Did you know that 66% of the mayors in District 6 cities are women? Women have a long history of political leadership in East King County and currently six out of the nine cities that make up King County Council District 6 are women. Mayor Lynne Robinson of Bellevue, Mayor Kelli Curtis of Kirkland, Mayor Angela Birney of Redmond, Mayor Jessica Rossman of Medina, Mayor Katy Harris of Yarrow Point, and Mayor Aletha Howes of the Town of Beaux Arts Village all lead their cities in providing critical infrastructure, services, and programs for their residents.
This Women’s History Month, I am grateful to all the women in my district who are willing to serve in leadership positions in order to make our communities stronger, safer, and more successful. As former Executive Director of UN Women Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said, “Where there are more women in decision-making positions, we see more inclusive decisions and we find different solutions to long-standing problems.”
Following the tragic murder of Metro Transit Operator Shawn Yim in December, ATU Local 587 called for the creation of a regional task force to tackle improving transit safety. Today, I stood together with ATU and other local leaders to announce that the first meeting of this task force, comprised of public safety, elected, and community leaders, will be held on March 20.
This announcement comes on the heels of the King County Council passing legislation that I co-sponsored with Councilmember Reagan Dunn officially calling for a countywide task force on transit safety. We have a responsibility to our employees and our constituents to ensure that transit is safe for operators and riders alike.
The City of Kirkland recently began a series of community conversations to discuss the City’s current response to homelessness and engage community members in shaping Kirkland’s Homelessness Continuum of Care Action Plan. The next phase of the process will include three focus groups in March:
- Monday, March 17, 4:00-5:30 PM (virtual)
- Wednesday, March 19, 1:00-3:30 PM (City Hall, Peter Kirk Room)
- Monday, March 24, 4:00-5:30 PM (City Hall, Peter Kirk Room)
Participants will have the opportunity to engage on the topic of homelessness alongside City staff and fellow community members and offer input on how the City’s current response to homelessness might evolve to changing conditions.
|
