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 Happy Friday, Kent!
On Thursday, January 9, 2025, the City of Kent reached a formal settlement with the owners and property management company of the Phoenix Court Apartments, following a lawsuit filed by the City that had alleged that the apartment complex was maintaining a public and chronic criminal nuisance.
Prior to the City filing its lawsuit in the summer of 2023, the city urged, for nearly a year, that the owners and management company take measures to improve the safety of the complex due to criminal and nuisance activity that was negatively impacting other residents of the apartment complex and the surrounding community.
With insufficient progress being made and violent, criminal activity trending upwards, the city filed its lawsuit in King County Superior Court on August 15, 2023.
After the lawsuit was filed, the owners and managers of the apartment complex implemented security features and made other positive changes at the property, which have resulted in significantly reduced criminal and nuisance activities.
The settlement reached between the City and the owners and managers of the Phoenix Court Apartments requires that these security features be maintained and that additional measures be implemented to prevent a public or criminal nuisance from reoccurring on the property.
If such nuisance activity were to reoccur, the owners and managers agreed to take immediate action to abate that nuisance activity.
With this settlement and the signing of an agreement to implement its terms, the City of Kent filed a motion to dismiss its lawsuit, which was granted by the Court on Friday, January 24.
The City of Kent acknowledges and is appreciative of the efforts taken by the owners and managers of the Phoenix Court Apartments to improve the property’s condition and for their commitment to continue those efforts, which represents a positive step forward toward resolving this issue and improving public safety in the Kent community.
I hope you find the rest of this week's update informative and have a great weekend!
Dana Ralph, Kent Mayor
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We hope you will join us for the State of the City address Thursday, March 20 at Kent-Meridian High School. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. address starts at 7 p.m.
We have so much to celebrate, and I'm looking forward to sharing stories of our success, what we've accomplished, and what's on the horizon.
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Happy Lunar New Year! This is one of the most important celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese (Chūnjié), Vietnamese (Tết) and Korean (Seollal) communities.
May the new year bring you new possibilities, new horizons, and new joy!
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Did you know that Manufacturing companies in the Kent Valley produce about $31,500,000,000 in economic output for the region each year?
By economic output, what I mean is that direct investments in Kent Valley industries triggers successive rounds of spending that results in an overall increase in employment, labor income and value added to the local, regional and state economy.
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Another impressive figure: the Transportation and Warehousing sector in the Kent Valley produce about $10,800,000,000 in economic output for the region.
Supporting Kent Valley industries drives economic success! More spending creates more jobs, higher wages, and is beneficial for surrounding cities, businesses and residents.
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Businesses in Wholesale Trade in the Kent Valley generate also around $15,000,000,000 annually of economic output for the region.
These are some really big numbers, and you may be wondering why I'm sharing them. Well, it's because the City of Kent is a major contributor to the Kent Valley industrial center, and for several years now, the City of Kent hasn't been getting the sales tax revenue we need from all of this economic activity.
To keep things running smoothly, there needs to be enough money from sales taxes which can support things like local infrastructure, safety, and environmental initiatives.
Without it, cities might not want to zone for these businesses, which could slow down growth for the whole area. I'll have more to share on this in the coming weekly updates and on social media, so stay tuned to learn more and what we're doing about it.
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Last night, I attended "Talent Quest" hosted by Allegro Performing Arts Academy.
The night featured incredible local talent—from vocal and dance performances to banjo, opera, and even comedy all in support of the Kent Community Foundation.
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Sunday night, we had a fabulous evening celebrating the 76th Republic Day for India with the Consulate General Of India, Seattle.
The evening included a celebration of all the work Consul General Gupta and his team have done over the last year as well as beautiful traditional dance, a performance from the Indian Idol and great dinner.
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We are now booking Spring and Summer dates for Drinks in the Driveway!
Our program brings city leaders to neighborhood councils/associations to discuss resident issues.
If you want to get on the list, sign up at bit.ly/3VLfKsh.
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Last week, I joined 50 mayors from across Washington State at the Association of Washington Cities Mayors Exchange in Olympia.
It was a great opportunity to connect with everyone and talk about the issues that matter most to our communities.
We heard from Monica Alexander, Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Training Commission, about their important work to train and certify law enforcement officers across the state. Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins also shared an update on the state’s $12 billion budget deficit and the tough decisions ahead regarding spending and revenue.
I always enjoy the time spent with my South King County colleagues—Mayor Backus (Auburn), Mayor McLeod (Tukwila), Mayor Linnell (Algona), and Mayor Cave (Pacific).
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The overnight Kent Severe Weather Shelter will be open February 3 at 9 p.m. and operate nightly through Friday, February 7.
📍 Kent Holy Spirit Church (318 3rd Ave S)
📞 253-859-0444
- Shelter will open at 9 p.m.
- Check-in from 9-10 p.m. is preferred
- Doors will close once capacity is reached
- Guests must stay in their assigned locations
- No re-entry upon exit
- Bottled water and pre-packaged snacks will be available
- Guests must vacate the shelter by 7 a.m. each morning
For a list of other daytime public spaces, visit kcrha.org/resources/severe-weather-shelter
For more information, email Kent Human Services at HumanServices@KentWA.gov.
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This week, Chief Padilla and I addressed concerns around federal immigration enforcement. Our mission remains clear: to protect and serve everyone in our community, including undocumented immigrants.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Immigration status will not be asked except in very limited circumstances.
- Our assistance to federal agencies like ICE is focused on criminal offenses, not immigration status.
- No one should hesitate to call 911, especially victims of crime, due to their immigration status.
We will always work within the law to keep Kent safe and ensure violent criminals are held accountable. Watch our full discussion here.
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 I wanted to invite you to join us at Maggie's on Meeker for another Coffee and Conversations. Bring your questions, concerns, or compliments!
📅 Tuesday, February 11
🕖 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
📍 307 W. Meeker St.
Celebrate love this Valentine’s Day, or anytime throughout the year with an unforgettable evening at Kent Station.
All packages include gift cards to participating vendors, so you can enjoy date night anytime throughout the year if Valentine's Day doesn't work for you!
For more information and to get your tickets, click here!
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The Cider and Ale Trail is back with some of the best cideries, breweries and distilleries for a fantastic night of tasting, live music, dining and shopping in historic downtown Kent.
📅 Friday, March 7
⌚ 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
📍 Historic Downtown Kent
Get your tickets now!
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Catch the action tonight when the T-Birds take on the Vancouver Giants at 7 p.m. and the Medicine Hat Tigers at 6 p.m. on Saturday at accesso ShoWare Center!
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Our Kent Police Community Education Unit just published their January 2025 newsletter.
If you would like to learn about crime statistics, crime prevention tips, Kent PD programs, projects, and upcoming events, click on this link to be taken to the PDF version.
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Congratulations to our January 2025 Employee of the Month, Assistant City Attorney Logan Todd!
Logan was hired in 2022 as our Assistant City Attorney. His primary responsibilities are to assist the City Attorney by providing a variety of professional legal services to Mayor Ralph, the Chief Administrative Officer, City Council, City Administration, City staff, appointed boards, committees, and taskforces.
Logan was nominated because he exemplifies the qualities of a dedicated, hardworking, and highly professional team member who goes above and beyond in every aspect of his role. Logan consistently manages a demanding and diverse workload with remarkable grace and efficiency.
From handling complex legal matters to navigating routine tasks, he approaches everything with the same level of diligence, ensuring that no detail is overlooked.
One of Logan's most significant contributions is his ongoing commitment to providing contracts training to city staff. He delivers this training in a clear, concise, and approachable manner, ensuring that the information is accessible and useful to all participants. His ability to break down complex legal concepts and make them relatable has earned him consistent praise from clients and colleagues.
In every way, Logan embodies the qualities of a true team player. His tireless work ethic, professionalism, and positive attitude have made a lasting impact on the law department and our city.
Logan continuously embraces our values, and we celebrate him as January’s Employee of the Month. Thank you and congratulations, Logan!
Registration is now open for the 2025 Spring Community Police Academy! The Community
Police Academy will be held on Tuesday nights beginning April 1 and will run through June 3.
The 10-week course offers a look into policing topics that include investigations, patrol, use of force, K9, SWAT, traffic, forensics, and many other informative sessions to help you understand why we do what we do! Attendance at all but two of the sessions is required to qualify for a four-hour police ride-along. Space is limited and registration is first come, first served. A background check is required. Click here to sign up!
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Applications are now being accepted for the city's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Board!
The goal of the board is to increase engagement, integration, and access to city services for all cultural communities in Kent.
You can learn about the city's work in these areas and the Equity Strategic Plan at KentWA.gov/Race-Equity and apply to be on the board here!
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Kent Parks and Recreation |
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Our Parks team needs your input on the Campus Park Redevelopment project.
Fill out the online survey now at EngageKentParks.com
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Indoor Park is back at the Kent Commons Community Center! On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 9:30-11am, drop by with your little one to experience a traditional playground brought indoors!
No registration is required. Open to all kids 10 months to 4.5 years old. Cost is $2 per visit for the first child and $1 for each additional child. Come by and PLAY!
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Join our Parks team as a certified lifeguard at Lake Meridian Park this summer!
Requirements:
American Red Cross Advanced Lifesaving or Lifeguard Training Certificate, Red Cross standard First Aid certificate, and CPR for the Professional Rescuer certifications.
Apply today at MyKentParks.com/Jobs!
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 Kent 101 is our fun and interactive 8-week civics course that deepens your understanding of local government and how it all works.
This program is perfect for high school students looking for career inspiration, college students who need more experience before joining the work force, working adults who want to have a stronger understanding about government work, or retirees looking to be more involved in their community. Deadline to sign up is February 7.
Learn more and apply on our website at KentWA.gov/Kent101!
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Have you ever been curious about what’s being built in your neighborhood or around the city? Check out BuildKentWA.com!
It's a great way for you to find information about new projects that are under construction and coming soon.
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We’re thrilled to launch Sidewalk Sessions—a brand-new way for our Public Works team and me to connect with you directly in your neighborhood!
Public Works is the backbone of our community. From smooth roads and safe sidewalks to reliable utilities, their work keeps Kent running strong. Through Sidewalk Sessions, we’ll visit neighborhoods across the city to share updates, answer your questions, and hear what’s important to you.
This is your chance to learn more about the incredible work happening behind the scenes to maintain and improve Kent’s infrastructure—and how it all impacts your daily life.
Sign up to bring Sidewalk Sessions to your neighborhood!
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 Join Tracy, Josh and Kyle as they update you on the important, fun, and interesting things happening in the City of Kent!
This week on the pod, the team talks to IT Deputy Director James Endicott and Technology Innovation Manager Somen Palit about data privacy. Don't miss the latest in city business and find out what's happening in Kent this weekend!
Listen now on:
🔊 Apple Podcasts apple.co/3J2UMkd
🔊 Spotify spoti.fi/3GNCeli
🔊 Amazon Music amzn.to/3jjaOvU
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 Our next Spotlight Series performance, International Guitar Night, is next Friday, February 7 and tickets are selling fast!
IGN is North America’s premier traveling guitar festival, bringing together the world’s foremost acoustic guitarists, and they’re coming back to our stage here in Kent as they celebrate their 25th year on tour! Learn more about the performers and the show (and get your tickets!)
Get your tickets for the 2025 Spotlight Series now
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