Residents gathered at The Kenney for the quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting and candidate forum to hear updates on neighborhood infrastructure, local public safety statistics, and pitch proposals from candidates competing for state and county offices. Guided by the community agenda, the meeting addressed pedestrian safety concerns, upcoming park projects, public utility delays, disaster preparedness, precinct crime reports, and local elections.

Pedestrian Safety and School Bus Access

The meeting kicked off with a discussion on pedestrian safety near California Avenue SW and SW Holly Street. Community organizer Michael Harold highlighted the daily hazards faced by neighborhood children trying to cross busy streets to reach school buses near local business parking lots. Resident Chi noted that past collaboration with Seattle Public Schools succeeded in relocating bus stops along Fauntleroy, suggesting similar solutions could be explored. Harold emphasized that creating safer crossings is vital as neighborhood density expands, noting that nearly 13 new housing units were added along a single nearby block in recent years.

Business and Local Infrastructure Updates

Attendees received updates on several key commercial and civic initiatives across Morgan Junction:

• Upward Physical Therapy: The meeting welcomed new neighborhood business Upward Physical Therapy, located at 6640 California Ave SW.
• Morgan Junction Park Expansion: Seattle Parks and Recreation reported that the interim lawn at 6401 California Ave SW opened to the public following soil remediation efforts. Phase II designs include a $700,000 all-wheels skatedot funded by the Seattle City Council, with main park construction expected to start in late summer 2027.
• EV Charging Station: Seattle City Light announced that its contract with original builder Zenisco was terminated in September 2026 due to performance issues. The project is moving through a bond performance process toward a revised completion target of September 2027 for eight DC fast-charging ports.
• Emergency HUB Walkthrough: Deb Barker shared that Emergency Hub founder Cindi Barker had reported that the August exercise successfully tested radio communications. Barker invited community members to a hazard and vulnerability mapping walkthrough in the Morgan Junction business district on Saturday, October 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., starting at Thriftway Plaza.
• Treasurer's Report: MoCA Treasurer Michael delivered a concise financial report, stating the period began with $11,348 and closed at $10,374 following payments for insurance and Zoom hosting fees.

Southwest Police Precinct Crime Statistics

Lieutenant Pat Daly and Community Service Officer Jamie Hesslin provided crime statistics for West Seattle and Morgan Junction. Lt. Daly acknowledged the gap between official statistics and neighborhood perceptions.

"I do want to preface this a little bit. I'm about to sit here and tell you that crime is down. We understand that that's not necessarily the perception within the community," Lt. Daly stated. "We know there's still work to do. We're working to drive those numbers down even more".

Daly reported that overall violent crime in West Seattle fell 17 percent year to date, with rapes down 35 percent, assaults down 22 percent, and motor vehicle thefts down 31 percent. In the Morgan Junction neighborhood specifically, burglaries experienced a steep drop from 47 incidents last year to 21 this year. Addressing a minor uptick in robberies, Lt. Daly highlighted recent investigative breakthroughs.

"Our robbery detectives had identified a ring of about five or six individuals that were responsible for at least 18 of those robberies and they have made multiple arrests," Daly said.

CSO Hesslin and Lt. Daly encouraged residents to report all non-emergency and active incidents to 911 or online, reinforcing that police resources are allocated based on reported neighborhood data.

Candidate Forum: 34th District State Representative (Position 2)

The candidate forum featured contenders for the Washington State Legislature, 34th District (Position 2), featuring challenger Mary Anito and incumbent House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon.

Mary Anito, an engineer, business owner, and local parent, centered her platform on education funding, affordable housing creation, and universal healthcare. Anito argued that state funding models must prioritize core services and avoid corporate influence.

"We are in one of the most progressive and advanced states in America. We need to figure out universal healthcare," Anito stated. "Our constituents deserve a representative who is working for the people and not the companies that speak the loudest in Olympia".

Incumbent Representative Joe Fitzgibbon highlighted his legislative record on environmental protection and progressive tax reforms, including small business credit expansions and basic necessity tax exemptions.

"My proudest achievements in public life have been delivering the nation's best package of climate laws," Fitzgibbon said. Turning to fiscal strategy, Fitzgibbon defended new tax proposals: "The millionaire's tax is the single biggest thing that is going to get our budgets on track to sustainability".

The two candidates debated the execution of basic education funding under Article 9 of the state constitution, property tax levy reliance, and accountability surrounding Climate Commitment Act expenditures.

Candidate Forum: King County Council (District 8)

The forum also presented candidates for King County Council District 8, featuring challenger Nick Duda and incumbent Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda.

Nick Duda, a private sector technology veteran and West Seattle resident, focused his presentation on public safety, homelessness strategy, and government fiscal oversight.

"This is bar none the number one issue I hear when I'm at doors," Duda noted regarding neighborhood safety concerns. Critiquing current regional approaches to addiction and unhoused populations, Duda asserted: "We have managed to create a situation that is not compassionate, not accountable, and not efficient". Duda called for strict operational tracking, adding: "Identifying clearly the processes and where we're breaking down at each stage of it is something deeply core to me".

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, joining via Zoom, underscored her work in public health infrastructure, senior support services, and affordable housing development.

"My biggest priority right now is making sure that in the wake of HR 1 we are standing up and stepping up with urgency to invest in our public health clinics and the county's hospital," Mosqueda declared. When asked about housing permitting delays and execution, Mosqueda outlined financial strategies: "Two specific ways that we can do that to reduce costs is to use our debt capacity and bonding authority to help smaller developers come online faster".

Following resident questions regarding school budget deficits, housing affordability definitions, and tax policy details, the meeting adjourned with MoCA leaders thanking the community and host venue The Kenney, announcing that the next quarterly meeting will take place in January 2027.