August in District 6
Dear
Neighbor:
August is such a beautiful time in the Puget Sound and I hope you are
enjoying your summer. Please see the following updates about what is happening
here in District 6 and at King County.
In this newsletter:
- I-405 Closures
- Opening of new Mercer Island Farmers Market
- Recognition of a great community partner, the Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance
- Newest Sheriff "Guardian in the Sky" helicopter
- King
County Council Budget priorities
I-405
Closures
Reminder: Southbound I-405 closure start, tonight, August
8. See below for more information including recommended detour routes.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i405/112thavetose8th/wilburton
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/112thAvetoSE8th/detours.htm
Opening of Mercer Island Farmers Market
The grand
opening of the new Mercer Island Farmers Market is happening this Sunday,
August 10. Healthy, fresh food and supporting local businesses
is a great way to build a stronger, healthier community. Please support
this new market or see below for more information on farmers markets near
you.
Mercer
Island Farmers Market
Open every Sunday from August 10 through October 12
Mercer Island Farmers Market Opening Day!
Sunday, August 10th, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
SE 32nd Street at Mercerdale Park
Bellevue
Farmers Market
May 15 to October 9
Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m.
1717 Bellevue Way NE
First Presbyterian parking lot
Crossroads
Farmers Market
May 27 to October 7
Tuesday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Crossroads Shopping Center parking lot, just south of
Circuit City
Friday
Night Market at Juanita Beach
June 1 to October 5
Fridays, 3 to 7 p.m.
9703 NE Juanita Dr, at Juanita Beach, Kirkland
Kirkland
Wednesday Market
May 7 to October 15
Wednesdays, 2 to 7 p.m.
Park Lane between 3rd Ave and Main St. in downtown Kirkland
Redmond
Saturday Market
May 3 to October 25
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
7730 Leary Way, at the northwest corner of
Redmond Town Center
DCNA
 |
I was honored to accept from Scott Morris, Chair of Save Juanita Woodlands, a check to King County, their contribution towards the purchase of the Juanita Woodlands. |
On April 16, 2004 an amazing group of partners gathered in the urban forest north of the City of Kirkland that is known as Juanita Woodlands. These individuals included State Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland, King County Executive Ron Sims, myself, officials from the City of Kirkland, local residents, the Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance and the Cascade Land Conservancy.
The occasion was the official transfer of the Juanita Woodlands to King County, thereby enabling the County to preserve and protect this local treasure for future generations. Without the hard work of each and every one of the partners in this project, the land would eventually have been sold off to benefit the State School Construction Fund and would likely have ended up as another housing project in the Juanita/Holmes Point/Finn Hill area.
As an important part of this partnership, local residents and neighbors formed “Save Juanita Woodlands,” and went to work to raise $500,000 in private funds to go toward the County’s purchase of the property. Over 500 activists and neighbors contributed to the project recognizing that this parcel of land was a defining piece of their community. Contributions ranged from a 10 ½ year old who contributed one half of his charitable contributions budget ($5 of $10) to the biking enthusiast who pledged $100,000 as a challenge grant.
And now, in 2008, the pledges have been collected and the Save Juanita Woodlands organization presented the County with a check for $500,000. The ceremonial check presentation at the King County Council’s 8/4/08 meeting commemorated one of the most unique and productive private partnerships that I have experienced in my years of public service. And, Juanita Woodlands will continue to be loved and managed by those who have invested so heavily in its preservation.
A
“Guardian” in the skies
New,
state-of-the-art helicopter to meet regional public safety needs
 |
I joined King County Sheriff Sue Rahr and Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo for a test flight of "Guardian One" the King County Sheriff's Office new Helicopter. |
There's a new service benefiting our community. Being a strong supporter of public safety and a member of County Council Budget Leadership, I joined King County Sheriff Sue Rahr and Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo on a “fly around” in the Sheriff Department’s newest "Guardian One" helicopter.
Through careful leveraging of resources, King County obtained a federal grant to pay for the helicopter. The new Guardian One’s home base is King County, but it is truly a regional asset. It will provide seamless service throughout the region because cities can use it at no additional cost for any threat to life or property. Partnerships with Pierce and Snohomish counties mean it will be available from Marysville to Puyallup. Contracts with the Coast Guard and the state Department of Ecology mean it’s on hand for emergencies from the Cascades to the Puget Sound.
Having
a state-of-the-art helicopter is critical because 21st century crimes
call for 21st century approaches to criminal activities. Local governments
in the region will accrue many benefits through access to this Bell 407
helicopter. It is a much more efficient way of implementing search and
rescue efforts. In the air, Guardian One can replace approximately 50
officers on the ground.
Guardian One can make the difference between life and death. It is cooperation
throughout the branches of County government that helped ‘land’
this helicopter and demonstrates that public safety is a top priority
for County government.
King County Council Budget priorities
In preparation for the County Council's 2009 budget deliberations, the Council recently passed a budget motion that set public safety, heath and quality of life as our priorities.
The proposed motion sets the Council’s intent through its budget deliberations to:
- Declare
the protection of public safety, health and enhancing the quality of
life to be its top priority, and that before reducing funding in those
areas it would look first to reduce or eliminate services deemed non-essential
and use a prudent portion of existing reserves to preserve essential
services in the short term,
- Encourage
County government to become more entrepreneurial and seek partnerships
with both public and private sector partners that allow the county to
leverage additional resources for funding essential services, and
- Develop a sustainable budget in the long term by looking beyond departmental cuts and focusing on policy and programmatic changes that would make a difference in the County’s overall costs of doing business.
We will continue to have widespread public input as we choose county priorities. Learn more about the county budget.
For more information on county issues, please visit my website, www.kingcounty.gov/hague.
Wishing you a sunny August,
Sincerely,
Jane Hague
Jane Hague,
Councilmember
King County Council, District Six