 Happy Halloween everyone! Please remember as you celebrate to do so responsibly. Watch out for the little trick-or-treaters in our neighborhoods and have fun!
|
 Did you know that Councilmember Largo Wales is also an educator and has been substitute teaching at Mount Baker Middle School since the school year started? She's teaching Home Economics and I had an opportunity to be her "guest chef" on Tuesday. We had so much fun with the kids, and I got to share a favorite (yet simple) recipe for Avgolemono Soup. Largo is a great teacher, and it's apparent how much she cares, and is dedicated to them.
Haley Parsons, a student from Kelly Jensen's Independent Living Class at Auburn Riverside High School invited us in to discuss resumes, job interviews, and to share a little bit about what it's like to be mayor (easy answer to that is that I love my job, and it's never the same day twice). There were some interesting questions and comments, and it made me feel confident that our future is in great hands with the kids I met!
 |
Governor Jay Inslee was in town on Tuesday to tour the Reddington Levy Setback project, and we were honored to join him along with Muckleshoot Indian Tribal Council Chair Virginia Cross, MIT Councilmember Louie Ungaro, Auburn Councilmember Bill Peloza, Sarah McCarthy, Senior Ecologist, King County River and Floodplain Management, and many others. Bill is the Vice Chair of Water Resource Inventory Area 9 (WRIA 9) and has been integral in work to enhance the salmon habitat in the WRIA 9 area. Bill is tireless in his efforts for conservation!
 Friday morning, we traveled to Mercer Island for a 9 a.m. Transportation Forum hosted by Sound Cities Association. That trip really brings to light the problems we have with our transportation in this region. There were 39 cities in attendance, and the issues were varied, but also similar. We need a stable funding source for our local arterial roads, good reliable transit, and a regional AND state funding package possibility. Auburn has consistently been supportive of Hwy 167 and SR509 improvements and completion. With the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle potentially merging, our infrastructure is critical to the success of our region. Auburn has a significant warehousing presence, and since the implementation of Streamline Sales Tax in 2008, we were considered a "loser" city. We have lost millions in revenue with the implementation.
 |
This week's visit was to Proflections Metal Polishing 131 30th St NE, #20A. The owner is Albert Malgarin II, and the workmanship in his shop is incredible! If you've ever seen the big W at the University of Washington Campus - Albert and team polished that! They do amazing finishing work for art pieces, architectural, marine, and automotive. I've seen up close some of the chrome work, and it's absolutely beautiful! Proflections is a small shop, and they are able to provide that unique custom support that larger companies aren't able to accommodate.
What do you think?
I think I'm safe to say that a majority of us agree that our roads need help! Are you supportive of a regional approach to transportation funding? Are you supportive of a statewide approach? What types of funding sources would you support? Let me know what you think!
If you'd like to see responses from previous questions, you can view that here.
|
