King County Executive Dow Constantine’s office announced Wednesday (Aug. 18) that an independent board charged with advocating for state funding to improve freight mobility has made a preliminary recommendation to contribute up to $5 million toward construction of a new South Park Bridge.

This brings firm pledges of funding to a total of $95 million so far. The estimated cost of the project is $130.8 million.

The recommendation from the Project Selection Committee of the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB) will be considered at the Board’s next meeting in September, for action during the next state legislative session.

“This latest funding recommendation dramatizes just how important a new South Park Bridge is to the economy and mobility of our region,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “On behalf of all the stakehers who have been working tirelessly to obtain funding for this bridge, I want to thank the Freight Mobility Board for its support and for moving us another step closer to the finish line.”

“The support of the Freight Mobility Board is greatly appreciated. It adds to the incredible momentum we’ve built with our partner agencies, stakeholders and the community to get this bridge rebuilt,” said Metropolitan King County Councilmember Jan Drago, who represents the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods.

According to the statement:

The $5 million contribution approved by the FMSIB is the latest in a series of pledges from state and local governments over the past two months. The county estimates the cost of demolishing the old bridge and building a new structure to be more than $130 million. The county is about to submit its application for a federal TIGER II grant for the balance of the funding.

Meanwhile, county road engineers are moving forward with demolition and pre-construction work. Crews are currently in the process of removing vacant buildings on county-owned property adjacent to the bridge. The property will be needed to accommodate the staging of equipment and materials once construction begins on a new bridge. Crews will then prepare the bascule leaves for removal.

By Aug. 30 the Duwamish Waterway will be the scene of major activity as barges and a crane detach and remove the huge 225-ton leaves. This phase will likely require some nighttime work due to restrictions in closing the navigational waterway. The leaves will be barged to a remote site for further demolition and salvage.

The 81-year-old South Park Bridge has reached the end of its useful life and was closed earlier this summer for public safety. Engineers believe the bridge foundation buried beneath the Duwamish River is severely deteriorated.  Recognizing the crucial role the bridge plays in supporting the local economy and moving vehicles and freight, Executive Constantine has led an aggressive effort with agency partners and community members to assemble funding to get a new bridge built.

Firm pledges of funding total $95 million, with other funds pending:

• King County – $30 million
• State of Washington – $20 million
• City of Seattle – $15 million
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) – $15 million
• State Transportation Improvement Board – $10 million
• Port of Seattle – $5 million
• Federal DOT-HUD funding bill – $3 million (pending Congressional approval
• FMSIB – up to $5 million (pending approval by full board and state legislature)

The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce is reporting that Providence Health & Services of Washington has been awarded nearly $9.1 million to construct 65 apartments for low-income seniors and people with disabilities in the King County Housing Authority’s Seola Gardens community in White Center.

Read the full story here (subscription required).

On Monday (July 19), the King County Council announced that it had approved placing a proposal on the November ballot to increase the sales and use tax in King County, with revenue going predominately to public safety services.

According to a release, if approved by voters on Nov. 2nd the increase would generate around $59 million in revenue for King County in 2011 and $80 million in 2012, the first full year the levy would be collected. Under the proposal, the County’s portion of the proceeds would be used solely for public safety programs ranging from the Sheriff and Prosecutor’s Office to Public Defense and Jail Health Services.

In addition, 40 percent of the tax proceeds would go to the 39 cities within King County based on their population. This would mean that approximately $24 million would go to city governments with the County. State law requires that cities must spend one-third of the proceeds on criminal justice services.

The sales tax increase would remain in effect for a maximum of three years.

Along with an increase in the sales tax, the measure would use a portion of the County’s unincorporated area levy—$9.5 million in 2011—to fund police services in the County’s unincorporated communities.

The adopted ordinance now goes to the voters on Nov. 2nd as part of the general election ballot.

Here’s the full press release:

County Council places sales tax ballot measure on November ballot

Proposal to raise $80 million in revenue sent to general election ballot

Facing a projected $60 million budget deficit, the Metropolitan King County Council today approved sending to the voters in November a proposal to raise the sales and use tax in King County by two-tenths of one percent. The revenue raised by the ballot measure would go predominately to public safety services.

“It’s important to remember that the Council did not raise taxes today,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. “We’re giving voters the chance to tell us if they support public safety services provided by King County and every other city in the County.”

“Keeping the public safe is an essential County function,” said Council Chair Bob Ferguson. “Voters deserve the opportunity to decide whether critical criminal justice services should be preserved.”

“A sales tax increase is absolutely necessary to save vital services such as sheriffs, prosecutors and programs that serve to lower our jail costs,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “What is at stake is the quality of life that we treasure so much in our county. This is the reason we are asking King County voters to support this crucial measure at the polls this November.”

“With public safety being the paramount concern of people in King County, voters must have a chance to weigh in about whether to cut $60 million in criminal justice services or preserve them with temporary higher taxes,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “Knowing the difficult choice this will be for voters struggling through this Great Recession, I worked to lower the tax burden and add accountability to the proposal by including a three-year sunset provision.”

“The Council’s decision today is all about giving voters a choice,” said Councilmember Jan Drago. “Cutting $60 million from the budget will touch every part of county government, and that’s just too big a number and too big of a decision to make without the public’s input. We need to know what people are willing to pay for or willing to give up in these tough economic times.”

If approved by voters, the increase would generate approximately $59 million in revenue for King County in 2011 and $80 million in 2012, the first full year the levy would be collected. Under the proposal, the County’s portion of the proceeds would be used solely for public safety programs ranging from the Sheriff and Prosecutor’s Office to Public Defense and Jail Health Services.

In addition, 40 percent of the tax proceeds would go to the 39 cities within King County based on their population. This would mean that approximately $24 million would go to city governments with the County. State law requires that cities must spend one-third of the proceeds on criminal justice services.

The sales tax increase would remain in effect for a maximum of three years.

Along with an increase in the sales tax, the measure would use a portion of the County’s unincorporated area levy—$9.5 million in 2011—to fund police services in the County’s unincorporated communities.

The adopted ordinance now goes to the voters on November 2 as part of the general election ballot.

The Rotary Club of Burien/White Center recently awarded local winners of its 2010 Scholarships, which includes students from Evergreen, Highline, Kennedy and the Puget Sound Skills Center.

The club grants a student from each school for extraordinary community service with a “Service Above Self” award. 

The scholarships recipients this year were:

• Evergreen – Fabian Valencia and Mahlet Assefa
• Highline – Giovanni Torres and Dijana Raco
• Kennedy Catholic – Bridget Grotz and Mary Corbett

The Service Above Self Winners were:

• Evergreen – Nicolas Malagon-Lopez
• Highline – Michelle Wunch
• Kennedy Catholic – Cerice Keller

This year a third scholarship was granted to three sisters within the same family – the Corbett sisters are all graduates of Kennedy Catholic High School:

• Katie (2005)
• Mary (2010)
• Meagan (2008)

Congratulations to this year’s 2010 Scholarship Winners:

The White Center Community Development Association has released their latest Discount Shopping Card, which can be used for incentives at many local businesses.

First introduced in 2008, the free White Center Discount Shopping Card features dozens of participating local businesses, from Reyes Tax Services ($5 off 1040 tax return) to Murphy’s Paw (free sample of homemade dog biscuit) and much, much more.

To get your own Discount Card, click here (JPEG file).

To print out a list of participating businesses, click here (PDF file).

We encourage all our Readers to download, print and use this card, as it may not only help you save money, it stimulates our local economy!

On Monday (April 19), coinciding with the 40th anniversary of “Earth Day,” the Environmental Protection Agency awarded grant funds to King County to clean up and study various “brownfield sites” in the unincorporated White Center-Boulevard Park area.

According to the EPA, two grants totaling $400,000 were awarded to the county to conduct four environmental site assessments, with a focus on the unincorporated White Center-Boulevard Park area. Grant funds also will be used to conduct cleanup planning and community outreach activities. Many sites are located near residential areas, posing risk to residents from exposure to contamination.

In the White Center-Boulevard Park area, 47 percent of residents are minorities, making the target area one of the most diverse in the county. The area has struggled to attract economic development, and brownfields present environmental and financial barriers to property reuse. Brownfield assessments are an important first step toward site cleanup and reuse, and are expected to catalyze community redevelopment.

If, like us, you’ve never heard of a “brownfield site,” according to the EPA’s website:

A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfields sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism

“The area has struggled to attract economic development, and brownfields present environmental and financial barriers to reuse,” EPA officials said in a statement.

The other EPA grant awards are going to:

• Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Anacortes, which will receive $170,213.
• The City of Moscow, Idah, which will receive a brownfields assessment grant totaling $475,000.

Today (April 15) is Tax Day, and tardy filers throughout the area are scrambling to get their returns done and postmarked in time.

If you’re one of the tardy filers, we recommend getting yours mailed in at your local post office by closing time (usually 5pm) to get it postmarked for today.

However, if you’re really tardy and are on the verge of desperation, the nearest post office to do a drive-through drop-off is the Riverton Station located in SeaTac at 15250 32nd Ave. South (see map below).

The Riverton Heights office is open until midnight, but because each return must be postmarked, if you show up at 11:55pm yours may not make it.

“It’s going to be a zoo here tonight,” said an unidentified postal employee over the phone this morning. “And I recommend folks try to come by by 7pm at the latest. If you show up at 11:55pm, you may not make it in time.”

You read that right folks – if you’re going to send your return in today, try to get to the Riverton Heights post office by 7pm.

The only other post offices collecting mail until midnight today are in Tacoma, Everett and Wenatchee.

According to the IRS website, if you don’t think you’ll be done in time, you can always file for an extension, using Form 4868 (link is to a PDF file). The extension gives you an additional six months, until Oct. 15, to file the tax return.

Here are some other tips:

• Make sure your tax return has sufficient postage. First-Class postage is 44 cents for the first ounce and 17 cents for each additional ounce.
• If you are mailing a number of additional forms and schedules with your return, the envelope is likely to weigh more than one ounce.
• The IRS will not pay postage due, so make sure you’ve bought enough postage. Mail with insufficient postage is returned to sender. If you are in doubt about how much postage to apply, use a lobby scale, the scale on an APC (Automated Postal Center) or ask a postal clerk for assistance.
• If possible, mail your return using the pre-addressed envelope provided by the IRS. If you must prepare another envelope, make sure the address is legible and include your return address.
• When mailing your return at a post office not on the list for late pickup, check the times posted on the blue collection box to determine the last scheduled pickup time.
• Remember, postage can be purchased at any Automated Postal Center (APC). Check usps.com for a location near you.

The Riverton Heights Post Office is located at 15250 32nd Avenue South; Seatac, WA 98188-9996; Phone: (206) 241-7061:

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Our friends at White Center for the Arts recently sent out a letter seeking donations and volunteers, with a specific goal of raising around $28,000 to help procure a gallery space at 9640-A 16th Ave SW.

WCFTA is close to getting the space, but needs more. They’re also looking for arts/business-minded people to sit on their Board of Directors.

Read the letter for full details, including how you can help:

Hello friends and supporters of having a community gallery in White Center,

White Center for the Arts must make a decision this weekend as to whether or not to continue pursuing the very fabulous space at 9640A 16th Ave SW for DREAM Community Gallery. We have the deposit money, and some grant money coming. However, it is not enough to responsibly continue with the project at this time without having $28,000.00 more. The landlord is understandably tired of waiting, and wants to move on. We have seen a vision of the future, and this space is what is needed, and desired, by many of the artists in the area.

DREAM: Community Gallery has a solid business plan. We have a great person, Lance McIntosh, who is managing the project, and who has crunched the numbers. We have a solid team of volunteers who will help with the build-out, and plenty of artists who are ready to exhibit, and performers ready to bring their art to you. We will be providing a resource library, a computer that is free to use, free wi-fi, and art materials for those who want to use them while they are at the gallery. In the gallery, as a way of avoiding having to apply for the endless parade of grants, we will have a small coffee bar. There will be plenty of comfy seating, and snacks. This space will be the central point from which White Center for the Arts conducts it’s arts programming.

We are a community organization. We are reaching out right now to the community for a show of support. Please support this beautiful project with a tax-deductible donation of any size.

We are also looking for arts/business-minded people to sit on the Board of Directors. We need a solid infrastructure directed by people from the community.

WCFTA is here with a vision of healthy community, and a goal of being a part of a healthy White Center. We are partnering with other organizations in the area to help realize this vision. Will you be a part of this?

If you have any questions, want to volunteer ( a list of opportunities is ready to be put up on the site), and/or want to donate, please contact me:

- Shelli Park
crimsonpark@whitecenterforthearts.org

Thank you so much for your support! ART TO THE PEOPLE!!!!

A group of local middle and high school students from Camp Fire USA have received a $1,000 grant from UnitedHealth HEROES for a new service-learning project focusing on Latino obesity called “Estamos Bien de Salud.”

The grant will give this 15+ member youth group the opportunity to learn about important local Latino health issues by meeting with nutrition experts, physical education instructors and public health officials. From there, the youth will be tasked with creating effective programs as well as developing bilingual educational materials to address important health issues that directly affect their communities, including White Center.

The students will kick-off their campaign at this Saturday’s Grand Opening of the Educare Center in White Center (625 SW 100th St. Seattle, WA 98146), and their project will be implemented during spring semester.

Here’s a press release:

SEATTLE ORGANIZATION RECEIVES GRANT TO HELP PREVENT CHILDHOOD OBESITY

UnitedHealth HEROES grants supports innovative Washington program to help children get and stay healthy

Washington grant part of national effort to help fund schools and community organizations

HEROES program is a community-based, service-learning initiative in collaboration with Youth Service America

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) has awarded a $1,000 grant to a Seattle nonprofit seeking to develop a creative program aimed at preventing childhood obesity in the state. Camp Fire USA, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit youth development organizations, received a $1,000 grant for its “Estamos Bien de Salud” program in the Seattle area.

The program will work with more than a dozen Seattle-area Latino middle and high school to create an interactive program that raises awareness about obesity and eating disorders among Spanish-speaking family members and classmates. The participating students will first assess the health of the local Latino community, meeting with nutrition experts, physical education instructors and public health officials. The students will then create an interactive presentation and perform it for their families and their peers in Seattle and South King County on April 23, which is Global Youth Service Day.

The HEROES program is especially important in Washington, where approximately 30 percent of Washington children ages 10‐17 years are considered overweight or obese, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“With UnitedHealthcare HEROES, young people in Washington have the wonderful opportunity to not only improve their overall health and quality of life, but the health of their peers as well,” said David Hansen, CEO for UnitedHealthcare’s Northwest Region. “This program gives youth in our community the opportunity to learn about important health issues and create effective, engaging programs that address these issues.”

The HEROES service-learning projects are implemented during the spring semester and will culminate on YSA’s 21st Annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), April 23-25, 2010. GYSD provides an opportunity for students to include their projects in a larger, global youth service movement that seeks to improve communities in all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

UnitedHealth Group collaborated with Youth Service America (YSA) to develop the UnitedHealth HEROES program. To date, UnitedHealth Group and YSA have awarded more than $250,000 in grants. A list of all the 2009-2010 grant winners will be available online at www.ysa.org.

Obesity is a critical problem in America. According to the 2009 America’s Health Rankings™, if left unchecked or untreated, obesity will affect 43 percent of adults by 2018 and will add nearly $344 billion in that year alone to the nation’s annual direct health care costs, accounting for more than 21 percent of health care spending. America’s Health Rankings is an annual comprehensive assessment of the nation’s health on a state-by-state analysis. It is published jointly by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention.

More information about the UnitedHealth HEROES program and service-learning is available at www.ysa.org.

About Youth Service America
Youth Service America seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in important roles. Founded in 1986, YSA is an international nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries to expand the impact of the youth service movement with families, communities, schools, corporations and governments. For more information: www.ysa.org.

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70 million individuals nationwide.

According to the White Center Community Development Association, funding is available for facade improvements in Downtown White Center.

Local businesses based in the “downtown” area of the Dub-C can get up to $10,000 to re-design or improve their storefronts, and/or up to $2,500 for new signage or awnings for their business.

The program aims to:

• Beautify Downtown White Center
• Strengthen our local businesses
• Increase public safety
• Build pride in our community

The WCCDA announcement continues:

The White Center Façade Grant program is designed to improve the appearance of the business district by encouraging property and/or business owners to make physical improvements in their storefronts. The White Center CDA will offer a grant to help offset the costs of the improvements. In some cases, the grant may pay for the majority of the work. This program will take place from February 2010 – July 2010. The program is administered by the White Center CDA.

Program Goals
:

• Stimulate economic activity and increase business viability through good design visible to customers, neighboring merchants and residents.
• Renew or improve the exterior of businesses in a manner that recaptures the integrity of the buildings’ design and character.
• Enhance the shoppers’ experience of the commercial district.
• Improve neighborhood safety.
• Encourage investment in the neighborhood.

Eligible projects include: 
Non structural building improvements such as new signs, new awnings, painting, replacement of doors and windows, new lighting or lighting improvements, removal of bars on storefront windows.

For more information, download the Application by clicking here (PDF file).

On Wednesday (Feb. 17th), King County Executive Dow Constantine vowed to continue pursuing federal funding for replacement of the county’s South Park Bridge, located just down the hill from White Center.

Constantine will need to do this because the latest round of federal stimulus money grants does NOT include any for this bridge, which is now scheduled to be closed down at the end of June.

According to Publicola:

“The latest round of TIGER (federal stimulus money) grants … includes $30 million in funding for the $200 million Mercer project … they skipped over a request from King County to replace the deteriorating South Park Bridge, which links South Park and White Center to the Duwamish industrial area and downtown Seattle across the Duwamish River.”

“I am very disappointed for the people of King County that our application for federal stimulus funding to replace the South Park Bridge was not approved,” Constantine said in a statement.

Constantine also added:

“While the bridge competed against a lot of other worthy projects, replacing this key transportation link is imperative to the economic health of affordable, diverse neighborhoods and the hundreds of industrial businesses that depend on direct vehicular access to State Route 99 and Interstate 5. It may not be a glamorous or high-profile project, but it’s one that is vitally important to our economy and our society.”

“I am determined to pursue funding for this project through future TIGER grant cycles, the jobs bill, other federal appropriations, and the state Legislature. I thank Senator Patty Murray and the Washington delegation for their unwavering support of federal funding for this project. It’s my hope that their hard work will keep the South Park Bridge near the top of the list in future funding cycles.”

“I will also keep working with the King County Council to explore funding options that can provide a local match to federal funding opportunities for this and other unfunded projects around the county.”

“Under the Road Services Division budget adopted by the Council last fall, the bridge is scheduled to be closed at the end of June, and eventually removed.”

And not to be out-disappointed, Councilmember Jan Drago released the following statement Wed. afternoon:

“I was disappointed to learn that the South Park Bridge project did not receive any federal stimulus grant money. While I am glad to see that the hard work and coordination at all levels of government did reap some rewards by way of $30 million in federal dollars for the Mercer Street project—a critical regional connection that will bring much needed jobs and economic stimulus to our area—we have scores of other infrastructure projects in King County and throughout the Puget Sound region that lack funding.

“I look forward to working with the King County Executive, my fellow Councilmembers, the city of Seattle and our state and federal leaders on solutions for the South Park Bridge project that will protect the safety of all drivers, and provide freight capacity for the Duwamish area.”

King County Councilmember Drago represents the communities of West Seattle, North Highline, Vashon and Maury islands, Burien, Normandy Park, SoDo, International District/Chinatown, Pioneer Square, West Beacon Hill, and portions of SeaTac, Tukwila and West Hill.

Highline School District students can earn money for their schools by participating in the 2010 Cove to Clover 5K race, which is coming to the Burien area Sunday, March 14th (read our previous coverage here).

The Grand Prize will be $1,500, donated to the winning school. The winning school will be determined by which one has the highest percentage of registrants compared to the school’s total enrollment – $5 will be donated to each school whose name is entered into the “Registration Code” for online registrants (and every registrant must enter a code).

Entries must be received by 11:59pm Monday, March 1st (two weeks before race day, which is March 14th) to be counted toward a school’s total.

Here are the details of how kids can help their schools:

School Registration Contest: $1,500 Grand Prize (donated to winning school)

Here are the current standings:

Current School Registration Status (updated nightly)

Our friends at White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) tell us that they’re trying to develop a local Art Gallery/Coffee House that could be used as a “home” of sorts for our community’s culture and arts.

WCFTA will be celebrating its one-year anniversary on Feb. 20th, and over its short lifespan has provided monthly art walks, after-school art programs, galleries for local artists and much more.

They’re looking for donations, starting at just $10 and continuing up to whatever you can give – here’s a link to their website where you can safely and securely donate online. Some employers will even match your gift donations.

And here’s an email sent out by WCFTA Chair Shelli Park:

Dear Lovers of Art in White Center,

White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) believes that the White Center community’s rich tapestry of culture and local arts should be shared with everyone. Our work to establish a permanent home for the arts in the neighborhood is off to a great start! In the past six months we:

• Established an after-school art program in the local Highline District Middle and High School
• Established the Third Saturday Art Walk, exhibiting more than 25 local artists in 9 months time.
• Are hosting Community Artists Meetings to open the lines of communication
• Established a working relationship with local, county, and state arts organizations and continue to identify and foster new partnerships within the community to create a web of services and support for artists and youth.
• Partnered with the YWCA at Greenbridge to showcase local artists in the lobby on a quarterly basis, and are working with Youth Media Institute and the Highline School District to implement non-violent extracurricular creative youth activities in the schools and in the White Center Downtown Business District.

But we have more work to do, and we are in urgent need of your support so that we can create the anchor of our vision and visiability, DREAM Community Gallery.  We are asking for a small donation of $10.00 from 100 people, a $15.00 donation from 55 people, and 10 $100.00 donations.  You will be supporting the entire White Center Cultural Community, helping to give visibility to local artists in all media, ages, and neighborhoods. A gift right now will assure that WCFTA can continue on our mission to be a catalyst for the coming together of the arts and cultural community of White Center.  The time has come for a permanent home for the arts in White Center. Our current projects are:

DREAM, a Community Gallery sustained by an in-house Coffee House, providing un-juried exhibition space for local artists and performers, and providing a safe gathering place, and empowering activities, for youth

Development of our arts education programming

Collection of oral histories and artifacts for a permanent local history collection

Facilitating cross medium and cross cultural collaborations, and continuing to bring positive business to White Center through the Art Walk

We appreciate gifts of any amount, and in return WCFTA is working hard to promote art and culture in the daily life of White Center residents. We are to receive a $5,000 grant. We need more to open our Community Gallery by February 20th, the first anniversary of White Center for the Arts.  We have scheduled two dance performances, a musician, and two artists for the evening of February 20th, and they are counting on your gift to help make this happen.  When combined with the work of our dedicated volunteers, established, emerging, and students artists, the community as a whole will benefit from seeing our mission to bring art, and the celebration of culture and heritage to all of White Center and its neighbors, succeed.

To give a tax deductible donation, visit our website: www.whitecenterforthearts.org.

Sincerely,
Shelli Park
Chair, White Center for the Arts

P.S. You may be fortunate enough to have an employer that will match your gift. This is a great opportunity to give maximum impact with your gift to White Center for the Arts.

Courtesy Whitewater Aquatics Board of Directors President Ed Marrs comes this update on the status of Evergreen Pool, which closed Sept. 1st:

Negotiations between King County, Highline School District and Whitewater Aquatics Management, LLC (WWAM) continue regarding pending repairs and maintenance to the Evergreen pool, and takeover of the management of the pool by WWAM. King County has agreed to make renovations to the pool, but asked WWAM to have access to $100,000 in seed money to absorb the costs of re-opening the pool.

To date, WWAM has contributed $30,000 and last week they received contributions or pledges from WhiteWater families for another $8,000. Some families are pursuing corporate gifts or grants from their employers (they are a non-profit, so any contributions are tax-deductible).

Whitewater’s goal is to have the necessary funding in place so they can take over and re-open the pool on January 1st, 2010.

Aside from avoiding the problems of pool closures faced by other swim clubs (including Des Moines’ Mt. Rainier Pool), Whitewater has a unique opportunity to assume complete control of the operation, a position rarely afforded other clubs. As such, they’ll continue to offer the same family-friendly schedules and practice frequencies.

According to Marrs, Whitewater has two issues that they need help from the public with:

1. “The king county council has said that in the Executive budget to the rest of the council there is money for some capital improvement projects.  It is imperative to us that this money is approved as is.  In past pool transfers, capital improvement money has been passed along to the group that has taken over the pool.  We need to get the public to e-mail the King County Council and let them know that this money in the budget needs to passed.  Here’s a link to a page where people can give input to the council:  http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/budget/Testify_Online.aspx
2. WhiteWater Aquatics is in a unique position.  We are the first group to take over operation of a pool without the backing of a city.  The county is asking us to have approximately $100,000 in reserve to re-open the pool.  This money will be used for advertising, payroll, and supplies to get us going until we get money coming in from our programming.  To this end we are going to need financial support directly from the community.  We are asking citizens and businesses to donate to our management group.  We are a 501(c)(3) so all donations are tax deductible.  If for some reason we are unable to reopen the pool we will return all donations.  I have attached a letter we are sending out to the public:

Dear Friends of Evergreen Pool,

As you know, the Evergreen pool was closed on August 31st. Due to budgetary shortfalls, King County has decided to mothball the pool. We are very fortunate to have a second pool in Tukwila for the community’s use; however, it too is slated for closure in December, 2010.

A team of dedicated Whitewater Aquatics members have been working hard evaluating all of the possible solutions for keeping the Evergreen pool open and available to the community. When comparing the Evergreen Pool to successful pool management plans, it became apparent that there was unrealized potential with the Evergreen Pool. Our plan would be to operate it as a community pool with a more efficient business plan by:

• Utilizing streamlined swim lessons
• Efficient group usage and special groups’ access that maximizes staff time.
• And most importantly, an ongoing advertising and marketing outreach

Together, these operating strategies would generate a profitable revenue stream that other successful pool management plans have achieved.

We have formed a non-profit company Whitewater Aquatics Management, LLC (hereafter known as WWAM) to try and save Evergreen! We presented a detailed business plan to King County and the Highline School district where WWAM would assume management of the Evergreen Pool no later than January 1, 2010. The King County council is requiring WWAM to have access to $100,000 in seed money to ensure the long term viability of the pool.

We have secured a $30,000 loan but we need to raise $70,000 more to meet our goal. We are currently exploring several fundraising options including community fundraisers and grants but these things take time and will be utilized for ongoing operational costs in the future. We are faced with a short time line to get the pool up and running for January 1, 2010 so we are asking our membership and the community for donations to help achieve this goal. We ask that you share this letter with any other potentially interested parties.

We would ask that you donate as generously as you can and have the following giving levels:

• $100-$250-Friends of Evergreen
• $250-$500 -Patrons of Evergreen
• $500-$1,000 -The Evergreen Circle
• $1,000 and above – The Evergreen Gold Club

By giving at these levels, you will be acknowledged by name on a giving wall that will be on display at Evergreen. In addition you will be invited to a reception and re-opening event.

Clearly we understand that these are difficult times, but our hope is to encourage everyone to give at whatever level they are able. No donation is too small; if everyone can give even a small amount we will be able to reopen this pool. This donation is tax deductible as Whitewater Aquatics is a non-profit organization. Each person is encouraged to review our business plan which is available upon request. In the event the Evergreen Pool management transition does not occur, the money will be returned to you promptly.

Please make all checks payable to WWAM and mail all donations to:

WWAM
PO Box 46517
Seattle, WA 98146

Please include your name, mailing address, phone number and an email address. If you would like your donation to remain anonymous please indicate that along with your donation.

You will promptly receive an email confirmation of your donation along with a receipt for tax purposes.

Any questions can be directed to Bryan Hastings at (206) 291-7141 or Head Coach Joel Schweiger at (951) 218-1790.

Sincerely,
WhiteWater Aquatics Management

According to The Seattle Times, Tyrone Dash, 60, a White Center businessman, was found guilty of first-degree theft Wednesday (Sept. 30th) for bilking an elderly woman out of her $1.5 million estate.

Dash was charged with conning Frances Joy Taylor, an elderly Alzheimer’s victim, out of controlling her financial affairs, according to charging documents filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Taylor apparently had to sell her home in bankruptcy proceedings, then spent her final months in an adult family home in Lake Forest Park.

Taylor died in February at 97.

Dash faces  up to 90 days in jail, according to King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Ivan Orton.

Read the full story here.

On Wednesday, Sept. 9th we first reported how community-service group ACORN is trying to help save Maria Morales’ White Center house from foreclosure by staging a phone bank today (Fri. Sept. 11th) starting at 3pm at their Burien headquarters (located at 134 SW 153rd St. Suite D).

According to ACORN Head Organizer/Director Alex King, you can either just show up at their Burien offices at 3pm, or YOU can help try and save Maria’s house from the comfort of your own office or home – RIGHT NOW (between 9am-4pm):

1. Call Sen. Margarita Prentice at (360) 786-7616, and ask her to pass mandatory mortgage mediation and to help save Maria’s home.

2. Call Litton at (713) 218-4592 and when asked provide the following information:

Loan #: 0014555239

Name: Maria Morales

“My name is _______and I am calling in support of ACORN member Maria Morales asking you to NOT sell her house and to modify her mortgage NOW.”

[Wait for their response]

“We will continue to call and do actions until Maria’s loan is modified and you start modifying all the other modifications you have. Thank you.”

We’ll be at the ACORN offices later today, and will post photos and an update later, so stay tuned and let’s see if we can garner up some serious people power to help our neighbor!