These meetings are getting much shorter and much less controversial, so I may have to start doing these council updates on Twitter. If I did, this week’s update would read, “Might add a KC judge soon, Public hearings zzzz, Yes on the school levies, Committee appts named, 3 councilors + 2 staff going to Olympia”.

If that’s enough, you can stop reading now. It’ll be a short one, though…

* OPENING COMMENTS
Normally I ignore these, but it’s always nice to hear the mayor thank the audience for participating in local government. The crowd was pretty big tonight, and I think some of them are focusing on the empty seat.

Don’t worry candidates, if you need to get caught up on council issues, just read the official minutes (just not before driving or operating heavy machinery). If you find them fascinating, then please mention that in your interview. The amount of paper you’ll have to slog through to keep up with city business is daunting, even for avid readers, and if you’re willing to read and comprehend that for the next 4 years, your city needs you.

* PROCLAMATIONS
Happy Tahoma School Directors Day! (if you’re reading this on Tuesday). Sorry, but I didn’t get you a gift. It kind of snuck up on me, you know? The council recognized the work of the school district directors, and a couple of them were on hand for the proclamation.

Wednesday has been declared Tyler Phippen Day in Maple Valley. Tyler is a Tahoma High student who plays on the football team, and also competes internationally in Taekwondo. He recently took the gold in the heavyweight division of the Pan Am Junior Championship in El Salvador. Somebody get this kid on Tahoma’s Wikipedia page, yeah?

* NEW JUDGE IN TOWN
Judge Corinna Harn stopped by to lobby for our city’s vote to secure a new judge. The King County District Court used to have 26 judges, and cutbacks dropped that number to 21. Well, they’re adding them back in, and the South Division could get one of those spots. Judge Harn is willing to be our proxy to support the new judge for our area, or we could send our City Manager. The county pays for the judge, not us, so it’s an easy Yes vote. Pass 6-0, and our CM signed the proxy paper within 20 seconds of that.

* PUBLIC COMMENTS
Bob Castagna visited the Federal Way Community Center recently (his son is on the swim team), and thinks we need to look at investing more in our own community center. Has anyone else been out there?

* NO CHECK FOR YOU
Sorry Allen & Company, but Councilor Johnson pulled your check from the auto-pay list. We weren’t told why, so it’ll remain a secret for now. Maybe you forgot to use the magic word when requesting payment, I dunno.

* PUBLIC HEARING #1: THE DONUT HOLE
Until this D-Hole is finally annexed, I’m gonna keep calling it that. Three alternatives are on the table:  (1) Do nothing, (2) Do something like the surrounding neighborhoods (single-family homes, some public use area), or (3) Joint plan with King County for a bigger development.

Up first! The Yarrow Bay lawyer, who supports option #3, and offered to waive some of their rights if option #3 is picked. For option #2, she doesn’t like the 10% commercial use restriction, which could restrict gathering places like we see in Kent Station. YB would like to work with the city, and offered to show off their Black Diamond development plans.

Up second! The token resident who lives next to the D-Hole. I say token, because he’s the only one who showed up, and every new development has to hear from at least one resident who lives next door to it. I think he has some valid concerns about his property, since the golf course will be going away, and he probably paid a premium to be next to it. He likes option #1, but would probably settle for a bigger buffer between his house and the D-Hole development.

Up third! Stanette, who has concerns about the density due to the unbuildable areas in the Hole, is concerned about public safety needs with more people living there, and thinks that walk-to commercial centers equals more crime. She’d also like a clearer definition of the planned “affordable housing”.

* PUBLIC HEARING #2:  SCHOOL LEVIES
Cheryl Castagna:  Vote Yes.

Stanette:  Reminded us that she’s from the class of ’77, and that she only hires Tahoma graduates. Sorry Kentwood grads, peddle your papers elsewhere.

Bob Castagna:  Reminded us that these are replacement levies, and aren’t new taxes.

* CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
There is a list of committees that the councilors can belong to, and Hizzoner has revealed his preferences. You can get the complete list on the city’s website when they update that section. It was largely uncontested, except that Councilor Johnson would have preferred a vote on who should be sent to the Suburban Cities Association.

The SCA appoints its members, not the cities. Councilor Allison volunteered for it, Hizzoner concurred, the Deputy Mayor voiced her support, and Councilor Barnes did too. Maybe Councilor Johnson wanted to be the SCA representative, but I don’t think she would do as well. We gotta send a schmoozer and a communicator, and I don’t know anyone better than Bill.

* SCHOOL LEVIES – COUNCIL SUPPORT
All six councilors are in support of both school levies, and they passed two resolutions to confirm it.

* CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
On Wednesday and Thursday, Councilors Allison and Weaver, Mayor Gerken, our City Manager and our City Attorney will drive down to Olympia to meet with a dozen state legislators, and wave our 1-page summary of legislative priorities in their faces. OK, maybe they’ll be a little more subtle than that.

Personally, I would be more of a risk-taker. These people probably see hundreds and hundreds of people each year, armed with thousands of sheets of paper with their demands and requests. Just like a cattle call audition, you’ve got to stand out somehow. I once made business cards out of leather, just so people would find it difficult to throw them away, and would keep them longer. Maybe if we presented them in a super-nice reusable binder or something, I don’t know. If it were legal, I’d give it to them on a Kindle.

I don’t mean to be critical of their efforts at all; I think it’s fantastic that the council and staff have their top goals ready, and are making the drive to lobby for our city. We’re also wielding that mayor title around like a club again, and I’m glad to see it.

* FTGOTO (For The Good Of The Order)
Councilor Johnson has been hit up by the Penguin Windows people several times in the past 6 weeks or so, and asked about beefing up the commercial solicitation statute the city has. Wellllll, our city attorney says there might be a problem with that ordinance, and she’ll bring it up to the council in the near future.

Until then, we’re going to have to resort to fences, “Beware of Dog” signs, ignoring the doorbell like you do at Halloween, and other strategies.

* REACHING OUT
Mayor Gerken is meeting informally with the mayors of Covington and Black Diamond this week. He and Deputy Mayor Jonas are meeting with one of our state senators as well (I didn’t hear which one), and is doing a Q&A with the local press (Reporter and the Voice). Dow Constantine is speaking at the Rotary on March 12^th. After that, he’ll get the city hall tour, and maybe some drive-bys.

Well that’s it. All that in about an hour and ten minutes. See you next week!