Weekly Report – January 12, 2024

City Council Meeting Roundup

On Tuesday, January 9^th, the City Council had its regular monthly meeting. To help keep you informed, here are the meeting highlights:

• The Oath of Office was given by Honorable Laurel Gibson to our Councilmembers elected in the November 2023 election. Congratulations to Sheri Healey, Shawn McEvoy, Jack Lamanna, and Sue-Ann Hohimer.
• Councilmember Eric Zimmerman was appointed Mayor.
• Councilmember Sue-Ann Hohimer was appointed Deputy Mayor.
• The City Council accepted two grants that will assist in the development of a new park – Salmon View Park.
• Resident Moira Bradshaw was appointed as a StART representative. StART, or the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table, provides a forum that fosters candid discussions between the Port and the airport cities on issues related to the airport.
• A change order was approved for a sidewalk project on First Avenue. This project will install a new section of sidewalk on First Avenue between 174^th and 176^th This project should be completed by summer 2024.
• The City Council also approved the Regional Committee and City Council Committee appointments for 2024 and 2025. I have included more details below for those interested in the Regional Committees.

If you want to learn more about these items, I encourage you to watch the meeting recording.

City Council Regional Committees Assignments Approved

Every two years, the City Council makes its regional committee assignments. Regional committees are important to the city because they help us come together with our neighbors, find common ground, identify opportunities and challenges, advocate, and work for the benefit of the community. In many cases, the city has entered into an interlocal agreement that defines the committee’s scope.  I wanted to take this opportunity to give you more insight into each of these groups. Here are the regional committees that a member of the City Council serves on:

• Highline Forum – The Highline Forum provides Southwest King County municipalities, educational governing bodies, and the Port of Seattle an opportunity to come together, share information, and work in partnership on initiatives that benefit the residents of Southwest King County.
• Metro Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee (MSWMAC) – The MSWMAC advises the King County Executive, the Regional Policy Committee, and the King County Council in all matters relating to solid waste management.
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) – PSRC develops policies and coordinates regional growth, transportation, and economic development planning decisions within King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties. PSRC has nearly 100 members, including the four counties, cities and towns, ports, state and local transportation agencies, and Tribal governments within the region.
• Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee (SCA PIC) – The Sound Cities Association (SCA) is a regional committee comprising of 38 cities here in King County. The SCA Public Issues Committee (PIC) was established as a standing committee by SCA to review and evaluate policy positions and recommend to the Board what, if any, action should be taken on such policy positions.
• South King County Transportation Board (SCATBd) – This group was initially formed in the late 1980s to identify and promote transportation improvements in South King County. Originally consisting of four member cities and King County, this formation expanded in 1992 to include 14 cities. Since 1992, SCATBd has provided valuable input to the development of the King County Metro Transit Six-Year Plan and elements of the Regional Transit Authority.
• South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKKHHP) – SKHHP is a joint board formed by an interlocal agreement between the jurisdictions of Auburn, Burien, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, Tukwila, and King County. Through SKHHP, South King County jurisdictions can take a coordinated and comprehensive approach to increasing housing stability and producing and preserving quality affordable housing in South King County.
• Soundside Alliance – The Soundside Alliance for Economic Development is a partnership of five Seattle area cities (Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila), the Port of Seattle, Highline College, and the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce. As a collective, the group works to promote Southwest King County as a singular destination for businesses of all shapes and sizes for economic growth and prosperity.
• Water Resource Inventory Area 9 (WRIA 9) – Seventeen local jurisdictions in the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed or Water Resource Inventory Area 9 (WRIA 9) are partnering through an Interlocal Agreement to coordinate the implementation of the Salmon Habitat Plan(WRIA 9 Plan).
• K4C – King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, or the K4C, is a partnership of local governments of all sizes working together to accelerate climate action. Knowledge, resources, and advocacy power are combined to shape policy and programs that cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions to our region.
• Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) – The CFAC is a Highline School District Committee that develops recommendations for a long-term capital facilities plan. The CFAC will study facilities’ needs, review data, and develop a plan designed to meet the needs of students over the next 20 years.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with me at aarrington@normandyparkwa.gov. Have a great week!

“Every two years, the City Council makes its regional committee assignments. Regional committees are important to the city because they help us come together with our neighbors…”