On July 15, 2026, President Deb Barker convened the quarterly meeting of the Morgan Community Association (MoCA) at Alki Arts, hosting a hybrid session that balanced encouraging regional safety data with the frustrations of local infrastructure delays and a moving call for community volunteers.

Public Safety: Regional Gains vs. Local Realities

Seattle Police Lieutenant Pat Daly opened with a statistical overview of the Southwest Precinct, noting that it had the largest drop in crime of any of the city's five precincts over the past year. Daly reported that violent crimes are down about 18% year-to-date, while property crimes have decreased by 10%. “In the southwest precinct, we've seen noticeable drops in rapes and aggravated assaults as well as in vehicle [thefts],” Daly stated.

However, the floor quickly turned to specific neighborhood concerns. One resident raised the issue of a dangerous “big curve” near the junction, reporting roughly 53 accidents in 20 years. President Barker noted that “general just speeds are way too high” in that area and indicated the association would seek information from the Department of Transportation at a future meeting.

More pointedly, Diane Venti, owner of Alki Arts shared her distress regarding safety issues involving unhoused individuals near her shop. “We have some unhoused neighbors that... as the night goes on they get more religion,” she said, describing aggressive behavior and public health concerns. “I have a tenant upstairs... she's afraid to come downstairs... I'm afraid of the lawyering. We are like at our wits' end”.

In response, Community Service Officer (CSO) Jamie Heslin introduced herself as a resource for the neighborhood: “What we do is we can come out and help with people services and kind of like scoot them along... we can get people connected to housing resources”. Regarding illegal fireworks complaints, Lieutenant Daly clarified the department's priority-based response: “If we responded to every fireworks on the 4th of July, that's all we would be doing and you wouldn't even get to them”.

Morgan Minutes: Infrastructure and Fraud Alerts

President Barker delivered updates on several city-managed projects, many of which have hit logistical "challenges".

• EV Charging Station: Barker reported that work was delayed because city inspectors were “yanked to duties downtown” for Seattle FIFA obligations. She added that Seattle City Light also “ran into challenges with the existing conditions” on the compact site, requiring difficult night and off-peak work.
• Park Expansion: The Morgan Junction Park expansion remains stalled by soil contamination and inter-agency negotiations. When asked about the timeline, Barker admitted, “I don't have it memorized because I get too depressed when I think about it... everything is still standard out”.
• Treasurer’s Report: Michael Brunner reported a closing balance of $11,348.82, but shared a cautionary tale about a recent fraud case on the MoCA account involving Amazon. Brunner advised members to set up activity alerts: “My lesson learned was not setting anything. You get a thing when there's activity”.

Critical Infrastructure: Murray Force Main Rehabilitation

Nyles Green and Project Manager Kate provided a briefing on the Murray Force Main Rehabilitation, a project at Lowman Beach Park designed to repair 350 feet of pressurized sewer pipe that failed in 2022 due to corrosion.

Kate emphasized the rigid timeline required for the work: “It has to be done by the end of September... because this work has to be done in the dry season” to ensure the system has full capacity before the wet season begins. Niles Green added that after the pipe work is complete, the contractor will restore the park lawn and “essentially turn that space that the contractor occupied back over to Seattle Park and Recreation”.

Preparedness and Advocacy

Cindy from the Morgan Hub announced a “Summer of Preparedness” leading to an earthquake simulation on August 15 in Morgan Junction Park. “The best way to do that is flood us with people,” Cindy urged. “We recruit community actors to come put us to the test”.

The meeting's final presentation focused on the Dependency CASA Program, which provides court-appointed advocates for children in the foster care system. Sarah Childs, recruitment coordinator, noted that 334 children in King County are currently waiting for an advocate. “I believe that sometimes the greatest impact you can have is not just by becoming a CASA yourself, but it's by helping someone else discover that they can be a CASA,” Childs said.

Maria, a West Seattle resident and CASA volunteer of four years, shared the emotional weight of the role: “I get to just listen to a kid and be the person who speaks for them to the court... it matters. It really matters”. President Barker closed the segment by telling the presenters, “We're just blown away by this”