Mayor Ralph's Weekly Update

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Mayor's Update

June 7, 2024


Kent Comprehensive Plan


comp plan

Happy Friday, Kent!

We need your help to plan our city's future! Our planning team is looking for more community feedback for the ongoing Kent Comprehensive Plan update process.

New land use policies will influence how Kent grows over the next 20 years. In the past, residents like yourself have shared that they would like to be able to walk or roll to local businesses and amenities.

We've also heard about how important it is to residents to continue making downtown more vibrant with more activity, interesting things to do, places to shop, and community gathering spaces. Share your thoughts on land use with us here!

Dana Ralph, Kent Mayor


congrats grads

Congratulations to the exceptional Class of 2024! Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have paid off, and you should be immensely proud of your achievements.


Good luck to the ten Kent Parks Dolphin Swim Team athletes and 12 Track and Field athletes who will battle it out at the 2024 Special Olympics State Tournament.

Swimming events will take place at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way tomorrow from 8am-5pm. Track and Field athletes will compete in events tomorrow and Sunday at Pacific Lutheran University. We welcome you to come cheer on our athletes in their quest for gold!

adaptive rec

kent elementary

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with the 5th graders at Kent Elementary. The students had so many thoughtful questions, and we had some great discussions about local government.

Thank you for having me in your class!


There was a fantastic turn out at accesso ShoWare Center last weekend for International Fest! 

It's wonderful to celebrate the cultural diversity represented in the greater Kent community.

international festival

paw-fest

Paw-Fest 2024 at Kent Station with Regional Animal Services of King County and our partners was a huge success! The rain held off long enough for everyone to have a great time!


Earlier this week, there was an amazing STEM Signing at the Seahawks Training facility in Renton, celebrating 27 students who are committing to STEM pathways after high school!

Congratulations to Bahadir Keremoglu, a Kentridge graduate who plans to study engineering at University of Washington Bothell.

stem

Kent City Council 


The Kent City Council held multiple public meetings this week. Check out the recap on this week's meetings below. 

Council recap com of the whole

You can also see the full meeting agendas, minutes and livestream recordings here.


Recycling Event 


Summer Recycling Event

Tomorrow is our FREE recycling collection event that allows residents to dispose of recyclable items not typically accepted at the curb.

Instead of going to the landfill as trash, all collected items will be reused or recycled!
Here's the list of items accepted tomorrow!

📅 Tomorrow, June 8
⌚ 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
📍 Canyon Ridge Middle School 


Ladies’ Night Out at Kent Station is back!

Turn back the clock and celebrate a decade of memories at their 10th-anniversary 80s-themed party!
Grab your girlfriends, break out your leg warmers and brightest neon outfits, and enjoy wine samples, light bites, raffles, a costume contest, and so much more!
Proceeds benefit the Kent Youth & Family Services and Kent Station businesses.

📅 Thursday, June 13
⌚ 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.
📍 Kent Station 

ladies night out

PD Promotion

Last week, Chief Padilla promoted Ken Clay to Police Sergeant.

Sergeant Clay has worked for Kent PD for 16 years. Before KPD, he was a paid-on-call Fire Lieutenant for 8 years and a Rescue 1 member. While serving the Kent Community, he has been a Patrol Officer, CDU Team member, Explorer Advisor, EVOC Instructor, DT Instructor, Taser Instructor, Motor Officer, and Traffic Unit Collision Reconstructionist. He has also been an Acting Sergeant on his crews. Sergeant Clay has consistently pitched in to help lead and train Kent PD, making him an excellent and natural choice for a first-line supervisor. He is also known for almost always having a smile on his face.

Congratulations Sergeant Clay!


National Night Out 


NNO

National Night Out is August 6! 

National Night Out elevates the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Most importantly, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

It's time to start planning that neighborhood party! 

Kent PD's Community Education Unit will help you with the sign-up process. Let's give crime a going away party! 


Open Mic night

Join the Kent Historical Museum for a night of music, performance, and more.

The event is open to all artists at all levels.

Kent Open Mic will be held the 2nd Tuesday of the month through the month of August. 


We’re excited to announce that more movie nights are coming to Kherson Park this summer! Grab some blankets, pack up the family, and come on down for a movie under the stars. Sprawl out on the lawn and enjoy a FREE showing of new blockbuster hits! All movies will begin at dusk.

2024 Summer Movie Series:

Friday, August 9: The Boys in The Boat
Shown in partnership with the Greater Kent Historical Society.

Friday, September 6: IF

Summer movies

senior activity

The Kent Senior Activity Center hiking crew made the most of the rain on their visit to glorious Wallace Falls!

If you or someone you know wants to get active with the group at the Kent Senior Activity Center this summer, check out our available programs online! MyKentParks.com/Register

 


Our Parks team is in the early planning stages for the upcoming renovations at Uplands Playfields and is looking for community feedback on the future of this downtown park. As part of these renovations, we are planning for an extra special addition: a spray park! 

Voice your thoughts by filling out this survey,

uplands

Morrill Meadows Park 


morill meadows park

We are so excited to announce that Morrill Meadows Park has officially re-opened! 
Check out the expanded playground with improved ADA access and new swings, a brand-new nature play area, updated park furnishings, improved lawn space, and a permanent stage.

These renovations offer a beautiful, refreshed space for our community to gather and play outdoors. Bring your family to explore and experience this beautiful new space.

Mark your calendars for the Grand Opening celebration: Saturday, June 29. More information to come!


parks commission

 If you’re looking to get more involved and give back to the community, we want you to join the City of Kent Parks and Recreation Commission!

Starting this month, changes are being implemented to the operation of the Parks Commission to ensure that our commissioners are engaged and enjoy serving their term with us.

Moving forward, during each year of their term, Commissioners will be required to join us for an annual Parks tour, attend quarterly meetings to provide critical feedback and insight on our parks and recreation system, and immerse themselves in the Parks department at volunteerism activities.

Learn more and apply online at KentWA.gov/BoardsAndCommissions.


Kent Summer Concerts


summer concerts

The Kent Summer Concert Series kicks off July 10. We are so excited to bring you another season of FREE music and entertainment with Kent Station! Check out the line-up online now at KentWA.gov/SummerConcerts


Registration is open for the Cornucopia Days 5k!

This year's event will take place on Saturday, July 13 at Three Friends Fishing Hole with the race kicking off at 9 a.m. The deadline to sign up and order a shirt is June 14. 

corn days run

Springwood Park Closure


Springwood Park

Springwood Park closed earlier this week for a complete renovation of the park. Our Parks team is adding new amenities including a children’s play area with structures for kids from 2-12 years old, swings, a zip line, berm slide, and a cooling station for hot summer days, park shelter, multi-use sport court for basketball and futsal, an upgraded lawn area with new irrigation and drainage, and we'll be making improvements to the pathways and ADA connectivity. With this closure, access to the school bus stop onsite will not be affected.

We are looking forward to the new amenities when Springwood Park is estimated to re-open Spring of 2025.


We're excited to partner with Soos Creek Studio to bring you and your child a special Youth & Parent experience. This pottery class is open to kids age 8+ and their parent/guardian! No experience is required. All supplies are provided.

Classes are available on Mondays and Wednesdays, or Tuesdays and Thursdays in July and August. Program takes place at the Kent Memorial Park building (850 Central Ave N).

Register you and your child for this special class series today!

pottery

wastemobile

The King County Wastemobile is coming to Kent! It offers residents and eligible businesses a safe, convenient opportunity to dispose of household hazardous waste at no cost.

You can see the full schedule on their website.


Blood banks across the United States are reporting critical shortages, with donor levels lower now than they were before. Let's help patients in our community by making an appointment at the pop-up blood drive happening at Kent Station.

blood drive

Transportation Safety Plan


target zero

We are developing an action plan to improve transportation safety in Kent, working toward eliminating fatalities and serious injuries due to crashes.

Please take this brief survey to share your experience on city streets and areas you feel may be unsafe.


Summer Parks Guide 


Registration Open

Registration for Summer programming through Kent Parks is open!

From preschool classes and free summer concerts to youth sports and programs for adults aged 50 and older, there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

If you haven’t received a guide, browse a digital copy to check out upcoming events and all available programs.


We're hiring! Check out our featured jobs and find great opportunities on our hiring page at jobs.kentwa.gov

jobs of the month

RASKC

Get your furry friends licensed with Regional Animal Services of King County to help get them back to you if they're ever lost! 

Your license also helps fund RASKC's life-saving animal shelter work. They reunite lost pets 24/7 and provide shelter pet care 365 days a year.


Don't forget to check out the KentNOW podcast! Tracy, Josh and special guest Kevin talk to Ronda Billerbeck and Mark Hendrickson from our Kent Parks Department about the Cornucopia Days 5k and our summer concert series and Dave Heldt about the Kent Commons renovation. 

Listen to new and previous episodes on:
🔊 Apple Podcasts apple.co/3J2UMkd
🔊 Spotify spoti.fi/3GNCeli
🔊 Amazon Music amzn.to/3jjaOvU

kentnow

Translations A/文


translations

 

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