Celebrating Women's History Month!
March 2024
Dear Friend,
Last week, I had the honor of co-sponsoring our annual Women’s History Month panel with my colleagues Councilmember Claudia Balducci and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. Our topic was “Empowering Women who Power the Economy," and we heard from an empowering array of panelists: Lalita Uppala from Indian American Community Services (IACS), Ilona Lohrey from the Greater Seattle Business Association, and Sharmila Swenson from Symetra.
If you missed it, you can watch the full panel here! Women in King County do incredible things through their smarts, determination, steadfastness, creativity, and sometimes just sheer courage. We hope that this panel gives you valuable insight on the wonderful work that is being done by some incredible women in our communities.
As always, if you’d like to meet or talk about anything, please reach out by email, sarah.perry@kingcounty.gov, or phone at 206-477-1003, and we’ll find some time to connect!
All the best,
Council Briefings & Actions!
Council has been working hard this month – here’s the work that matters most to D3:
If you are interested in joining us for a meeting to make a comment or just listen in, click on any of the following links: Full Council Meeting; Budget and Fiscal Management; Committee of the Whole; Government Accountability and Oversight; Employment and Administration; Health and Human Services; Labor Policy; Law and Justice; Local Services and Land Use; Transportation, Economy, and Environment; Regional Policy; Regional Transit; Regional Water Quality
Out in the Community!
(Left): Spent an incredible hour at Cougar Mountain Zoo learning about the wonderful work they do in conservation; (Right): Celebrated Holi with NorthWest Share and thousands of community members at Marymoor Park.
 (Left): Broke bread with community members and other elected officials at the annual MAPS Interfaith Iftar; (Right): Lovely to have attended the Be Loud breakfast with the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center. I have so much gratitude for the presenters who showed up to help all of us deepen our understanding of their work.
March Recognitions and Holidays!
 March was full of fun festivities, holidays, and proclamations! Council proclaimed this month as Women’s History Month, recognizing and celebrating the contributions women have made for our nation’s history and will make to its future. March was also the start of Ramadan, a sacred time for our Muslim community members. We also celebrated a wonderful Holi at Marymoor Park, a Hindu celebration marking the start of spring! March also included a celebration of St. Patrick's Day, and toward the end of the month, we celebrated Purim with our Jewish community members! And finally, we wished our Persian neighbors a Happy Nowruz and the start of the Iranian New Year. We look forward to what April has in store for us after such a festive March.
On the Issues!
This year, our D3 team has highlighted four priority areas: Environment & Farm Protection; Behavioral Health, Housing & Homelessness; Community Health & Safety; and Creative & Economic Development. We are hard at work convening weekly meetings with organizations and are looking forward to all the positive change we can create together!
On the Topic of the Environment & Farm Protection
The Wastemobile: This mobile hazardous waste collection service will be going throughout King County until October, making it easy and safe for you to drop off household hazardous waste for free, including batteries, oil-based paint, pesticides, and more! The Wastemobile will be available at the following dates and times in or around D3:
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April – Redmond: April 5-7, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at The Home Depot (17777 NE 76th St, Redmond 98052)
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May – Bothell/Woodinville: May 17-19, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at UW Bothell Campus (18115 Campus Way NE 98011)
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June – Bothell/Woodinville: June 21-23, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at UW Bothell Campus (18115 Campus Way NE 98011)
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July – Snoqualmie: July 5-7, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at Cascade View Elementary (34816 SE Ridge St, Snoqualmie 98065)
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July – Redmond: July 12-14, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at The Home Depot (17777 NE 76th St, Redmond 98052)
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August – Carnation/Duvall: August 9-11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Tolt Macdonald Park - Boeing Mariner’s Care Field (3600 block of Tolt Ave)
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August – Bothell/Woodinville: August 16-18, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at UW Bothell Campus (18115 Campus Way NE 98011)
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October – Redmond: October 4-6, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day at The Home Depot (17777 NE 76th St, Redmond 98052)
For additional information about a Wastemobile event near you, call the Haz Waste Helpline at 206-296-4692 or email haz.waste@kingcounty.gov.
On the Topic of Behavioral Health, Housing & Homelessness
Crisis Care Center Initiative: After voters approved the Crisis Care Centers levy last year, the county embarked on an implementation plan process. KC Executive Dow Constantine transmitted the detailed implementation plan on December 29, 2023. The plan, now under Council review, focuses on building crisis care centers, restoring behavioral health facilities, and reinforcing the behavioral health workforce. Public engagement is ongoing, with monthly community updates planned every third Tuesday from February to April, 2:30 - 3:30 PM and 6 - 7 PM. For more details, visit this website. If you have any questions, please e-mail CCCLevy@kingcounty.gov.
On the Topic of Community Health & Safety
King County Strategy to address the Surge of Fentanyl: On March 4th, King County announced efforts to stop the surge of fentanyl overdoses and expand behavioral health treatment in King County. King County Executive Dow Constantine announced a multi-part strategy across five priority areas, focused on expanding behavioral health treatment, increasing access to medications for opioid use disorder, and making overdose prevention tools and resources more widely available.
Along the same lines, I recently participated in a roundtable with Congressman Adam Smith and other leaders on approaches to drug treatment and policies in King County. We are all working together toward the best solutions to ensure that our communities are safe and healthy places where everyone can thrive.
On the Topic of Creative & Economic Development
Creative Districts: Since July of 2023, we’ve been convening monthly meetings with a representative from each city and township in our district to learn more about the ArtsWA Creative District program and to help provide a foundation of knowledge and resources for each of these communities to pursue Creative District certification. With the passage of Doors Open, we are excited about the opportunities that will become available to our cities, especially as they pursue Creative District certification.
Currently, Issaquah is the only city in our District with Creative District status. One of our Issaquah based organizations, Happy Time Studio, is extending an invitation to community members to participate in the Issaquah Open Studio Tour. Artists within Issaquah are encouraged to showcase their work. Apply here by April 25th to share your work and expand your audience!
D3 Town Halls!
We are excited to host an in-person KC D3 Snoqualmie Town Hall on Thursday, April 18th at 6:30 PM at the Snoqualmie Library (7824 Center Blvd SE, Snoqualmie, WA 98065)! Join us as we learn from each other, get to know one another, and work together to ensure our community is thriving! We will be joined by Mayor Katherine Ross and guests from KC's Creative Economy, Behavioral Health, and Environmental Preservation Departments. Sign up now!
Previous Town Hall: North Bend
It was delightful to hear from our North Bend residents at the North Bend Library. Our wonderful guest speakers joined us to talk about behavioral health initiatives, creative economies, environmental preservation, and community safety in North Bend and across our region. You can watch a recap of that Town Hall here!
Have Your Voice Heard on the 2024 Comprehensive Plan!
It is an important year for our Local Services and Land Use (LSLU) Committee as I have the honor of leading this year’s Comprehensive Plan update. The Comprehensive Plan is updated once-a-decade and provides an opportunity to reshape how we plan for a healthy future for all. It affects everything from identifying the best locations to build homes, offices and stores, how roads impact surrounding areas, access to clean water, and much more. Learn more here!
We want to hear from YOU! The Council has been hosting meetings in community, and we have two more next week in Seattle and on Vashon Island:
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Wednesday, April 3rd, 9:30 AM - 10th floor of the King County Courthouse (516 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104, 10th floor). You can also participate via Zoom by visiting https://zoom.us/join and entering webinar ID 875 1751 7363.
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Thursday, April 4th, 5:30 PM - Vashon Island at the Vashon Center for the Arts (19600 Vashon Highway SW, Vashon, WA 98070).
Please take an opportunity to learn more about the comprehensive planning process on our website or by watching this video. You can also email questions to the King County Council at CouncilCompPlan@kingcounty.gov.
Shape Your Local Parks and Trails!
The King County Parks Levy is a voter-approved property tax that keeps both city and regional parks, trails, and open spaces available for everyone. No matter where you are in King County, the Parks Levy goes to support your local parks and trails.
Your voice matters and King County Parks want to hear from you on what should be in the upcoming Levy to improve the parks and outdoor spaces in your community. The survey only takes about 10 minutes — and your feedback will help shape parks and trails for years to come. Take the Parks Levy survey by April 29th and you can enter to win two tickets to any concert at Marymoor Live!
King County Ombuds Office Update
The King County Ombuds Office would like to announce a new Deputy Ombuds has been hired to assist residents in unincorporated King County. Eric Beach has joined the Ombuds team, taking the lead on resolving issues in rural areas of the county. Eric moved over from KC DNRP where he had helped farmers and small forest landowners with obtaining permits and navigating land use regulations.
The Ombuds Office manages complaints from the public about County government agencies and departments to promote public confidence in King County government. The Ombuds team can be reached at ombudsmail@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-1050.
Grant Opportunities this Quarter!
Do you know of an impactful organization that's looking for funding? Our District 3 Team has resources for you! Every month we share a Grants Newsletter that highlights upcoming grant opportunities over the next few months, and there are several grant opportunities that are available now! Investing in our local non-profits and supporting innovative ideas through funding is critical to ensure that each of our communities can thrive, now and into the future!
Sammamish Spotlight!
Check out where the spotlight is shining on a Sammamish business, non-profit, and civic engagement opportunity this month! We hope you have a chance to visit these fantastic community contributors – and remember to Go Local!
Moore Brothers Music is a family-owned and operated music store that offers a wide range of products and services for musicians of all levels. Whether you are looking for a new instrument, a rental, a repair, or weekly private lessons, Moore Brothers Music has you covered. Visit their website here or stop by their store at 22820 NE 8th St #102 Sammamish WA 98074, US. Questions? Call them at 425-836-2263 or send them an email at schedule@moorebrothersmusic.com.
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Athletes For Kids (AFK) serves children in 1st - 12th grades who have disabilities and specific needs of all kinds. They carefully match each child with a qualified high school athlete, who commits to mentoring a child for 1 - 3 years. The AFK program helps mentee “buddies” cope with social challenges while also expanding awareness for mentors about the hurdles their buddies may face on a daily basis. Visit AFK’s website here to learn more. Questions? Call them at 425-677-8045 or email them at afk@athletesforkids.org. You can also send mail inquiries to their address: 3020 Issaquah Pine Lake Rd #254, Sammamish, WA 98075.
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The City of Sammamish is accepting applications for volunteer boards and commissions vacancies. Make an impact on your community and help shape the future of Sammamish. They are seeking passionate folks to join the Arts Commission, Beaver Lake Management District Advisory Board, and Human Services Commission. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 11th. Click here for the submission links. Questions? Contact Krista Kielsmeier at 425-295-0514 or via email at kkielsmeier@sammamish.us. For further inquiries, visit City Hall at 801 228th Avenue SE, Sammamish, WA 98075.
About Town!
With so much going on across our District 3 cities and towns, we want to ensure that you know about any upcoming major events, parades, festivals, and activities. Below is a short list of some upcoming events!
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Teen Flashlight Egg Hunt: Friday, March 29th, 8:30 PM: egg hunting with flashlights!
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Bunny Hop Egg Hunt, Ages 1-11: Saturday, March 30th, 10:00 AM: egg hunting, Mr. Bunny, and family fun!
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Downtown is Hopping: Saturday, March 30th, 10:30 - 11:30 AM: special treats and fun activities in Downtown Snoqualmie!
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Saturday, March 30th, 2:00 - 10:00 PM: pedestrian-only event, people-powered floats, handmade costumes, musicians, live music, kids' activities, and more!
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Saturday, April 20th, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM: ecological restoration activities, talks from local environmental organizations, and more!
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Saturday, April 20th, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM: crafts, petting zoo, prizes, food truck, performances, interactive bug / reptile booth, and more!
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Saturday, April 20th, 12:00 - 4:00 PM: tour the native plant garden, feed the rainbow trout, salmon-themed arts and crafts projects, and more!
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Saturday, April 20th, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM: soccer, basketball, cozy coups, fishing, bean bag toss, bag decorating, and more!
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Saturday, April 27th, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM: variety of fun activities, habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, and more!
If you know of any upcoming events that you’d like us to highlight in next month’s newsletter, please share them at osman.salahuddin@kingcounty.gov.
Stay Connected!
Please forward this email and invite others to sign up to receive email updates. Also, make sure that you follow our Facebook account, Instagram account, and X (Twitter) page to stay up-to-date on everything we are working on together!
Finally... a reminder that I’d love to grab a cup of coffee and talk. Just reach out to our team member Robby at Robby.paige@kingcounty.gov or at 206-477-1003 and Robby will set us up!
All the best,
 Sarah Perry
King County Council
District 3
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