This Week Wednesday: Reach Out Des Moines meeting. Group leader Brenda MBaabu invited me to a community listening meeting at Midway Park last week and the discussion concerned how to organise events like National Night Out all year long in the area. Stay Tuned! 🙂 Just so you understand, these are not simply ‘feel good’ … Continue reading “Weekly Update: 09/18/2022”
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Ad Hoc Rules Committee #1
Categories Transparency3 Comments on Ad Hoc Rules Committee #1Intro Fair warning: All is true, but I walked into this with a chip on my shoulder. Because: The meeting was held with the bare minimum 24 hours legal notice. At a non-standard location (Police Station) Was not recorded. Did not show up on my City Calendar like other committee meetings. There was nothing on … Continue reading “Ad Hoc Rules Committee #1”
An excerpt from the City of Sequim Rules of Procedure
Categories Transparency1 Comment on An excerpt from the City of Sequim Rules of ProcedureThis is an excerpt from the Rules of Procedure in Sequim, which is typical of many cities in Washington. I picked it simply because long-time Councilmember Bob Sheckler moved to Sequim and applied to be on their City Council so I became familiar with their system. Almost all Washington cities copy our RoP from a … Continue reading “An excerpt from the City of Sequim Rules of Procedure”
Weekly Update: 09/11/2022
Categories Economic Development, Marina, Neighborhoods, Policy, Public Safety, Transparency, Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment on Weekly Update: 09/11/2022This Week Sunday: I attended the mini-hydroplane races at Angle Lake Park. In addition to trying a little bit to get some local businesses involved, the “Des Moines” angle is that I’m doing my semi-annual “no car for a few weeks” routine to see how transit is doing. It’s never been easy here, and… I … Continue reading “Weekly Update: 09/11/2022”
Budget Retreat 2022: Where I offer to sell my soul for the sake of financial transparency…
Categories Economic Development, Marina, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment on Budget Retreat 2022: Where I offer to sell my soul for the sake of financial transparency…Councilmember Harris: I think I could almost die happy if we could get a for realz balance sheet, or a p/l or something, to that effect, at least a couple of times a year. City Manager Matthias: If you’re able to commit to that promise, I’m more than able to commit to [doing that]. Except for … Continue reading “Budget Retreat 2022: Where I offer to sell my soul for the sake of financial transparency…”
Des Moines Marina L, M, N Dock Tenant Meeting
Categories Marina1 Comment on Des Moines Marina L, M, N Dock Tenant MeetingMore fun with advisory… er… ‘listening’ groups…
Categories Transparency1 Comment on More fun with advisory… er… ‘listening’ groups…Introduction In the ongoing silliness that makes residents’ eyes roll. But this actually matters. It’s one of a zillion examples where the Mayor uses the fact that most people have no idea how limited his authority is. He uses the title to take advantage of situations big and small–as has every mayor since i’ve lived … Continue reading “More fun with advisory… er… ‘listening’ groups…”
Weekly Update: 09/05/2022
Categories Economic Development, Marina, Neighborhoods, Policy, Public Safety, Transparency, Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment on Weekly Update: 09/05/2022Last week there was a small kerfuffle on my Facebook page over the City’s new Visitors Map. Some of you will want to read it for the same reason people slow down to look at traffic accidents. Others may want to read it because in my opinion it represents a subtle, but very real sickness … Continue reading “Weekly Update: 09/05/2022”
The Clark Street Environmentalist (Labor Day 2022)
Categories Airport, EnvironmentBack in the day, my *homebase was a spare room my great friend Stosh set aside for me at his house in Detroit. Stosh was old school union–working seven days a week at Clark Street, aka ‘Cadillac Assembly’. Stosh had wanted to be an artist (he was really good.) But his dad passed, and somebody had … Continue reading “The Clark Street Environmentalist (Labor Day 2022)”
Pet Haven Pet Cemetery
Categories HistoryLocated just south of Kent Des Moines Road Pet Haven Cemetery 23646 Military Rd S. Kent, WA 98032 is one of those interesting spots you never knew existed. I took an interest recently when a cell tower was there and a local group began campaigning for the place to be given historical status. I’ll let … Continue reading “Pet Haven Pet Cemetery”