Proposed Asphalt Plant Update: Permitting Division Approves Asphalt Plan Permit Application

Your Update on What's Happening at the King County Council  

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Yesterday, after many years of strong opposition from the community, King County’s Permitting Division announced their decision to approve the permits for an asphalt plant sited along SR 169 across from the Cedar River. You can read more about this at the Seattle Times.

I am deeply troubled by King County’s decision to allow the asphalt plant to move forward. Siting an asphalt plant so close to the Cedar River — an environmentally sensitive location that is home to critical salmon habitat in addition to being a drinking water source for 1.4 million people in our region — presents an unwarranted risk of contamination and overly burdens rural communities with pollution, traffic, and other known impacts. This is shockingly poor land use policy that, I fear, will have harmful ramifications for generations to come.

Despite yesterday's disappointing announcement, I want to recognize those in our community who have organized against the asphalt plant and made their voice of opposition heard. From your help in 2017 getting the moratorium I sponsored on the asphalt plant passed at the King County Council, to your participation in numerous town halls, and time spent picketing at the proposed plant site—it is this community participation that truly powers the fight against the asphalt plant.

And this is a fight that will continue. As soon as the asphalt plant permits were approved, I sent a letter to the Permitting Division asking for their reconsideration and, at minimum, the imposition of the maximum mitigation measures possible to protect the local environment and the people of the greater Renton and Maple Valley area. I will continue to stand alongside the community however I can to further our shared mission of stopping the asphalt plant.

All my best,

Reagan Dunn King County Councilmember District 9

Dunn Proposes Crime and Public Safety Summit

Councilmember Reagan Dunn meets with local law enforcement officers

Earlier this week, I proposed legislation that would convene a regional conversation around responding to drastic increases in crime. If passed, this legislation would form a summit that aims to develop and implement strategies to enhance public safety, bringing in representatives from local law enforcement, King County Superior Courts, the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, KCSO contract cities, and other agencies and jurisdictions.

Learn more about this legislation at KOMO News. 

Reminder: Sheriff Candidate Forums Coming Up Next Week

Next week, there are two online forums scheduled to give you a chance to hear directly from the three finalists for King County Sheriff. You can review each of the candidates' bios here. 

Sheriff Candidate Forum 1
Monday, April 18, 2022
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Sheriff Candidate Forum 2
Thursday, April 21, 2022
9:00 pm – 11:00 am

Attend the virtual forums by: 

1) Joining the Zoom Webinar
Join via: https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/86905312863
Meeting ID: 869 0531 2863
Passcode: kcsheriff (all lowercase)

2) Phoning into the Zoom meeting:
Phone number: +1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 869 0531 2863
Passcode: 938523707

Or watch the virtual forums online through this livestream link or on KCTV Channel 22. 

Following Recruitment Efforts, New KCSO Deputies Sworn In Last Week

Cameron Decker and Kenton Robillard being sworn in by interim King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall

Last year, amid severe staffing shortages at the King County Sheriff’s Office, I worked to get two solutions passed at the Council: 1) a new full-time recruiter position to focus on attracting quality candidates to the many KCSO vacancies, and 2) $4 million in our supplemental budget to fund hiring and retention bonuses for KCSO deputies.

Building up our deputy workforce has been a major challenge as of late, but I am very pleased to see these recruitment efforts are beginning to work. Congratulations to our newest KCSO deputies Cameron Decker and Kenton Robillard, who were sworn in last week! We thank you for your service to your community.

Apply for a 2022 Flood Reduction Grant

The Flood Reduction Grant Program targets medium and small local flood reduction projects in King County. Applications are open and being accepted until May 26, 2022.

For more information about how to apply, please contact me at reagan.dunn@kingcounty.gov.

In the News

• The Seattle Times: King County approves controversial asphalt plant near Cedar River 
• Voice of the Valley: Dunn: Controversial asphalt plant will have ‘harmful ramifications for generations to come’ 
• UW Daily: King County legislation passed to provide support to Ukraine, prepare for Ukrainian refugees 
• NY Post: Seattle’s transit system struggles as riders refuse to pay
• KOMO News: King County councilmember proposes public safety, criminal justice summit to clean up area
• MyNorthwest: Suspect arrested for murder, string of armed robberies at pot shops
• KOMO News: King County Courthouse vandalized, as concern for safety grows