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Weekly Update: 10/08/2023

October 8, 2023October 9, 2023

2023 Campaigning, Environment, History, Marina, Policy, Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment

This week: Ongoing meeting with Senator Murray’s office, North Hill Community Club Candidate Night, Wesley Interview, Police Ride-Along
Last week: Coffee With A Cop, Stay-Grounded

Weekly Update: 10/01/2023

October 1, 2023October 2, 2023

2023 Campaigning, History, Policy, Transparency, Transportation, Weekly Updates3 Comments

This week: Coffee With A Cop
Last week’s CCM featured Capital Improvements Plan. Genesis Now. Lighthouse NW. A new Ferry idea. SCORE update.

Weekly Update: 09/24/2023

September 24, 2023September 26, 2023

2023 Campaigning, History, Policy, Public Safety, Transparency, Weekly Updates3 Comments

This week’s CCM features Capital Improvements Plan. Two years of ARPA spending.
Last Week: Meeting w new Police Chief Tim Gately.
Traffic notes re 216th Bridge Rebuild. SCORE Jail incidents.

ARPA 2021 – 2023

September 24, 2023November 27, 2023

TransparencyLeave a comment

A brief history of the American Rescue Plan Act in Des Moines, aka ARPA, aka ‘Federal COVID grant to cities’, aka ‘Christmas in July’, aka ‘that JoeBidenMoney’, was/is a 2021 bill which gave prox. $9,000,000 to the City of Des Moines.

Newly Released 2022-23 Highline Schools Performance Data Is Disappointing

Children, External ArticlesEducation, Highline Schools, HSD, Stuart JennerLeave a comment

By Stuart Jenner It is commonly believed K12 students had significant learning losses as a result of Covid. How is the recovery going in Highline, other nearby districts, and in the state as a whole? The newest test data has discouraging news. Just released on the Washington State Report Card in the past week by the Office of … Continue reading “Newly Released 2022-23 Highline Schools Performance Data Is Disappointing”

Weekly Update: 09/17/2023

September 17, 2023September 18, 2023

2023 Campaigning, Airport, Campaigning, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly Updates6 Comments

This Week: Traffic Shut down on Kent Des Moines Road!
Last Week Study Session on Water District 54.
Some lessons we should learn on emergencies -and- budgeting

Weekly Update: 09/10/2023

September 11, 2023September 12, 2023

2023 Campaigning, Airport, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment

This Week: Traffic Shut down on Kent Des Moines Road!
Last Week Study Session on Water District 54.
Some lessons we should learn on emergencies -and- budgeting

Weekly Update: 09/05/2023

September 5, 2023September 6, 2023

2023 Campaigning, Airport, Economic Development, Engagement, Neighborhoods, Policy, Transparency, Weekly Updates2 Comments

This Week: Traffic Shut down on Kent Des Moines Road!
Last Week Study Session on Water District 54.
Some lessons we should learn on emergencies -and- budgeting

Neighbourhoods and the Community Survey

Engagement, NeighborhoodsLeave a comment

The City is running a Community Survey which you should definitely fill out. And a few words about neighbourhoods. Seven? Nine? Twenty three? Or… Print out the form and create your own adventure! 😀

Weekly Update: 08/27/2023

August 27, 2023August 28, 2023

Engagement, Neighborhoods, Policy, Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment

This Week: Traffic Shut down on Kent Des Moines Road!
Last Week Study Session on Water District 54.
Some lessons we should learn on emergencies -and- budgeting

Ongoing Stuff

Get vaccinated! Yeah I know you’d like to forget about it, but there are new variants and the infection rate is climbing. Fortunately, there is an effective booster, which is recommended for people 65 and older and those who are immuno-compromised. It is available now, effective, free and you can get your appointment today here and here , including walk-Ins at SAFEWAY, Walgreen’s, Rite-Aid, SeaMar and Healthpoint. And, And, AND, you can also get free rapid tests here and at KCLS Libraries!

Sign up for the King County Code Red Alert program. When you sign up for Code Red you’ll be notified immediately when there is a possible health threat. After the recent ‘Boil Water Notice’ I received just a few grouses that ‘it did not work’. I’m 99% certain that the problem is that you have to actually sign up for an account. Do It! There is this ‘guest’ option which is stupid and should not even be an option. Everyone who had an account in their system was notified. If you’re like me and signed up ten years ago (after the last notification), go to the site immediately and verify your account. Ten years is a long time for any computer system.
Check out the 223rd Green Street Project web site and take the 223rd Green Street Survey before December 11th!
Check out the Des Moines Marina Steps web site and take the Marina Steps Survey.
If you’re interested in any of our Kids or Senior activities, you can sign up here.
Learn more about our Comprehensive Plan and take the Housing Action Plan Survey.
Take the City Communication and Engagement Survey
Give blood! Schedule an appointment today. There is a CODE RED emergency shortage.
Masonic Home! There is a petition for those who are interested in historic preservation of the property. If you have questions, don’t contact me. Contact Barbara McMichael and Lloyd Lytle Jr
Community Service Officer Tonya Seaberry wants to hear from neighborhood groups interested in establishing block watch programs: Tseaberry@desmoineswa.gov or 206-878-3301.
City Of Des Moines Minor Home Repair Program: Low to moderate income households can get grants to do all sorts of necessary repairs. Email Tina Hickey (206) 870-6535.
Every home should have a Carbon Monoxide Detector–especially during the colder months! Full stop. If you need one but money is tight, South King County Fire And Rescue will get you one. Just call their Community Affairs Office at 253-946-7347.
And last, but not least: If you have a Port Package that is having issues, please go to SeatacNoise.Info

How to attend meetings and provide Public Comment

City Council Meetings are scheduled for Thursdays at 6:00PM at City Hall 21630 11th Avenue S., Suite #C Des Moines WA 98198. They can also be viewed live on Comcast Channel 21/321 or on the City’s YouTube channel. Committee Meetings are either at 4:00PM or 5:00PM, also on Thursdays.

There are three ways to provide Public Comment:

In person: Show up a few minutes before the meeting and sign the sheet. Public Comment is usually conducted at the beginning of the meeting.
By e-mail: All e-mails sent to citycouncil@desmoineswa.gov are considered public comment. They are instantly available to all members of the City Council and the City Clerk who includes them into the record of public comments at the next meeting.
By US Mail: Attn: City Clerk Office, 21630 11th Avenue S., Des Moines WA 98198 no later than 4:00 p.m. day of the meeting. Please provide us with your first and last name and the city in which you live.

All letters or e-mails requesting a specific action are referred by the City Clerk to the appropriate City department.

If you would like a follow up from me, personally please indicate that or call me (206) 878-0578.

The Clerk does not read e-mails to the Council in full; only the subject line. However, we do see them as soon as you send them. Your comments are added to the Agenda Packet available on the City web site following each meeting.

How to view public comments, correspondence and meeting materials

The City publishes a meeting agenda on the Friday (six days) before city council meetings. On the day after the meeting (Friday) the City updates that same file with all the slide presentations, the correspondence, and a list of the people who signed up to give public comment at the meeting. Currently, there is no button on the web site that says Show me the meeting comments for xx/xx/xxxx. You just have to know that this is the procedure. Below is a recipe to get you there.

Go to www.desmoineswa.gov
Once there, hover over Your Government and then click Council Meeting Center. (Or, you can skip Step #1 and just click on Council Meeting Center.)
Select the meeting date you’re interested in from the Schedule Of Meetings calendar.
Click on Regular Meeting for the meeting date you want. In this case, December 1, 2022.
Click the Agenda Packet link under “Print Verson”.
You can also select a meeting using the list near the top. You can also use the left and right arrows to select older meetings.
Once the agenda packet loads, there are two links we’re interested in:
- Correspondence to view all e-mails received by the City Council since the last meeting.
- Comments From The Public to view a list of the people who spoke in-person at the meeting.