 "Safety has to be everyone’s responsibility… everyone needs to know that they are empowered to speak up if there’s an issue.”
-- Scott Kelly, veteran, engineer and astronaut --
Residents in District 1, at Evergreen Heights Elementary School
The citywide dialogue in partnership with the Auburn School District about community safety began this week at meetings on the West Hill, at Evergreen Heights Elementary, and in North Auburn, at Dick Scobee Elementary. Before I talk about the content of those meetings and the facts gathered so far, I want to thank Auburn School District, Dr. Alan Spicciati, ASD faculty, Auburn City Councilmembers, Chief Caillier, Commander Adams and several officers and especially our amazing Auburn community for attending Tuesday and Thursday. Each one of you took time out of your evening to join us and talk problems and solutions, and that's never easy. Let's keep this momentum going into this weekend and beyond!
Q&A session at Dick Scobee Elementary School
At each meeting, we've asked our audience to share their questions and concerns with us directly -- which I'm always happy to help answer -- and then we've worked together to collectively answer two more:
1. What are the most pressing public safety issues in our community today?
2. What do community-based solutions look like in partnership with the City?
The questions have led to incredible discussions and we've capture each and every response in our notes, which we're tracking throughout this meeting series. I'd like to share a couple of responses with you now.
Residents gathered at Dick Scobee Elementary School
At Evergreen Heights, or District 1, many of our residents were concerned with school safety, particularly gang violence and drugs in schools. Some were troubled by a lack of accountability for those committing crimes, while others shared there weren't enough resources for families to navigate the complexities of life in 2024, especially when children are on social media at such a young age.
District 1 also had solutions. One resident suggested "more parent voices," by giving parents & guardians more access to tools and opportunities so they can share their ideas and concerns. We talked about more out-of-the-box solutions, like family advocates in schools and more opportunities for city leaders to connect with their constituents, in addition to resolutions that can always benefit from more voices and champions: more police on the streets, more accountability from the county and state, and something as simple as school metal detectors.
 At Dick Scobee, or District 2, on Thursday, we heard questions about mental health care, how to ease retail theft, resources for students after graduation and during summer breaks, and a general lack of accountability in the criminal justice realm.
Auburn School District Superintendent Alan Spicciati and Councilmember Tracy Taylor at Dick Scobee
Their solutions were also diverse and wide ranging, including more preventative classes during school, cyber education for parents, more resources for families new to the area or the country, and just a general push for residents to meet their neighbors. When I was growing up, it wasn't uncommon to see a neighborhood watch in every neighborhood, and your parents would certainly hear from the family next door if you were spotted being out too late. Nowadays, we don’t always even know our neighbors. There was mention of “National Night Out on steroids” meaning we do neighborhood gatherings on a regular basis. I really like that idea!
Councilmember and Acting Deputy Mayor Yolanda Trout-Manuel at Dick Scobee
All of this feedback, including how the meetings are going, will be posted to our SpeakUpAuburn.org website, where we hope you'll follow along on this community-safety journey.
And speaking of, here's one piece of feedback we got via a survey from a participant Thursday night. When asked, "What did you enjoy about Safe Auburn: Community Conversations?" they said:
"People coming together to discuss safety concerns and solutions. A lot of sharing and good ideas -- it shows a caring a community."
I couldn't have put it any better myself. And I hope to see you tomorrow at Auburn High School, or at one of the meetings coming to your neighborhood in the next two weeks! We need to work together! I know you love this community as much as I do, and your voice matters!
 All districts welcome: Auburn High School Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, 2 - 4 p.m.
 District 3: Lea Hill Elementary School Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, 5:30 - 8 p.m.
 District 4: Pioneer Elementary School Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, 5:30 - 8 p.m.
 District 5: Mt. Baker Middle School Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, 5:30 - 8 p.m.
 District 6: Chinook Elementary School Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, 5:30 - 8 p.m
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Please join us Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m. at South Division Street and 4th Street SW/SE as we cut the ribbon on the brand new A Streep connection!
What's an A Street Loop? It's a project that connects S Division Street and A Street SE via a new intersection allowing vehicles to turn right onto southbound A Street. This new connection provides an alternative to the very busy intersection of 3rd Street SE and A Street SE directly to the north, for both motorized and non-motorized users.
The roadway was constructed with our downtown decorative standard street lighting, sidewalks, curb ramps, and concrete crosswalks.
How'd we pay for it? The funding for A Street Loop includes $1.125 million in federal grants awarded through the Puget Sound Reginal Council (PSRC), $340,000 in Sound Transit traffic impact mitigation payment associated with the construction of the 2nd Sound Transit garage and $935,000 of City Traffic Impact Fees. Total project cost of $2.4 million.
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 To access the ribbon cutting site, please park along South Division Street south of 3rd Street.'
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A Street Loop
Tuesday, Oct. 15
3 p.m.
 On Tuesday, Councilmembers Yolanda Trout-Manuel -- who is also serving as Acting Deputy Mayor -- Clinton Taylor and Hanan Amer, alongside City of Auburn staff, toured the Together Center in downtown Redmond.
The tour was planned by Human Services Director Kent Hay, who just a few years ago, coordinated City of Redmond's homelessness outreach efforts, and he was joined by Community Development Director Jason Krum, Finance Director Jamie Thomas, and Community Development Block Grant Coordinator Jody Davison.
 The Together Center is truly an amazing story and there are so many lessons to be learned. I'll let their history tell itself, as borrowed from their website:
"In 1990, this idea was realized and Together Center became one of the first nonprofit multi-tenant centers in the nation. Four agencies took bold action to launch the Center: Friends of Youth, Hopelink, Youth Eastside Services, and Eastside Human Services Council (EHSC). In 1991, Community Health Centers of King County (now HealthPoint) replaced EHSC as a founding agency.
The founders recognized that, for their mission to succeed, TC needed its own space so it could offer low-cost, co-located space to other agencies. The founders loaned thousands of dollars to the newly-formed Family Resource Center, and a failing three-building strip mall in downtown Redmond was purchased for $1.6 million.
Since that time, a high level of community support has gone into developing the founding vision.
Today, Together Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that owns and operates a human service center campus on a 2.47-acre lot in the heart of Redmond, WA. The center addresses multiple needs of clients, helps overcome transportation barriers and provides the community with a rich mix of services all in one location. Located in downtown Redmond, the three-building complex was remodeled and currently provides offices and services space for over twenty agencies--offering services to more than 30,000 East King County residents yearly."
 Words only do it so much justice. The Together Center is an incredibly robust centralized location for services and housing for some of Redmond's most vulnerable populations, including those experiencing homelessness.
There is so much we can learn from this model, including similar projects in Auburn and beyond. I'm looking forward to possibly touring the center later this year!
 The second Monday of October is commonly celebrated as Indigenous People's Day in our nation and city, a day to celebrate and honor the sovereignty, resilience and immense contributions that Native Americans across the country have made, especially the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe in Washington.
The City of Auburn is adjacent to the Muckleshoot Tribe whose membership is composed of descendants of the Duwamish and Upper Puyallup people who inhabited Central Puget Sound thousands of years before colonial settlement.
We acknowledge the Muckleshoot People as the traditional stewards of this land and honor their sovereignty, resilience, and invaluable contributions to our city and state.
I encourage all residents, businesses and organizations to recognize and celebrate the thriving culture and value that Indigenous Peoples add to our great city.
 Filipino Americans make up one of the largest Asian American ethnic groups in the United States today, with a vibrant population that dates back to the earliest documented settlement. Washington State is home to 93,140 Filipino Americans who greatly contribute to the multifaceted fabric of our society.
During World War II, over 260,000 Filipinos and Filipino American soldiers bravely served and sacrificed under the American Flag. The contributions of Filipino Americans have enhanced the freedom, prosperity, and greatness that our nation continues to enjoy today.
We encourage our community to recognize and celebrate the thriving culture and value that Filipino Americans bring to our city!
 One in five adults experience a mental health problem every year, and approximately half of chronic mental illness begins by ages 14 and 24. Early identification and treatment can make a difference in successful management of mental illness and recovery.
Every resident and community member can make a difference in helping end the silence and stigma that for too long has surrounded mental illness, discouraging people from getting help.
We encourage all residents to work together fight the stigma, provide support, and continue educating and advocating for equal care.
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