June 2010

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive in this otherwise sluggish economy as Swedish Automotive co-owners, and husband and wife, Dave Winters and Sandra Wanstall, expand their business four blocks south, from 35th Avenue SW and Webster, to 35th and Kenyon. Their repair business, at its current location for 20 years, has just four bays and not a lot of extra space for the Volvos, Saabs, and Subarus awaiting repairs, plus his 13 loaners, and 11 employees.

MRJ Constructors, who built the Viking Bank, West Seattle Branch, the Eagle Harbor Inn on Bainbridge Island, and the University House senior living facility in Wallingford is building a new 6,000 square feet green building with 12 bays on a 19,500 square foot lot for Winters and Wanstall that was once a gas station. An existing two story structure on the lot will remain, to be used as their office and rental space. They purchased the lot Dec. 29, 2006.

They plan a grand opening the Tuesday after Labor Day, and want to find another business interested in leasing their current location, also a former gas station. It is 2,515 square feet.

The Political Empowerment Skill Building Program given by South Seattle Community College has been offering students the opportunity to interact and hear from experts and practitioners about their knowledge and experiences in politics and public services.  On Thursday night, June 3, students heard 10-minute presentations by panelists before breaking up into groups to focus on assigned bills they would try to pass in a mock forum. The panelists then circulated and answered questions within the smaller groups.

Panelists included Jared Jonson, Government Relations Specialist, King County Department of Transportation, and former Field Director for County Executive Dow Constantine's successful campaign. Also, Eileen Cody, West Seattle resident and 34th Legislative District Representative, Sharon Tomiko Santos, Representative and Majority Whip, 37th Legislative District, and Betty Patu, Seattle Public Schools Board Member.

Merrill Gardens is hosting special events nationwide to help support our troops.
In true USO fashion the spirits will be flowing, an abundance of fabulous food available, and a lively atmosphere will be provided by swing dancers. All proceeds benefit the USO.
Tuesday, June 15 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm Minimum Donation:
$10 per attendee

The nomination period for the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board elections ends at 5 p.m. on June 10.

There are two positions – one for a property owner or business person and one for a business owner – open this election cycle.

To nominate a candidate, the nominator and the nominee must be registered to vote in the district, and the nominee must also sign the nominating form.

Nominations for the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board should be submitted to Lagerquist & Morris, 5135 Ballard Ave. N.W.

Download the attached documents for more information and the nomination form.

By John Fox and Carolee Colter

You probably don't know this because no one down at City Hall thought to tell you, let alone ask for your opinion on the matter. But quietly two weeks ago, the full Seattle City Council unanimously voted to increase the city's 20-year residential growth targets by more than 30 percent.

On top of that, they committed the city to increasing its total share of King County's anticipated residential growth from 32 to about 37 percent during the period 2006 through 2031.

Without a doubt, this will set the stage for and provide the justification for still more upzones – at the expense of the livability and affordability of our city.

Every seven years, the state's Growth Management Act requires counties and cities throughout central Puget Sound to reassess actual employment, population and housing unit figures and then if necessary readjust their 20-year targets to accommodate their assigned share of the region's growth.

Which do we value more, our car or our children? Sadly, I think that many children may be coming in second in this race.

When our car isn’t working right we take it to our dealer; describe the symptoms that we are experiencing and leave the car with the dealer with the expectation that they will fix it, without any further input from us, and call us when it is “ready.”

If upon picking up the car we find that it is still exhibiting the undesired symptoms, we will return it to the dealer, sometimes while exhibiting a tone of dissatisfaction, and demand that the dealer “Fix it!”

What if that doesn’t work? Then we will likely get in touch with the manufacturer and demand that either the dealer remedy the situation, or the manufacturer issue a recall to fix the situation.

So far correct? I think so.

The Federal Way City Council this week awarded $13,500 to five not-for-profit organizations so they can increase their tourism activity this year. The grants are part of the City’s ongoing Tourism Enhancement Grant program (TEG), which is funded by the City’s lodging tax
revenues.

The goal of TEG is to continually increase the number of visitors and tourists to Federal Way.

Specifically, the City wants to increase overnight hotel stays, retail sales and other tourism induced economic activity. The program assists not-for-profits in hosting sports and/or cultural events in the city that otherwise might not occur without some assistance.

The following organizations were awarded TEG grants for their upcoming events:

• Sudden Impact Invitation Tournament Girls’ Fastpitch
• Centerstage “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
• Twin Lakes Golf & Country Club Women’s Amateur Golf Tournament
• Washington State USSSA Men’s Softball NW Championships
• Federal Way Symphony Holiday Concert

South King Fire & Rescue Chief Al Church has been elected as the president of Washington Fire Chiefs during the annual association conference in Spokane last week.

The Washington Fire Chiefs is an incorporated non-profit association who has been providing fire service professionals education, information and resources for the past 78 years. The association also takes a lead role in influencing issues affecting the fire service, such as fire safe cigarettes and the ban on novelty lighters, among many other legislative topics that benefit the public and emergency personnel.

Church has been a member of South King Fire & Rescue (formally Federal Way Fire) since September, 1978 and has worked his way through the ranks. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1981, Captain in 1985, Battalion Chief in 1986, Assistant Chief in 1992, and Chief of Operations in 1994. In May, 2001, he was appointed Fire Chief/Administrator by the Board of Fire Commissioners.

The US Honor Flag will be making a stop in Federal Way on June 21 as part of its West Coast tour honoring those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The event will be at 1:30 p.m. on June 21 in front of City Hall at the flag pole.

The ceremony will honor the memory of fallen police officer Brian Walsh. Mayor Linda Kochmar and City Manager/Police Chief Brian Wilson will be featured speakers for the 35-minute ceremony.

Federal Way is only one of six police agencies in the area to host the U.S. Honor Flag. Federal Way will be honoring 34-year-old Officer Brian Walsh who died earlier this year on March 21 while in the line of duty. Walsh was a five-year veteran of Federal Way’s police force.

After the Federal Way ceremony, the flag will travel to the Lakewood Police Department for a similar program in honor of that city’s four fallen officers. The flag will then make stops at the Pierce County, Lewis County and Grant County sheriff's departments before heading to the State Capitol for a ceremony there. The flag will then travel to Oregon and California for the rest of its tour.

Background on the U.S. Honor Flag

Unseasonably wet weather in May has slowed donation visits to the Federal Way Goodwill Store, leading the agency’s CEO to cheer on spring cleaning and braving the weather to make gifts of gently used clothes and household items.

“Spring usually means an upswing in donations but the rain is having more of an impact than we hoped,” said Tacoma Goodwill CEO Terry A. Hayes, whose agency covers a 15-county service area, including South King Count. “We’re encouraging people to do their spring cleaning and make a donation, even if the weather isn’t all that great.”

According to Goodwill figures, donation visits at the Federal Way Goodwill Store dropped from about 5,400 in usual spring months to 3,155 in May. Donations of gently used clothes and household items support job training and placement services.

“Donations are very important and we’re very grateful for what we receive to support our mission,” Hayes said. She noted more than 9,000 people will come to Goodwill for services this year – far above the 6,200 people served last year.