October 2010

This is a response to a letter regarding the shelter facility for Burien Animal Care and Control under my direction. I would like to address the situation regarding sick animals at the BACC shelter and the statement made that all of the cats at the shelter were euthanized. This is false.

We still have many healthy, immune cats available for adoption. They can be found on PetFinder.com listed under Burien Animal Control.

We did have a kitten adopted out who developed Feline Panleukopenia. The adopted parents' veterinarian diagnosed the kitten through a combination of fecal and blood tests. We were promptly notified and began investigating the health and exposure possibilities of the other cats in our facility.

I pursued a recognized best practice to prevent a widespread outbreak, consistent with the Koret Shelter Medicine program at UC Davis' College of Veterinary Medicine, a leader in shelter medicine education and research:

Destination Des Moines is poised to make a return, with an all-new board and a new direction. The only tie to the old Destination Des Moines is the name. But without some immediate funding, their future is an uncertain one.

New Destination Des Moines President Bradley Hawthorne asked the Des Moines City Council for $5,000 for this year and $13,000 next year, so they can pay for insurance and to continue projects the group is working on.

"We are a little overwhelmed and we need assistance," Hawthorne said.
In the very near future Destination Des Moines is working on trick or treating in Des Moines on Halloween and an event for Christmas. The group is also working to put on the Waterland Parade in 2011.

He said the group anticipated being self-sufficient after a year, but in order to make it to that first year they needed help now.

When asked what would happen to the group if they did not receive money from the city Hawthorne said it would be the end of the group. He also said that would likely be the end of the Waterland Parade as well.

"It is crucial we get help," Hawthorne said.

CSI: Highline has detected the first adult coho salmon of the season swimming vigorously near the mouth of Miller/Walker creeks in Normandy Park.

CSI stands for the Community Salmon Investigation in Highline.

Creek steward Dennis Clark reported that with the creeks once again flowing clear and moderately, this fish has good conditions for migrating upstream and, hopefully, spawning.

The timing of its arrival last week is consistent with anecdotal information collected by the Normandy Park Community Club in past years (first adult observed in previous seasons: October 10, 2009, September 30, 2007, October 15, 2006, October 2, 2005).

On Oct. 7, 25 volunteers -half from Burien and half from Normandy Park - participated in a two-hour training to become CSI team members. The volunteers learned how to identify different salmon, how to safely walk the streams, and how to record data accurately.

Des Moines is continuing to work through a difficult budget, facing an overall deficit of $1.4 million.

The police department will likely see cuts this year, but they will not be on the level of last year, when five police officers were laid off.

The layoffs came after negotiations between the city manager and the police guild stalled.

The police department budget is at a level where cuts to it cannot be used to balance the city's general fund.

Because of the levy lid lift, approved by voters to increase the number of police in 2006, stipulates the city cannot spend less on police than they did in 2006. The police budget in 2006 was approximately $6.6 million. The proposed police budget for 2011 is $6.7. But cuts to police can be used to help the levy lid fund.

City Manager Tony Piasecki has recommended no Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for city employees as a general fund balancing strategy, but did not recommend no COLA for the police guild because the money could not be used to balance the general fund.

But, he said the expectation was the city employees agreed to go without a COLA is contingent on the guild agreeing to go without a COLA.

I think we've all heard the reports that this winter could be a real monster with snowstorms and record cold temperatures. Of course, you know how that goes - if we get prepared, nothing will happen, and if we don't, then it will!

And even though the thought of frozen pipes, power outages and driving on ice can be worrisome, there's something worse than those things - - facing them alone.

For almost a year, I've interviewed some of the fascinating seniors around the area. My goal was to not only enlighten you about some remarkable people in your midst, but also to create a little interest in them, as well.

However, there are still many seniors who spend much of their time alone. Not every senior is blessed with a living spouse or children who visit and bring the grandkids. The truth of the matter is that many of the builders of our community, soldiers who fought in past wars and the backbone of America are forgotten - even by their own families.

Some of you are already taking care of your parents, but what about those of you who no longer have your senior parents in your lives, either because of death or distance? Is there room in your heart or home?

Many area voters will have mailed in their ballots well before Halloween. So what might be considered a last-minute political event was held Oct. 21, called the White Center Candidate Forum, at the Greenbridge YWCA Learning Center. The 13-member North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, or NHUAC, sponsored the forum, and Jerry Robeson hosted. He is a NHUAC member, an attorney, and has been president of White Center Jubilee Days.

On the hot seat were two sets of two candidates. Seated from the audience's left to right were Joe Fitzgibbon facing off with Michael Heavey for State Representative from the 34th Legislative District, Position 2, the seat held by State Representative Sharon Nelson, who will run for Joe McDermott's State Senate seat in the 34th.

Next to them Robison, and then State Senator Joe McDermott and Diana Toledo vying for the King County Council District 8.

Fitzgibbon has been Nelson's assistant and serves as Chair on the Burien Planning Commission. Heavey volunteered for Constantine during his election, and now works with Drago. In the private sector, he worked for a firm fighting consumer fraud.

Thank you so much for the wonderful article about Gertrude Finney and the excerpts from her personal diary.

Having grown up in White Center, I vividly remember Mrs. Finney at the White Center Library in the '50s. She introduced me to the world of books and for the past 60 years I've continued my love of books and the library.
She is an amazing woman and I look forward to reading more from her personal diary.

Bonnie Moormeier
Burien

By Sgt. Doug Justus

King County's budget crisis is real. Property values are down, and people just aren't making as many purchases, leading to reductions to the County's property and sales tax revenues. Most of the County's general fund budget is spent on criminal justice, thus those programs take the hit when reductions become necessary. Dangerous cuts to public safety are now being proposed.

King County Proposition 1, currently on your ballot, would raise the sales tax by 0.2%, providing enough new revenue to avoid these cuts. We hope voters will approve Prop 1, but even if they don't, some cuts go too far and must be avoided. Among those cuts is the current proposal to break faith with the voters of South King County, and close the county's jail in Kent to inmate bookings.

The budget transmitted to the Council would close inmate bookings at the Maleng RJC jail in Kent, forcing police officers from south King County to transport prisoners into downtown Seattle.

Halloween around Highline is an especially colorful time as people decorate for the holidays and groups put on fun holiday events.

We would like to share a few of our favorite photos of those Highline Halloween hapenings.

SLIDESHOW: CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO PLAY SLIDESHOW.

Attention: Normandy Park residents

It appears that we too, like our Northern California neighbors, have a city manager who is out of control.

He is pursuing the not publicized Manhattan Village Project (MVP,), which will require the condemnation of several single-family dwellings to revise the shopping center and provide access to Nist Park. The homeowners affected have made it clear that their property is not available for this purpose.

Armed with this knowledge, the city manager continues to pursue MVP with ill-gained grant money.

Normandy Park was founded and has always been a city of single-family dwellings with few business elements.

Do we want to change this philosophy and allow another city manager run amok? Your home may be the next target. Check it out!

Gerry Osgood
Normandy Park