Weekly Updates

Every week I provide an update on what I’m doing, public service announcements, ways to get involved, info on the City and what the City is planning!

Engagement, Weekly Updates

Sea-Tac Airport, Transportation

Two-Weekly Update: 09/14/2020

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Weekly Update, my ass. 😀 Sorry. I took a few days to get on the water for a change. And then I come back and the sky has turned orange and the power went out and my computer broke and…Cats and Dogs! Living together! 😀Anyhoo, I appreciate all the people who actually notice when I

Economic Development, Engagement, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Budget, Citizen Advisory Committees, Committees

Weekly Update: 08/30/2020

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PSA #1: Now that the Federal Way light rail construction is really beginning in earnest, you may want to sign up for email updates from Sound Transit. There will be many road closures over the next year or so. PSA #2: Dude: you really gotta sign up for the Census. We’re getting down to the

Economic Development, Engagement, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Budget

Weekly Update: 08/24/2020

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I apologise up front that this week’s article is longer than some Russian novels. But as I’ve written before, the budget presentation is often considered to be the meeting of the year–and perhaps the reason to have a City Council. So I urge readers to slog through the entire thing like Stalingrad in ’43. I

Economic Development, Engagement, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Budget, Senior Center

Weekly Update: 08/17/2020

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Sorry I’m late. Again. I ran out of Tonic Water last night and it was just too hot to type without a Gin and Tonic. :D. But, once again, I’ve got not just this update, but another bonus article (see below.) Woo hoo! This Week Tuesday: A very timely MRSC seminar on the special requirements

Economic Development, Engagement, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Senior Center

Weekly Update: 08/09/2020

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Sorry I’m late. A bit under the weather this weekend. But I’ve got not just this update, but a bonus article (see below.) Woo hoo! This Week Monday: I’ll be sitting in on the Arts Commission Meeting. Tuesday: Port Of Seattle Commission Meeting. The discussion will center around improving the noise monitor program. Wednesday: come

Airport, Economic Development, Engagement, Policy, Taxes, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Sea-Tac Airport, Senior Center

Weekly Update: 08/02/2020

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This Week Wednesday: come have lunch with me at the Senior Center. Get an EATS voucher! PSA: Wednesday is also the day that the Des Moines Library opens for curbside pickup! Thursday: City Council Meeting (Agenda) the annual Budget Retreat. I encourage everyone to watch on Comcast Channel 21 or livestream. Friday: South King County

Engagement, Policy, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Sea-Tac Airport, Senior Center

Weekly Update: 07/27/2020

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Yes, I’m late, Late, LATE. What can I say? Everybody’s always telling me ‘take a few days off.’ So… 😀 This Week Wednesday: come have lunch with me at the Senior Center. Get an EATS voucher! Thursday: Meeting with Tina Orwall and Federal Way Schools on school air quality improvement program. That’s it. Nothing else!

Engagement, Neighborhoods, Policy, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Sea-Tac Airport, Senior Center

Weekly Update: 07/19/2020

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This Week Monday: Meeting with Tina Orwall and Federal Way Schools on school air quality improvement program. Tuesday: Burien Airport Committee (Agenda and information on attending via Zoom) Wednesday: come have lunch with me at the Senior Center. Get an EATS voucher! Wednesday: Highline Forum. There will be a discussion of recent studies on UltraFine

Engagement, Neighborhoods, Policy, Transparency, Weekly Updates

Fireworks, Karen Keiser, PSRC, Sea-Tac Airport, Senior Center, StART

Weekly Update: 07/12/2020

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This Week Wednesday: come have lunch with me at the Senior Center. Get an EATS voucher! Thursday: City Council Meeting (Agenda) Last Week Tuesday: Puget Sound Regional Committee (PSRC) Transportation Board Zoom Meeting. (Remember: they’re most important agency nobody knows about.) Discussion of Fast Ferry and about half a billion in regional transportation monies. Tuesday:

Engagement, Neighborhoods, Policy, Transparency, Weekly Updates

PSRC, Sea-Tac Airport, Senior Center, StART, Tina Orwall

Weekly Update: 07/06/2020

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This Week Tuesday: Puget Sound Regional Committee (PSRC) Transportation Board Zoom Meeting. (Remember: they’re most important agency nobody knows about.) Discussion of Fast Ferry and about half a billion in regional transportation monies. (More below.) Tuesday: phone call with Senator Karen Keiser on air quality monitor stuff. Wednesday: come have lunch with me at the

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.

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 your home has Port Package (sound insulation system) 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.

You do not have to sign in to attend a meeting!
The sign-in sheet is only for people wishing to make a Public Comment.

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.