West Seattle, Washington
28 Monday
By Charla Mustard-Foote
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association (ANA) meeting at Admiral Congregational Church was billed as a “Political Night”, and the main topics were transit, spending priorities, neighborhoods (and their residents) and money (the subjects of most local political discussions these days.)
16 people braved the cold to hear David Bloom
Late night for legislators in Olympia. Senate Democrats have sent word that two bills with sponsors including West Seattle State Sen. Joe McDermott have passed: SB 5688, extending “full marital benefits” to domestic partnerships, and SB 5952, which, as described in a news release, “add(s) ‘transgendered’ to the definition of sexual orientation that is in the state’s hate crime statute.” Both have companion bills that have to be voted on by the full State House — you can check their status through the pages for each Senate bill (linked to their numbers above).
Greg Whittaker of Alki Kayak Tours took, and sent, that photo after a day of lobbying in Olympia on behalf of tourism. He says everybody in the photo is from the 34th Legislative District — which includes West Seattle, White Center, and Vashon — and explained: “We talked with (Sen.) Joe McDermott and (Rep.) Sharon Nelson promoting support of our industry which provides jobs and tax revenue for much-needed programs (that) are going to be receiving huge cutbacks.” Two of the tourism-related bills in the Legislature this year are House Bill 1290 and Senate Bill 5265, which would enable King County to create “tourism promotion areas” – right now, it’s the only county in the state that’s not allowed to create such areas, which can raise tourism-promotion dollars through hotel/motel taxes. ADDED WEDNESDAY: One more photo:
We’re tracking city and county politics here, since it’s a major election year, with 4 City Council seats plus mayor and county executive also on the fall ballot. New developments tonight, including: Nick Licata says he’ll run for council re-election, NOT for mayor; so that means two council seats with incumbents running (Licata and Richard Conlin) and two open (Jan Drago and Richard McIver aren’t running again), with a long list of declared candidates already, and two of them are going to appear at tomorrow night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting (7 pm, Admiral Congregational Church basement meeting room): Dorsol Plants (former Highland Park Action Committee chair) and David Bloom (who spoke at the Southwest District Council meeting last Wednesday). One question continuing to generate speculation: With so many having said they will NOT run against Mayor Nickels this fall, who will? Two have filed so far (Norman Sigler and David Wolbeck), and e-mail is circulating pointing out that former councilmember Peter Steinbrueck hasn’t ruled out a run yet, and in fact, has messaged the founder of a Facebook group titled “Peter Steinbrueck, for the love of Seattle, RUN FOR MAYOR!” to say “What three things … would people like to see changed?” (His note was excerpted over the weekend at Seattlest.) So we’re throwing out the question here too: Whether Hizzoner is re-elected or whether someone else takes over – what, if anything, would you like to see changed in Seattle?
As we reported in coverage of last month’s 34th District Democrats meeting, West Seattle State Sen. Joe McDermott thinks you should be able to register to vote all the way up till Election Day. But that’s not a popular idea, yet, so he is heading that way incrementally: The Senate has approved a bill he’s co-sponsoring, to move the in-person voter-registration deadline a week later, to 8 days pre-election. According to a Legislature news release, the 8 states allowing Election Day registration have voter participation averaging 10 percent higher than other states. His bill, SB 5270 (status and other links here), now moves to the House.
The Times reports tonight that City Councilmember Jan Drago has decided not to run for re-election this fall, after 15 years on the council. She was one of four whose slots are up this year: Councilmember Richard McIver already has said he’s out; Council President Richard Conlin has said he WILL run again; Councilmember Nick Licata hasn’t finalized his intentions yet. The list of others who’ve filed so far can be found here.
Thanks to Mary for e-mailing WSB to share the agenda for Thursday’s Washington State PTA “Focus Day” in Olympia tomorrow – as her note reminds us all, school money isn’t a neighborhood-specific issue, it affects the entire state, and we’ve heard districts such as Seattle Public Schools point out often that, whatever other problems you see in the system, there’s no question that the way school funding works – or doesn’t – is broken. So in case you are interested in participating, here’s the agenda for Thursday, including a noon rally, and a “brown bag” afterward to get briefed on the status of the major education-related bills that are now pending.
New tree-removal rules made it through the City Council today – read on for the official news release with details about the restrictions and the potential penalties:Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“Autism is treatable, and health insurance should cover that treatment.”
That’s how Allison Dennis summarizes her quest, which — on the night we spoke in her Upper Fauntleroy living room earlier this week — had just taken her to Olympia, to try to change a local legislator’s mind.
Allison’s preschooler son Jack is autistic, diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS, in semi-short).
He is getting therapy – which can make a huge difference for those with autism – but it comes at a significant cost. Allison and other parents and advocates are trying to get the state to change the rules about which treatments insurance companies must cover and when, but they are facing an uphill fight.
(added 12:25 pm – here’s a link to the full “after-action report” discussed today)
(12/18/08 photo from Chris, taken on Delridge ramp to West Seattle Bridge)
Members of three Seattle City Council committees just got an hourlong update from three city department heads, and one of their own analysts, on more hindsight regarding the December ’08 snowstorm woes, and what’ll be done to improve city response next time. The highlights: Emergency Management director Barb Graff says the storm was overall a “$3.5 million hit” to the city budget (Councilmember Jan Drago said she wished there’d been a report on the private-sector “hit” too), though there’s hope that federal disaster-relief dollars could help cover some of that, if a presidential proclamation is made (word is expected within a week). SDOT director Grace Crunican says the city now has two more snowplows: 29 total, up from 27. The two additions cost $40,000 each.
(12/18/08 photo from Saney, taken at California/Hanford)
With that equipment, and with up to 13 more pieces of equipment available from private contractors – who are now on a retainer that will cost $30,000 (plus actual usage fees) the first year, $15,000 the second, and no additional fee after that – she says the city will be able to commit to keeping 744 “arterial lane-miles” of key streets clear no matter what, for buses and cars to use. (Using West Seattle – where she lives – as an example, Crunican said that would include California, Delridge, and 35th. No specific cross-streets, we will be looking into whether the specifics are in writing somewhere.) More highlights from the discussion, just ahead (we’ll be adding links in the next half-hour or so but wanted to get out the gist of what was said):Read More
UPDATE ON “TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT” BILL: We have been keeping an eye on this one as it’s come up in some of the neighborhood-council meetings we cover, though so far its potential effect on West Seattle is unclear: If you’re tracking the “transit-oriented development” bill sponsored by 34th District State Rep. Sharon Nelson, the Daily Weekly reports it failed a committee vote today, though that’s not the final say. It’s also up for discussion tonight at a workshop sponsored by City Councilmember Sally Clark at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.
LOCATION SET FOR CONNER PROJECT DESIGN-REVIEW MEETING: We mentioned yesterday that March 12 was tentatively set for the next – and possibly final – Southwest Design Review Board meeting on the Conner Homes Junction project (two mixed-use buildings at California/Alaska/42nd). The word “tentative” is now off the listing, and a location’s been set – that meeting will be 6:30 pm 3/12 at High Point Library. This project’s been of high interest, so we wanted to let you know the update rather than just sneaking it into the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: For the first time since the Seattle School Board approved major changes and closures, West Seattle’s board rep Steve Sundquist will hold one of his regular coffee hours, to talk with, and listen to, anyone interested in education issues (and there are lots more on the horizon, like the start-time changes we mentioned last weekend). 9 am, Coffee to a Tea in The Junction.
HEAR FROM YOUR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Richard Conlin is one of the guests scheduled for tonight’s meeting of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center. The latest on the Alaskan Way Viaduct/Tunnel project also is on the agenda.
FAUNTLEROY NEIGHBORS UNITE: 6:30 pm at the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall, it’s the all-neighborhood meeting organized by the Fauntleroy Community Association to share updates on issues including Washington State Ferries‘ future and the in-progress purchase of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
In his State of the City address today (full text here), Mayor Nickels put out the call for 10,000 more people to volunteer. We know you’re probably volunteering already. But in case you’re not – the city’s partnering with United Way of King County to round up that help, and here’s the start link on the United Way site. (Side note: WSB often reports on ways you can help, and all those stories can be found, newest to oldest, in our “How to Help” archive; we’re always ready to get the word out about more volunteer opportunities, so contact us anytime!)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Instead of a once-planned family vacation on a sunny beach, King County Council Chair Dow Constantine is spending this partly sunny Seattle day — the first official day of his campaign for King County Executive — doing interviews, answering phone calls, e-mails, and text messages. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“This is fun,” he insists, as we part ways after a conversation at West 5 (WSB iPhone photo at left), in a space the native West Seattleite also remembers from spending many a day there in boyhood, when it was West Seattle Speedway, slot cars and all.
(added 11:05 pm, Dow Constantine’s video announcement of his candidacy)
We reported here last Thursday that County Council Chair Dow Constantine had told the 34th District Democrats the night before, he would make a “quick decision” on whether to run for County Executive, now that Ron Sims is leaving for D.C. After the meeting, he told WSB that “quick” meant “within a week to 10 days.” Apparently even quicker – seattlepi.com has just posted an item saying Constantine will announce tomorrow that he’s running. We have a message out to him seeking confirmation. ADDED 10:41 PM: Here’s the seattletimes.com story. ADDED 10:50 PM: And we’ve just received direct confirmation from the candidate himself, “It’s true.” (15 minutes later, his campaign sent the video link we’ve added above. Quote near the 2-minute clip’s start: “We need to hit the reset button on county government.”)
West Seattle is already home to the city’s mayor – will it be home to the King County Executive too? Depends on whether County Council Chair Dow Constantine runs, and then wins. Last night in Fauntleroy, he made the 34th District Democrats a promise … read on for details (plus, State Sen. Joe McDermott reveals who recently booed him):Read More
We’ll be checking for West Seattle specifics on this announcement made today – but for starters, we wanted to share the news release that just hit the inbox:Read More
The governor’s new “reform” plan has at least two possible direct effects on West Seattle: She is proposing expanding hours at select Department of Licensing offices, including the one in West Seattle, which would as a result stay open till 7 pm Tuesdays through Fridays (1 1/2 hours later) and “all day” on Saturdays (currently 9-3). Also, the list of boards/committees/commissions she wants to get rid of includes the Ferry Advisory Committees; that would directly affect West Seattle, where Gary Dawson is the Fauntleroy rep on the FAC for the Washington State Ferries southern routes; that position has enabled him to get early word of major policy proposals such as the Draft Long-Range Plan and its change of direction re: Fauntleroy ferry traffic’s future (first reported here last November). If the Legislature approves elimination of those committees and others, it would take effect June 30th.
CALIFORNIA PLACE PARK: While one group of neighbors has expressed intense 
opposition to making changes to this tiny park next to Admiral Congregational Church (map), the group exploring potential “improvements” is moving forward with design workshops, led by the landscape architect hired with a $15,000 matching-funds grant received for this process, and the first one is tonight, 7 pm, Alki Community Center, first public meeting on the proposal since this tense one last November. (Archived WSB coverage of the park proposal is here; the project organizers’ official website is here.)
ELECTION DEADLINE: Today is the official Election Day for a special election in which King County voters are choosing the elections director (and several areas outside Seattle have other issues on the ballot). All ballots are mail-in; they must be postmarked by 8 pm tonight, also the deadline for getting it to the drop box at the Delridge Neighborhood Services Center if you’d rather take it there. Full details and helpful links in this previous WSB report.
King County Executive Ron Sims had a no-subject-specified media briefing scheduled for this morning – and multiple sources report he is taking a new job with the Obama Administration. We’re not at the briefing since we’re en route to a mayoral event at West Seattle High School but will update when word comes from the executive himself. 10:34 AM UPDATE: It’s confirmed. The event we’re at includes Mayor Nickels and former mayor Norm Rice, so we should hear what they have to say about it. Read Sims’ statement at the county website. 11:27 AM UPDATE: Just talked to Mayor Nickels after the news conference. He says Sims called him with the news this morning. Will add our clip with mayor’s comment when we’re back at HQ. Rice, by the way, didn’t speak at this event after all, so no comment from him. 11:35 AM UPDATE: Just received this statement from West Seattle-residing King County Council Chair Dow Constantine:
“I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to King County Executive Ron Sims on his appointment as deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. I commend him for taking on this new challenge and stepping forward to serve our citizens as a federal official.
“I will sit down immediately with my colleagues to create a non-partisan process to choose an interim replacement to serve the remainder of Executive Sims’ term.
“An ideal appointee would possess the necessary policy experience, political skills, and management ability to help guide King County through the next several months. We need an appointed executive who can devote his or her full attention and talents to the unprecedented financial challenges facing King County.
“It is the voters of King County—not this Council—who this November will select an Executive to serve them for the next four years.”
We’ve also asked for a comment on whether he’s considering running for the job. ADDED 12:53 PM: On video, the comment we got from Mayor Nickels while he was visiting West Seattle High School this morning for an event celebrating student health centers (separate report to come):
Inspired by P-I online journalist Monica Guzman, here’s the direct link to congratulation messages being sent to Sims via Twitter.
Just a reminder in case you set your ballot aside when it arrived and haven’t gotten back to it yet: Next Tuesday is the special election for King County Elections Director, which is now an elected position because of a county Charter Amendment approved in November. Five people are running, including Sherril Huff, who’s in the job now; their names are listed here and linked to more information. This is an all-mail election, and you can’t send the ballot via USPS without a stamp; to skip the stamp cost, you can take your ballot to the drop box at the Delridge Neighborhood Services Center (5405 Delridge; here’s a map; here’s a list of other dropoff locations countywide). For people with disabilities who might have difficulty using the mail-in ballot, here’s information on “accessible voting centers” where the vote can be cast in person. If you’ve mailed your ballot, you can check here if it arrived. (To read the latest news reports on this race, go here.)
This just in from the King County Public Health department:
In the span of 20 years, Seattle’s School-Based Health Centers have grown from a modest pilot program at Rainier Beach High School to a system that now serves the health needs of 5,000 students every year across 14 Seattle School District middle and high schools.
On Monday, February 2, City of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Former City of Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson and Public Health – Seattle & King County Director and Health Officer Dr. David Fleming will join health care providers and community partners to celebrate this 20-year milestone in providing high-quality, comprehensive adolescent health care that improves the health of our community and promotes school success for our youth. …
* Celebration: At 10:30 a.m., Mayor Nickels, local officials and community partners will meet in the school library for a celebration and remarks, including testimonials from current students who use the School-Based Health Centers.
The announcement also mentions that WSHS principal Bruce Bivins will participate in the event, along with Lib Kratz, a Nurse Practitioner from Sealth Teen Health Center.
Just back from City Hall, where we tried our best to represent Seattle’s growing online-neighborhood-news industry on a City Council panel discussion (not archived on SeattleChannel.org yet but should be soon), and there’s more post-storm council action to relay: Tomorrow at 2 pm, the Energy and Technology Committee will focus on this aspect of snowstorm response past and future:
Winter Storm Response — Discussion of City Light’s participation in the winter storm response and purchase of snowplow equipment for mounting on existing Seattle City Light trucks. It is in the interest of public safety to improve the City’s ability to clear city streets of snow so that City Light vehicles, fire apparatus, emergency medical units, police cars, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles are able to navigate city streets.
Here’s the full agenda; some interesting technology items too, led by the city’s tech boss Bill Schrier (a West Seattleite). Meantime, Seattle Channel sends an alert that three councilmembers can be seen criticizing the city’s response to last month’s Snowmare during a show that’s available online now or premiering on Cable Channel 21 tonight at 7.
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