Spring has arrived and I hope you are able to get outdoors and enjoy our warmer weather! In this newsletter, you’ll find the latest Council news as well as County funding and engagement opportunities.

There is a growing recognition that older, mature growth forests play an incredibly important role in storing carbon and greenhouse gases associated with climate change.

Earlier this month, the King County Superior Court halted the Wishbone Timber Sale, which would have resulted in the sale and logging of just over 100-acres of legacy forest in the Tolt and Snoqualmie River Basins. 

I am proud to have stood with the majority of my King County Council colleagues in opposing the Wishbone Timber sale and I applaud the court for recognizing the need for an honest accounting of the carbon impacts of logging activities on public lands.

At the end of the day, we need to end the destruction of our mature legacy forests. They make up a tiny part of our public forest lands but have an outsize impact on our climate. 

See KUOW's report on this story HERE

In August of 2023, King County voters approved the renewed Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) which provides services that help improve the health and well-being of the County's most vulnerable communities - veterans, military service members and their families, seniors and their caregivers, and other vulnerable community members. 

The County’s Department of Community and Human Services has been working hard to host a series of community planning sessions—to hear about the community’s goals for each of the strategies included in the initiative – and roll out the competitive process that is used to fund potential organizations. This process is called a request for proposals (RFP) and a recent RFP that will support our senior centers recently closed.

Organizations that serve seniors and that met the eligibility criteria were able to apply to be a part of the King County Senior Network. This network supports more inclusive and vibrant centers that serve as an access point to critical services for all the diverse seniors and their caregivers in our community. Additionally, centers were able to apply for supplemental funding to support projects such as facility improvements to help reduce their carbon footprint, supporting one of the County environmental goals and improving the health and wellbeing of the center and its clients. 

You can checkout the implementation plan and the open funding opportunities by visiting DCHS’s website or subscribing to DCHS’s blog. 

Join King County Parks for a virtual community meeting to learn more about the King County Parks levy and share your thoughts on what should be in the upcoming 2026-2031 Parks Levy to improve the parks and outdoor spaces in your community. 

If you are unable to join the community meeting, KC Parks also has an online community survey where you can voice your thoughts!

➔ Tuesday, April 23, 6-7 p.m.

➔ Register for April 23rd HERE (Registration is required)

➔ Complete the community survey by April 29, 2024 HERE

Do you live, work or travel throughout South King County?

As soon as 2026, Sound Transit will open 3 new light rail stations in Kent/Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way and they want to hear from you on how to best adapt bus routes once the stations open!

➔ Take the survey at THIS LINK

➔ Apply to the Mobility Board HERE (applications due by May 10)

➔ Visit South Link Connections to learn more

The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is pleased to release this Request for Proposals (RFP) for Support Services for Immigrants and Refugees with funding from the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL).

VSHSL seeks to improve access to civil legal advice, civic engagement, and resources for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers residing in King County.

➔ Available funding: Up to $3,309,037 in VSHSL funds

➔ Questions? Contact Frank Video at fvideo@kingcounty.gov 

➔ Applications due: April 25, 2024 by 2:00pm

➔ Apply via THIS LINK