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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-09 Hazelnut Newsletter - Volume 27 No. 4'441 fe" 1u Oalt •�IMwa• 19a& r�. THE HAZELNUT A City of Tukwila publication for our residential and business communities VOLUME 27, NUMBER 4 SEPTEMBER 2006 On June 17, 2006, the Boeing Em- ployees Credit Union (BECU) and Iron Mountain Document Storage partnered with the City of Tukwila Police Depart- ment and Recycling Program in a free shredding event held in the BECU park- ing lot in Tukwila. Open to the com- munity, this event drew hundreds of people — Tukwila residents, businesses and BECU customers — who brought their sensitive documents to be shred- ded in Iron Mountain's giant shredding trucks. In all, 23,810 pounds of paper (almost 12 tons!) was headed for recy- cling. Due to the overwhelming public Free shredding event response, BECU and Iron Mountain will make this an annual event. It was a good day for shredding! Attorney General Rob McKenna at- tended the shredding event, visiting with local residents and thanking them for taking this step in protecting their identity. Many people came to the Police Department's Identi- ty Theft Prevention table for infor- mation. An unfortunate number of people told stories about how their identity had been stolen and how difficult it was to straighten out their credit once it was com- promised. The common theme of the ID Theft information was that thieves don't need much to work with, so everyone should take extra precau- tions in safeguarding personal informa- tion. When in doubt, SHRED IT! was a huge success Washington ranked seventh in the na- tion in 2005 for per capita reports of identity theft, costing U.S. consumers more than $53 billion a year. Tracking down identity thieves and clearing up the damage they've done is difficult, expensive and time- consuming. Effective prevention methods can help reduce these costs and prevent per- sonal identity theft. BECU is the larg- est credit union in Washington with over 445,000 members. Iron Mountain Incorporated helps or- ganizations around the world reduce the costs and risks associated with in- formation protection and storage. am TUKWILA INTERNATIONAL FARMERS MARKET Visit us each market day and checkout our SEPTEMBER SPECIAL OFFERI �II Wednesdays from 3:00-7:OOPM through September 27 14300 Tukwila International Blvd. (intersection of South 144th Street and TIB) 99 Left to right: Dwight McLean, Nancy McLean, David Forschler, Rick Forschler, Mike West, Donna West Highway 99 Action Committee Cleaning up on July 22 Annual Barbecue on August 19 Mayor Mullet receives a visit from future voters. o I OU'O . . . . . Cascade View Drainage Improvements All properties throughout the project limits now have either a direct connection to the fully operational drainage system or a 6" drain stub to provide for future drainage connec- tions. Initial field reports show great improvement in the surface and shallow ground water collection and historical wet spots along the roadways throughout the neighborhood are no longer present. The final configuration, including freshly paved streets, full curb and gutter replacement, planter strips on most streets, new sidewalks, modified driveway approaches, and upgrad- ed water services for many residents is a marked improve- ment to the pre -construction conditions. Before... ...and after Water, Sewer and Surface Water Improvements Underway Allentown deep sewer manhole installation Installing sewers along 42nd Avenue South Foster Point sewer installation along South 133rd Street 2 THE HAZELNUT Council Corner About Your Council: (utrot{UCiu19 the New Faces of 2006 By Dennis Robertson, Council President The City Council team has two new members and, as City Council President, it's my pleasure to introduce them. Verna Griffin is our newest Councilmember. Verna works as a paralegal, and has interests that range from rowing, sculling, scrapbooking and reading, to just about anything and everything that involves families and children (she also has a First Degree Blackbelt in Taekwondo). She and her family moved to Tukwila in 1996, buying their first home in the "Old Hill" part of Tukwila. Their first Tukwila home wasn't any old home — it was the original "Tukwila School House" built in 1908. They restored and sold it in 2003 and moved into their current home at Cas- cade Glen in our Riverton neighborhood. Verna is also involved in a long list of family and child -related organizations. The list includes Tukwila Children's Founda- tion, the City's Equity and Diversity Commission, National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education, and Families, Tukwila Rotary, a Girl Scout Leader, and many more. I recently asked Verna why she had run for the Council? Her answer was, "I had two goals. First, I wanted to help make Tukwila a place my kids will be proud to be from and will return to raise their families Second, I wanted to see the City focus more on the people who live here versus the businesses and shoppers." When asked how she would achieve her goals, Verna said, "Work with other City officials to come up with new pro- grams or revitalize existing ones for youth and families But that won't be enough to make our neighborhoods more de- sirable. We will also need to continue proactive code en- forcement and increase our police levels in the residential areas so our residents feel safe." Verna has been on the Council eight months now, so she was asked what she would change if she could? Her answer: "The Council needs to find more ways to interact with our citizens. Formal meetings are not enough, we need to go out to neighborhoods, schools, anywhere and just sit down and talk with our citizens." Diane Jenkins, our new Council Administrative Assistant, was hired in June. Diane is a local, graduating from Lind- berg High School and Green River Community College. She worked at Shoreline School District supporting their School Board before we stole her away to Tukwila. Diane likes to ski, tent camp, fish, cook, quilt, knit, crochet, read, play backgammon and cribbage, and travel. She once had tea with the King of Bahrain, and she also has a piece of the Berlin Wall that she says reminds her of the barriers people have in their lives. The Council has discovered that Diane is a very dedicated, capable administrative assistant who does an excellent job supporting her `team.' And Diane reminded me that her job isn't just to support the Council, it's to support Tukwila's Council and its Citizens. So, if you need something from our City Council, a very good starting point is Diane Jenkins. Tukwila is lucky to have both of these latest additions; please join me in welcoming them to our City. Tukwila City Council Actions: June and July 2006 c JUNE 2006 Approved an interlocal agreement with valley cities for cooperation and use of federal grant funds for a regional wireless network feasibility study. Held a public hearing on and approved amendments to clarify policy regarding completion of infrastructure improve- ments and to designate the Planning Commission as the hearing body for subdivision preliminary plats. Approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle for hearing examiner services. Approved a contract for court security with Securitas Security. Approved an agreement for traffic modeling with Mirai Transportation Planning and Engineering. Approved a three-quarter time Volun- teer Coordinator position. For up-to-date information about Council meetings/agendas/activities, visit our website: http://www.eLtukwila.wa.us JULY 2006 Approved a resolution ratifying two amendments to King County's County- wide Planning Policies that correct a mapping error and designate South Lake Union as an urban center. Approved a design services contract for standby power upgrades for city build- ings with Abacus Engineered Systems. Approved a contract supplement for construction management services for the 2006 Small Drainage Project with DMJM Harris, Inc. SEPTEMBER 2006 3 Mih ri -L aw Enforcement Excellence" fll School Zone Safety As children return to school in the Tukwila School Dis- trict on Sept. 5, the Police Department will continue its emphasis on school zone safety. A school zone is a 600 -foot stretch of a school road designated by two signs, both 300 feet on either side of a marked crosswalk. The speed limit in a school zone is 20 mph. Fines are double for traffic violations com- mitted within the school zone. It's a good idea for drivers to familiarize themselves with their local school zones. At various times throughout the day schools zones can be a flurry of activity due to the presence of school buses, students walking or biking, safety patrol members helping kids cross the street, cars pulling over to the side of the road, and of course other drivers dropping off their children. For the safety of all, drivers picking up/dropping off children should obey the school's traffic control rules which are designed for safe and efficient movement of the cars and children. Deviating from these guidelines could add to the chaos and compromise safety. Parents should also take time to talk with their chil- dren about the importance of pedestrian safety — walk- ing in designated areas, crossing at crosswalks, obeying safety patrols, and never crossing between cars. Par- ents have a great opportunity to lead by example in this area. Tukwila's Police Department will again be utilizing ex- tra patrols to enforce traffic laws in our school zones, as well as helping school staff manage the high volume of traffic in these areas. Your continued cooperation in keeping our children safe is appreciated. 4 Police Volunteers recognized On July 27, 2006, the Tukwila Police Department honored its citi- zen volunteers with an awards banquet held at Tukwila's Azteca Mexican Restaurant. Approximately 22 volunteers attended along with City officials and staff. These volunteers assist with various di- visions of the Police Department including traffic assistance, pawn and false alarm data entry, fingerprinting and police neighborhood resource center staffing. During 2005 Police volunteers contributed a total of 2,097 hours. At the ceremony, seven volunteers were recognized for their ser- vice during 2005 with President of the United States Volunteer Service Awards, presented by Tukwila Mayor Steve Mullet and Police Chief David Haynes. Those honored were: Name Rhonda Roth Betsey Fowler 121.75 Bob McManus 178.75 Mary Hulvey 237 Dottie Sang! 284.5 Joanne McManus 371.43 Peter Okicich 434.6 Hours of Service Award level 100 Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Silver Silver Silver Given for volunteer hours contributed over a 12 -month period, the award levels are bronze for 100 to 249 hours of service, silver for 250 to 499 volunteer hours, and a gold award for 500 or more hours. Tukwila's Police Department joins 408 other Washington State organizations participating in the President's Volunteer Ser- vice Award program. All Award recipients received a personalized certificate of achievement, a congratulatory letter from the Presi- dent, a congratulatory letter from the President's Council on Ser- vice and Civic Participation, and an official President's Award pin. Left to right: Rhonda Roth, Mary Hulvey, Peter Okicich, Betsey Fowler. (award recipients not shown: Dottie Sangl, Bob McManus and Joanne McManus) THE HAZELNUT Police at Tukwila Days On July 8, the Tukwila Police Depart- ment joined citizens, vendors, City of- ficials and other City departments at the City's annual Tukwila Days com- munity festival. Within the large shaded booth, citizens were offered a wealth of information by the Police and C.O.P.C.A.B., the Com- munity -Oriented Policing Citizen's Ad- visory Board. The two combined to provide a wealth of information that was shared with all. This year the Department shared its his- tory with the citizens of Tukwila. Pic- tures and memorabilia were displayed, including the original Oath of Office from the first Tukwila Marshal back in 1908, and a case of badges repre- senting the changes over the years. In addition to the history, children could sit on one of the Police Department's motorcycles or try on an actual police vest and duty belt. The Tukwila Police Department's Ex- plorer Post was also present, and as- sisted with applying Department patch tattoos to children and adults alike. Dispensing candy to the crowd from atop her bike, Officer Lisa Goines came to a stop at the Department's booth and spent the afternoon sharing stories and greeting citizens, along with Traffic Of- ficer Don Dart. Your Tukwila Police Department en- joyed the opportunity to meet every- one attending this great event, and looks forward to talking with citizens next year. However, you don't have to wait until 2007; please feel free to come and visit us at the Police Depart- ment. We welcome your questions. DISASTE2PE REDNESS MAKE A PLAN A plan should have three important components: • Meeting Place — Pick a location within walking distance of your home where family members can meet, in case you get separated or have to evacuate. • Out -of -area Contact — During a di- saster it is common not to be able to make local calls, but you may be able to call out of your area. Pick a family member or friend to serve as your family's out -of -area contact. In the event of an emergency you can call the contact and tell them you are safe, where you are, and where you are going. Your out -of - area contact can then share this in- formation with other family mem- bers who call. All family members should have the phone number of your out -of -area contact with them at all times. • An Emergency Supply Kit (as previ- ously discussed in the Hazelnut) SHELTER -IN-PLACE It is important to listen to emergency officials during a disaster because their directions may save your life. For ex- ample, a shelter -in-place directive may be advised during a hazardous materi- als incident. You should only shelter -in-place when directed by emergency officials. Know what to do to shelter -in-place Pick out a designated interior safe room ahead of time. This room should have the fewest doors and windows. Your emergency supplies should be stored inside your safe room or be easily ac- cessible nearby. If directed to shelter -in-place, go inside immediately and close all doors and windows. Cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth. Turn off ventilation systems. Close fire- place dampers. Go to your safe room and use plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal all win- dows, doors, and vents. Dampen towels and place in the crack under the door. Have a battery-operated radio in your safe room to listen for Emergency Alert System messages. Wait for additional instructions. Emer- gency officials will tell you when it is safe to air out your building. Know where to go if shelter -in-place is issued If at home, work, or school, stay inside and shelter -in-place. If you are outdoors, go into a building or vehicle and shelter -in-place. If you are in a parked vehicle, stay in- side and do not turn on the engine. Close all doors, windows, and ventila- tion systems. Listen to your radio for emergency alert system messages. If told to shelter in place while driving, continue to drive unless otherwise di- rected by emergency officials. If your vehicle stalls, do not restart the en- gine. Shelter -in-place as you would for a parked vehicle. If the Tukwila Fire Department can be of any assistance, please contact Sally Blake at 206-575-4404 or send an email to sblake@ci.tukwila.wa.us SEPTEMBER 2006 5 rHuman Services Office Crisis Clinic Evie — 206-433-7180 (24-hour line) L Stacy — 206-433-7181 206-461-3222 Tukwila Is Steppin' Out To Stop Domestic Violence On Saturday, September 30, 2006 the City of Tukwila Do- mestic Violence Task Force will team up with seven other task forces in the region to host "Steppin' Out to Stop Do- mestic Violence" — a walk in support of children and families who are experiencing domestic violence (DV) in our com- munity. The Walk-A-Thon will originate from the Starfire Sports Complex at Fort Dent Park (14800 Starfire Way, Tukwila, WA). This first -annual event will take place along the scenic Green River and Interurban Trails and will offer options for a 10K (6 mile) or 5K (3 mile) walk — suitable for novice walkers and hiking enthusiasts alike. As domestic violence continues to plague families in Tukwila, South King County and cities across our nation, many na- tional experts are voicing concerns about the effects that exposure to domestic violence may have on children. Orga- nizers of the SOS Domestic Violence Walk-A-Thon will fo- cus proceeds from this event on the needs of those children through efforts that increase awareness about the impact of domestic violence on children, through their continued sup- port of local domestic violence task forces, and through rais- ing resources to support prevention. The Walk-A-Thon is open to all interested supporters and registration options are available for individuals or teams. Awards will be provided for those individuals and teams that raise the most money in pledges. If you are interested in Steppin' Out to Stop Domestic Violence or volunteering for the event, contact the Walk-A-Thon organizers at 253-850- 5927, ext. 3, or email info@SOSDomesticViolence.com or or visit their website at www.SOSDomesticViolence.com. Make home ownership a reality Prospective buyers face a multitude of programs today of- fering to assist clients in purchasing their first home. Con- sider HomeSight, a nonprofit community development cor- poration that promotes affordable homeownership through homebuyer education and financial planning, buyer pur- chase assistance, loan underwriting and origination, and home construction. Homesight offers a comprehensive curriculum providing extensive knowledge of the purchase process to potential buyers. Homebuyer education classes are combined with financial assessment and coaching sessions. A 1.5 -hour class entitled "The American Dream: Is Homeownership for You?" covers general information about Homesight's income qualification guidelines, purchase assistance programs and buyer affordability. To continue the curriculum, participants fill out a counseling intake form and schedule a financial as- sessment with a Homesight counselor. The Financial Services Class covers real estate documents and mortgage default prevention, home and neighborhood maintenance, financial roadmapping, and predatory lending tactics. Purchase assistance is available to qualified first-time homebuyers in the form of a low-interest loan. To qualify, you must meet the following requirements: 1) Be a first time home buyer (someone who has not owned a home in the past three years; 2) Complete HomeSight's homebuyer edu- cation curriculum and financial assessments; and 3) Upon loan approval, purchase a home in target areas within Seattle City limits, selected King county cities or within Snohomish county limits. To register for classes, please call 206-723-4355. 6 Volunteers needed at Way Back Inn Way Back Inn is a transitional housing program for homeless families that op- erates homes in Tukwila, Renton and Kent. Families that are housed by the program stay for up to 90 days. Way Back Inn pays all the utility bills and charges no rent, enabling the fami- lies to save enough money to get into their own housing or help with longer term transitional housing. The require- ments for families staying at WBI are that they have at least one child age 14 or younger, they have a viable plan to reach self sufficiency, they are homeless at the time of intake, and they must be working with a case -manager from an outside agency to address issues that are impeding their self-sufficiency. As with many nonprofit organizations, Way Back Inn is supported by volun- teers (with the exception of one part- time paid staff member), and is cur- rently looking for more volunteers. A variety of opportunities are available, including: • Maintenance Contact Person • Family Contact Person • Board Member • Special Projects Member These positions generally require only a few hours a month. If you would like to help homeless families reach self-suf- ficiency, please contact Tonya at 425- 432-6766 for more information. You can also come to a Board meeting, held on the first and third (and possible fifth) Thursday of each month at 6:OOPM, at 314 South 4th Street in Renton (the PMC building of St. Anthony's Church). Everyone is welcome to attend. THE HAZELNUT T U KW I LA RESOURCE ReUse Store Opens If you enjoy helping the environment and saving money, you should check out the ReUse Store. All residents of King County, as well as non-profit orga- nizations, can pick up different house- hold products for FREE at the ReUse Store, located at 3641 Second Avenue South in Seattle. The ReUse store stocks selected prod- ucts that residents have dropped off at regional hazardous waste facilities. Rather than paying to dispose of these still -usable and less -harmful products, King County's Local Hazardous Waste Management Program makes them available to the public for reuse. There are no fees charged. Reusing these products saves money and importantly reduces the need to generate new haz- ardous substances. What's available: Many household products are available at the ReUse Store including: • Latex and oil-based paint, stain and primer • Wood care products • Cleaning products (i.e., bleach, toilet cleaner) REPORTER • Automotive products (i.e., oil, antifreeze) • Environmentally -friendly fertilizers There are quantity limits on some prod- ucts, such as motor oil. Please keep in mind that the quantity and type of the items available varies greatly. ReUse Store 3641 - 2nd Avenue South, Seattle Saturdays, 10:OOAM to 4:OOPM Open to individuals and non-profit agencies (no contractors) Contact: 206-386-4093 for more information How can 1 dispose of old pesticides, motor oil and leftover paint cans? Household hazardous waste products are not accepted at the ReUse Store. The ReUse Store only provides a loca- tion to pick up free products. If you live in King County, call 206-296- 4692 or 1-888-TOXICED, or visit King County's Local Hazardous Waste Man- agement website for information about how and where to dispose of house- hold hazardous waste products: http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/ disposal/ Go native! It's up to each of us to keep our waterways clean and healthy. Native plants bring benefits to Northwest land and water resources, wildlife and people — and you can have them in your own yard! Go to King County's new native plant website: http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wIr/pi/go-native It includes lots of useful information about how to create your own native plant landscape, featuring plants native to Western Washington. You'll find plant pho- tos, native plant gardening tips, illustrated plans providing basic ideas for native plant landscaping, and much more. Want more information about recycling or composting in Tukwila? Contact Recycling Coordinator Rebecca Fox at 206-431-3683, or send an email to rfox@ci.tukwila.wa.us Recipes for clean, green household products Many products used in the home con- tain hazardous chemicals. Such prod- ucts can be dangerous to your health or the environment. Here are some "recipes" to replace potentially harm- ful products with safer ones, using products that you already have around the house. Stain Remover for Red Wine • Water • Club Soda If the wine is still wet, blot first to remove as much excess liquid as pos- sible. Saturate the stain with water or club soda. Rub lightly and blot dry. Repeat if necessary. Launder accord- ing to label directions. Toxic chemicals avoided:: Petroleum distillates, chlorinated hydrocarbons Toilet Bowl Cleaner • Baking Soda • Dishwashing liquid Sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl as you would any scouring powder. Squeeze a couple of drops of soap in also. Scrub with toilet -bowl brush and finish outer surfaces with a rag sprin- kled with baking soda. Toxic chemicals avoided:: Hydrochloric acid, chlorine bleach, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid SEPTEMBER 2006 7 CITY DIRECTORY TUKWILA CITY HALL 6200 Southcenter Boulevard Hours: Monday—Friday, 8:30AM-5:00PM Telephone: 206-433-1800 Fax number: 206-433-1833 TTY number: 206-248-2933 Website: http://www.citukwila.wa.us E-mail: tukwila@citukwila.wa.us TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL Joe H. Duffle (beeper #J 206-994-7229 Joan Hernandez 206-248-0260 Pam Carter 206-244-0558 Jim Haggerton 206-244-7846 Pamela Linder 206-439-2473 Dennis Robertson, Pres 206-242-6373 Verna Gruen 206-901-9251 Diane Jenkins, Admin Asst206-433-1834 Council Message Line 206-431-3652 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 7:OOPM in Council Chambers Regular Meetings 1st/3rd Mondays Work Meetings 2nd/4th Mondays Agenda Info Line 206-431-3656 CITY OFFICES Mayor Steve Mullet 206-433-1805 Rhonda Berry, City Admin 206-433-1851 Municipal Court 206-433-1840 Human Services 206-433-7180 Economic Development 206-433-1832 Tourism/Marketing 206-575-2489 Finance Department Kevin Fuhrer, Director 206-433-1838 Fire Department Nick Olivas, Chief 206-575-4404 Dept. of Community Development Steven Lancaster, Director 206-431-3670 Code Enforcement 206-431-3682 Parks/Recreation Department Bruce Fletcher, Director 206-767-2342 Police Department David Haynes, Chief 206-433-1808 Public Works Department Jim Morrow, Director 206-433-0179 Dept. of Administrative Services VkiJessop, Director 206-433-1831 City Clerk's Office 206-433-1800 Personnel 206-433-1831 City Job Line 206-433-1828 Emergency Fire, Police 911 TUKWILA COMMUNITY CENTER 12424 - 42nd Avenue South Recreation Division 206-768-2822 Senior Center/Services 206-767-2323 TUKWILA CITY POOL 4414 S. 144th Street 206-267-2350 Foster Golf Links 13500 Interurban Avenue South Pro Shop 206-242-4221 Restaurant 206-267-7427 THE HAZELNUT newsletter is published five times a year by the City of Tukwila, and written by City staff Editing/production: Stacia Norris Neighborhoods celebrate National Night Out Against Crime Tukwila's annual National Night Out Against Crime was held on Tuesday, August 1, 2006. Twenty-four neighborhoods organized various kinds of community par- ties ranging from barbecues, pizza and pool parties to potluck dinners and ice cream socials. Many citizens came together and celebrated their ability to success- fully reduce crime in Tukwila with an anti-drug and anti-crime campaign. Members of the City's Police, Fire, Code Enforcement, and Building Departments, Police volunteers and the Chaplains Service joined Police Chief David Haynes, Fire Chief Nick Olivas, Mayor Steve Mullet and City Councilmembers visiting neighborhoods. Tukwila firefighters were a `hit' when they visited numerous neighborhood parties in their fire engines and ladder truck. Also participating this year were representatives from Target's Asset Protection and managerial staff. Target Corporation, a national sponsor for National Night Out Against Crime, partnered with Tukwila Police in this year's event. Travelling to neighborhood parties with Officer Ted Rutt in the D.A.R.E. van, the Target rep- resentatives got to see and enjoy Tuk- wila's neighborhoods at their finest. National Night Out (always held on the first Tuesday of August) is a fun way for neighbors to get to know one another and to meet City officials away from City Hall. It's a time to let the crooks know they're not welcome in our City, and that neighborhoods are fighting back against crime! Bow Lake Transfer Station Renovation The King County Solid Waste Division is resuming efforts on a multi-year major renovation to the Bow Lake Transfer/Recycling Station, located near the intersec- tion of Orillia Road and South 188th Street. The Division will hold a public meeting to present information about the project and the Draft Facility Master Plan, and to respond to questions and comments: September 14, 2006 — 6:30 to 8:OOPM Tukwila Community Center, 12424 - 42ndAvenue S. For more information about the transfer station improvements, please contact Tom Creegan, Project Manager, at 206-263-6476 or tom.creegan@metrokc.gov. THE HAZELNUT City of Tukwila 6200 Southcenter Blvd. Tukwila, WA 98188 Postmaster: If named addressee has moved, deliver to current resident. PRESORT STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 12698 To help us correct addresses or eliminate duplicates, please call 206-433-1800.