Mayor Ralph's Weekly Update

Happy Friday Kent,

It's been another busy week, and as always I have plenty to share with you!

Before we get into things, I did want to highlight an article that came out this week. According to recently released results from the 2020 Census, Kent is among the 10 fastest-growing cities in the country!

We know Kent is growing fast, and we've been doing the important work of planning for our growth with our Economic and Community Development team and partners.

We're going to continue making substantial investments into our infrastructure, housing and transit options to accommodate this growth and ensure Kent is a great place to live and work for everyone.

I know how important our infrastructure is to sustain our community, and I want to let you know that we've been planning for it and are making headway.

I hope you enjoy this week's update and have a fabulous weekend.

Dana Ralph, Mayor

Despite the impacts of the pandemic, Kent Station has reached its highest retail occupancy since opening in 2005! This is a huge achievement and shows the strength of our downtown core as it continues to grow and evolve.

Earlier this week I stopped by LeeLee's Sharing Pantry on East Hill, which receives donations and is run by volunteers from around the community. The pantry is an incredible food sharing program that helps support many families, and they're currently doing a backpack drive!

Puget Sound Fire Ladder 74

I had the honor of starting off my week with Puget Sound Fire at their new apparatus dedication, celebrating the arrival of Ladder 74!

I was joined by Council President Toni Troutner, who serves as the Chair of the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority Governance Board.

These traditions and ceremonies underscore the gravity of public service, and I'm grateful for the tireless work our firefighters do for the region.

It was a great dedication and I'm glad our fire department has a new vehicle at their disposal to help respond to emergencies and keep Kent families safe. 

West Fenwick Park Ribbon Cutting

Earlier this week we celebrated the Grand Opening of West Fenwick Park!  It was a day that marked over a decade of planning, and we were thrilled to cut the ribbon and officially mark it as open!

I was joined by Council President Troutner, Councilmembers Michaud, Fincher, Thomas and Kaur, Park Commission Co-Chairs Scott Taylor and Richard Minutoli, numerous partners who helped make this project possible, and dozens of residents from the Kent community - it truly was a grand way to celebrate! 

Since the gates came down in June, West Fenwick Park has quickly become the "place to be" - our hope is that this park becomes an iconic feature of our city and a popular destination for both locals and visitors for many years to come. If you haven't already, get out and experience this incredible new park!

Kent City Council Update

The Kent City Council met for their biweekly Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday. Here's the recap and as always, you can view previous meeting agendas, minutes and livestreams on our website.

• Authorization of Kent School District Police Services Agreement
  • Providing a school safety liaison and two school resource officers for Kent School District.
• Ordinance 4410; Amending KCC Chapter 15 for Zoning Consistent with House Bill 1220
  • Zoning allowance for indoor emergency shelters, permanent supportive and transitional housing.
• June Financial Report & Consolidating Budget Adjustments, Ratifying Contracts
  • Procedural budget adjustments, financial overview of fund balances, revenue and expenditures.
• Ratifying the Water Resource Inventory Area 9 Salmon Habitat Plan
  • Updating the WRIA 9 plan intent on sustainability, salmon recovery, flood hazard reduction and more.
• Acceptance of Grant Funding
  • State funds for pedestrian and bicycle safety, Federal funds for Meeker Street bridge deck repair and painting.

Job Fair & Hiring Event

accesso ShoWare Center will be hosting a Job Fair & Hiring Event this coming Wednesday, August 18 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Over 30 businesses will be attending and this could be a great opportunity if you're currently looking for work.

Please note that the accesso ShoWare Center is requiring all attendees, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face masks while inside the venue for this event. 

Police Legislative Update Event

Chief Padilla and I will be at the Kent Senior Center on Monday, August 16 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for a town-hall style event.

We'll be sharing information and answering question about the new state legislation impacting our police department which was passed during the 2021 Legislative Session.

The event is open to the public and if you have questions or want to learn more about the new laws and how they are affecting our department, come on by.

Convos with the Mayor

I'll be at the Lake Meridian Park Pavilion on Wednesday, August 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to host a public, town-hall style community conversation and I would love for you to join me!

I wanted to provide another opportunity for anyone to come chat with me about topics they may be interested in and ask any questions they may have.

I'm looking forward to answering questions and having some good conversations about what the city is working on, hope to see you there.

Cruisin' Kent Car Show

Just want to remind you that the Cruisin' Kent Car Show at Kent Station is just around the corner!

Head over next Sunday, August 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to check out the cars, vendor booths, live music, souvenirs and prizes.

You can still register your car for the event on the Kent Station website—there's a bunch of different awards categories that you could win a prize for.

After the car show, the Relay for Life Ceremony and Celebration benefitting the American Cancer Society will begin in the plaza at 2:00 p.m. and go until 3:00 p.m.

Get more details online at the Kent Station website!

Riverbend is Open!

If you're a golfer, I've got some good news!

The Riverbend Golf Complex driving range facility is now open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during this final phase of construction. So come grab a bucket of balls, see what's new and get your practice swing on!

Kent Downtown Open Air Dining

The Inside OUT Saturday street market is back tomorrow with over 30 artists and makers with hand crafted arts and one of kind products over on 1st Ave! 

The Saturday street market is pedestrian-only, with streets filled with booths, demonstrations and music.

Restaurants and retail shops will use indoor, on-street, and sidewalks for outdoor commerce. Come out and xxplore Kent’s historic district and the surrounding downtown areas with unique shops, fantastic food and funky vibe! 

The Kent Market

The Kent Market was a huge hit yet again this week and is back for two more days, Wednesday, August 18 and August 25 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. over at Kent Station! 

Also, our Kent Summer Concerts are coming to an end soon with our last concert happening on August 18 during the Kent Market. Don't miss it!

Fall Litter Cleanup

Our Fall Litter Cleanup event is coming up on Saturday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (rain or shine)!

Each spring and fall, the City of Kent hosts TeamUp2CleanUp, an event where community members work to help clean up and beautify Kent as individuals or in teams at various locations around the city.

These will be the check-in locations this year →

• East Hill: Golden Steer Restaurant
• Downtown Kent: Kherson Park
• West Hill: West Hill Marketplace

We provide garbage bags, garbage disposal, safety vests and litter grabbers as long as supplies last. This is a great opportunity to earn school-required community service hours, but please note that we cannot sign off on court-ordered community service.

Closed toed shoes and gloves are recommended. For more information and to register, head over to our website!

Kent Housing Options Plan

As Kent continues to grow, we're making sure we have housing options for everyone who wants to call Kent home.

Our Housing Options Plan, which was recently passed by the Kent City Council, provides an evaluation of our housing stock and strategies to keep us moving in the right direction.

Kent is unique, home to people from around the world and has a booming population looking for housing of all types, and this plan identifies how we can ensure we have housing options for everyone. 

Take a look at the full plan on our website!

Vax Up, Kent!

As a reminder, Kent's vaccination clinic has moved from the accesso ShoWare Center to the Kent Public Health Center, which is located near the Kent East Hill Shopping Center at 25742 104th Avenue SE in Kent.

The clinic is open for vaccinations Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

You do not need to be an enrolled patient at the Kent Public Health clinic to get vaccinated, and anyone 12 or older can get vaccinated for free, with no insurance or appointment needed, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

Eviction Prevention Rental Assistance

The Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program (EPRAP), which helps people experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 and who are at risk of housing instability or homelessness, is still going. 

Working with community-based organizations, King County will be distributing federal funds for need-based rental assistance to tenants in the county.

This grant is intended to prevent evictions by paying past due and future rent. They will distribute funds equitably and will target limited resources to those with the greatest needs.

An “eligible household” is defined as a renter household where at least one or more individuals meets the following criteria:

• Residence within the King County geographical area
• A lease; or proof of regular recurring rent payments
• Household income at or below 50% of Area Median Income; households can use 2020 income or current income to prove eligibility

Learn more on their website.