Commission: Pat Bako, Sheila Coppola
Equity and Social Justice Commission: Joe Duffie,
Kristen Schwabe -Fry, LaTricia Kinlow
Human Services Advisory Board: Steve Miller, Gerie
Ventura, Verna Seal, Robin Boland, Andrew Hays
Park Commission: Sean Albert, Scott Kruize, Joe
Camacho, Ella Thorng
Planning Commission: Louise Strander, Alexandria
Teague
Community -Oriented Policing Citizens Advisory Board:
Rachel MacDonald, Dulce Zamora
Council Corner
Dear Tukwila Community,
We are deeply concerned and saddened by the death of Tyre
Nichols at the hands of five officers of the Memphis Police
Department.
Tyre Nichols was a beloved father, a beloved son, and a beloved
member of the community. He did not deserve to leave the
earth in the way that he did.
What happened in Memphis was tragic, should not happen,
and could have been prevented. We want our community to
know that we do not condone the conduct and behavior of the
officers in Memphis, and that this would never be tolerated in
Tukwila. We also take this moment as an opportunity to renew
our commitment in working towards eliminating systemic
racism within our institutions, and supporting and exploring
alternatives to public safety.
We are supportive of the work our Tukwila Police Department
has been doing to hold itself to a higher standard of account-
ability, building trust through community engagement, and
establishing greater oversight of its practices.
The Tukwila Police Department was the first in the state to
develop a community review board for any use of force by
an officer. Community members in Tukwila serve on the
Community Review Board and have a direct influence on how
"reasonable use of force" is interpreted. Hiring now involves
community members as part of selecting officers who will
be serving our community, and they have deployed a new
approach to responding to issues involving mental health that
pairs officers with mental health professionals. The Tukwila
Police Department was also on the forefront of the use of body -
worn and in -car cameras.
Despite the meaningful reforms our Tukwila Police Department
has implemented, we also recognize that relying solely on
law enforcement is not the only way to achieve public safety
Council
resident Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson
Councilmeer athy Hougar y
Councilmember De'Sean Quinn
Statement on the
death of Tyre Nichols -
A call to action for Tukwila
by Cynthia Delostrinos-Johnson,
2023 Council President
in our communities. There are broader solutions that involve
providing more support and opportunities to those who
have been historically and structurally marginalized by our
institutions. We want to chart a new path for our city that is
more inclusive, more accessible, and more in line with the
needs of our community.
The work of Tukwila's Equity and Social Justice Commission
and Equity Policy Implementation Committee have been
working to hold our City accountable to making progress
on the City's equity policy. It is our shared goal to eliminate
systemic barriers and provide fair access to programs, services
and opportunities to achieve social, civic and economic justice
within the City of Tukwila.
It is time to explore new solutions to achieve community safety.
The Tukwila City Council is committed to this endeavor. We
believe that this endeavor needs to involve our Tukwila Police
Department, our City Administration, and our community. The
path forward should involve all of us working together towards
a better future.
The Tukwila City Council invites you to continue this dialogue
with us about what you believe makes Tukwila a safer, better
place for all. If you are interested in joining us, please contact
the Council at CityCouncil@TukwilaWA.gov, and share your
thoughts and whether you are willing to commit to continue
with us in this discussion. Or come see us at a City Council
meeting, we meet almost every Monday night at 7:00PM, at
Tukwila City Hall.
Councilmember Thomas McLeod
,7,,/-1 r" A4 .
Councilmember Mohamed Abdi
Mayor Allan Ekberg
Counci(memr Kate Kruller
Police Chief Eric Dreyer
MARCH /APRIL 2023
Time for some Good Healthy Fun with Tukwila Parks R Recreation
GREEN
TUKWILA
EARTH MONTH
2023
Earth Month
in Tukwila
April is Earth Month, a worldwide annual event that celebrates
environmental protections and education about how we can
keep our planet green. Earth Month is a great time to join a
volunteer work party, learn new gardening tips, and do some
spring cleaning inside and outside. Tukwila has you covered
with free activities to get you learning about the environment,
recycling/repurposing, and enjoying nature. Check them out at
TukwilaWA.gov/EarthMonth
Help a Local Forest Steward in May -
remove invasive weeds at a spring work party!
• Restoration at Riverton
• Cottonwood Corner
• Duwamish Hill Preserve
May 10, 11:30AM-1:30PM
May 11, 11:OOAM-2:OOPM
May 20, 1O:OOAM-1:OOPM
We provide all tools and training. Sign up today and learn
more at TukwilaWA.gov/GreenTukwila.
Urban Bird -Watching Workshop
with Kelsey Hansen
Wednesday, May 3 - 5:45PM
Tukwila Community Center & Zoom
Want to know more about the feathered friends in your
neighborhood or yard? Learn about identifying birds, gather
resources to start your birding journey, get hands-on practice
with binoculars, and more at this Birding Basics class with the
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Watchable Wildlife
Coordinator Kelsey Hansen. All skill sets are welcome.
Summer Sports Camps Registration
(Open as ofApril3)
Sports camps are coming to
Tukwila Community Center
for children ages 4-12.
Scholarships are available.
• Basketball • Flag Football
• Soccer• Cheer
• Tennis • Golf
• Volleyball
• Ultimate
(Frisbee)
Check Out the 2022 Utility Box Artists' Work!
In 2021, Tukwila Parks and Recreation began its Utility
Box Art Program. Utility boxes are common elements of
streetscapes and are necessary for controlling electrical
equipment. These boxes can be transformed from being
anonymous elements of the urban landscape to displays
of artwork and neighborhood identity by
having them covered in digitally designed
▪ vinyl wraps. The program is also a way for
us to support local artists.
Explore Your Parks! Duwamish Hill Preserve
Duwamish Hill Preserve is a 10.5-
acre parcel of historical, cultural and
ecological significant land in Tukwila.
Located at 3800 South 115th Street, the
Preserve includes an outdoor classroom
area, the Cultural
Garden, an enhanced
trail system, and
continued restoration
opportunities for
volunteers. Duwamish
Hill Preserve is managed
as a public open space
preserve, dedicated to
the conservation and
enhancement of its
rich Native American
cultural history,
ecological importance
and community impact.
6
THE HAZELNUT
Fitness/Wellness Memberships and Classes
Tukwila Parks & Recreation offers a wide range of
membership options for adults, seniors, youth,
veterans and active military. For information on
fitness memberships, please visit us online or email
HealthyTukwila@TukwilaWA.gov.
Fitness Room Hours:
Monday -Thursday: 6:30AM- 8:30PM
Friday: 6:30AM-5:30PM
Saturday: 7:30AM-12:30 PM
The nice weather is on the way!
Rent one of our park spaces for your next event
Tukwila is home to several beautiful
parks offering ideal locations for out-
door events. Picnic tables, park shel-
ters, a gazebo, athletic fields, walking
paths, and more are available for use.
Calling all Pickleballers!
Visit our website to learn more about:
• Clinics for beginner, intermediate players
• Open play hours
• Court reservations
What's the Scoop on Seniors?
Tukwila's Community Center is a hub of
activity for seniors. A few of our offerings:
FREE Fitness Room Pass - If you live in
Tukwila and are 55 years of age or older, you can work
out in our Fitness Room for FREE: Monday -Friday
6:30AM-12:30PM, and Saturdays 7:30AM-12:30PM.
FREE Veterans Fitness Room Pass - If you're a veteran
of any age that lives in King County, you may obtain a
FREE fitness pass good until December 31, 2023. This
program is sponsored by the King County Veterans,
Seniors and Human Services Levy.
FREE Senior Fitness Classes - Just drop in. No need to
register!
FREE Insurance Partner Fitness Membership Application
- If you are Medicare eligible, or a member of Silver
Sneakers/Prime, Silver&Fit/Active&Fit, Renew Active.
tJ
IMIL FREE ENTRY & FREE FOOD
Have your teen join us most Fridays at the Tukwila
Community Center from 8:00-11:OOPM. FREE ENTRY and
FREE FOOD! Upcoming dates are April 21 and April 28.
Lots of activities every week:
D Young Men and Young Women Check -in Groups
TikTok, Music, Vibe and Chill Rooms
D Sip n' Paint (root beer floats,
apple cider, juice, soda, water)
D Arts & Crafts
FAM Fitness Program
D Sports & Games: basketball, volleyball, dodgeball,
board games, cards, video games, ping pong,
pool, and air hockey
MARCH /APRIL 2023 7
THE HAZELNUT
City ofTukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
PRESORT STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SEATTLE, WA
PERMIT NO. 12698
Postmaster: If named addressee has moved, deliver to current resident. To help us correct addresses or eliminate duplicates, please call 206-454-7573.
Flexible transportation service in your neighborhood
Metro Flex is your on -demand neighborhood transit service.
Get where you need to go in comfortable, modern minivans.
With one simple app—and just a few taps —you can ride
anywhere in the service area, all for the same cost as a bus
trip. Metro Flex is convenient, fast, affordable transit at your
fingertips. _
Servicio de transporte flexible en to barrio
Metro Flex es su servicio de transito vecinal a pedido. Llegue
a donde necesite it en minivans comodas y modernas. Con
una aplicacion simple, y solo unos pocos toques, puede viajar
a cualquier Lugar en el area de servicio, todo por el mismo
costo que un viaje en autobus. Metro Flex es un transporte
conveniente, rapido y economico al alcance de su mano.
Learn more! • Wax dheeri ah baro!
Aprende mem! • Tim higu them!
Dich vu van chuye"'n linh hoot trong khu ph6 cua ban
Metro Flex la dich vu van chuyen khu pho theo yeu cau cua
ban. Den ndi ban can clen tren nhi!ng chic xe tai nho hien clai,
thoai mai. Vdi mot ((ng dyng clan gian—va chi mot vai than
tac—ban co the di xe de'n bat kjf clau trong khu vifc dich vy,
tat ca chi vdi chi phi nhif mot chuyen di xe buj't. Metro Flex la
phiiong tien van chuyen thuan tien, nhanh chong, gia ca phai
chang trong tam tay cua ban.
Adeegga gaadiidka dabacsan ee xaafaddaada
Metro Flex waa adeegga gaadiidka xaafadeed ee baahida loo
qabo. Gaadhi meesha aad u baahan tahay si aad u raacdo
gawaadhi yar yar oo raaxo leh oo casri ah. Hal app-fudud-
iyo dhawr tuubbo Oo keliya- waxaad ku raaci kartaa meel
kasta oo ka mid ah aagga adeegga, dhammaan kharash la
mid ah safarka baska. Metro Flex waa ku haboon, dheereya,
taraafikada la awoodi karo ee farahaaga.
TUKWILA CITY HALL
6200 Southcenter Boulevard
City Hall campus in -person hours:
Monday/Wednesday/Thursday, 8:30AM-4:00PM
Phone: 206-433-1800 Fax: 206-433-1833
E-mail: Tukwila@TukwilaWA.gov
Website: TukwilaWA.gov
MAYOR Allan Ekberg 206-433-1850
Mayor's Office
Administration Offices 206-433-1850
David Cline, City Administrator206-433-1851
Economic Development 206-433-1832
Administrative Services
Rachel Bianchi, Dep. CityAdm206-396-0341
City Clerk's Office 206-433-1800
Human Resources- Personnel206-433-1831
City Job Line 206-433-1828
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
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, EmergencyMgr206-971-8750
Public Works Department
Hari Ponnekanti, Director 206-433-0179
Emergency - Fire, Police 911
MUNICIPAL COURT
15005Tukwila 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
AILfire-related services 253-856-4300
PugetSoundFire.org
TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL
Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson, Pres 206-595-5469
C. DelostrinosJohnson@Tukwil aWA.gov
Kathy Hougardy 206-571-0007
Ka thy. Ho ugard y@Tuk wi l aWA. go v
De'Sean Quinn 206-331-5939
Desean.Quinn@TukwilaWA.gov
Kate Kruller 206-678-7885
Kate. Kruller@TukwilaWA.gov
Thomas McLeod, President 206-492-4821
Thom as. Mcl eod @Tukwil aWAgov
Mohamed Abdi 206-798-4872
Mohamed.Abdi@TukwilaWAgov
Tosh Sharp 206 507-6440
Tosh. Sharp @Tukwil aWA.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