White Center Now: The blog about White Center

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin:

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will hold a special meeting on Thursday, March 29, at 7 pm at the North Highline Fire Station, 1243 112th Street SW, to discuss how the changes to the King County Citizen Participation Initiative and the new framework for public engagement will affect the council and community. As always, we welcome community participation.

(Have a meeting or event announcement? E-mail whitecenternow@gmail.com any time!)

Received this afternoon:

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will conduct a special meeting on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7 pm to ratify changes to the Bylaws. The meeting will be held at the North Highline Fire Department meeting room, 1242 SW 112th St. The public is welcome.

What’s up with the 16th SW divider in downtown White Center, and other road-related questions, are at the heart of the agenda for this Thursday night’s meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. You’ll also hear about local crime/public safety concerns and trends from Storeront Deputy BJ Myers, and Burien City Manager Mike Martin is scheduled to deliver his latest briefing – which usually includes an update on the annexation process’s status. If you have something to say, there’s a public-comment period too. To see the full agenda, check it out on NHUAC’s website; the meeting starts at 7 pm, North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 112th SW.

What’s the truth about gangs – more active? Less active? And what are the trends for other types of crimes? What can you do to protect your home/business? Tonight’s the night that North Highline Unincorporated Area Council has organized the first in a series of public-safety forums, and you can come get some answers. Guests include King County Sheriff’s Office/Burien Police Detective Joe Gagliardi with the gang-activity overview, and updates from other law-enforcement leadership including: Captain Joseph Hodgson – and Deputy BJ Myers from KCSO, plus Metro Transit Police Chief Maj. Lisa Mulligan. Hear from them all, and bring your concerns, to North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, the agenda for this Thursday’s public-safety forum:

7:00 pm Flag Salute

7:05 pm Greeting and Introductions

7:10 pm Police Reports and Updates:
• Captain Joseph Hodgson – King County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy B.J. Myers – White Center Store Front Deputy
• Major Lisa Mulligan – Metro Transit Police Chief

7:30pm PROGRAM:
Detective Joe Gagliardi from King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police Department will offer an update and current state of gang activity in North Highline and surrounding communities

8:15pm DISCUSSION:
• Community Concerns
• Block Watch Update (how to get involved)

As with regular NHUAC meetings, this forum will be held at North Highline Fire District hQ, 1243 SW 112th.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

From tonight’s meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

METRO ISSUES INCLUDING RESTRUCTURING: One day after Metro went public with its revised plans for restructuring some routes concurrent with September’s debut of the RapidRide C Line service between downtown and West Seattle (see them route-by-route here), Metro reps DeAnna Martin and Doug Johnson were present; Martin led the briefing. She started by mentioning the zone concern that NHUAC has been pursuing, with the zone changing at Roxbury. “There’s a chance that Metro may be looking at fares overall in 2013” and maybe even looking at the possibility “of having no zones throughout the county,” she said.

To the restructuring, she talked about what the stations and stops will look like for RapidRide Line C starting this fall. President Barbara Dobkin asked why the RapidRide won’t be stopping in White Center, considering that the route it’s replacing, 54, currently does. Martin handed the baton to Johnson at that point, since he is a Metro service planner. He said the 120 would make the connection to WC from Westwood Village, where RapidRide will end, and their timing indicates it will only add a few minutes to a White Center rider’s travels. He said they’re also in the middle of a capital-improvement project to speed up the 120, and “perhaps we can make up for those 3 minutes.” The question came up again later from council member Richard Miller, who said people on Roxbury will be getting shortchanged in service to downtown. Johnson reiterated that they had had many requests for more service to come from various areas to Westwood, that’s why the line is ending there. Dobkin added that she is a 54 rider now and doesn’t see many people getting off at Westwood. Martin also pointed out that the C Line is being funded with federal money “specific to rapid transit,” which she said places certain parameters on its service.

Other changes: The 131 and 132 are going to be shortened to end in Burien, he said, “but at the same time we’re going to improve the frequency on those routes so they run every 30 minutes for most of the day.” The 131 currently comes up to WC and goes down to South Park, but its route will change to follow the 23 coming out of Highland Park, Johnson said. Route 60, which currently ends at 98th and 15th in WC, will extend to Westwood Village as another way of trying to compensate for the fact that the C Line won’t run to WC. Route 128, he noted, will be largely left alone, except to extend to the North Admiral District of West Seattle and to extend weekend hours earlier and later.

One question: No route that’ll get riders from White Center to light rail? Not directly. Another question: An Arbor Heights resident who says both he and his wife use Route 21, and says the new revisions are not only keeping them more than 7/10ths of a mile from the nearest stop, but are also “cutting (them) off” from the 21 Express. He asked if it would be possible to get DART-type service to fill the gaps. Johnson brought up the new 22 proposal, but that wouldn’t help, the Arbor Heights resident said.

Martin also promised to have someone look into dangerous sidewalk conditions that Dobkin mentioned. She also recapped how the process goes from here – public comment is being taken through the end of this month (including an online survey and other public events, listed here); the next proposal goes to the County Executive, then to the County Council (which “will do a public process as well,” according to Martin), which should make a decision in May.

KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE UPDATE: Storefront Deputy B.J. Myers presented the briefing, bringing along maps with crime trends, summarized in general as “it’s felt like a quieter month.” He says there have been arrests made in the recent robbery at the downtown WC liquor store, with the help of surveillance video; “one of our deputies recognized somebody from one of those videos walking around White Center one day” and that suspect apparently subsequently confessed. He also mentioned the Pawn Pros armed robbery on January 24th and the subsequently released video (seen here among other places); he said, “My understanding is that leads were developed … there are good leads in this case” and he is hopeful the robbers will be in custody. On a non-crime note, he said they’d received complaints about a homeless encampment between Unity Village and Greenbridge, and an effort is under way to “clean up” the site, with help from Greenbridge’s Storefront Deputy Eric White – no one is living there any more, Deputy Myers said, but there’s a “whole bunch of garbage left behind,” and they’re going to take steps to make sure that it’s not turned into another campsite any time soon.

Another hot topic: Papa’s Pub (one of the targets of the “Center of Attention” operation), and recent “criminal incidents” that led Deputy Myers to talk with the Liquor Control Board, who, he says, told him the review period for the violations is ending, and a penalty may “kick in” soon. “There’s definitely an awareness at the Liquor Control Board that it’s not satisfactory,” he said. Another topic: “You may hear that the Sheriff’s Office is changing our staffing model.” That’s about patrolling, he explained – they’re looking at “new models for how to move deputies from one area to another” at times when there might be a staffing inequality, a shortage in one area but an overabundance in another. NHUAC president Dobkin asked about the “medical-marijuana market” in WC and its status, saying people are smoking outside; Deputy Myers said, if that happens, someone needs to call us, as we don’t have any reports of that – he said to call 911 so a deputy can be dispatched. “What about if they’re smoking inside?” she asked on followup. Deputy Myers said that they might be able to go inside if that can be verified. A question from the audience: “Stolen mail – do you want to know about that?” He said yes, but also encouraged victims to check out the Postal Service’s own reporting system (you can file a complaint online here). Council member Liz Giba asked Deputy Myers about cameras she’d noticed on utility poles around the area; some might be theirs, the deputy allowed, or perhaps other law-enforcement organizations’ cameras. “There’s a lot of attention on the neighborhood, and I wouldn’t be surprised who’s got cameras out these days.”

CITY OF BURIEN UPDATE: Nhan Nguyen filled in for City Manager Mike Martin (who, he said, is out of the office, taking care of an ailing parent). Nguyen started with an annexation update, recapping the Boundary Review Board’s recent action resulting in “preliminary approval,” with a final vote due February 16th. (That meeting is at 7 pm at DDES headquarters in Renton, president Dobkin noted.) Meantime, “everybody is holding their breath right now on the state sales-tax credit,” since if the Legislature kills that credit, the annexation would be abandoned, Martin has said. In another hot topic, he brought up the library-consolidation issue involving the King County Library System. A task force has been meeting, and Nguyen says this will come up before the Burien City Council on February 27th. And he showed the cards for a new prescription-drug discount card that “pretty much anybody” can get, for use at pharmacies in the city of Burien. Almost all the city’s pharmacies are participating, he said. The card is available at City Hall.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Dobkin said they’re still in the process of getting a flag to fly at Steve Cox Memorial Park – one that will fly over the Capitol in Deputy Cox’s honor, before being sent to NHUAC for use at the park. … She noted that the council is not subject to the Open Meetings law now that it’s not an official county-sponsored/funded body, and the status change might also affect plans for future elections (that process is currently suspended, pending the results of the annexation process). Dobkin said she would like to see the council become an all-at-large body. “Talking about elections is negative!” said council member Ron Johnson. “It would mean we didn’t get annexed!” Councilmember Giba pointed out that even if there’s an annexation vote this fall and the vote is pro-annexation, there will still be some time before the annexation becomes final.

COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS: There’s a poetry workshop at the White Center Library this Saturday, 2 pm, led by Mike Hickey, who has served as Seattle’s Poet Populist … The rescheduled Key Club dinner for New Start is February 16th (see this entry on the White Center Now Events Calendar) … The King County Housing Authority Task Force meets at 5:30 pm February 21st … the North Highline Fire District Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 pm February 23rd at NHFD HQ … and a reminder, the first in a series of quarterly public-safety forums will be one week from tonight, February 9th at 7 pm, also at NHFD, with the Metro Transit Police Chief, a King County Sheriff’s Office gang expert, and Deputy Myers, discussing “safety in the community,” as Dobkin described it (more info on the NHUAC website) …

MARCH MEETING: WestSide Baby’s Nancy Woodland, who was originally scheduled to speak tonight, has been rescheduled to the March meeting; King County Transportation will have a representative there too. The date: March 1st, the time 7 pm as usual, at the North Highline FD HQ as always.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, the agenda for, and a preview of, this Thursday night’s meeting:

Deanna Martin from King County Metro Transit will be providing updates on the scheduled transit service changes to White Center and beyond. Additionally, questions regarding safety at bus stops along 15th Avenue, as well as the 2-zone fare issue, will be discussed.

We also welcome Nancy Woodland, Executive Director, WestSide Baby, who will update the community on what is happening at WestSide Baby, as well as the “homeless summits” that she has been heading in White Center.

Metro’s revised proposal for fall “restructuring” is due out no later than this Wednesday, so that will be a particularly timely discussion. Click ahead to see the agenda in full: Read the rest of this entry »

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Nine members and about a dozen onlookers were present for the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s first meeting of 2012, at North Highline Fire District headquarters. Here’s what they discussed, heard, and did:

PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER MOVING: White Center’s county public-health center is moving from 8th Avenue to Greenbridge, and David Reyes came to tell NHUAC more about that. The new location will continue to provide some but not all of the services will move with the location – such as public-health-nurse home-visiting services (the Nurse/Family Partnership), he said – there’s no room in the new facility for that team, but the team will continue to serve the area. 34 or 35 staffers will move, about two-thirds of its current staff, Reyes said. The new location is in two storefronts south of Dubsea Coffee on 8th SW; the street number likely wll be 9930, he said. The new design is being finalized, according to Reyes, and “if all goes well … we’re hoping to be able to relocate sometime in June.” He says the space will be environmentally and ergonomically appropriate, and will be able to capture “as much light as possible” – “very different from what we have now” on the current site next to the White Center Food Bank. “It’s going to be like walking into a new doctors’ facility almost anywhere.” The facility’s service area is beyond White Center, by the way – as far south as Des Moines, as well as points east to South Park. Asked by NHUAC member Ron Johnson about the financial arrangements for the new location, Reyes said he didn’t have all the information; Johnson had noted that the space in question was supposed to be for businesses and said he’s particularly concerned if tax revenues – such as those that a business would have provided – were going to be lost. Reyes said he does know that they’re going in as tenants, “not necessarily (tax) exempt.”

WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTH CENTER’S CURRENT SITE? It will formally revert to being a King County Parks property, according to Katy Terry from that department. The WC Food Bank is five years into a 15-year lease on its part of the site, she noted. Nothing specific is finalized yet but she says they are interested in having “someone” there, not just having it be some kind of “Parks-specific” space. Maybe a combination of medical – she mentioned a tentative inquiry from Harborview, for example – and nonprofit, she said. They haven’t done outreach yet, she said, while waiting to find out about Public Health’s timetable for moving out, which just now, she said, is starting to become clearer. The Food Bank might even be interested in the added space, she said – if any group is interested in the space, it should contact KC Parks. Answering council questions, she acknowledged this is “new territory for us,” as Parks has not previously had facilities it owned but leased out. Community member Gill Loring asked Terry if they have been officially in contact with Burien, considering the site could be within that city’s boundaries; her answer basically was “no,” though Parks, she says, has been monitoring the annexation situation.

CRIME (ETC.) UPDATE: Storefront Deputy BJ Myers said there was one bit of particularly good news – a lower level of crime in the downtown area last month. He noted that Metro Transit Police have “had a good presence” in White Center, checking out bus stops and making rounds on biccyles. He also said that ex-Storefront Deputy Jeff Hancock “is now a regular presence on patrol on second shift … and has been a great resource to have back.” Myers brought up the Seattle Roll Bakery murder and said the suspect was even arrested and jailed before he came to work that day. “Talking to people around the community, I think there’s an understanding that it’s the kind of crime that could happen anywhere,” he observed. “It just happened to go down in our neighborhood.” Dobkin said she had previously not been aware that the bakery had been open all night; Myers said that wasn’t common knowledge before and that the description in some venues of a “24-hour sandwich shop” wasn’t actually the case – that the bakery had employees on hand at that hour because they were baking for clients, not doing retail business. Would the witnesses who made up the robbery story be prosecuted? he was asked. He said that’s not clear, pointing out that they were in a “difficult position,” but at least, he said, the truth became clear fairly quickly and didn’t set the investigation back too far. What’s up at the DK Café? he was asked (following last fall’s raids). It’s still open, Myers noted, while saying that there’s followup to come. The task force also is still interested in tips, he clarified, but if there’s some “new” or “persistent” crime, KCSO would like to get tips on that kind of thing. Asked about recent crimes, he said that detectives are developing leads on last month’s liquor-store robbery (WCN coverage here). As for this morning’s hit-and-run, he says they’re now confirming it was believed to be a “dark sedan,” though originally there was “no vehicle description at all.” He also fielded questions about various other concerns, including whether people are back living in the apartments over the former Club Evo; they seem to be, he said.

QUARTERLY CRIME DISCUSSION? NHUAC member Richard Miller, who also happens to chair the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, said he had been talking to the brass at KCSO about a possible quarterly meeting to discuss crime issues/concerns, separate from NHUAC meetings, which tackle a variety of topics. A date of 7 pm February 9th was tentatively set for a pilot version of this meeting.

BURIEN UPDATE – INCLUDING ANNEXATION AND LIBRARY CONSOLIDATION: Burien city manager Mike Martin said he’ll be at next Monday’s Boundary Review Board meeting on the annexation proposal (7 pm January 9th at Cascade Middle School), missing a Burien City Council meeting – the first one, he says, he’s ever missed – in order to be present. He says no surprises are expected. … He gave a shoutout to new staffer Nhan Nguyen (left), who (as mentioned at a previous meeting) is now a management analyst for Burien … Then he talked about the library controversy. “You probably don’t know we’ve put together a little ad-hoc group,” Martin said, including NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin, to focus on the issue; it met most recently, he said, last night. “We really tried to dissemble the whole thing and see ‘what makes sense’,” Martin explained. Rather than just oppose the consolidation plan, Martin said, they want to be able to tell the county library system what they think SHOULD happen. He said “a couple themes have emerged” – that the Boulevard Park Library “is a unique facility and serves a function greater than being a library – it’s a gathering spot, it’s iconic, it’s the sole representative of government there …” So, he says, there’s probably “no compromise” that the Boulevard Park Library must stay open in some form, at its location. So, he said, the group is now focusing on the White Center Library, with a lot of discussion focusing on it also having importance beyond just being a library – being “community-centric.” The location, though, may not be so important, so they’re talking about whether other sites might make sense. And, he says, they are taking into account such things as “what if Seattle annexed that area in 10 years?” even though that seems unlikely, at the very least. Factors they are evaluating include social justice and economy of scale, and whether the building of a White Center Library could serve some other function. Bottom line, though, he said, the group has reached “no conclusions,” in its “free-ranging, candid” discussions thus far. Martin reiterated that he doesn’t want to just “stop the (consolidation) project,” but rather put forward an alternative proposal. NHUAC member Ron Johnson brought up the matter of proximity to schools; Martin said there are even better places a library could be than its current site, if that is a key issue. (If you’ve missed previous coverage of the issue, the library board decided to table the consolidation discussion until after the Boundary Review Board makes its decision on furthering the annexation proposal, after next week’s hearing. The board’s next meeting is January 24th; no agenda is posted yet.) Dobkin noted that a location closer to downtown White Center might be optimal; while that has in the past stirred concern that it was too close to Seattle, Martin pointed out the possibilities of economic spinoff – he consulted Nguyen for a bit of data, that 35,000 people from Seattle use county libraries in this area, and what if they all also came to patronize the White Center business district while doing that – “seeing those business rising” during their visits?

COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS: President Barbara Dobkin reminded everyone about the Boundary Review Board meeting, noting that the board will be ready to hear public comment; on behalf of the council, Dobkin plans to speak in favor of the annexation proposal … NHUAC member Pat Price reminded everyone of the White Center-South Delridge Community Safety Coalition’s emergency-preparedness series launching next week …

PUBLIC COMMENT: 7 pm January 24 is the next North Highline Fire District commissioners’ meeting … Aileen Sison thanked everyone who contributed to last month’s Tree LIghting Ceremony at the Delridge Triangle, noting that about 100 people were in attendance (WCN coverage, with video, is here); she mentioned the tree-topper designed by the local blacksmith who also has created the bike racks now appearing in downtown White Center.

DOWNTOWN FLOWER BEDS, AND STEVE COX MEMORIAL PARK FLAG: Dobkin says their adviser on the project, Village Green Perennial Nursery’s Vera Johnson, says they could plant now, so she’ll be organizing a work party. Council member Rebecca Lopes talked about the flagpole at Steve Cox Memorial Park, which also will need a flag. Johnson suggested obtaining a flag that has flown over the State Capitol. Other ideas for flag sources were discussed. Whatever the ultimate result, Dobkin said, she thinks it would be appropriate for NHUAC to have something to do with providing the flag, given the group’s history with renaming the park in honor of Deputy Cox and his long NHUAC involvement.

COUNCIL BYLAWS – INCLUDING, WILL THERE BE AN ELECTION? These are more important than you might think, given that the group’s no longer funded and convened by the county, but has decided to go ahead TFN. That raised the question of whether they should proceed with May elections as usual. Member Price suggested that elections be tabled while they wait to see what happens with annexation, provided the current members are amenable to continue their roles at least through 2012. Dobkin pointed out that elections require a lot of effort, and haven’t drawn major turnout. If annexation falls through, then they’ll have to decide what to do, as Johnson observed, but for now, the council voted unanimously to put elections on hold, at least until there’s word on whether Burien will take the annexation proposal to voters.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets the first Thursday of the month, 7 pm, at North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th SW.

Next Thursday at 7 pm, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets for the first time this year. Here are agenda toplines from NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin, followed by the full agenda:

Public Health is moving from their present location at 10821 8th Avenue SW. David Reyes, Area Manager for Public Health Center, will provide information about why and where they are re-locating and answer any questions or concerns from the community. Additionally, Katy Terry, Assistant Director for the Department of Parks and Natural Resources, will be available to discuss future uses for the building on 8th Avenue, after the move by Public Health. All are welcome.

7:00 pm Call to Order – Flag Salute – Roll Call –
Approval of Agenda – Approval of Minutes
7:05 pm Public Announcements
7:10 pm Public Comment
3minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:20 pm Deputy BJ Myers

7:30 pm David Reyes, Area Manager for Public Health Center
7:40 pm Katy Terry, Assistant Division Director for Dept of Parks and Natural Resources (Owners of building where public health
currently located)

8:00pm Treasurer’s Report
8:10 pm Corresponding Secretary Report
8:15 pm Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation

8:20 pm Unfinished Business/Old Business
• Flower Bed Planting (100 ST & 16th Ave, SW)
• Flag Pole and Flag at SCMP
• NHUAC Brochures
• Bylaws
• Elections

8:30 pm New Business
• Crime Prevention/ Public Safety Group for North Highline (Richard Miller)
• February/March Agenda

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, we have word of what’s on the agenda for Thursday’s NHUAC meeting. The Comprehensive Plan item is big: “Karen Wolf from the Department of Development and Environmental Services will be providing information in regard to the King County 2012 Comprehensive Plan, some of which affects the North Highline area. The public comment period for the comprehensive plan review draft will end on December 23. If you cannot make the meeting you can review the plan at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/property/permits/codes/growth/CompPlan/2012_PublicReviewDraft.aspx
All public comment can be sent directly to Paul Reitenbach at: paul.reitenbach@kingcounty.gov or by mail at:
King County Comprehensive plan 2012 Update, Department of Development and Environmental Services, 900 Oaksdale Avenue, SW. Renton, WA 98057-5212, attention: Paul Reintenback.” Now, the entire agenda:

7:00 pm Call to Order – Flag Salute – Roll Call –
Approval of Agenda – Approval of Minutes
7:05 pm Public Announcements
7:10 pm Public Comment
3minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:20 pm Deputy BJ Myers
7:30 pm Rose Clark

7:40 pm Karen Wolf, Sr. Policy Analyst, King County Office of Performance
Strategy and Budget
Report and update on King County Comprehensive Plan

8:00pm Major Graddon

8:10pm Treasurer’s Report
8:15 pm Corresponding Secretary Report
8:20 pm Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation

8:30 pm Unfinished Business/Old Business
• Flower Bed Planting (100 ST & 16th Ave, SW)
• Video editing
• Business Cards/Flyers
• Bylaws
• NHUAC Supplies
8:40 pm New Business
• January/February Agenda Items

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Information and frustration both emerged from lengthy Operation Center of Attention updates at Thursday night’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, particularly regarding the fact that one of the establishments considered a focal point of the law-enforcement operation, Papa’s Pub, apparently could still get its liquor license renewed despite everything that’s happened (including citations for alleged liquor-law violations).

The meeting included a number of high-ranking guests from the law-and-justice sector. Here’s how it played out:

OPERATION CENTER OF ATTENTION – KING COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: “This is a place worth fighting for,” Dan Satterberg began, noting that his dad Dick Satterberg practiced law in the area for many years, which meant he spent a lot of time here in childhood. “It was a place that put food on our table, as a family.” He offered some background on his office/staff, including the fact that 230 of the 480 employees are lawyers, before launching into some words about “Operation Center of Attention,” and its origins a few months back as part of a national program targeting “hot spots.” … “For 90 days we had some outstanding undercover police officers and agents working the streets, and the epicenter was south of Roxbury on 16th … they came to town and started making friends … and very soon were led up the ladder to make” major drug deals. He says many of the 53 suspects are in custody and charged, and some are still being pursued. “Most are serious crimes … particularly being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm.” However, he said, a one-time operation isn’t going to fix things forever, so he’s glad there’s a new storefront deputy, for example. He said it’s the epitome of the old “Weed and Seed” – “we’re gonna weed some of the bad elements, at least 53 of them, out of the community, and plant Deputy (BJ) Myers here to do some of the work” that needs to be done.

Were the guns and drugs from here? asked NHUAC member Patrick Mosley. Crime respects no borders, Satterberg said – mentioning some other areas like Delridge and Seatac. Where did they live? asked president Barbara Dobkin. “All over,” said Satterberg, but “the emphasis was in that area around Papa’s Pub.” The owners of that and other targeted businesses were not arrested, he confirmed, but mentioned a letter is going to landlords to make sure they are “aware illegal activities are going on .. and they have to take steps to stop it before some kind of abatement action can occur.” Now it’s time for the community to “replace some of the blights that allowed this to happen,” he noted. Dobkin pointed out that this kind of illegal activity had been discussed and reported for a long time, “so going forward, what do we need to do?” Satterberg replied, “That’s a great question – and I don’t have an answer for you.” He said high police visibility will be important, future undercover operations, and overall for law enforcement, “We have that resolve to be there.”

Asked if the murder of Sweetheart Failautusi had any connection to the activities targeted by Operation Center of Attention, Satterberg said no. He was also asked if anyone who’s been arrested and charged is out on bail, but didn’t have any specifics on that. Sheriff’s deputies said they’ve seen some of the suspects back in the area. “If they’re out and they continue to be committing crimes, we’d love to be able to” make a new case against them, he said.

On a separate topic, Dobkin asked Satterberg about medical-marijuana businesses’ proliferation in White Center. He recounted the ongoing state of flux in state/local law, and the fact that marijuana continues to be against federal law. Dobkin explained that the local businesses weren’t just “dispensaries,” but include a lounge where “you can go in and listen to jazz and smoke pot,” as well as a “farmers’ market.” Satterberg noted it’s not legal to smoke marijuana in public even if you have a medical certificate. NHUAC member Christine Waldman wondered why the crackdown in Eastern Washington, involving the U.S. Attorney on that side of the mountains, couldn’t be replicated here. “It could,” Satterberg noted, but said it’s also a matter of “police priorities,” which marijuana has not been in King County. Bottom line, he had no answer for the concern, and Dobkin said with some frustration that they feel as if they’ve been “left to fend for (themselves).” But he invited the Sheriff’s Office to talk with his office about “what you see on your tours.” He promised to return and “continue this conversation.”

OPERATION CENTER OF ATTENTION – U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE: As he had been at the briefing after the busts, as he had been at a community meeting days later, and then again at the White Center-South Delridge Community Safety Coalition days later, Thomas Bates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office was at tonight’s NHUAC meeting. He took on some of the questions that had been asked previously: “The task force that did this operation remains … (even though) the 90-day period has ended,” he said, urging people to continue to report what they see. That includes his office; he said “odds and ends are still coming up,” and in fact, just this week another suspect was arrested in connection with a “7-gun buy” and had made a court appearance. “Things continue,” he stressed, adding that landlords are indeed on notice about what’s going on in their buildings, and that other actions are being taken to make sure “the business core is flying right.” Where it stands now:

–“The cases have been split” – 27 of them are federal, such as “some of the bigger” drug and gun cases, with tougher penalties from the feds. “A lot of those people have already been indicted,” and trial dates are set, some as soon as next month, according to Bates.

–“I’m only aware of one federal defendant that is not currently in custody,” he said, saying the rest are in the federal jail in Seatac
–Information from last week’s Community Safety Coalition meeting is being passed along to detectives and the task force – reports “are not falling on deaf ears,” he promised
–What’s next: Fighting crime like this is a “three-legged stool” – enforcement, prevention, and “what we are all engaged in together, where do we go from here, what do we do to make sure the infrastructure of the community” can “collectively do to be sure we are moving forward, to make sure this is not ‘one and done’.” Bates says, “That’s the part I’m most focused on.”

–The #1 issue, he says, is how vital “law enforcement visibility” is. “No one wants to let things go back to how they were.”

–Another issue, legislative priorities, like working on a nuisance law similar to what Seattle has, enabling action to be taken if a property is continuously the site of nuisance activities.

–Another one – focusing on the business core. “We’re hearing about … other businesses engaged in activity that is not viewed as beneficial to the community,” he noted. In response to a later question, he declined to name them, saying ongoing investigations were in the hands of the Sheriff’s Office.

–And the “resources bucket” is important, he acknowledged – what else can they draw on? Additional drug counseling, for example, though some of that might not be available under terms of the latest state budget proposal, he said (while being clear that he was not offering any opinion about legislation, which is outside the purview of his role). But his office’s role is limited, he clarified – 70 lawyers, and “we’re not the boss of a lot of people” with whom they have to deal, or on whom their efforts might be contingent. “Continue to think of me as someone you can come to with ideas, and needs,” and he will do his best to “be very honest” in terms of whether there are connections to be made or help to be offered – or not.

OPERATION CENTER OF ATTENTION – LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD: The question kept coming up – so what can be done about the businesses involved, especially considering they had been the site of law-enforcement “service requests” over and over again (43 in 5 months in one case, said Bates). Captain Susan Blaker from the WALCB was on hand along with Lt. Woodrow Perkins, who has been a fixture at public-safety-related meetings in the White Center area (though, as he mentioned, the area he supervises is much bigger). He said they had been working several cases on 16th SW even before being asked to be part of Operation Center of Attention. He mentioned that Papa’s was cited for two more violations recently, one just last Friday, for providing liquor to intoxicated persons. “Right now we are in the process of reviewing reports,” but he’s not sure if other violations will be found. Burien, Tukwila, and East Marginal Way establishments were examined as well as White Center businesses, he said.

Regarding license revocation, Capt. Blaker stepped in. She says the “request for non-renewal” has been forwarded back to local investigators who are sending a report for possible action, and that there was something of a timing problem, since Papa’s had recently renewed its license. The issue of what kind of review and notification ensue when a license is up for renewal generated some additional discussion. Karen Freeman from King County Executive Dow Constantine‘s office – which has a role in reviewing license renewal requests – said they don’t know “which licenses to flag … to start to renew” unless they hear from community members “that this place is a problem.” That brought a heated response from community member Gill Loring, who says that meeting participants have asked over and over for that kind of information, “we’ve been out there and been asking you and telling you … but we’re not getting information, so we can’t react to it. This thing about Papa’s was out of the blue … it was mentioned at the last Community Safety Coalition meeting that the license was up for renewal but we thought we had a month or so, and next thing we know, we hear it’s renewed.” The executive’s rep said that a “very long list” is circulated and they have to be able to appeal “at just the right moment,” which is difficult to determine, and observed that the laws are very specific and difficult to work with. She also said that her office even encountered some confusion in what their role in the liquor-license-renewal-review process is – “was it zoning, or …” She said they are “learning a lot” about how it all works.

NHUAC member Liz Giba expressed frustration at that point regarding responsiveness of the County Executive’s Office in general, saying she had left a message after the August murder – and only got a call back this week, from Freeman. “We need a better contact in the King County Executive’s Office,” Giba declared. “Fair enough,” said Freeman.

Captain Blaker offered the fact that her officers carry massive caseloads, each responsible for 452 licensed premises.

Waldman then asked – what about DK’s, also mentioned in “Operation Center of Attention”; is its license up for renewal any time soon? Reply: That’s being doublechecked.

(Here’s how the renewal process works – from a licensee’s standpoint, anyway.)

“If the owner/licensee has knowledge (of crimes) or participated in it,” the license could be in jeopardy, Lt. Perkins said.

But, asked Waldman, the LCB was involved in the 90-day Center of Attention operation, so certainly they knew about Papa’s being under investigation? That wasn’t enough for the liquor license not to be renewed, Capt. Blaker said, since no violations had been found. She said public-safety violations have to be adjudicated – and in this case, they weren’t. (That was a key point – even though arrests have been made and items have been seized, nothing has been proven yet, no one has been convicted, so that means what’s happened doesn’t exist for the purposes of deciding a license renewal.)

For the future, KCSO insisted, “I think we have something that’s going to work.”

How are complaints filed? Through law enforcement or a hotline to the LCB.

As for what happens once there’s a violation – “It’s administrative, it’s due process, hearings have to be held if the licensee requests them” – and in the case of Papa’s, there are five public-safety violations on record, with hearings requested in all of them. Even though a suspension date might be set when a violation calls for it, Perkins says, that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen on that date. If a business has requested a hearing, they can continue to operate while awaiting it, “just like being out on bail,” Perkins said. Even once there’s a hearing, the judge has a month to issue a ruling. And even if a liquor license is suspended, he noted, an establishment could still continue operating as a restaurant – just without selling alcohol.

WELCOMING STOREFRONT DEPUTY B.J. MYERS: “We’re quite proud of him,” said Capt. Joe Hodgson, recounting his background including two military deployments, service with KCSO since 2007, “well-respected, high-performing deputy who’s earned the respect of his supervisors and his peers … The thing that probably impressed us the most about him is his wide perspective on White Center … (He) recognized that while there’s a time and a place for heavy law enforcement, you have to get to root causes .. that’s the one strength we latched onto.” He promptly introduced Myers, who discussed what he had learned so far. “I hope I am bringing a perspective to this job that makes sense for White Center,” he began. “I’m encouraged by how many people are invested in this community as evidenced by this council and many other committees that I’ve bene invited to,” even people he says have “stopped their cars in the middle of the street” to say hi and welcome him. “That’s a big reason I’m excited to be here … I’m not alone in trying to combat some of the challenges in White Center. Working with other people is going to be the key to my success in this job. I hope that WC is a safe place to raise kids, that has a robust business environment …” He says he’ll focus on “using traditional law enforcement as well as working with other agencies, maybe doing creative problemsolving on specific issues around here …” He says he’s “excited … it’s a little bit of a different hat than the traditional law enforcement I’ve been doing in Burien.” He wants to know more about recurring issues. He was asked about “shoes thrown over wires,” and whether that meant anything. “I’ve never gotten a good answer about exactly what that means,” Myers said, but Capt. Hodgson said he is only familiar with “lore” that says that might mean a drug house and “couldn’t answer with any specificity” about what it might signify these days.

What’s the best way to get information to him, if someone sees or hears something? he was asked. “Right now I love as much information as I can get because it’s all new to me right now … if there’s something happening on your block that seems unusual … if you see evidence of drug crimes in a certain area … I love to have that information because it lets me know where to focus some of my attention to.” He promised he’ll follow up on those types of reports, to see what he sees at the locations he’s told about. In the business district, “whatever it is … you’re feeling,” shoplifting or whatever else, he wants to hear about it. Right now, bottom line, any and all information is good, “I appreciate all the information I can get.” His e-mail is benjamin.myers@kingcounty.gov. NHUAC had a cake for him, by the way.

ANNEXATION, AND OTHER BURIEN UPDATES: Myers’ assignment is good news, Burien City Manager Mike Martin told NHUAC, mentioning a role that Myers played in the review of whether Burien should go solo in police services provision. “That’s a real score for you guys,” he said, while acknowledging Burien was sorry to see him go. It’s budget time for Burien – “no layoffs anticipated, no reductions in services, probably going to hire a couple more guys for our (road maintenance and drainage) services,” he said, expecting “no major plans changed” in the budget, and saying that he’s not recommending Cost-Of-Living Adjustments for city staffers. He says Burien is hiring Nhan Nguyen, who had been working with the WC Community Development Association as “the person I will be throwing all kinds of things over the transom too, including the work I expect to be doing up here” regarding annexation outreach. “He knows the area well and will be the go-to person I bring with me” when Martin speaks to groups about annexation. “I’m really pleased to have brought him on staff.”

Martin also has hired an economic development manager, Dan Trimble, from Issaquah. “I expect those two to be working closely together on economic-development issues,” including some in White Center. And he’s hired Maya Andrews as the new Burien public-works director. He says a decision is close on a proposed auto mall where the Lora Lake Apartments were, and he’s “cautiously optimistic.” It would “consolidate all (Burien’s) auto dealers in one area, would take them off 1st Avenue … means we would be reclaiming 30 or 40 acres on 1st Avenue for other retail development.” He’s working with the Port of Seattle on that. Another project: How could the city improve pre-K through 3rd grade? Martin says he’s been working with the principals of elementaries in Burien as well as White Center Heights Elementary, and feels it’s vital to the city’s future prospects. “There’s a feeling that some of the issues we confront, crime and poverty, have their roots in this level of education.” He has a group meeting with the principals set for the middle of this month.

Regarding annexation, he urged people not to be too worried about Governor Gregoire proposing to eliminate the sales-tax credit, and said that he has conferred with other cities that have been involved. “This involves changing the law … there’s a whole legislative process that must be surmounted to do this,” he said, “It’s by no means a slam-dunk.” He says 120 cities signed a letter to the governor saying they were disappointed in that proposal and “others that were in her budget.” … “In Burien we handle things without a lot of drama and we’re going to handle this the same way,” he declared. Burien cannot go forward with annexation without the sales-tax credit, however, he reiterated. Asked about a timeline for a decision on the governor’s possible proposal, Martin foresaw it happening during the regular legislative session. the governor has fulfilled her duty in submitting a balanced budget, he said, and now, he is meeting with legislators. He foresees a “torturous and tortuous process.”

He says that in the meantime, though, the annexation process is proceeding – they have filed their “notice of intent” with the Boundary Review Board. He urged the NHUAC to “let cool heads prevail … we don’t want to say or do anything that would reduce our options in the future.” Asked about the Boundary Review timeline, he said “it’s conceivable we could have a public hearing before Christmas” but isn’t sure the board will move that quickly, saying January is more likely. He thinks summer or fall are the most likely annexation election dates. “I myself would like to see a huge turnout.” He believes “Seattle is going to sit this one out” so that potential complication does not exist.

(Later, county executive’s office rep Freeman said that they had registered their concern with the governor’s office, since the county has three major annexations in the pipeline right now, including this one for North Highline. She said that the annexation proposal is “her project” – and right now what she’s doing is preparing the proscribed “response to Burien’s filing”; she added that her intention is to “write a brief that supports Burien’s proposal” – provided it meets all the criteria it needs to meet. She also warned that these types of things frequently include some sort of issue, however small.)

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 11/15 is the next King County Housing meeting at Greenbridge, according to NHUAC’s Pat Price … the Community Safety Coalition will meet on November 17th (a week earlier than usual because of the holiday) at the Boys and Girls’ Club at Greenbridge …the White Center Library Guild’s holiday bazaar is expected on December 3rd … president Dobkin says the county Comprehensive Plan is out and available for review …

OTHER BUSINESS: Steve Cox Memorial Park tennis-court renovations could be done this month, Waldman announced, and the courts are expected to be open to the public shortly, even if there are a few final touches remaining to be done in spring. … Council member Ron Johnson brought up the issue of the “tiered” plan for how roads will be handled – reviewed at a previous NHUAC meeting – and noted he had met a county employee who’s losing their job. He asked Freeman, on behalf of the county executive’s office, about problems that will be inevitable; she said it’s “regrettable” that budgetary matters have come to this, but that they’re working with the County Council on the budget right now, and once that’s finalized, they hope to be able to talk with groups like NHUAC about how things will really work in the future. … President Dobkin noted that the permit has finally been procured for flower-bed planting on 16th. She put out an early pitch for volunteers – “I’m going to need people; I can’t do it by myself!” NHUAC member Pat Price suggested student volunteers might be in order. … Toward meeting’s end, there was a lengthy discussion about whether to offer a nominal stipend of $200 to a photographer who has been rolling video on NHUAC meetings and other community events, potentially to create some kind of video about the organization. There wasn’t a quorum left by the time they might have voted, so that’ll come up again in the future.

NHUAC usually meets the first Thursday of the month, 7 pm, at North Highline FIre District headquarters.

Next Thursday at 7 pm, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets at North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th. It’s always an info-packed meeting, but in light of “Operation Center of Attention,” it’ll be particularly momentous. NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin issues the invitation and sent the agenda:

The conversation continues regarding the recent arrests in the White Center Business District. The new White Center Storefront Deputy, BJ Myers, as well officers from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, and King County Prosecutor, Dan Satterburg, and Thomas Bates from the U.S Attorney’s Office will be on hand. Please attend and let your voices be heard on how to best address public safety issues in our community. All are welcome.

7:00 pm Call to Order – Flag Salute – Roll Call –
Approval of Agenda – Approval of Minutes
7:05 pm Public Announcements
7:10 pm Public Comment
3 minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:20 pm KCSO – Major Graddon/Captain Hodgson
Welcome Deputy BJ Myers

7:30 pm Dan Satterberg, King County Prosecutor
7:40 pm Thomas Bates
Executive Assistant US Attorney’s Office
7:50 pm Woodrow Perkins/John Wilson
WA State Liquor Control Board

8:10 pm Treasurer’s Report
8:20 pm Corresponding Secretary Report
8:25 pm Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation

8:30 pm Unfinished Business/Old Business
• Flower Bed Planting (100 ST & 16th Ave, SW)
• Business Cards/Flyers
• Insurance
• Bylaws
• NHUAC Supplies
8:40 pm New Business
• December/January Agenda Items

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
NHUAC MEMBERS: Pat Price – District 1: Stephen Porter- District 2: Jessica Stoneback, Liz Giba – District 3: Ron Johnson, Christine Waldman – District 4: Douglas Harrell, Barbara Dobkin, Rebecca Lopes, Patrick Mosley, Richard Miller – At large.
COUNCIL OFFICERS: President – Barbara Dobkin: Vice President – Pat Price: Treasurer – Ron Johnson: Corresponding Secretary – Stephen Porter

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz unless otherwise credited)
By Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

A gathering in Greenbridge last night was an offshoot of the dramatic events last week, when the U.S. Attorney’s Office promised to follow up with the community leaders and residents of White Center about Thursday’s multi-agency sweep netting dozens of arrests and seizing dozens of guns, while also confiscating drugs. The room was filled beyond capacity last night, with at least 70 people from citizen and nonprofit groups as well as business owners and local residents

This type of meeting was a first for the federal prosecutor’s office, convened to organize and forge alliances in White Center – an area near to where panel members were raised or their family ran a business. The meeting was also unique because the common concerns brought together nonprofit and citizen groups, businesses and residents – many who had never been in the same meeting room before.

The objectives were to answer questions about the investigations and ongoing concerns (here’s our most recent report), and then to strategically determine what the consequences of that multi-agency task force will be for the community. Durkan noted that that is ultimately up to the community members themselves and will require “follow-through,” but that the officials present – elected and law-enforcement – remain committed to working with the community leaders toward enlarging engagement and finding solutions.

Thomas Bates, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, will be the point person from that office and will be communicating with those attendees who signed in at this meeting (his contact information is below for those who could not attend). Bates told WCN that the results of the meeting will be discussed and processed at their office. As Durkan suggested, an as-yet-to-be-determined advisory group of community members will execute “to do” lists with specific tasks to move forward with initiatives and objectives.

Elected officials from the county and state had not been informed in advance of the joint operation dubbed “Center of Attention,” nor had any of the community groups that interact regularly with local law enforcement. The confidentiality of the mission was essential in the pursuit of its undercover strategies to “dig deep” into the area, according to Durkan. Both Sheriff Sue Rahr and Major Jim Graddon of King County Sheriff’s Office spoke to the challenges of their obligation to keep the information confidential for the better part of six months.

King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, 34th District State Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon, and Gail Stone, a policy adviser representing King County Executive Dow Constantine were present and listening with County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg as Durkan told the gathering that there is “no magic wand” that can be wielded by the group of commited officials on the panel, but that everything is already present within White Center to become a successful community. Panelists spoke to the impressive amount of concerned attendees and though it wasn’t mentioned by anyone present that October happens to be the National Crime Prevention Council’s official Crime Prevention Month, the discussion was how to do just that – reduce crime in the unincorporated area of North Highline and the business district of White Center and completely take back the streets.

Sheriff Rahr acknowledged a daunting challenge: How to overcome the lack of financial resources available for law enforcement in unincorporated North Highline and how that fact affects when and whether deputies can respond to heavily prioritized calls. Durkan pointed out that as federal prosecutor, she is not bound quite the same way, but also said that regardless, citizens need to call 911 and report the crimes and suspicious behavior they are observing even if they do not receive the response they desire from the operator or from the deputies. The total number of calls are relevant and are used in the allocation of resources, according to Durkan. If nobody calls, then the call numbers are lower and fewer resources are allocated.

One of the first speakers suggested that another meeting be called immediately by the prosecutors strictly to “correct the media.” “White Center gets credit for every crime west of I-5!” he lamented. Another asked how to support the families of any elementary-school children who might have a parent incarcerated as a result of the investigation; another implored the officials to make sure that all levels of school administrators are contacted to ensure older children are assisted too.

The owner of Full Tilt Ice Cream in central White Center wondered how the deleterious presence of street people openly consuming alcohol can be addressed. It appeared to him to be one of the biggest deterrents to potential customers entering the business district. Also related to alcohol consumption, a member of the South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition wondered if there could be a cap on the number of alcohol-related establishments, saying “Do we really need more than 14 alcohol-related businesses?” It was suggested by the prosecutor that there might be other alternatives to research beyond AIA’s (Alcohol Impact Areas) and they will be doing that. And the feasibility to establishing a Business Improvement Area (BIA) through the county will be researched, she added. A BIA could potentially offer tax incentives to make White Center attractive to the type of businesses the community wants to see move in.

(Photo by Dina Lydia Johnson)
Prosecuting Attorney Satterberg advised that public drunkenness is not itself illegal, but that the open-container issue may not be a high-priority item for the deputies who are prioritizing 911 responses on a tight budget. But the presence of the new Storefront Deputy BJ Myers, interjected Sheriff Rahr, can address these types of problems. Deputy Myers has only been on the beat a week and is still making the rounds to businesses to introduce himself and determine what his priorities will be based on those conversations. Beyond the Storefront Deputy, Major Graddon emphasized that future solutions, he thought, must be “holistic,” something more than simply putting chronic drunks into jail.

Another alcohol-related concern: How can one of the investigated businesses stay open after federal investigators searched the premises? Durkan said that the Liquor Control Board is still doing its separate investigation, which will soon be complete. It is her expectation that that business will not be conducting business in the same manner and that the community should be aware that law enforcement agencies can always weigh in on any future licenses.

(From left, Rep. Fitzgibbon, NHUAC member Liz Giba, KCPA Satterberg)

Finally, the organizers of two citizen groups implored those at this meeting to attend their meetings. North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin suggested that it was a great venue to address issues while the White Center Community Safety Coalition‘s co-leader said that their meeting typically only have seven attendees.

For further information:
thomas.bates@usdoj.gov for future followup meeting notices. (Here’s the DOJ summary of the meeting.)
North Highline Unincorporated Area Council: Next meeting November 3, 7 pm (info here)
White Center Community Safety Coalition: Next meeting this Thursday, 6 pm (info here)

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

A momentous meeting tonight for the North HIghline Unincorporated Area Council, at North Highline Fire District headquarters, including even a decision of its own future. Here’s how it played out:

BURIEN CITY MANAGER MIKE MARTIN TALKS ANNEXATION: “The work starts now,” he declared, toward the end of his appearance, which began with him saying it was “a real historic moment” when his council took the annexation-intent vote earlier in the week. In case you somehow have missed all the previous coverage, here’s the map of the area Burien is proceeding toward annexing:

(Click for larger version)
“It’s not a complicated process, it’s just tedious,” Martin said, regarding what happens from hereon out, mentioning that the Boundary Review Board would have to have a hearing. He said it’s not likely a vote could happen in February or April, possibly August or November of last year. “We’re talking internally about how we will approach the Highline area … our approach is not to advocate,” but rather to provide information. He said it “will be a much different engagement process” since the potential annexation area this time includes a significant number of businesses, unlike the area annexed last time. Any possible points at which the process might hit a snag? he was asked. He noted that stopping the annexation process at this point, following the council vote showing intent, would require action to be taken, and he voiced some concern that the state might pull back on the sales-tax credit at some point before annexation became final; he said that negotiations with the county also are a point of concern, since “we need them to step up and do certain things.” He expressed appreciation for having North Highline representation to speak out at the council meetings that led up to Monday’s vote. “It’s been really great. … I hate it when one side of an issue is presented and not the other.”

That was echoed by Burien Councilmember Rose Clark, who said she appreciated looking out and seeing North Highline “smiling faces.” She added, “I think we’re in a good position to move forward,” but reiterated that if there are financial concerns, they made a commitment not to proceed. Martin also was asked about a contention that he was going to get paid more if the city grew; he laughed it off, and said, “Frankly, at this point, I’m not as interested in my salary as in my pension.” NHUAC member Pat Price asked about the South Park “sliver by the river”; Martin noted that Seattle has shown new interest in annexing that area (which you can read about in this Seattle document). … Annexation comprised the entirety of Martin’s update except for a brief update on Puget Sound Park, saying that work is getting under way.

STOREFRONT DEPUTY HIRING PROCESS UPDATE, AND MORE FROM KCSO: King County Sheriff’s Office Captain Joseph Hodgson apologized for “failing to bring stats” again this month, saying a personnel situation had led to that. “I don’t have a lot to report tonight,” aside from one “big thing” – the interview process for the storefront deputy, which he said had taken place “all day today. .. The process is still ongoing, and the process is not going to be based solely on these interviews.” He said they are “trying to find the very best candidate we can.” He projects a decision before the end of next week. Six people have applied, he said, including former White Center storefront-based Deputy Jeff Hancock, with the others including a deputy who’s been working unincorporated patrol, a candidate from the city of Burien, one from the city of SeaTac, and one from Metro Transit Police (Capt. Hodgson said those three are currently working patrol). Asked when the new deputy is likely to be assigned to this area, he said it’s now more likely to be November than this month. And even that is a fast-track – “there’s an urgency to it,” he acknowledged, even those “these things normally take a couple of months.” … Later in the meeting, NHUAC member Giba read a letter she had written on behalf of her fellow councilmembers, supporting Deputy Hancock’s reinstatement to the position, describing him as a leader with “integrity and people skills,” among other attributes. “Deputy Hancock is the one person who can hit the road running” and jump into WC issues, the letter went on to say. The proposal to send it won unanimous approval.

THE FUTURE OF UNINCORPORATED AREA COUNCILS, PART 1: County reps, led by “rural economic strategy coordinator” Julia Larson, brought an ordinance that sets out parameters for the “community service areas” (CSAs) that are being created now that it’s no longer going to fund unincorporated area councils. It says, among other things, that public meetings involving areas’ King County councilmembers will be set up at least once a year. And the county will work with any community-based organizations that exist, including unincorporated area councils, if they decide to continue operation absent the previous structure of county financing and interaction. Meantime, the county is coming up with a process for figuring out how to create boundaries for those CSAs – whether they should follow the boundaries currently used by UACs. Community meetings will be a part of that process, they said. As well as looking at geographic factors, they’re also looking at demographic factors.

The process seemed unclear to everyone else in the room, even after it had been described. Dobkin noted, “It’s never been clear to me where (this process) leaves the UACs. (Councilmember) McDermott said, ‘I want the UACs to continue’ – but where do we stand? Nobody’s ever given us that information … Where do we stand? … You talk about (this process creating) a forum. We HAVE a forum, every month. This is going to be a top-down-type program, where it’s not going to come from the community itself.” The reply: Each CSA would have a “work program” and the meetings in the CSAs “would be set up to work on those ‘work programs'” – not necessarily issues that would bubble up from the community. County reps reiterated that they have no idea yet how the CSAs will operate, whether it will be like the existing UACs, or something different. “All the UACs have history,” Dobkin pointed out. “There’s a history of people on this council with knowledge, who have devoted a lot of time and energy. And now, I feel like, the county is kicking us to the curb, with no acknowledgment for years of work. I haven’t heard anything (from elected officials). It’s somewhat disheartening to put so much work into this community and we just go away in their eyes without recognizing everything that this council has done for the community.” Larson said nothing except that, it’s the same way for all six UACs.

County reps acknowledged it’s “confusing” that this “public engagement process change” is under way at the same time as strategic-plan discussions, though those, it was noted, are for the entire county, not just the unincorporated areas. This is also all tied up in the budget process, by the way, and county leaders are currently taking input on that. Meetings with existing UACs are under way this month, and a mapmaking process is under way to define boundaries. Public meetings are planned in February to go over some proposed boundaries, and a website is expected to be up by then. Once the boundaries are done, they will be out to seek public input on the “annual plan,” among other things. Burien Councilmember Clark – while stressing she wasn’t speaking for her colleagues – said it seemed like a bad time to disband a group like this. “If this goes away, it handicaps Burien’s ability to reach the people,” she said, suggesting this council should be preserved at least through the prospective annexation vote. Otherwise, “It seems shortsighted to me.” Larson said she couldn’t comment on Clark’s suggestion, but said the county does intend to invite potential-annexation cities “to the table” to be part of the forthcoming decisions. She also noted she is “newly appointed … to try to move this process forward.”

“We live in this community. People know us. … We’re going to lose that,” if the UAC goes away, Dobkin said. Larson’s reply, “There’s a lot of good and bad about this process.” The retorted question echoed around the room: “What’s good about it?” Larson, clearly uncomfortable, said that message would go back to the council and executive. One other point of concern: How the county would dole out money to unincorporated-area community-outreach projects in the future. “We are the only organization that has purely the interest of this community” in mind, said NHUAC member Liz Giba, voicing concern about the concept of Community Service Area-based county grants. NHUAC doesn’t have professional grant writers, pointed out NHUAC member Ron Johnson. He added that if the county “(kept) us around, functioning for another 6, 8, 12 months” would help the area get annexed, and dropping support for NHUAC would be “leaving us rudderless” at a critical time for the annexation process. Other words of disappointment and anger came from the audience.

“I hope that Julia will come back when (she has) some answers,” said NHUAC member Pat Price toward the end of the discussion, trying to end what she characterized as the council and public “berating” the county rep whom many recognized was “just the messenger.” It’s frustrating that “there are no answers,” Price said, “so go find us some answers.”

THE FUTURE OF NHUAC ITSELF: NHUAC members voted unanimously to keep going as a group, regardless of their status or funding. This followed a vigorous discussion immediately after the “frustrating” discussion with the county reps. Its contract with the county runs two more months, through December, as Dobkin had noted. Price said that she believes that the council should continue as a community group which might even have “some freedom we don’t have now.” Dobkin said she had consulted lawyer Jerry Robison and that he didn’t believe they would need to carry insurance – which was part of what the county funding expiring after December had paid for – “unless we’re going to have wild parties … We really have little exposure for what we are doing, and it’s just not necessary for the type of volunteer group that we are.” NHUAC member Douglas Harrell wondered what voice they really would have after December; Dobkin’s answer was that she believed they could and should “continue as an advocacy group for the community.” Despite the uncertainties, NHUAC member Giba, said: “We have a community that’s really in need of representation, and we’re the best they’ve got at this point.” She later added that her perception is that the runup to the transition “isn’t going as smoothly” as county leaders might have expected, so there’s hope that at least NHUAC, with annexation now officially pending, might have the chance for an extension. “Because they do need us to help this community transition to the idea of annexation, to get us adopted, and off their neck,” added Price.

DANCE CLUB MORATORIUM: President Dobkin said she had received word from County Councilmember Joe McDermott that final action on the moratorium on dance-club licenses in the White Center area is set for 1:30 pm October 24th, and people who support the plan are invited to be there to speak in favor of it. Burien city manager Martin said he would have representation there to emphasize support, as well.

COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MOVING: Dobkin also said that the county health offices that are next to the White Center Food Bank are moving to Greenbridge.

DISSONANT DISTRICT: Elizabeth Gordon from Uncle Mike’s Superlicious Barbecue in downtown WC explained that the South Delridge-White Center Community Safety Coalition is examining challenges getting in the way of the business district’s safety. She said that lack of a unified economic development plan is perceived to be one such factor, and that it’s noted the business district’s nature has evolved over the years – rather than people walking in, they are driving in, and there is more of an adult atmosphere than a community/family-safe atmosphere. Some property owners may just be getting businesses in, no matter what they are, as long as they can pay the rent. She says they’ve been advised to “take a more gritty image” in order to attract more business. Maybe the potential Burien annexation will help with an economic development plan for the area, she suggested. Dobkin asked if anyone has spoken to Stan’s Adult Superstore – which Gordon had not mentioned by name – regarding its displays. Gordon said, “There’s been some conversation,” but she thinks the lack of an authority to gather business owners together for a common theme or goal remains a challenge. The topic may come up when the White Center Community Development Association has its next business mixer at Gordon’s restaurant (6 pm October 18th), she said.

SPEAKING OF DOWNTOWN WC: NHUAC is seeking a permit for some beautification on two corners at 16th/100th, using remaining funding, but there are some questions about whether they can get it done before their funding expires at year’s end; the project would cost $510.

NEXT MEETING: In November, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg will be a guest, Dobkin announced. That meeting will be on the first Thursday as usual – November 3 – 7 pm, North HIghline Fire District HQ.

The agenda is up for next Thursday’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, including a discussion of the council’s own future – since the county has cut funding for UACs, it’s up to them to decide how they want to go forward. Here’s the full agenda for the meeting; it’s at 7 pm Thursday (October 6th) at the North Highline Fire District station on SW 112th.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Tonight’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council was packed with enough information for a year’s worth of meetings, from updates on some of White Center’s recent major news – like the plan to bring back the WC storefront deputy – to briefings on major transportation issues from the Alaskan Way Viaduct construction work to a new plan for handling road maintenance if a “tiered system” emerges from the next county budget plan. Here are the key points, noted as they happened, though not necessarily in this exact order:

KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE REPORT: Capt. Joseph Hodgson delivered this month’s update. He apologized for not bringing crime statistics, saying the analyst has been temporarily reassigned. “I don’t know if there’s anybody in the room that’s not aware of the really big news, but thanks to some great work from the community … we’re getting our storefront deputy back; it’s going to be tremendous. I’m really enthusiastic about the possibilities.” He said it’s generating a lot of interest from deputies and they’re certain they’ll find someone “immensely qualified” for the position. He says they are still looking for two other suspects in the Sweetheart Failautusi murder.

Asked about the Club Reventon/ex-Club Evo situation, Capt. Hodgson says he’s been in touch with Liquor Control Board officials, and mentioned the “secondary club” application (East Marginal Way, as previously reported here). “It surprises me a little bit he would open two clubs under the same name so close together,” Capt. Hodgson observed. “I don’t know what that means to the effort that was occurring here … but it seems as though it is a separate application for a separate location.” Noting its industrial location, he observed it wouldn’t likely have the same kind of impact that the prospective club would have in White Center. He says KCSO has shared some information with the city of Seattle, in whose boundaries the other potential Club Reventon lies.

Major Jim Graddon, also in the room, shared more information about speaking with the city, saying “we’ve offered our assistance, the same information we prepared for DDES in King County. … We’ve already made the offer to share whatever information (Seattle) may want from us.” NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin asked for more elaboration on one line in the letter denying Reventon’s business-license application, mentioning a 64 percent reduction in crime. Capt. Hodgson said he looked at two areas, including one immediately around the club. “In looking at that data, whether you compare periods immediately before and after the club’s closure, or different years … there was approximately a 64 percent reduction in police activity when the club was closed.” That didn’t only involve crime, he clarified, but other requests for law-enforcement assistance. “I was really surprised .. but the numbers kind of speak for themselves.”

NHUAC councilmember Patrick Mosley asked about Deputy Jeff Hancock possibly returning to the storefront deputy position; Capt. Hodgson said he hadn’t talked with him, but he did know that Deputy Hancock had been pleased in working “closer to home”. Major Graddon said he gets to make the final call, as precinct commander, and “certainly understand(s) the desires of the community to have someone who knows what’s going on.” Mosley said he’s concerned about somebody “starting” (from scratch) regarding a rapport from the area; Maj. Graddon said lots of officers already do have that, from working in this area. Capt. Hodgson added, “I see a lot of value in a new perspective. … We’ll see how it plays out.” NHUAC councilmember Rebecca Lopes wondered about the deputy who lives in White Center and has been working in Greenbridge, whether he had applied, and Capt. Hodgson reiterated that they haven’t even opened the application process yet; Maj. Graddon added that they expect to keep that deputy in that position for a while, as part of the contractual responsibilities with the King County Housing Authority. Capt. Hodgson and Maj. Graddon both said they hope to get the new WC storefront deputy in place by October 1st and will open the application process within days. The major said the community-service officer (Peter Truong, currently) should be staying in his role in downtown WC as well. Dobkin asked about specific hours and duties for the deputy; Capt. Hodgson said that’s “still up for discussion” right now, depending on “what’s going to work best for the community.” The Boulevard Park-area deputy works four 10’s, Tuesday-Friday, he noted, and “we would look at that as a possibility,” as well as whether a five-day, 8-hour-a-day schedule would work. (Later in the meeting, NHUAC members talked about the deputy restoration, and their appreciation for the business community and other residents for signing the petition that the council had been circulating since July to get the deputy back. Those petitions will still be submitted, for the records – “they were hard-earned signatures,” NHUAC president Dobkin noted.)

Capt. Hodgson mentioned the call at 16th/Roxbury last night first went out as a shooting, “but it was not .. it was essentially a bar fight.” They located “possible suspects” but the individual “did not want to participate in charges,” and everybody was “cut loose” .. the prosecutor could pursue charges, he said, adding, in response to a question from community member Gill Loring, that it did not appear to be gang-related. A community member then asked if there’s an overall increase in gang activity; Capt. Hodgson said, “It does seem as though there may be,” but has no numbers to quantify that. “It’s certainly rising to a higher level of public awareness.”

NORTH HIGHLINE FIRE DISTRICT CLOSE TO A CONTRACT WITH BURIEN/NORMANDY PARK (FIRE DISTRICT 2): Chief Steve Marstrom briefed NHUAC on the state of the district, after apologizing for not having been as visible as previous chiefs. “My charge has been to stabilize the organization and help set a course for the future of the organization, and that’s where my focus has been.” He said he felt he had inherited last year “a ship full of holes,” and people trying desperately to plug those holes while there was “nobody holding onto the rudder and steering the ship.” He said the problems had included the previous chief’s departure, the annexation by Burien, a failed attempt to get an administrative contract with another district – “the organization needed desperately for somebody to grab hold of the helm and right the ship.” He felt that has now happened, to some degree. And that’s led to a big decision ahead on one big issue: The Burien-Normandy Park contract is up for renewal at the end of this year, but they had told NHFD last year they didn’t intend to renew it as it stood, so an evaluation of options regarding what’s next for the fire district has been under way. One: “Become a completely independent fire district,” he said, operating out of one fire station, “becoming increasingly dependent on volunteers” and with service levels resembling those of 25 years ago. That was a “not very positive option,” he said. Another option: Contract with the City of Seattle. Or, change the terms for the contract with District 2. Or – get annexed. NHFD can’t control the latter, of course, he said, so they had to look at “what we could have some control over – and that was, contracting was the next best option, we felt.”

They talked with Seattle, considered briefly “until they told us how much they wanted us to pay them, and it was so far out of reach,” it was infeasible. Regarding renegotiating with District 2, he said that’s pretty much the only option, and they are “coming close to … negotiating an improved agreement from the current contract. This new approach combines the administration of both districts into one.” The District 2 fire chief would become the NH fire chief. It would be a four-station department, with a chief responsible to the citizens of both districts, and NH sharing in the cost of administration and support. Two NH battalion chiefs “would transfer employment to district 2,” as would one member of the clerical staff. He says that agreement “is expected to save the NHFD more than $200,000 a year over what we expect to spend in 2011. That’s pretty significant in my view.” Overall, he believes, “everybody comes out a winner.” He says “the timing is good” because the county assessor had recently said the assessed value in the district is dropping almost 10 percent, which would mean a drop in revenue for the district as it stands now – about $250,000 worth, in fact. He says the negotiations with District 2 have been under way for several months, and both districts’ boards will take their first look at the draft contract next Tuesday. It then would be an action item on the September 20th agenda, and the contract could take effect October 1st. No formal public hearing is scheduled but “interested citizens are welcome to attend either or both meeting.” The meetings will both be at North Highline FD HQ, 10 am for next Tuesday’s meeting, 6 pm for the Sept. 20th meeting.

NHUAC councilmember Ron Johnson asked Chief Marstrom, “So (if this all takes effect) you would get to retire again?” He said, after a brief transition period, yes – possibly as short as a week. North Highline FD would still have its own Board of Commissioners, and would be an autonomous district, Marstrom stressed.

ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT UPDATE: Matt Preedy, a West Seattle resident who is running the Alaskan Way Viaduct South End Replacement Project, briefed NHUAC and the standing-room-only audience on where things stand. In particular, Preedy wanted to make sure everybody knows about the upcoming 9-day Viaduct closure (October 21-31) as well as the Central Waterfront tunnel project. He went over the details of the south-end viaduct replacement, and also pointed out where the tunnel work will start at the south end. (You can check this all out through a series of graphics on the Alaskan Way Viaduct website.) If you haven’t already heard all about the 9-day closure – after which, the Viaduct’s speed limit will be decreased, 40 mph overall except for a 25 mph “advisory speed” through a detour replacing the section near the stadiums – we rolled video on the briefing and will add it once it’s uploaded. He also mentioned the answer to a frequently asked question – since the tunnel doesn’t have a mid-downtown exit, how will people from West Seattle get downtown? – it’s the King Street-vicinity exit, before the tunnel. Construction for the tunnel has officially started as of about nine days ago – no dirt turned yet, “about a month out,” said Preedy, but “we’re not that far away from a groundbreaking ceremony.”

SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT UPDATE: Paul Elliott from SDOT followed Preedy by discussing this project, involving the section of the West Seattle Bridge known as the Spokane Street Viaduct – between Highway 99 and I-5. He mentioned that the new lanes will be 11 feet wide, with a 7-foot shoulder, compared to the current 10-foot-wide, no shoulder lanes. Elliott also mentioned the relatively new 4th Avenue South ramp that has plenty of capacity for folks to use. (We can vouch for that, having used it almost daily for the past month, heading to the County Courthouse for a trial on behalf of our partner site West Seattle Blog.) Elliott reiterated that the 1st Avenue South on- and off-ramp on the westbound half of the Spokane Street Viaduct should be done by the end of the year, and the entire project by sometime next spring. But even once construction is done, he said, the old structure needs some work. The timing/sequencing of those hasn’t yet been worked out, he said, but for the duration of any closures, at least one eastbound offramp (either 1st or 4th) will remain open. In response to a question later, Preedy said that the new tunnel will not have any cargo restrictions beyond the ones that already exist for the Battery Street Tunnel. NHUAC councilmember Rebecca Lopes asked if there’s a tolling amount yet for the tunnel; Preedy mentioned that a Tolling Advisory Committee is being assembled, and will start work later this year to “study the correct method/rates for tolling” – enough to raise the funding that the project is relying on, but not so much as to discourage tunnel usage. Whether it will be a temporary or permanent toll, Preedy said, has not yet been determined.

AIRPORT WAY BRIDGE CLOSURE: Elliott was asked about this (officially the Argo Bridge Closure); it looks like it’ll start within a few months, and the bridge will be closed for at least a year. Simultaneous with the Viaduct closure timing? it was asked. Preedy said that regional transportation authorities are looking that to see if that should be delayed, if it doesn’t look like there is enough “capacity” to replace what’s being lost on 99 during the 9-day closure, though he stressed that there are reasons it’s not a good idea to delay the Airport Way work further.

KING COUNTY DOT: The next transportation person to go on the agenda was DeAnna Martin, a planner from Metro. She invited questions about Metro. NHUAC president Dobkin asked about bus service and the 99 closure. She stressed the importance of bus riders signing up for e-mail alerts. She noted that while some buses are getting additional service (as we reported on West Seattle Blog earlier this week), the West Seattle Water Taxi will remain at its current service levels (King County Councilmember Joe McDermott’s staff, though, tells us they will be working on accessibility issues – perhaps surrounding parking for the water taxi, which is challenging at its Seacrest Pier terminal in West Seattle). She also spoke about the “right-sizing” of bus service – possibly replacing fullsize buses in some areas with DART service, for example. She didn’t think that was going to have much effect on this area of the county, though. She noted that Metro will be out in the White Center area (we know this is also the case for West Seattle) starting in October to talk about future potential route changes as the West Seattle RapidRide Line kicks in one year from now. There was also discussion of the Congestion Relief Charge – $20 added to car tabs – approved by the County Council recently. CM McDermott rose from the audience to speak to an attendee’s question, saying they’ve always been clear that while the service hours won’t be cut, it doesn’t mean status quo for service – there may be changes, but not cuts in hours. A side discussion erupted over whether the county might consider reviewing whether to change the zone line – right now, it’s the Seattle city limits, and everyone south of them pays for two zones to travel to and from downtown.

KING COUNTY ROADS: Strategic Planner Jay Osborne brought a presentation with which he says they’re making the rounds. He says unincorporated King County has a million daily trips on its roads – with only half of that by residents who are paying taxes for them. Osborne noted that they are affected by the mentioned-earlier drops in property assessments – his own home, he noted, is worth $60,000 less than its assessed value a year earlier, on the notice that he just received. Overall, he says, they’re now working with a “Strategic Plan for Road Services” (you can see it here), which sets out the division’s priorities. He says the cameras/signal regulation going in on 16th, by the way, are funded by a grant. He says White Center and Skyway are getting sidewalk projects because there is funding based on “social equity” – asked by NHUAC councilmember Liz Giba exactly where they are, Osborne admitted he didn’t have that information handy. The county has 1,552 miles of roads, and has had to project potential bottoming-out of revenues, which means they would have “tiered service levels.”

Theresa Canfield stepped in at that point to explain which North Highline road (out of about 54 miles of them) fits on which tier. Osborne then said that some roads may even have to revert, if they are determined to be Tier 5, to gravel. But principal roadways like 16th SW and the south side of SW Roxbury are Tier 1 and will always be kept in “good condition,” he said. Tier 2 roadways will get attention too (SW 107th is in this category). Tier 3 roadways might have to be allowed to deteriorate, he said. Other examples sown: 26th SW is Tier 3; 24th SW is Tier 4; 28th SW is Tier 5. There will be less ability for snow/ice removal in the future, he noted, as revenues decline. Interesting stat: From 1996 to 2006, there was 1 event that qualified for federal assistance regarding King County roads, said Osborne; since 2006, he said, there have been 12. (Wind, snow, ice, etc.) Osborne said they’re out talking about this now because it’ll be part of the budget process that is coming up this fall – and the tiered system theoretically would kick in next January. Regarding the current work on 16th, Osborne was asked about the sidewalk cleanup following the current work, and he said that since the paving has just been finished, the cleanup should follow. For the next 20 years, he said, there are about $1.3 billion dollars worth of needs – and funding projections falling about $1 billion short of that.

NHUAC’S FUTURE: President Dobkin wants to hear from the community how they would like to see the council continue – given that the county’s way of dealing with UAC’s, and funding, will change as of the end of the year. “We have a lot of things to think about,” she said, adding that, “since we’re a community council, we want to hear from the community.” Dobkin says she believes the council should continue, even without formal county support/financing. She asked other members to talk to the people they encounter, to find out what they think. (If you would like to chime in via e-mail, contact information is on the NHUAC website.)

GRAFFITI PROGRAM REMINDER: NHUAC councilmember Christine Waldman reminded all present about the NHUAC Graffiti Management Program, with resources for fighting it – there’s more information on the NHUAC website (scroll to the lower left), if you know of graffiti that needs to be taken care of.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: FALL RECYCLING EVENT on September 10th at Evergreen High School (info link is on the NHUAC website) … North Highline Fire District Commissioners meet at 10 am Tuesday, September 6th (and as noted above, they’ll have a big issue on their agenda).

PUBLIC COMMENT: None tonight.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets the first Thursday of each month, 7 pm, North Highline FD headquarters.

Having trouble believing September’s almost here? Here’s another reminder – the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s agenda for its September meeting, coming up this Thursday (which is the first day of September). Highlights, first, from NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin:

*Interested in learning how you will get around with all the planned construction now that the tunnel project is moving forward, and more importantly, how all of us on this end of town are going to get to downtown and beyond in October with the planned 9 day closure of the viaduct. Well, now is your chance to find out, as representatives from both the Washington DOT and Seattle DOT will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

*Also on hand are representatives from King County to provide an update us on the “tiered level of service that is planned for implementation this fall” pending King County Council approval. The presentation will focus on the proposed delivery plan to the unincorporated road network and its impact on citizens. Roads rights of way and drainage issues will be addressed with a period set aside for questions.

*Chief Marstrom will provide an update on proposed changes for the North Highline Fire Department, and as always, Major Graddon and Captain Hodgson from the King County Sheriff’s Dept will be on hand to discuss crime trends and stats in North Highline.

All are welcome!

Now, here’s the official agenda, with names and times:

7:00 pm Call to Order – Flag Salute – Roll Call –
Approval of Agenda – Approval of Minutes

7:05 pm Public Announcements
7:10 pm Public Comment
3minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:20 pm KCSO – Major Graddon/Captain Hodgson
7:25 pm NHFD – Chief Marstrom

7:30 pm Matt Preedy, Director of South End Construction
7:50 pm DeAnna Martin, Community Relations Planner, KCDOT
8:00 pm Jay Osborne and Theresa Canfield
King County Capital Improvement Program

8:20 pm Corresponding Secretary Report
8:25 pm Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation

8:30 pm Unfinished Business
• Storefront Deputy Petition
• NHUAC Contract
• NHUAC future
• White Center Food Bank Dinner
• Flower Bed Planting (100 ST & 16th Ave, SW)
8:40 pm New Business
• October and November Agenda Items
• Business Cards/Flyers

As always, NHUAC meets at the North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th, 7 pm.

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for WCN)
Big summer for Gloria and Art Peters, photographed this afternoon at the Hicks Lake barbecue in White Center. They were grand marshals of the West Seattle Grand Parade four weeks ago. They’re 49-year residents of White Center, and WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz says Art’s “Rat City” T-shirt “might be a collector’s item – about 15 years old!” Also at the barbecue, Dick Thurnau of Friends of Hicks Lake and Liz Giba of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

From the North Highline Fire Department, from left: Battalion Chief Paul Frey with Firefighters Ed Marrs, Bob Lawson and Dan Crossman. Deanie reports they had a great time explaining the NHFD equipment and showing it off to barbecuegoers of all ages.

Also enjoying the midday cookout, Nhan Nguyen, who just said goodbye to the White Center Community Development Association, along with White Center Food Bank Executive Director Rick Jump and WCCDA’s Peter Chum:

Another big event is ahead for Lakewood Park, where you’ll find Hicks Lake – the Technology Access Foundation learning-center groundbreaking, 10:30 am next Friday, August 26th.

North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin shares the agenda and highlights for this coming Thursday night’s monthly meeting:

*Ever wonder where your property tax dollars go, and why your property taxes may have gone up, but the assessed value of your home has gone down – now is a good time to find out as Lloyd Hara, King County Tax Assessor, will be on hand to provide information and answer questions about these issues.

*Sung Yang, Director of King County External Affairs and Government, will provide information regarding the “Project Team” that has been developing a new model for “Public Engagement” with King County Government and residents.

Full agenda:

7:00 pm Call to Order
Flag Salute
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes

7:05 pm Public Announcements

7:10 pm Public Comment
3minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Lloyd Hara, King County Tax Assessor
7:30 pm Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:40 pm KCSO – Major James Graddon
7:50 pm Sung Yang, Director of External Affairs and Government
8:15 pm Treasurers Report
8:20 pm Corresponding Secretary Report

8:25 pm Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation

8:30 pm Unfinished Business
• Storefront Deputy Petition
• NHUAC Contract
• NHUAC future

8:40 pm New Business
• Flower Bed Planting (100 Street and 16th Avenue SW)
• White Center Food Bank Dinner
• September and October Agenda Items

The meeting starts at 7 at the North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th.

We’re at the North Highline Fire District HQ in White Center for the full-house meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. Among the items of major interest: the partners who say they plan to reopen what was Club Evo in downtown WC, as reported here on White Center Now recently. But there’s a lot more to talk about; currently Dick Thurnau is talking about trouble at Hicks Lake; public comment included Rick Jump from White Center Food Bank announcing this year’s Greenbridge barbecue on August 5th, as well as the upcoming Harvest Dinner/Auction for WC Food Bank. Lots of familiar faces in the audience, including local business leaders and King County Councilmember Joe McDermott. More to come. (We’re rolling video on the entire meeting, and will post it here afterward, in case you can’t get here to see what happens in person.)

7:20 PM: Two people in the public-comment section have voiced concern about the medical-marijuana businesses in downtown White Center; one mentioned live music at GAME Lounge, saying it seems to be “more than a medical facility.” Burien city manager is now updating the council and audience, saying that Ambaum road work is done, with synchronized signals to come. Regarding annexation, he says crime stats will be brought to the Burien City Council on July 18th, including a comparison to what’s happening in the city of Burien as well as the potential-annexation area itself. He also mentioned the study he has commissioned regarding the finances of annexation, and says that will be presented to the council “in about three weeks.”

7:26 PM: For the crime update, KCSO says significant spike in residential burglaries though overall crime is down. “Right now there’s very little information” on why, says the Sheriff’s Office rep. “The typical MO has been, knock on the front door, getting no response, kick in that door or the back door.” Assaults are also reported to be up, though it’s described as typical for the start of summer. Asked about the medical-marijuana businesses, the KCSO rep says they’re awaiting the state-law change later this month to see whether things “solidify.”

7:39 PM: The crime discussion continues with audience questions. One man identifying himself as a White Center business owner says the crime in downtown WC is not going down, in his view. He discusses public intoxication – which KCSO reminds, is not a crime. The business owner wonders if the owners of White Center Plaza can be approached to cut down on the drinking that happens there. “We can make that effort,” replies KCSO. Asked if there seems to be any chance White Center will get a storefront deputy back any time soon, the answer boils down to: Probably not. How did Skyway get it? By demonstrating the need, is the reply. And there’s a lot of need, all over the county.

7:47 PM: Legislative updates now – starting with State Sen. Sharon Nelson. State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon is here too. (7:57 pm) He is speaking about the potential $20 transit-fund-raising fee for license-plate tabs, and the possible Metro cuts if it doesn’t become law, either through a vote of the County Council, or a vote of the people. He’s also talking about the “tangled mess of laws around medical marijuana,” particularly what happened once Governor Gregoire vetoed most of the legislation that passed in Olympia. He says fixing that will be “one of the top priorities … to clarify that situation” in the next Legislative session, since many communities are dealing with it.

8:13 PM: Alfredo Lopez, who owns the site once known as Club Evo, is speaking with his new business partner. Preceding them was a DDES employee who noted that the injunction that closed Evo is still in effect, as they wait to officially hear what the new business proposal is. (WCN’s Deanie Schwarz, who interviewed the partners and broke the news of their plan, is here at the meeting as well and will be writing a full report on this angle, while your editor here is handling the general overview, as well as the videography.) Lopez acknowledges he “made a mistake” by allowing “another promoter” to come in and handle Friday nights with hip-hop shows that he said “attracted problems.” He says his new partner Danny Yarbrough will be the “operating partner” and lives in West Seattle.

8:43 PM: Still discussing ex-Club Evo/future nightclub. NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin has basically said Lopez talks a good game but has said it all before. NHUAC member Christine Waldman is reciting notes from past White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition meetings at which Evo(lucion) came up.

9:20 PM: The Club Evo discussion, tense at times, finally ended around 9:15 pm. (Again, full, separate story coming up; we’ll add video after returning back to HQ.) President Dobkin now says the County Council is taking up its Unincorporated Area Councils bill next Monday – and the life of NHUAC is at stake. She says this meeting, with about 50 in attendance and a hot issue to discuss, is testament to the value of the council.