Susan Melrose has been hired as the new executive director of the West Seattle Junction Association.

Melrose is an environmental activist and a10-year West Seattle resident. She began the job in February, replacing Angela Rae, who departed last July to open a Ballard clothes boutique.

Formerly, Melrose was employed by an organization to find innovative technologies to clean up the Hanford site. She worked for Adopt-a-Beach, then the Washington Wilderness Coalition, which restores and protects wildlands and waters. She took time off to care for her now 2-year-old son before joining the Junction Association.

The once full-time position has been pared down to Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Her current projects include revamping the association web site, facilitating the program to eliminate dumpsters in the alleys in favor of daily garbage pickups, and starting a Junction recycling initiative, which will eventually place a bin on every corner. Her in-house tasks include publicizing the organization.

Dave Montoure, board president of the association, says his committee has been pleased with their decision to hire Melrose.

"We had some very good candidates. It was a difficult decision. She's been a tremendous asset to our community," said Montoure, who was born and raised in West Seattle, and opened his restaurant and lounge, West 5, in the heart of the Junction five years ago.

"Susan's position will focus on the core values of the association - safety, beautification, and maintenance," he said. "We want to keep the Junction inviting, with marketing ideas and events. Obviously the biggest is Summerfest. Starting Friday after Summerfest, Sidewalk Cinema will show movies on the wall next to Hotwire Coffee. We also have the Hometown Holidays event before Christmas."

"Summerfest is the big deal now," Melrose said. "We have 80 vendors this year, mostly local." The Junction Association is attempting to reduce the number of external vendors.

Montoure remembers, "Years ago West Seattle had something called the 'sidewalk sale.' We're trying to get back to that feel, to let the local merchants display what they do best."

Melrose agrees, and puts her money where her mouth is.

"It's important for me to support small business owners as opposed to large corporate chains," she said. "That's just my personal value system. I have one dog, and two chickens named Honey and Curtis Mayfield. I shop at Next to Nature for my dog, but I have to go to Burien for chicken food."

Steve Shay may be contacted via wseditor@robinsonnews.com