Thanks so much for your article in today's (Sept. 12) Herald. It's an excellent history of the Sound Way property and community efforts to preserve it as open space.

However, Seattle Parks has had to ask that the legislation be pulled from the Sept. 19 agenda for the Parks, Education. Libraries and Labor (PELL) Committee of the City Council.

The reason is a technical issue: it now appears that the city must contract directly with the state in order to receive the proceeds of the capital grant that was secured by Sen. Erik Poulsen. We need to add an ordinance section that authorizes us to enter into this contract. We hope to re-introduce the revised legislation for consideration at the next PELL Committee meeting, but that is likely to occur in December, after the council adopts the city budget for 2008.

Donald M. Harris

Property and Acquisition Services Manager

Seattle Parks and Recreation