King County getting out of animal shelter business

If King County is to hold itself out as a provider of animal shelter services, it has a duty to the animals in its care to keep them well-fed and cared for, and to give them the best opportunity to find loving homes.

I was shocked and angered last fall when a citizens committee revealed the condition of King County’s animal shelters to be “deplorable” and criticized the facility’s high euthanasia rates. Two subsequent reports further documented substandard conditions, and a group of volunteer veterinarians recruited to improve shelter care resigned, saying they “did not want to act as enablers to the proven failed procedures.”

This is no bureaucratic snafu. Lives are being lost.

That’s why I joined my Council colleagues Julia Patterson and Reagan Dunn on Oct. 5 in announcing our intention to get King County out of the animal shelter business.

Our goal is to partner with a community agency to ensure that shelter services are maintained outside the County system. While King County’s shelters have been improved through the additional funding and oversight provided by the Council, the current structure appears incapable of providing the dramatic changes needed to ensure that animals are humanely treated and given the best chance to join a new family.

The Council faces many more tough decisions, and the switch to a community-based services model will be challenging. We will work diligently with our current employees, our community partners, and the 34 cities that now contract with King County for animal control services to accomplish this transition.

Its historic sanctuary saved, church breaks ground on future

I was greatly honored to be invited to speak at the groundbreaking for the new First United Methodist Church on Sunday, Sept. 21.

I led the effort to negotiate a compromise between church leaders, local government officials, and developer Kevin Daniels that saved the church’s historic 1910 downtown sanctuary while securing a site for a new church building.

This solution will provide church members with a new home both for worship and for their community programs that serve downtown’s homeless population. I commend the First United Methodist Church congregation for their willingness to find common ground, and wish them well in their new home.

Hard times strain local food banks—please help!

Our local food banks are getting caught in a no-win situation caused by hard economic times: There are far more food bank customers, but donations are down. Please donate food or money to your local food bank to aid community members who need your help. Here is the contact information:

West Seattle Food Bank: 3419 S.W. Morgan St., Seattle, WA 98126, (206) 932-9023, www.westseattlefoodbank.org.

White Center Food Bank: 9421 18th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98106, (206) 762-2848, www.whitecenterfoodbank.org

Vashon-Maury Island Community Food Bank: 10030 S.W. 210th St., Bldg. 4, Vashon Island, WA 98070, (206) 463-6332

Water Taxi just keeps breaking records

With just days left in the 2008 sailing season the Elliott Bay Water Taxi continues to attract new passengers—and break records.

A total of 167,748 people rode the West Seattle-to-downtown foot ferry through the end of September, beating last year’s record of 161,331 riders.

The Elliott Bay Water Taxi is now funded by the newly-established King County Ferry District. The Ferry District plans to move the Water Taxi to year-round service no later than Spring 2010 and to provide improved docks and boats.

Sound off on County budget

The King County Council began its deliberations on the 2009 budget on Monday, Oct. 13, when Executive Ron Sims delivered his budget proposals to the Council.

Given what is now projected to be a $90 million shortfall in the County general fund for 2009, the Council needs your help in crafting a 2009 budget that will incorporate cuts and other efficiencies, yet will maintain King County’s key programs and services.

You can speak at any of several public hearings, which will be held all around King County. All (except the Nov. 10 afternoon hearing) will start at 7 p.m. Day-after coverage of the public hearings will be available both online and on King County Television, Cable Channel 22.

Here is a schedule of the remaining hearings:

Tuesday, Oct. 21: Finn Hill Junior High School, 8040 Northeast 132nd Street, Kirkland.

Thursday, Oct. 23: Shoreline Conference Center, Shoreline Room, 18560 1st Avenue Northeast, Shoreline.

Tuesday, Oct. 28: King County Council Chambers, 516 Third Avenue, Room 1200, Seattle.

Monday, Nov. 10: King County Council Chambers, 516 Third Avenue, Room 1200, Seattle, starting at 1:30 p.m.

My Schrammie!

Long years of toil in the trenches of government have finally been rewarded—I have scored the coveted Schrammie!

Yes, my work has finally earned me the attention of KOMO-TV “common-sense” commentating curmudgeon Ken Schram, even though I had to share the award with the two Council colleagues who joined me in calling for King County to get out of the animal shelter business.

While it’s actually intended as a negative award, I can’t help but feel that I’m in good company. This year alone, Schrammies have been awarded to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Sound Transit Director Joni Earl, Machinists union leader Tom Wroblewski, and Washington Speaker of the House Frank Chopp.

I have cleared a special place on an office shelf for my Ken Schramm bobble-head, right between the AUTOGRAPHED (are you listening, Ken?) Dave Niehaus bobble-head and the framed 1984 John Carlson for State Representative flyer (Hi John!).