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December 10, 2025

Dear Kent Residents,

As we close out 2025, I’m proud to reflect on the meaningful progress we’ve made together as a community. This year, we advanced several key priorities to support a safer, stronger, and more connected Kent.

We approved budget adjustments centered on public safety, ensuring our police, first responders, and community programs have the resources needed to keep our neighborhoods safe. We also delivered major infrastructure improvements, including the long-awaited opening of 224th from 108th to Military Road, easing congestion and improving mobility for thousands of residents.

One of the most exciting milestones of the year was the opening of the Sound Transit Federal Way Link Extension. With the new Kent Des Moines Station, riders can now travel seamlessly by light rail all the way to Lynnwood. This expansion marks a historic step forward in regional connectivity and access to opportunity.

This month, we also held a heartfelt reception for Councilmember Brenda Fincher ahead of her final Council meeting. I am deeply grateful for her leadership, her steady mentorship, and the way she has consistently championed our residents with compassion and dedication. Her impact on Kent will be felt for years to come.

Beyond transportation and public safety, we continued investing in innovative city services, supporting our local businesses, and strengthening programs that uplift families, youth, and seniors. None of this progress would be possible without the dedication of our hardworking city staff, community partners, and all of you who participate, volunteer, and stay engaged.

As we enter 2026, I want to wish everyone a warm and joyful Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year. May this season bring peace, rest, and meaningful time with loved ones.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. I look forward to another year of working together to build a vibrant, welcoming, and resilient Kent for all.

Warm regards,

Satwinder Kaur
President, Kent City Council

Committee of the Whole

Operations

• Finance leadership presented the October 2025 Financial Report and Q3 2025 Investment Report.
• An ordinance consolidating budget adjustments for the second half of 2025 was sent to Council for authorization.

ECD

• An ordinance adding infrastructure improvement exemptions in the City Code to facilitate small-scale infill development was sent to Council for authorization.

Parks

• Two grants for the Uplands Playfield and Spray Park were sent to Council for acceptance.
• A transportation grant for the South 212th Street Preservation - 59th Place South to 72nd Avenue South Project was sent to Council for acceptance.

Public Safety

• An amendment to the "Stay Out of Drug Area" ordinance adding a new zone was sent to Council for adoption.
• A cooperative purchasing agreement to renew the City's Telestaff subscription was sent to Council for authorization.

Public Works

• A transportation grant for the South 212th Street Preservation - 59th Place South to 72nd Avenue South Project was sent to Council for acceptance.

Council Workshop

The Branch Executive from the Kent YMCA provided an update on the facility’s overall operations and its performance.

ECD staff gave an update on the City's permitting process.

Kent City Council

Public Recognitions

• Councilmember Brenda Fincher was recognized for her 12 years of service on the City Council.
• The December Employee of the Month was recognized.
• An appointment was confirmed to the Land Use and Planning Board.
• Torklift presented the total amount raised for the Kent Turkey Challenge (over $14,000 and over 7,000 food items) and recognized the top donors.

Public Safety Report

• Two police officers were sworn in.
• The end of year crime stats were presented and were compared to 2023's stats. Crime numbers were lower in all categories.
• Information was shared on Holiday DUI Patrols
• A recap of the Game of Life Conference held earlier this week for Kent teens was given.

Consent Calendar

• A contract amendment that extends Kent’s interlocal agreement with City of Maple Valley for municipal court services through 2026 was approved.
• Amendments for two conflict public defense services agreements were authorized and a new IT software subscription was approved
• A lease agreement for golf and maintenance carts for Riverbend Golf Complex was authorized.
• A goods and services agreements for the City's 2026 water treatment chemical supply was authorized.
• The following ordinances were adopted:
  • An ordinance adding infrastructure improvement exemptions in the City Code to facilitate small-scale infill development.
  • An ordinance adding infrastructure improvement exemptions in the City Code to facilitate small-scale infill development.
  • An ordinance to acquire property rights for widened lanes for the South 224th Street Corridor Project Phase III, from 99th Avenue South to 108th Avenue S.E.
  • and an amendment to the "Stay Out of Drug Area" ordinance adding a new zone.
• A resolution updating the reasonable and safe maximum speed limits on certain designated streets was adopted.
• Two grants for the Uplands Playfield and Spray Park were accepted.
• A transportation grant for the South 212th Street Preservation - 59th Place South to 72nd Avenue South Project was accepted.
• A cooperative purchasing agreement to renew the City's Telestaff subscription was authorized.

Councilmember Updates

The below information is provided by our councilmembers

Satwinder Kaur, Council President I had the opportunity to join the Sound Transit preview ride for the Federal Way Link Extension at the Kent Des Moines Station--a wonderful look at what expanded light-rail access will mean for our residents. I also attended the official station opening on Saturday, where the community gathered to celebrate this long-awaited investment in regional mobility. I enjoyed celebrating the season with our partners at the Kent Chamber holiday party at Farrington Court. I joined families from across the city for our annual Winterfest Parade--always one of my favorite events of the year. It was heartwarming to see so many kids and families enjoying the activities, treats, and tree lighting. A big thank-you to our Kent staff, the Kent Lions, and Kent Lutheran Church for helping make this event such a success.

We also came together for a special moment of gratitude as we celebrated Councilmember Fincher at her final council meeting. We are deeply thankful for her leadership, guidance, and steady mentorship over the years. She will be greatly missed on the dais, but her impact will continue to shape our work moving forward.

King county Domestic Violence Regional Taskforce Meeting

At our recent meeting, we received a Domestic Violence Initiative (DVI) presentation from Dawn, highlighting the critical work happening across King County. She shared updates on Purple Light Night in October and the accompanying proclamation. I am proud that Kent was recognized for its leadership and strong partnership in raising domestic violence awareness and supporting survivors. Thank you to all the organizations, advocates, and community members who continue to make this work possible.

Brenda Fincher SCA/DCHS Jurisdictional Training on Crisis Care Centers Listened to presentations on the where we are in the process for the centers. Good news is that we are nearing the end of reviewing and deciding who providers will be.  Public Works GIS Day is always the third Wednesday of November. Our GIS (Geographic Information System) team and liaisons hosted wonderful hands-on and easy to understand demonstrations of how GIS is used by many of the City's departments and is also customer facing in applications such as KentWorks and BuildKent. Would you like to know how many and which aerospace companies are in the KentValley? Through GIS you can see a map with that information. Looking for the closet Indian restaurant? It will show you that too. GIS is very helpful!

Sound Transit Light Rail

We attended the pre-opening and the opening rides last Wednesday and Saturday. All three stations (Kent-Des Moines, Starlake, and Federal Way) had booths and unique items. There was a beautiful ice sculpture of one of their trains. I took the opportunity to join in some of the activities and also to discuss youth issues and senior housing costs with Sen. Orwall.

Courts

Had the opportunity to sit in on a morning session of Review Hearings in our municipal court. I love our court programs. The programs they have such as DUI Court & Community Court are examples of how justice does not have to be cold, brutal, and devoid of compassion, yet people are held accountable for their actions. To my amazement, there was only one (1) no show that morning! ONE! AMAZING! The need for mental health services was clear. These services are not only needed for those you may think of who exhibit certain behaviors, but for many who are not incarcerated. Those who have court cases and are not in jail may need the services. Providers as well as funding can be barriers, and both appear to be in short supply. They have cases in which the court could possibly help with the costs, but finding the provider is the barrier.

On another day I had the opportunity to sit in on their Domestic Violence Moral Recognition Therapy Program. Wow! 90% of the individuals who go through this program do not come back on future DV charges. It’s quite a program. Their adapted model of the program helps offenders recognize their actions as abusive (DV is much more that physically hitting someone) and teaches techniques to deal with their triggers and red flags. The program is roughly 6 months dependent on the individual. Again, mental health services are needed as the individuals are encouraged to seek mental health service to help them with past trauma and other issues.

Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness

Much of the meeting was looking at potential program cuts and hearing about programs that had already or would be shutting down due to federal funding cuts. The Coalition is asking for letters to be written to legislators asking for funding, as people will be put back out on to the streets if the dollars are not replaced.

Arts Commission Meeting

As predicted, the Magical Strings 39^th Annual Celtic Yuletide Concert sold out. This fun and energetic Celtic evening is a great kick-off to the holiday season. It features music, dancing and fun by way of audience participation. 39 years is a lot of long time! Go to https://kentwa.gov/spotlightseries to see the other shows in the series and to buy tickets. I may see you at the Gaden performance.

Cultural Generations

The Journey Through Thailand did not disappoint. Again, our lodging tax dollars were well spent as Kent is one of the funders of this program along with 4Culture. Out of about 40 people, 2 of us were from Kent. These programs bring people into Kent to spend money in Kent stores and restaurants. Plus, Christina’s knowledge and presentation style is fantastic, and it’s all topped off by a wonderful meal. This was a sold-out program, and it sold out very quickly once announced.

Shop Small Saturday

I made sure to shop and support our local businesses. They have great gift ideas for that special gift. Help them out by shopping and help yourself by keeping your dollars in Kent! Here are photos from Altha’s, Bah’s, Moore Than Rocks, Sweet Themes, Alleluia and Running Stitch Fabrics.

Port of Seattle

I attended their event and had the opportunity to talk with Auburn and Port staff as well as one of the non-profits working on a solar project out here which includes other sustainable features.

Winterfest

Thank you, Kent Lions! This is such a fun parade followed by our annual tree lighting. The entire city council participated in the parade and most stayed for the tree lighting and to check out booths and grab snacks.

Zandria Michaud The holidays are quickly approaching, and City staff are working diligently to make spirits bright. From organizing our annual tree lighting to ensuring our vulnerable neighbors have a safe space in dangerous weather conditions, staff are providing needed support to our community. This December also brings a farewell to Councilmember Fincher. I wish her all the best as she finishes her third and final term as councilmember. I’ve appreciated her steadfast commitment to environmental and human service topics and will miss her kindness. I wish her all the best in her next chapter. Parks Subject Matter Chair Winterfest 2025 is in full swing. The annual tree lighting event and parade took place on Saturday at Town Square Plaza. Thank you to our Kent Parks staff and the Kent Lions for a wonderful event.

• Registration is still open for the Christmas Rush Fun Run 5K and 10K events that will be held on Saturday, December 13.

Human Services Commission

• The Human Services Commission agency spotlight for November included brief presentations from ANEW, Multi Service Center, Afghan Advantage, Ukrainian Community Center, and DAWN.
• Staff recapped the themes from the most recent Strategic Plan input session and provided 3^rd quarter agency reporting updates. All programs are meeting or exceeding performance measures, with a few exceptions, and staff are working closely with those organizations.
• The Commission also approved the 2026 CDBG Annual Action Plan.
• Staff from ECD and Human Services and Councilmember Fincher and I attended the Crisis Care Center (CCC) Training Lunch and Learn. The focus was on Jurisdictional Letters of Support and what would be required of cities who end up hosting a CCC. Upon site identification (or if an operator is selected without a site) a letter of support from each permitting jurisdiction in which a site component is physically located will be required. Proposals received for South King County are still being evaluated by DCHS leadership as they have final decision-making authority. Operators will be announced when a decision is made. Although the Human Services Manager served on the proposal rating committee the procurement is still considered open so limited details can be shared until that process is complete. (There were two proposals received for SKC and neither had identified a specific site in a city at the time of application.)
• Human Services is contracting with Urban League again this winter for Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) staffing at Holy Spirit Church. The SWS is activated during periods of severe weather to provide a safe overnight space for those who need it. Staff monitor weather and will attempt to activate when temperatures are expected to be below 32 degrees for 24+ hours, when there will be snow accumulation, or other life-threatening conditions (very cold overnight lows, wind chill, freezing rain, etc.) are anticipated. While staff make every effort to activate SWS when needed, occasionally activating is not possible if the space is not available or if staffing needs cannot be met. If that happens, we work closely with providers to spread the word and urge individuals to find other safe spaces.

Toni Troutner Serves on:  - Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority Governance Board (Chair)  - Regional Transit Committee  -  WRIA 9 Watershed Ecosystem Forum (Co-chair)

The Seattle Building Trades hosted their annual holiday party on Friday, December 5. It was great to mingle with members and thank them for their continued work and support in our community. The Seattle Building Trades had a huge impact on the Link Light Rail project. The project created new jobs and opportunities for hundreds of workers. I am grateful for their partnership with the City of Kent.

On Saturday, December 6, we celebrated Sound Transit and Link Light Rail coming to the Kent-Des Moines and Star Lake Stations. We have waited a long time for this. People can take the light rail from Kent to events in Seattle and Husky Stadium or discover stops as far up as Lynnwood. Congratulations Sound Transit and all the partners who worked over decades to make this happen.  Special thanks to Kelly Peterson from the City of Kent for your hard work and commitment to this amazing project.

Winterfest was a big success. Thank you, Kent Lions, for a great event. The tree in Town Square Plaza was lit on Saturday, December 6, following a fun parade. Even Santa was part of the fun. Be sure to visit Town Square Plaza in the evening to see all the festive lights.

The Game of Life is a leadership conference put on by the Kent Police Student Board. The annual conference was held on December 8 and 9. Over 200 students from the Kent School District attended. Students learn about topics facing young people today. If you have a student interested in being a part of the youth board, please visit https://www.kentwa.gov/departments/police-department/community-education and scroll to the bottom of the page. You can also contact community education coordinator Stacy Judd at (253) 856-5883 or sjudd@kentwa.gov for more information. 

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