Addressing the White Center Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 13 (more on that in a separate post), King County Executive Dow Constantine took a moment to share some positive news for the residents of unincorporated North Highline and White Center.

“Today we have some good news for you,” Constantine said. “I am pleased to announce three new grants for 2013.”

“First of all, $1700 to the White Center Chamber of Commerce to buy LED lights for businesses as a crime deterrent – a project in coordination with Seattle City Light. $3000 to Project Connect of White Center, a collaborative of several organizations to help with community planning and cross cultural support, and $4850 to Whitewater Aquatics to support filters for the Evergreen Pool, formerly operated by King County, to support youth groups.”

“We are glad that we are able to make these grants, we are pleased that these are grants that leverage those partnerships in the community. That is key to the success that we are having, that we anticipate in the future, that this is no longer the county going it alone, that we are reaching out to other governments, we are reaching out to non-profits, businesses, to community groups, to everyone to ask, ‘How can we collectively serve the people of this county?’”

Constantine also said he will recommend future funding for the White Center Storefront Deputy position (held by Dep. BJ Myers) for next year’s budget.

“You have kind of an ace in the hole in that your councilmember Joe McDermott also happens to be the chair of the budget committee. I am very supportive of having our police in the community knowing the people and helping to avoid problems before they happen, and we are going to keep pushing forward with that,” he said.