Mayor Ralph's Weekly Update

Happy Friday Kent,

With another week in the books, things are as busy as ever over at Kent City Hall. We've got lots going on, and I have a bunch of different programs, opportunities and news to share with you this week.

I've been receiving questions about our American Rescue Plan Act funding lately, so I wanted to remind everyone that we are allocating those funds during our budget adjustment process which is currently ongoing.

We are receiving requests from our departments and meeting internally to decide how best to allocate this federal funding to support our community, and we'll have more information to share on that next month.

As always, I hope you enjoy this week's update and have a great weekend!

Dana Ralph, Mayor

Kent in the News

El Piketon in Kent was mentioned in SeattlePi! "El Piketon opened in Kent not long before the pandemic began, this spot immediately began luring people in with the fabulous scent of the meats the barbecued in front of the restaurant and the music coming from within."

On the heels of celebrating 60 years of racing, Kent’s Pacific Raceways officially broke ground on its expansion plans! "This transition redefines the infrastructure to include a test bed for transportation industry innovation."

Welcome Back to School! 

I wanted to wish our Kent School District students a happy back to school! It's no secret that schooling has been difficult for everyone during the pandemic, but I know that our kids are eager to get back in the classroom, see their friends and learn. 

I also want to thank our teachers and educators, support and administrative staff, and everyone who works to help empower our students and keep them on the right track.

I've talked to many educators who have shared what the last year has been like, and I deeply respect their tireless work and efforts and I am so thankful to them.

For the last few weeks, we've been collecting school supplies through our City of Kent employee-run back to school supply drive. We were able to deliver all of those items to the administrative staff at Kent Meridian High School! We know these supplies will find good homes and we're excited for the new school year.

I made it over to Kent Station to help out with their Fill the Bus supply drive on Wednesday, which was collecting items for students that are back in the classroom. Great to see Rotary and Kiwanis represented and friends from the Kent School District!

Helping our Afghan Allies

You may have seen my statement last week about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, but if you haven't yet, I've included it here  →

"The City of Kent remains committed to our refugee and immigrant communities and is prepared to welcome Afghan refugees arriving in the region.

These brave families are in a desperate time of need, fleeing their country while fearful for their lives and grasping for hope.

Now is the time for immediate action. They’re depending on us to provide support and we cannot let them down. Our diversity is our greatest strength, and I know that our community is prepared to welcome refugees and support them in every way we can."

We've partnered with Q13 and World Relief Seattle to accept donations at Kent City Hall for Afghan refugees being resettled in our region. 

Today is the last day you can drop off *new* items at city hall, including things like welcome kits, bed/bath and kitchen kits, gift cards and more.

There are also other ways you can help →

• You can become a host home volunteer, donate hotel stays or rent a family long-term. Email infoseattle@wr.org for more info.
• You can also mail gift cards for places like Amazon, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Target and others to World Relief Seattle’s office at 23825 Pacific Hwy S, Suite 100, Kent WA 98032.
• Lastly, you can become a financial partner by donating directly at worldrelief.org/seattle, which will help support casework, immigration and legal services and volunteer mobilization.

COVID-19 Reminder

On Wednesday, August 18, the Washington State Secretary of Health amended Order 20-03 requiring face masks for everyone over five years of age in most public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status.

These include places like grocery stores, malls, gyms, and community centers. Masks are strongly recommended in crowded outdoor settings like sporting events, fairs, and concerts where physical distancing is not possible. The updated order goes into effect on Monday, August 23.

Additionally, all state employees in Washington, as well as all staff in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID by October 18.

K-12 educators, staff, coaches, bus drivers, volunteers and others working in school facilities will have until October 18 to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment.

This includes public, private and charter schools. This does not impact students, regardless of age.

As a reminder, Kent's vaccination clinic is at 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.

Kent City Council Update

The Kent City Council met Tuesday for their last Committee of the Whole meeting. The council recently re-established four standing committees which will meet on a monthly basis moving forward.

• Economic & Community Development 
  • Meets at 4 p.m. on the 2nd Monday of the month
• Operations & Public Safety
  • Meets at 4 p.m. on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month
• Parks & Human Services
  • Meets at 4 p.m. on the 4th Monday of the month
• Public Works
  • Meets at 4 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month

Here's the recap from Tuesdays meeting. As always, you can view previous meeting agendas, minutes and livestreams on our website.

• Update on Race & Equity Strategic Plan
  • Overview of performance measures, community engagement and feedback, funding
• ARPA Funding Request for Small Business FLEX Fund
  • Assists small businesses with accessing capital, connects owners with business assistance
• Authorization for Interagency Agreement with Washington Traffic Safety Commission
  • 2021-2022 Walker/Roller Safety Program for Pacific Highway South
• Authorizations for Uses of Funds, Contracts, Leases, Grants, Consultant Services
  • Use of ShoWare Center Operating Fund Balance for Capital Repair and Replacement
  • Contract with Chet’s Roofing & Construction for Roof Replacement of Kent Police Station
  • First Addendum to Lease with Half Lion Public House, LLC at Riverbend Golf Complex
  • Supplemental Parks Property Levy Agreement
  • RCO Grant Resolution for Downey Side Channel Restoration Project

Convos with the Mayor Recap

Earlier this week I was over at Lake Meridian Park for our Convos with the Mayor event to meet with anyone who wanted to ask questions or share their thoughts.

We had some productive and important conversations—I always enjoy being able to meet people, hear directly from them and share what we're working on at city hall.

Stay tuned to our social media for announcements on more events like these!

(2) Mini Recycling Events

We've got another Mini Recycling Event happening today and another one coming up next Friday!

Head over to Kent United Methodist Church from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today to recycle your electronics, documents for shredding, mattresses, textiles and clothing and batteries! 

Disposing of your recyclable items has never been easier. Just show up with your recyclables and we'll take care of the rest for free. 

Our September 3rd event will be at Glenn Nelson Park from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and our team will be accepting electronics, documents for shredding, textiles and clothing.

Engage Kent Parks

Our Parks Department has launched a new online engagement platform, Engage Kent Parks!

Engage Kent Parks is  where you can check out what Parks projects we're currently working on and how you can get involved. Resident feedback is essential to our success and EngageKentParks.com is a place where you can tell us what you want to see in our park renovation projects and planning efforts!

Have you checked out the new Fall 2021 Recreation Guide? Registration for all Kent Parks programs and classes must be completed via Phone, Mail, Fax, or In-Person until further notice. In-Person registration can be completed at the Kent Commons Community Center, Mon - Fri from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or Kent Senior Activity Center, Mon - Fri from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is the first registration cycle we've had since February/March of 2020!

Kent 101 Fall Session

Kent 101 is returning for a Fall Session and will be back in person! This program is a civics class that offers opportunities to better understand how your local government works and how you can be a part of it.

• Actively involves and engages Kent residents to help them understand how City government works.
• Improves communication with the City and those who live, work or go to school here.
• Provides insight into how decisions are made, how our finances are managed and how our departments operate.
• Empowers more residents and businesses to become engaged with local government and involved in making decisions that affect and improve Kent for everyone.

The Kent 101 application is now open through September 6. If you would like to join the upcoming class of emerging leaders, apply today!

Kent Downtown Open Air Dining

The Inside OUT Saturday street market is back tomorrow with 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 explore Kent’s historic district and the surrounding downtown areas with unique shops, fantastic food and funky vibe! 

Fall Litter Cleanup

Our Fall Litter Cleanup event is coming up on Saturday, September 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 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!

Community Police Academy

Have you ever wanted to know more about the how the Kent Police Department operates? Or what the different units within the department do? Meet our officers, even one of our K9s? This might be your chance!

The Fall Community Police Academy Session will begin on Wednesday, October 6th and run through Wednesday, December 8th. It will be held in person at the Kent Police/Fire Training Center on the East Hill of Kent from 6:30-9:00pm each week.

For more information and to apply, visit our website!