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January 21, 2026

Dear Kent Residents,

As Council President, I am pleased to welcome Councilmember Shoker to the City Council. She was officially sworn in at our most recent council meeting alongside Councilmember Troutner and myself. We look forward to working together in service to our community.

I also want to extend my sincere thanks to our Public Works team and all city departments for their outstanding efforts during the recent flooding events. Their swift response and coordination helped protect residents and infrastructure during challenging conditions.

If you are looking for ways to get involved and serve our community, many of our boards and commissions currently have openings, and we encourage residents to consider applying.

Looking ahead to 2026, the Council remains committed to serving our community. Our priorities will focus on public safety, affordability, and building a livable city we are all proud of. We welcome your input and encourage you to reach out to the City Council at citycouncil@kentwa.gov.

Thank you!

Satwinder Kaur
President, Kent City Council

Committee of the Whole

ECD

• The Long-Range Planning team presented a recap of the prior phases of the ReCode Kent project and outline the anticipated focus of ReCode Kent Phase 2 and 3.

Public Works

• The acceptance of funds for the 76th Avenue South Large Storm Pipe Maintenance Project was sent to Council for approval.

Council Workshop

Department directors presented information on the City’s response to the recent flood event. The presentation covered the timeline of flooding events, City Public Works crews' response and cleanup, staff work at the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), flood recovery and available recovery resources, and more.

Kent City Council

Public Recognitions

• An appointment to the Kent Arts Commission and a reappointment to the Land Use and Planning Board were confirmed.

Public Safety Report

• Two police officers were sworn in.

Economic & Community Development Report

• The Economic Development Manager gave a presentation highlighting recent developments in Kent, the national changing nature of retail stores, statistics and analysis on properties and investment possibilities, and information on aerospace businesses in Kent.

Consent Calendar

• The signing of the 2026-2031 Parks Levy Agreement with King County and the acceptance of tax levy funds from them, including to acquire the "King County Roads Property” at Clark Lake Park, were authorized.
• The Acceptance of grants for both the Southeast 248th Street and 116th Avenue Southeast Roundabout Project and the South Reith Road Sidewalk Project were approved.
• A Water Quality Stormwater Capacity Grant was accepted.
• Consultant agreements for two projects--one for street paving on South 212th Street and one for the South 218th Street/98th Avenue South from 94th Place South to South 216th Street Project--were authorized.
• A change order for the SR 167 Median Drainage @ S 224th Street Project was authorized.

Councilmember Updates

The below information is provided by our councilmembers

John Boyd Good afternoon, Kent residents, I would like to say Monday was MLK day. Martin Luther King Junior Day, an official federal holiday, was signed into law in 1983 but wasn't observed until 1986. This holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of each year to honor Doctor King's birthday and legacy. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) was best known as the most influential leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, famed for his powerful oratory, courage, and unwavering commitment to achieving racial equality through nonviolent civil disobedience, leading major protests like the March on Washington and Montgomery Bus Boycott, and advocating for legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Also, as of the 1st of this year, 2026, I’ve been added to two other committees: one is the Advisory Council on Aging and Disability Services (ADS) and the other as a Council liaison for the Kent Parks Arts Commission.

On January 9, 2026, I attended my first Advisory Council on Aging and Disability Services (ADS). We talked about several items, including a report from committees to discussing action items. We also talked about race and social justice programs. As of right now, we don't have the minutes, but when I do receive them I will make sure I'll convey that message to you all.

Kent Arts Commission

At our January 14 meeting, we had guest speakers from Sound Transit: Kurt Kiefer, Sarah Kavage, and Charan. The discussion was of a mural project for the visually impaired. This project will start at the Kent Des Moines light rail station. The mural project would consist of combining stone, marble, granite, metals, cement, rubber, and clay into an artistic scenery where the visually impaired can touch and feel. For right now, this project will be starting at the Kent Des Moines station.

Performing Arts Committee A. Spotlight Series: 2025-2026 Season Update, there will be an International Guitar Night January 30th, where tickets are already sold out.

On January 20, I was in downtown Seattle at my first Local Hazardous Waste Management Program Management (LHWMP) meeting of 2026, yet I have no report at the time of this Newsletter update.

Zandria Michaud Parks Subject Matter Chair Thank you to the more than 60 participants who came out to Springwood Park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon for the artwork workshop. Your ideas helped artist Lauren Iida create the design for new benches at the park.

Human Services Commission

• The Human Services Commission agency spotlight for January included brief presentations from Indian American Community Services, Open Doors for Multicultural Families, Orion, and Chinese Information Service Center.
• Staff and commissioners discussed recommendations and changes for the upcoming grant process.
• Grant applications open March 2, 2026, and close on April 6, 2026. Staff is holding multiple application assistance workshops for interested organizations. Stay tuned for dates and times or email humanservices@kentwa.gov for more info.

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