Update November 26, 2008
(An update to the people from Mayor Pete Lewis)
We had quite an event here in Auburn last Saturday night. For the first time in a long time The Ave our live theater in the heart of downtown sold out and it sold out early. I got to talk to some of the folks and most were from out of town and they’d come early. They shopped in downtown and at the Mall and had dinner in places like The Pit, Rainbow, Athens and others. Saturday night was Comedy Night at The Ave and you’ve got to come check it out. It really has become a South Sound attraction.
Monday morning started with Directors as we prepared together for the Council committee meetings that would take place that night.
At noon Kip Herren, Auburn School District Superintendent and I met for our monthly lunch to talk about areas where we can work together. We work together for the betterment of our community. We need to make sure our schools are not overrun by gangs as has happened in so many other communities around us. We see the signs that some are trying to form gangs and the schools, the parents and the city working together to protect our children is our single best line of defense.
Later that day I met with our state senator from the 47th District Senator Claudia Kauffman along with other mayors and leaders from the district. We talked about the needs of our citizens as she prepares for the next legislative session. I did indicate above all else in this time of reduced budgets my first priority would be – first do no harm. If the state needs to cut let it not be borne on the backs of the cities and the taxpayers that are struggling already. Strapped with decaying infrastructure from highways to arterials, bridges and underpasses that have not been funded in generations and the cities simply have little left to give.
Then we started the committee meetings with Council’s Municipal Services Committee chaired by Gene Cerino, Bill Peloza vice-chair and Lynn Normal as a member.
Their agenda for the afternoon included an ordinance modifying the speed limits in school zones with flashing lights to better define the fact that the speed limit would be reduced only when the lights were flashing.
The discussions items included a conversation with our police department and legal department on how we might update the false alarm section of our code.
The agenda included information on how we are proceeding with a south county jail for our misdemeanant population. We have already been put on notice by King County that we must all be prepared to take our inmates out of the Kent Regional Justice Center within two years and have been required to reduce the number of inmates we have there now. Most of the cities in King County have their inmates in Yakima but we are running into time constraints there. So, some of the south end cities have banded together to look at building a jail where we can control the costs.
Next was an update on our airport, Scobee Field. The airport is an enterprise center meaning that it must be maintained through user fees and not the taxpayer’s money so we pay a great deal of attention to its costs.
The Planning and Community Development Committee took place right after Muni Services and that committee is chaired by council member Lynn Normal, vice-chaired by Nancy Backus with Rich Wagner member.
The agenda included approval of contracts for environmental consultants to ensure we are following all state and federal regulations.
Then there was an update on the annual Comprehensive Plan including policy and text amendments that was followed by a discussion on Council’s ability to look at different policies and procedures after taking themselves out of the position of operating in a quasi-judicial role.
Next on the agenda was a discussion on an upcoming ordinance to address the different school district’s school impact fee schedules. The City of Auburn deals with Auburn, Kent, Federal Way and Dieringer school districts and each has the ability to set their own impact fee rate which is then collected by the City of Auburn and sent to them.
This was followed by comments on the 2009 citizen survey and then discussion on upcoming projects.
Did You Know we have installed a new type of pedestrian crosswalk at Hazelwood Elementary on SE 304th St? This light is being installed to insure the safety of the children that cross the road. This new beacon will remain dark, until pedestrians desiring to cross the street activate the beacon. This new light will be activated on Tuesday December 2, 2008.
This light is different from all other cross walk lights in the City. Motorists should pay particular attention to its operation: When it is activated the beacon will display a flashing yellow light, followed by a sold yellow, which tells motorists to prepare to stop. The beacon then changes to solid red, stopping all vehicles so the pedestrian is allowed to walk. When the pedestrian sees a flashing “Don’t walk” sign, the beacon will begin to flash red, which drivers of cars should treat as a stop, and then go, once the crosswalk is clear of all pedestrians. After the programmed time has passed the beacon will again go dark until other pedestrian desires to cross the street.
Tuesday morning at eight in Bellevue there was a regional meeting of mayors in the Puget Sound area. We do work together and meet on areas of common interest for all of our citizens.
All through the day citizens and councilmembers stop by my office. For council members this is their opportunity to individually discuss current problems, bring information and receive more information from me. The laws of the state forbid them from gathering in any combinations that resemble of quorum either of Council or of any committee they are on so the city attorney and I are the common element where the can transfer information.
Tuesday many of us gathered at Neighborhood House over on the north end as they Celebrated Our Youth at an open house sponsored by Comcast and the Burndale Youth Tutoring Program. I’d seen Neighborhood House years ago when it was first set up and we were so proud to be able to donate some top end 386 computers. Wow, you ought to see the computer equipment they have their now! I was also impressed by my guide through the process, a lady who started working with us in my office as a young teen who now volunteers there and will no doubt be a voice for the Auburn to come.
I had this email come in Wednesday morning:
I along with many other drivers came off Lea Hill on 320th this morning about 8:40 AM, and were redirected by a single police officer at the stop light at the bottom of the hill to detour toward the golf course. I assume there must have been some incident on 8th Street, but I was wondering why the detour was not set up at R Street NE. This would have allowed cars to cross the bridge and make a modest detour, rather than having to travel into Kent, or back up the hill to Highway 18. There were no other officers who could have redirected traffic further up the 320th/312th roadway where it would have been much easier to turn around and return to the Highway 18 on ramp. If the location of the incident was close to the bridge and prevented a different detour that would be understandable. If that was not the case, then maybe it might be worthwhile for the police department to review its procedures considering the volume of traffic coming into Auburn off the Lea Hill and GRCC.
And I responded: Every once in a while we get a perfect storm.
There was a fire in one of those townhouses at 8th and R Street. The fire became fully involved (every one got out safely early) and more fire trucks kept coming, finally setting up across 8th Street before R Street, blocking traffic. Our VFRA Firefighters did an outstanding job but the vehicles do take up space. About that time there was also an accident at the intersection of 124th and 312th causing further delays. Normally I would have sent an Auburn Alert but it was already on all TV channels at the time.
This is a short week for many of us as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Some of our city employees are far across the oceans in the service of their country. They have joined hundreds of thousands of other citizens that are regular armed service members or our Guard. From Council and I, our families and all of us who work together in city service our thoughts and prayers are with our service men and women across the globe far away from home and family. May they find a peaceful Thanksgiving and stay well until their safe return home.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.
Pete Lewis
Mayor of Auburn
