Showing posts with label on the mayor's mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on the mayor's mind. Show all posts

On the Mayor's Mind: Garbage

Sunday, February 22, 2015


Shari Winstead
Mayor of Shoreline
On the Mayor’s Mind
2.22.15

Garbage!

Many people have asked me if we are now “required” to separate our recyclables and compostables from our garbage. At first I thought it was an odd question, because I’ve been doing this since the garbage company started providing recycling bins. But when folks started mentioning the “requirement” and the new law, I realized the confusion - people were assuming that the City of Seattle’s new law applied to the City of Shoreline. It doesn’t. 

Everyone seemed relieved that Seattle’s law did not apply to Shoreline. This seemed kind of strange to me, too. So I asked if they already recycled/composted, and everyone said “of course!”. I was pleased to hear that they weren’t against recycling!

It’s interesting, though, that some people were annoyed there would be a law requiring recycling and composting. But I get that. I find myself annoyed when I go to the grocery store and realize all my canvas bags are inside my house instead of my car. The annoyance just increases as I “purchase” a paper bag that will inevitably rip. Even if it’s only a nickel. Last time I was bagless, however, I went “Costco style” and just had the clerk pile my groceries back into my cart as she rang them up. My penance for not having my reusable bags was a few extra minutes of my time, loading my items, one by one, into my car, and then carefully organizing things so I could carry them into my house. Not such a bad trade-off, and no bags! I realized, however that my annoyance was really at myself for not having my reusable bags in my car, more than the law requiring me to pay a nickel for a paper bag. The law is only meant to help encourage positive behavior.

Some people mentioned they were still getting used to “composting.” I was glad to hear they were at least trying. The compost bucket under their sink is not my husband’s favorite thing. But it closes securely, so it doesn’t smell, and it’s just as easy to toss the green compostable bag full of food scraps, or the pizza box, into the green yard waste container, as it is to toss it in the garbage can.

It’s great that so many of us are doing our part to recycle and compost. Hopefully there won’t be a need for a law. I’m still a little perplexed at the need to ban plastic bags, because my first canvas grocery bag was purchased in 1990. Not many of us are perfect, we all need a break once in awhile.

Many things have changed in our culture, brought on by necessity. How we deal with garbage is one of those things. We simply cannot continue to dump everything in a  landfill, like we have so thoughtlessly for so many years. For one thing, the landfills don’t exist like they did years ago. It is our responsibility to take care of Mother Earth, whether it’s recycling, composting, riding the bus or your bicycle. I feel good when I step on the bus to get downtown, and I will continue to feel great about hauling the big recycling and yard waste to the street, with a tiny garbage can, instead of the two big garbage cans our family had back in the 70’s.  

Changing anything can be hard, even uncomfortable, or annoying. But sometimes, it’s necessary - maybe not for you personally, but for future generations. Challenge yourself to think about what we can do for those not yet here, to leave the Earth better than we found it, for our kids, their kids and even their kids.



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On the Mayor's Mind - Feb 8 2015

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Mayor Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind, 2.8.15
By Mayor Shari Winstead

The beginning of the year is always busy for the Shoreline City Council, and 2015 is twice as busy! If you’ve been following the light rail station area planning, you know that on Monday night, Feb. 9, the Council will be having their final discussion of the 185th Station Subarea Plan and Planned Action Ordinance, before final adoption on February 23. The Council is very appreciative of the many folks who have submitted comments via e-mail, voice mails and public comment, both at the Planning Commission meetings and Council meetings.

We have been holding community meetings and Council discussions for almost two years. We’ve met lots of people and heard concerns as well as excitement over the changes light rail will bring to our neighborhoods. The City recently put together “Answers to frequently asked questions about station areas” - I hope you will take a moment to read through it, as it contains valuable information and the answers to questions many of you have asked. (Shoreline Area News)

The Council Rules set the public comment period for 30 minutes, or a “per speaker” time limit of 3 minutes. If there are more than 10 people signed up to speak, the per speaker time is reduced to 2 minutes. This rule is in effect for a couple of reasons. First, so that all speakers can provide their comments in a timely manner (some people can’t stay all evening waiting for their turn to speak.) 

While I anticipate Council waiving the 30 minute rule, because we do want to hear everyone’s comments, I encourage folks to come early and sign up if they need to leave the meeting early. Also, this is the only opportunity for all seven Council members to discuss their many questions and possible amendments regarding this critically important issue, as we can only have these discussions in an open public meeting. 

Therefore, It will be very much appreciated if all speakers are prepared to stay within the three minute comment time (or two minutes, if there are 10 or more speakers signed up to speak.) This is not only to allow the Council ample time for the discussion, but also to be fair to all the speakers, so that everyone’s time is equal.  

It will no doubt be an interesting discussion, and I hope that you will attend, or you can stream the meeting live from the comfort of your living room.  

The adoption of the 185th Street Plan will take place at our February 23 meeting. Please note an early start time of 6:30pm for that meeting. (Most meetings start at 7pm) Our next discussion on the 145th Street Station area has been moved from Feb. 23 to March 2, 2015, as many of you requested.
Mayor Winstead in
Washington D.C.

What else have I been doing? Well, I spent a quick 36 hours in Washington, DC last week (my birthplace!) on City business. I had six meetings on Wednesday, starting at 8am, and finishing around 6pm.

I met with staff from Gov. Inslee’s DC office, staff from Congressmen Larsen and Reichert’s office, with Congressman McDermott, and Senators Murray and Cantwell.

Our primary reason was to seek funding to make long overdue needed changes to SR 523 (145th Street). This goes hand in hand with light rail, as Sound Transit moves forward with the 145th Street light rail station. If you travel on 145th St, you know first hand the congestion and all but non-existent pedestrian access.

In order to make light rail easy to get to, 145th Street needs some serious changes. The good news is that everyone I met with was very positive about this project. We received many suggestions of possible funding sources, and offers to set up meetings with partner funding agencies. We are still working on the route development plan, but once that is ready, we will be ready to get funding. 

Many folks ask why we go to DC to have these meetings, instead of setting up meetings when these folks are in their Washington state offices. The staff in the DC offices are experts on funding mechanisms. Our making the effort to come to the DC office is a clear expression of how serious we are about our projects, and making Shoreline better. The Aurora Avenue project ($130 Million) was funded with 90% federal and state grants, primarily due to the City’s lobbying efforts in DC. And our great success with the Aurora project gives our federal delegation the confidence to fund more projects in Shoreline, a win for all of us!

And speaking of Aurora Avenue, we are expecting to have the project ready for a ribbon cutting in December. I hope you will be there - we all have a lot to celebrate with our safe, environmentally sustainable and beautiful Aurora Avenue North (and to celebrate the end of the major construction!)


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On the Mayor’s Mind: Farewell to Dick Deal

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Shari Winstead
Mayor of Shoreline
On the Mayor’s Mind
Farewell to Dick Deal,
Parks Director Extraordinaire 
1.25.15

This week we will say farewell to our Parks Director, Dick Deal, as he sets off for his second crack at retirement. Dick has spent the last 11-1/2 years with the City of Shoreline.

Dick’s first retirement was from the City of Auburn in 2003, after 32 years of service, most of it as their Parks Director. When Shoreline was looking for an interim Parks Director, he agreed to help out for “several months”. Eleven and a half years later, Dick's “temporary assignment” is finally over.

Most don’t know that Dick lived in Auburn until just a few years ago. Anyone who had a conversation with Dick during his time at Shoreline would have assumed he was a Shoreline resident. His passion about our parks was obvious. It had to be to bear the commute to and from Auburn, often after community meetings that didn’t end until 9 or 10pm.

Dick is a great example of the kind of dedicated, committed staff the City of Shoreline is so fortunate to have. They have a special sense of commitment and caring for the community, regardless of where they actually reside.

To say that Dick has played an integral role in the City over the past 11 1/2 years is a huge understatement.

Shoreline has the best Park, Recreation and Cultural Services system around because of Dick’s influence, vision, knowledge and understanding of how to transform a worn-out, “loved to death” and neglected park system into a phenomenal park system. Our parks have become community gathering spots where people (and dogs!) of all ages, can play, exercise, relax, listen to a concert or just enjoy nature.

Dick Deal, Director of Parks,
Recreation, and Cultural Services
My personal interaction with Dick began in 2004, when I was on the Board of Richmond Little League. I made a call to the Parks Director to see if he could help arrange for someone to throw the first pitch of our opening season. While it seemed unfortunate that none of the elected officials were available, Dick saved the day by stepping up to the plate- no surprise there.

In 2006 I agreed to serve as the co-chair of the Parks Bond Campaign. Up until that point, I had not been involved in any type of campaign or really, anything political. I only volunteered because I knew that it was a great cause, and would make Shoreline an even better city. And I knew that Dick would be our advisor. He also turned out to be our greatest asset, not only because of his knowledge of parks and park bonds, but because of the way he can work with the community. Dick listened to people, and they listened to him. We all learned, and we all won.

The Parks bond campaign was a three month dash to the finish line. The committee, with Dick’s guidance, put together an amazing list of projects that the voters just couldn’t say no to - and of course they didn’t. The bond passed with a yes vote of over 72%. That’s when the real work began, all of which Dick has seen to the end.

So when you come to Cromwell Park for “Celebrate Shoreline”, enjoy the Terrace at Saltwater Park, explore Kruckeberg Botanical Garden, throw a ball for your dog at one of our off-leash areas, a ball for your kid at the revamped baseball fields at Hamlin, or walk the trails at Hamlin Park, you can thank Shoreline residents for approving the parks bond, and Dick Deal for his leadership. 
But he did more than take on the parks bond projects. He also helped create a great public art program, including the artistically enhanced, iconic bridges over Aurora, Piano Time and our Sculpture Strolls. And our gardeners love the community gardens at Twin Ponds and Sunset.

While every department in the City is important, I think the Parks Department has more human touches than most. Shoreline has been very fortunate to have a very human Parks Director, not just a leader, but one of the most sincere, kind, patient and humble human beings you will ever meet. It has been my pleasure to hear so many great “Dick Deal” stories over the years, and to have had the opportunity to work so closely with Dick and the Parks Department. 

Dick is leaving us a gift that we will continue to enjoy for many, many years. Lucky us!

If you’d like to come say farewell to Dick, there will be a public reception at City Hall tonight (Monday, 1/26/15), from 5:45-6:45 p.m. If you can’t make it, you can send him an email at ddeal@shorelinewa.gov (but only until Friday!)


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On the Mayor's Mind January 11

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Shari Winstead, Mayor
City of Shoreline
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead
1.11.2015

The topic of change is familiar for my readers.  Obviously, it’s on my mind a lot - because it is everywhere. I guess that’s not surprising or unusual, maybe it’s just at certain times in a person’s life, change is more prevalent. I am apparently in one of those times.

Most of my time is spent thinking about the City and the changes that are happening, or about to happen, or even not happening. And of course, things have changed pretty dramatically in my personal life, with the addition of my grandson.  

Last week, things changed in Shoreline, in a way that I had hoped I would not ever see. And, while it was horrific to hear the report of a person with a weapon at one of our elementary schools, I have to admit that I am relieved to not be writing about injuries, or anything worse. And it was good to see all the procedures and best practices really work. So many of our emergency management and police personnel work so hard to be ready. In fact, it was only a couple of months ago that the City and law enforcement participated in a drill for just this type of situation.  Practice is good, because when the real thing happens, everyone knows what to do.

While some may have questioned why all the schools were closed, and some decided not to send their kids to school the rest of the week, I know that the decisions that were made were the right ones. In a situation such as this, the school district is the lead agency. And, once again, it is apparent that the Shoreline School District is excellent, and that new Superintendent Rebecca Miner is doing a great job.  Nobody wants to ever have to make these types of decisions or calls to action, but it’s nice to know that if we do, we have great people at the helm.

And I am not talking about myself - what many folks don’t realize is that in Shoreline’s form of government, our City Manager, Debbie Tarry is the person in charge. The Council (and the Mayor) are kept apprised of the events as they unfold, but I did not receive information much sooner than anyone else who has signed up for “Alert Shoreline”.  (And, once again, if you haven’t signed up for Alert Shoreline, I highly recommend it.) (Ed. sign up here)

The Council/Mayor positions are part-time, policy setting positions. When it comes to making quick decisions, and taking action in emergencies, it is the City staff we count on. And once again, I applaud their excellent and quick work to keep everyone safe, reunite kids with parents, and keep things rolling. Our police department, led by Chief Shawn Ledford, did an excellent job of having a strong presence in and around the schools, for the remainder of the week.  Shoreline continues to make public safety our highest priority.

It is unfortunate that we have not yet found a way to keep these types of incidences from happening. I read many, many comments, from scared parents, grandparents and kids. I spent the entire day and evening feeling scared but also relieved that no one was hurt. And frustrated that the person disappeared into thin air. Why would someone do something like this? I only wish there were answers.

It’s not just Shoreline that is changing, or my life.  It is our world.  I’m sure my grandmother had the same thoughts as “technology” advanced so that every home had a television and every household had a car (or two), and women even started having careers. Not all change is bad, but sometimes it takes a strong stomach to move forward. So, once again, I’ll start each day remembering to be grateful, appreciative, and patient, because we never know what is around the next corner.

I hope there is peace, love and even a hug around the corner for you.



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On the Mayor's Mind - 12.28.14

Monday, December 29, 2014

On the Mayor’s Mind
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

If you’ve been anywhere around me since last April, you’ve probably heard me mention my excitement for the arrival of my first grandchild. It’s with much happiness that I announce that my grandson, Cameron James Hawkins was born on Dec. 16, 2014, weighing in at 10 lbs. on the dot! And of course, I must express my gratefulness to my amazing son and daughter-in-law, Dan and Shawna Hawkins, (See previous article) for making me a grandmother! I can’t help but share this adorable picture!

Mayor Shari Winstead and grandson Cameron
Photo by Stan Hansen

While we have been enjoying lots of great family time over the holidays, I was very excited to see the opening of One Cup Coffee Shop, located in the former Sugar’s building. The building has undergone a complete transformation, now with beautiful windows and design elements. Even better, this coffee shop is a partnership with Bethany Community Church.

"In a region overrun with coffee shops, One Cup Coffee represents a unique blend of world-class coffee and community service. Bethany selected One Cup to be its non-profit partner at The Junction not simply because of the quality of its specialty drinks, but also because One Cup owner Christian Kar shares Bethany’s goal of offering community fellowship and outreach in the name of Christ. Next time you’re meeting a friend or need a momentary break, think One Cup. Open Monday-Friday 5am-6pm, Saturday 6am-6pm.”

As a person who frequently meets with folks at coffee shops, it’s great to have a centrally located coffee shop that isn’t too loud or too crowded for a peaceful conversation. One Cup has great coffee and great food. I hope you’ll support this new Shoreline business.  

When I was campaigning in 2009, I heard from many people how much they wanted Shoreline to be more “family friendly” - less casinos and no strip club. I shared those concerns. After I was elected, I became more educated about he other side of the coin - all businesses, whether or not considered “desirable, " bring in revenue for the City.

Many great projects in Shoreline have been funded by taxes paid by casinos. However, when smoking was banned from indoor public spaces in 2005, we saw the revenue from those establishments severely decline. Rather than raise the tax rate on these struggling businesses, we chose to let the economy drive the industry, and sure enough, we have seen most of the casinos close.

What most people don’t know is that the casinos (and Sugar’s) were holdovers from before Shoreline was incorporated, opened under King County’s code.

Things are changing in Shoreline. And our City will become an even more desirable place to live as light rail makes its way north. Our great neighborhoods will not only have the single family residences, but some will start to look a little different.

In December, we received permitting applications for three different multi-family housing complexes, the largest at the Westminster triangle - under the pedestrian bridges and adjacent to Aurora Square. Having more residents in this area, with easy access to transit and shopping, will no doubt bring more businesses and redevelopment to Aurora Square, something we have wanted to see for a long time.

Great things are happening in Shoreline, and 2015 will no doubt be an exciting year.  

I wish you and your loved ones the best in the upcoming year!

Mayor Shari Winstead



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On the Mayor's Mind - 12-15-2014

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Shari Winstead
Mayor of Shoreline
On the Mayor’s Mind 12-15-2014

First, I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Mayor, and to share my thoughts and opinions in this column. 

It’s been a truly wonderful experience. I have appreciated hearing from those who have been kind enough to make comments on my columns, or tell me when we meet at the grocery store, or a City meetings, and specifically thankful to those who have taken the time to send me an an e-mails.

You continue to inspire me. I hope that my columns have helped to inform you, possibly even inspire you, and at best, to cause you to pause and reflect.

I will end this year with a continued feeling of gratefulness, for all the people in my life, my good health, interesting careers, love, kindness and the ability to see the positive side, even through challenging times.

Now it is time to recharge in order to prepare for all that 2015 is sure to bring. Council meetings are finished for the year, but there will continue to be the daily reading of e-mails, articles and  information to help inform and educate us, as we prepare for many exciting projects and decisions next year.

I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday, and look forward to seeing you in 2015.

Best wishes,
Mayor Shari Winstead
City of Shoreline


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On the Mayor's Mind - 12-1-2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Shoreline Mayor
Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

With Thanksgiving behind us, the first snow fallen, and Christmas just a few weeks away, it seems unusual to have a leisurely Saturday morning.
 
I have to admit that part of the reason I am relaxing is because I had a little mishap and broke my toe – which is not a big deal, except that I have this big orthopedic boot. Going to the gym, a nice long neighborhood walk, or a walk through the trails at Shoreview Park, is more on my “don’t” list than my to-do list. So contrary to my usual habits, I am going to sit inside and reflect on the last few, very busy months in the City.

Last week the City Council passed the City’s budget for 2015, continuing to maintain funding for our citizen’s (and Council’s) services and priorities - public safety and public service. As well, we are preparing for the City’s 20th birthday party in 2015, and yes, we will even see the Aurora project finished next year!

Passing a balanced budget where we continue to fund important services our citizens need, and that will make life in Shoreline even better, is the most important act of the City Council. Over the three months since the proposed budget was presented to the Council, Councilmembers submitted over 100 questions to staff. There is no rubber-stamping of the budget in Shoreline. We dig in, ask questions and offer alternative ideas. We are able to fund what is needed and wanted, but also to keep very healthy reserves in our revenue stabilization and general funds. Shoreline continues to receive Standard and Poor’s AA+ bond rating, something to be proud of!

Also, in the past month, the Council has had the pleasure of meeting with the Shoreline School District Board, the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees and the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce. We are working hard to strengthen our relationship with these City partners. A number of years ago, you (our citizens) worked hard to write Vision 2029

The opening sentence states: Shoreline in 2029 is a thriving, friendly city where people of all ages, cultures, and economic backgrounds love to live, work, play and, most of all call home.

After meeting with the school district and the community college, it seemed like we missed something important in this statement – the word “learn”. 

Learning has always been critical to our community. Many of us moved here so our kids could get a great education, as well as to continue our education as adults. The school district and the college have long been driving reasons for people to move to Shoreline. With the recent reorganization of sorts of the Chamber of Commerce, I predict that we are about to see a boom in businesses moving to Shoreline. Combine that with the addition of transportation options like Rapid Ride E line, light rail in just 8 or 9 years, and we will see Shoreline become a hustling, bustling place. Our town center and our light rail station areas will offer a variety of housing options, transportation options, shopping options and of course, a great community, filled with interesting neighbors.

So if you are interested in being part of how our City changes, as well as learning about why our City is changing, I encourage you to sign up for Alert Shoreline.

This system will send you notices on your topics of interest (from “light rail planning” to “police alerts”). If you live in the light rail station area, you might consider attending the Planning Commission and Council meetings regarding the proposed changes in the station areas. Here's the website.

January 15th will be the Planning Commission’s public hearing on the 185th Street Station, with the Council discussion on February 9, and adoption scheduled for February 23. The hearings, discussion and adoption of the 145th street station will start in early May.

Enjoy the holidays, your friends and family, and the ability to go for a walk. To quote a friend, “be grateful you’re able”. Nothing could be truer.


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On the Mayor's Mind - November 16, 2014

Sunday, November 16, 2014

On the Mayor’s Mind
By Shari Winstead, Shoreline Mayor
November 16, 2014

So much on my mind. City business, in one form or another, generally is always on my mind. But the last week or so, it’s been in a different manner. It’s unfortunate that city business sometimes means hearing about accidents or tragic events.

But I had no idea, when I read emails about the pedestrian killed on November 5, at 205th and Fremont, that it was, for all intent and purposes, a family member, my stepdaughter’s boyfriend of almost three years.

Someone who was part of many family dinners, holidays, birthdays, and even our wedding. A wonderful young man, who was respectful, interested in everyone, and fun to have at our gatherings. He took the teasing of our family like a champ – and even gave a little bit of it back. We always looked forward to seeing his big smile and hearing his infectious laugh. We loved having him around, and will miss having Jake at our table, in our home.

I’ve been fortunate in my life; I have not had to deal with a horrible, too-soon death like this one. It is so unbelievable to lose someone so young, and so full of life. Just weeks before, we lost another friend to cancer. And as I sat at his memorial, I couldn’t help but reflect on the sadness of losing anyone – our friend was 20 years older than me. But losing Jake, 30 years younger than me, feels entirely different.

The grieving of the loss of a person who has experienced a full life, been married, had children and a long career is so different from the loss of someone who had just begun to live his life, so much ahead of him.

In the past 10 days, the tears, the non-stop conversations with family and friends, the grieving process in and of itself, has been life changing. For all of us, and I know, for many of you, too. 

Jake was loved by many, many people. His presence in their lives will never be forgotten, and he will be so missed by all of us. In the last week I have read so many poems, quotes, wise sayings, and Bible verses. All of them written by someone who has suffered a loss, in an attempt to help others that are grieving. And while the words help, they are really just a band-aid. Because as soon as you start to feel better, a memory crosses your mind, and you are right in the middle of that soul-gripping grief, again.

The grieving will continue, we cannot put a time limit on it. It’s so important to feel your emotions, to allow yourself to go through the process. One thing I have learned in my life is that time is the greatest healer. At some point, moving ahead, going back to your routine, is the best thing you can do. It doesn’t mean you don’t care, or that you aren’t still wracked with pain. It just means that you choose to live.

So what is really on my mind is this. Don’t assume that you will have tomorrow. Embrace, enjoy, forgive, love one another. Grudges, anger, even sadness – we must choose to not let them dominate our minds, or our days.

As I write this, I’m watching the neighbors - an adorable young girl learning to ride her 2-wheel bike down the street, with her Dad pushing her, running beside her.

My mind is also preoccupied with my grandson – due to be born in just three weeks. It is possible to grieve, and still feel joy, appreciate a crisp, sunny day. And know that the person you loved, who is gone now, is smiling on you, happy that you are making the right choice, to live your life in a beautiful, appreciative way.

May peace be with all of you.


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On the Mayor's Mind: Out and About in Shoreline

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind
November 2, 2014
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

Out and About in Shoreline!

October was a really busy (and fun!) month. Especially Halloween! Did you know that Shoreline Parks and Rec holds an indoor playground, Monday - Friday, from 9:30 - 11:30am, at the Spartan Rec Center? Kids from 1 - 4 years old can come and expend some of that youthful energy. It’s also a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet new friends.

Friday was the annual indoor Halloween parade. I dropped in to check out the fun, and was delighted to see over 100 kids and their parents - many princesses, fire fighters, cowboys and of course super heroes galore! I arrived just after 9am to a fairly quiet rec center, and by the time I left, an hour later, the place was hoppin! Besides the indoor playground program, there were many other things going on - ballet, Spanish for preschoolers and their parents, Jazzercise, and a group of folks using the cardio and weight room.

It’s really great to see so many of our citizens enjoying the programs we offer.  There are also many other classes in the evenings and weekends. Check out the Parks / Rec guide, I’m pretty sure you will find something that interests you, because they pretty much have it all - dance lessons, jewelry making, cooking classes, and weekend tours of local areas of interest.

My second stop of the day was Park Ridge Skilled Nursing Center, a really wonderful housing and rehab facility offering housing and medical services for folks with disabilities or recovering from injuries or health issues. I was honored to speak to a large group of residents, who were very interested in what is going on in Shoreline.

I then had a meeting with the City Manager and Deputy Mayor at Grinders - it was great to see a very large lunch crowd, and to see that Discount Tire is kindly allowing Grinders’ patrons to use their parking lot - it’s so nice to see neighboring businesses supporting each other. My husband and I ended the evening with friends, enjoying dinner and live music at North City Bistro. What a day!

Not every Shoreline business has a storefront. It was with great pleasure that I was able to hire Renee Press of Fire and Earth Kitchen, to teach a fabulous cooking class at my day job, where I manage our Wellness Program. Her meals are delicious! She specializes in plant based, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan and, did I mention delicious? Renee is a fun teacher, that will teach you or cook for you! She also offers food coaching, if you are just entering the gluten-free world, and need some tips. Renee is also full of great cooking tips on spices, chopping and blending foods. Check out her website

The City Council had two particularly great meetings in October, one with the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees and President, and another with the Shoreline School District Board and Superintendent. These two educational institutions are key partners in making Shoreline a great place to live, learn, work and play - and will be even more so as Shoreline continues to grow. It was great to sit down together and talk about how we can partner and support each other’s goals for the citizens.

See you around town!


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On the Mayor's Mind

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Shoreline Mayor
Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind
October 20, 2014

Shoreline has come a long way in almost 20 years of being a City. While I didn’t grow up here like many of my friends, I’ve lived here for most of my life. It’s fun to unintentionally explore the City sometimes, and just notice the difference in our neighborhoods and our city.

After a week of fighting a bad cold in our home, we decided to treat ourselves to  Grinders’ sandwiches on Friday night. We all know that means navigating the Aurora Avenue construction, but I took a minute to plan the easiest, safest route, and it wasn’t too bad.

In fact it was fun to see the progress on Aurora. Before we know it, construction will move to the east side. When I went into Grinders, I noticed their sign indicating they had opened in “2004”. Grinders has been open for 10 years? Wow. That was a fast 10 years.

As I waited for our sandwiches, I thought about businesses in Shoreline that had come or gone, or still around after many years. We really have a lot of great, handy businesses in Shoreline. Not just Costco and Home Depot, but Aurora Rents, Highland Ice Arena (that we frequented more often when our kids were young), Jersey’s (another great Shoreline secret, with the best weekend breakfast in town) and of course the former Top Foods property, soon to be home to a Trader Joe’s.

Most of us remember what that site looked like before Top Foods bought and renovated it - a dilapidated, graffiti covered old building. It was quite a (wonderful) transformation when the building changed ownership, and just as much of a disappointment when it closed. But now, we are looking forward to a new business, new life in the building and neighborhood.

Hopefully some smart businessperson will take advantage of having Trader Joe’s as an anchor tenant, and jump on the possibility of success by opening a cafe, coffee house or some other great store in the same building.

We spent the second part of Sunday walking off a disappointing Seahawks game but enjoying the glorious weather down at Richmond Beach. We even saw a kite-boarder take off and surf the beautiful shoreline, with the sun sparkling on the water. 71 degrees on October 19, a brisk wind in the air.

You can’t help but love the Pacific Northwest, and for me, the city I moved to for the school district, some 23 years ago, that wasn’t just home to me, but a place I was proud of.  

Shoreline has challenges, most of them involving change of some kind, most of them uncomfortable, and, without a doubt, to some degree, scary. The only comfort in facing all the changes is knowing that the only constant in life is change. We’ve certainly seen our share of it over 20 years, and the next 20 years will bring even more change. I hope you will join me in being a positive part of change. Check out the city’s homepage, read the Shoreline Area News, attend your neighborhood association meetings. Knowledge is, after all, power.


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On the Mayor's Mind

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind
10.6.14
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

Last week I was talking to a friend about how busy October is. It seems like October used to be the “transition” month, where everyone settled into their routines, and even enjoyed the change of weather (especially when it’s the Indian Summer that we are so blessed to have in the northwest.) 

Now October is just as busy as every other month, especially in my family, where we celebrate three birthdays - my Mom, my daughter-in-law, and myself. I love birthday months, because it gives everyone in our family a reason to get together, share a meal, catch up with each other and just enjoy each other’s company.  

October is definitely my favorite month, because of what it represents to me. Renewal - it marks another year of my life gone by, and another year starting. And every year there is something special to look forward to.

Even though I’ve hit what I consider the “half-way” mark of my life, it sometimes takes me by surprise about how much better my life is as I grow older.

Everything I was told when I was younger is actually true. I do have more self-confidence, and I do worry less about superficial things. I also have more concern about living a meaningful life.  

Recently I attended a Healthy Worksite conference (in my capacity as a project manager for my “day-job”). The morning keynote speaker was one of the best I’ve ever heard, Dr. Victor Strecher, author of a book called “On Purpose”.

My Grandmother used to tell me that every person’s life was a book waiting to be written, and Dr. Strecher has used his life story to help others contemplate and hopefully figure out - not what their purpose in life is (as so many books have been written about), but rather how to live your life on purpose, with meaning and intention, to live the best life you can. 

One great thing about this book is that it is written in comic-book style, and takes less than two hours to read and digest. It will leave you with great tools to figure out what is really meaningful to you, and how you can live your life on purpose.

The secondary title of the book “Lessons in Life and Health from the Frog, the Dung Beetle, and Julia” - well, you just have to read it to understand what that means and why it is so relevant. I will tell you that Julia is his daughter, and although it’s a story with a sad ending, it’s one that will give you pause to think about what you have, and why you shouldn’t waste a minute of this beautiful life.  

I wish you a wonderful Autumn, and hope you have a chance to go for a walk, visit one of our great parks and enjoy the changing colors of the leaves and the crispness in the air, or that you find the time to take a deep breath and enjoy what’s around you.

And if you find yourself with a couple of hours to do a little light reading, I highly recommend On Purpose.



  

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On the Mayor’s Mind - The Budget

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind - The Budget
September 22, 2014
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

When most of us talk about our budget, we are usually referring to our household budget. Money in vs. money out. Will you buy a new furnace or have that remodel project done? Or maybe this will be the year that you have your plumbing upgraded. But budgets are everywhere. In our homes, hopefully somewhere in the list of things we teach our kids about, and of course, in government.

There are many of us who work with budgets in our careers, and some who never really do much with a budget for their employer. My first real career-budget experience was when I was working for former King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson. In 2007, he was the Chair of the Budget Committee. I really had no idea what that meant, but I did know that at the King County Council, the Fall season was actually known as “budget season”.  I thought that was very peculiar. It was hard to grasp the depth of the work that would be done in analyzing income sources, and in making recommendations on where the money should be spent, and even more difficult, was how to fund really important projects, when there was no money in the coffers. 

First, almost every other King Council committee stops meeting during this time, because all the members are attending budget meetings. The budget is the only acceptable reason that pretty much every other issue is put on hold until January. It’s very complicated, with many decisions to be made, as well as many people to meet with to discuss ideas for how the money should be prioritized. It’s basically the same as your household budget - money in vs. money out. But where the money comes from, how much you expect to receive, and how it will be spent are all complicated issues. A lot of the work is making projections (known in our household budget as “our best guess”). Who decides how the money will be spent is not left to one or two people. Decisions are made by the elected leaders, only after receiving input from the public (that’s you). The year I was staffing the King County budget, we held 5 or 6  evening-meetings for the public in different locations through the County, - West Seattle, Kent, North Seattle, and Central Seattle. It was important that we went to different locations to give folks the opportunity to be heard. It was a great learning experience.

Something like a budget is not, to most people, very exciting. They think it will be boring, or hard to understand, or that their opinions don’t matter. And while I can agree that it is much more fun to be designing a community garden or talking about safety in our community, the budget is really where the rubber hits the road. It’s the process where we decide how your money is going to be spent - street maintenance, sidewalks, police services, investing in a marketing campaign to bring economic development to Shoreline.  It’s all in there - and your opinions do matter!

So please consider this your personal invitation to attend the budget meetings starting on Monday, 9/22. We will kick off the budget process with our first discussion of the the 2015 budget at our first meeting. This is probably the most interesting because it is an overview of what is coming in the 2015 budget. The actual budget is then delivered to the Council on October 13, and our budget focused meetings continue every Monday evening through Nov 10, with final adoption of the budget on November 24.

Come on out and learn what it’s all about, or you can always catch our meetings on public access TV (Ch. 21), or stream them from the internet.


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On the Mayor’s Mind - Peace

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Shoreline Mayor
Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind - Peace
September 8, 2014
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

One of the things I enjoy most about being Mayor is talking to groups and meeting with people. I receive a lot of requests from community groups, school teachers and citizens, but last week I had one of the more unusual meeting request. It was a request for a 15 minute meeting, from Dr. Hemlata Sanghi, Director of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center in the Caribbean Islands. Dr. Sanghi was in town to give a talk at the senior center, on transforming relationships through spiritual love and being peaceful in chaotic times.

I was very intrigued, as well as a bit apprehensive, to meet Dr. Sanghi. I think it is human nature to be suspicious of things we are not familiar with. And even though I have had some exposure to meditation, it has mostly been through practicing yoga. I had certainly never met an authentic Indian meditation teacher before! And honestly, sitting still has never been a strong skill of mine, so it is fair to say I was feeling a bit skeptical.

I really didn’t have any reasons for concern. Dr. Sanghi was all about love, peace and joy. She honored the 15 minute time she had requested. She didn’t ask for anything from me. There was no request for a donation. She simply wanted to acknowledge me as a woman in a leadership role and to share the practice of meditation with me. She somehow knew that I probably needed meditation, because it can do amazing things to calm the chaotic, rush-rush, busy life so many of us lead. 

Even though I have tried meditating in the past, I have honestly never felt like it was for me. Sit quietly and not do anything?? Me?? No way! However, for some reason, my meeting with her and the three minute meditation we did together, sort of changed everything. Maybe it was because I was in “busy” mode when she and I met, and I got to experience the calmness that came from taking a few minutes to sit quietly, before I went into my next meeting. It was a pretty amazing feeling. I was a better listener, a better speaker, and my smile and happiness felt different - like they were from deeper within my soul.

The next day at my other job, about half-way through the morning, the familiar feeling of being overwhelmed crept up on me. So many things on my to-do list. I remembered that feeling of peace I had from my short meditation the night before. I quietly stepped away from my office, into a room without a computer. I sat on the floor and closed my eyes for 10 minutes. It’s nearly impossible to completely turn off my mind, so instead, I concentrated on taking some deep breaths, and focusing on a few words. Clarity, peace, joy, love. When I returned to work, and for the rest of the day, I felt re-energized. I was kinder, more patient and more focused on the task at hand.

It’s pretty amazing that 10 minutes of doing nothing can actually help you get more done, and also help you to be a more patient, loving human being. I hope you will consider giving this a  try, because what our whole world needs right now, in my opinion, is a little more peace.

Wishing you a peaceful week!


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On the Mayor's Mind -The City’s Assumption of Ronald Wastewater

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Shoreline Mayor
Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind
August 25, 2014
Shoreline’s Assumption
of Ronald Wastewater

You may have recently seen the City’s press release about the decision of the King County Boundary Review Board to have their staff prepare a resolution to allow the City of Shoreline to move ahead with its intent to assume Ronald Wastewater District (“RWD”). And like many of my friends and neighbors, you are probably wondering, “what is that all about?”

Even people who follow city issues closely are a little confused. I’ve written a lot of columns about the festivals and fun in Shoreline this summer, so I thought you might be interested in something with a little more meat. Here goes:

When Shoreline was part of unincorporated King County, before it became a city, many of our services were provided by what is known as a “special district” - like Ronald Wastewater District. Many of these special districts existed to provide services, like water and sewer. This worked well, because there was no local city government to deliver those services at that time.

However, as more and more cities incorporated, and the Growth Management Act was passed in 1990, which states that cities are the preferred providers of all municipal services (including water and sewer), it became common for cities to assume these districts and start providing the services under the city’s umbrella. Even the first group of citizens who worked to incorporate Shoreline saw this as a future opportunity for Shoreline, and knew we would one day be faced with providing these services.

In 2002, the City and Ronald Wastewater signed an agreement explicitly stating that the City would assume RWD in 2017. It also stipulated that RWD pay the city a fee each year for delaying the assumption until 2017, because the City did have the legal right to assume RWD as soon as it became a city. This agreement was willingly signed by elected officials from the City and RWD. This was before my time, of course, but I can certainly understand the logic in waiting until the City had more experience as a municipal government before taking on the duties of managing the sewer utility.

Fast forward to 2014. The agreement also stated that at least 24 months prior to assumption, the City and RWD would work together to assure a seamless transition for the ratepayers. The City filed its Notice of Intent to assume the district in May 2014, formed a transition committee, which includes two councilmembers and two RWD Commissioners.

A challenge was brought to our right to assume the district, and that is what the Boundary Review Board hearing (and affirmative ruling in King County) is about. This situation is difficult because about 99% of the Ronald Wastewater District service area is in Shoreline and King County. RWD also serves a small portion of Snohomish County (adjacent to Shoreline) - a few houses in Woodway, and the Point Wells area. This makes it a cross-county issue, which means next week we will be having another hearing in front of the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board.

A few people have addressed the Council at our meetings, and asked why this is so important to the City, and why we didn’t ask the citizens to vote on whether we should assume RWD. I want to give you my opinion on this. And please remember that the views stated in this column are only mine - not necessarily the other councilmember’s.

Having sewer service provided by the City gives us economies of scale. One elected board to make decisions, one building to occupy, one human resources department, a shared city attorney’s office, etc. Many of us hear (and even say) we want less government. Well, this actually accomplishes that by consolidating services. The City already operates a utility, surface water management, and has a Public Works Director and other employees who are familiar with running utilities. We know we can do this. We are also contractually obligated to have all the RWD employees become City employees - and we are excited about that! We will need employees to do the work -why would we not want good, experienced employees? It’s a bonus to us.

But our most important reason for wanting to assume the sewer service and in the future consolidating the water utility is to develop the infrastructure of the City in a coordinated, cost effective manner. Simply put, by having control of the utilities, we will be able to plan projects, and to make all the necessary improvements at the same time. It means only having to tear up a road once, replacing sewer pipes, water pipes, etc. and doing the street work, all in a coordinated manner. More efficient and cost-saving for the tax payers - you and me. With light rail coming our way, it is more important than ever that we build up our infrastructure to support transit oriented development.

The second question concerns a public vote. The opinion of the citizens is of the utmost importance to everyone on the Council, that I know for sure. However, one thing I heard a well respected elected official say, years ago, was that we were elected to make decisions. Sometimes we are legally required to take an issue to a vote. But that is not the case here. The Council has no intention of raising the utility tax. We are simply consolidating the operations of Ronald Wastewater District with the City. Second, the City and RWD signed an agreement for assumption - that is a legal contract that gives both parties the right to move forward. Our goal is to make the transfer smooth and seamless, and to continue to provide great service for the ratepayers, just as the City provides great services to our citizens in caring for our streets, parks, issuing permits, etc.

We have a great track record and I am confident that we will continue to provide excellent service. And it will be great to see our infrastructure improved to a higher standard. There are plenty more reasons to not take a vote on this issue, in my opinion. Did you know that the cost of a vote is between $70,000 and $100,000 - (those are taxpayer’s dollars, not to mention the cost of campaigns). Shoreline citizens already voted to acquire the water system currently owned by Seattle that serves Shoreline. Many consider that vote to be a sign that the citizens want a full service city. Also, last year there were two new commissioners elected to RWD’s board, both of whom ran on a pro-assumption platform. I feel that the citizens have spoken. They want excellence and efficiency. The City can do that and we are working collaboratively with RWD to ensure that this happens.

I hope that helps you to understand a little bit more of what the Ronald Wastewater issue is all about.

Thanks for taking the time to read my column.


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On the Mayor's Mind - Night Out, Jazz Walk, Celebrate Shoreline

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Police Chief Shawn Ledford, Mayor Shari Winstead,
City Manager Debbie Tarry
Photo by Jeanne Monger
On the Mayor's Mind
August 11, 2014
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

It’s hard to believe we are half way through August already. We’ve certainly been fortunate to have beautiful weather this Summer, and it looks like it’s going to continue through Shoreline’s birthday week - Shoreline is 19 years old!  

I hope your neighborhood held one of the 51 National Night Out Against Crime block parties, held last Tuesday. The Chief of Police, the City Manager and I visited three of the parties, but every party that officially registered with the City had a police officer or a City staff leader visit. It was, as always, great to talk with folks, and to hear so many people say how much they love living in Shoreline. We had three specific messages to share.

First, if you see something strange in your neighborhood, call 911 - many of us hesitate to call 911 because we don’t feel our situation rises to the level of “911”. Let the dispatcher or police make that decision. Trust your gut. If it doesn’t look right, it’s probably not. You may remember my story a few weeks back about the stolen car on my street. (See previous story)

Second, organize your neighborhood for Shoreline Watch - formerly known as a “block watch” - it’s the same thing, it’s just more specific to Shoreline. Knowing your neighbors is the best way to stay safe and secure. 

And last, be informed - sign up for Alert Shoreline. This is the City’s main way to communicate emergency information, in real time. You can get the info by text, email or a voice message. Street closures, a fire in a neighborhood, cancellations of events, why a helicopter is hovering overhead, etc. It’s the best way to stay informed.

Mayor Shari Winstead with chalk artist Gabrielle Abbott
Photo by Dick Deal

We also kicked off Celebrate Shoreline week with Arts Al Fresco last Thursday night. Hopefully you’ve noticed some of the new sculptures along the Interurban Trail at Town Center - between 175th and 185th, and if you haven’t had a chance to check out the chalk masterpiece on the Interurban Trail (at about 177th), it is a must see!  But see it today, it will be gone soon! Because it really is chalk!

This week is sure to be fun, and I hope to see you out and about! After our Council meeting on Monday night (if you are interested in the land use zoning around the 185th Street light rail station, you should be attending), we’ve got the North City Jazz Walk on Tuesday night, with more venues, more music and more food than before (link), several neighborhood get-togethers and of course the official Celebrate Shoreline festival!
 
The fun kicks off on Friday with the Skate Park competition, and on Saturday, the best and biggest party of all - CELEBRATE SHORELINE at Cromwell Park, from 11am- 8pm. Fun for the whole family, with music all day, a beer garden (and a root beer garden!), games, pony rides, booths, food, a classic car show - you name it, we got it! I’m particularly excited as this is the first year for our Kids’ Move challenge, and I’m hoping lots of kids will be turning in their activity forms and entering to win one of four scooters and helmets! Don’t miss the Sand Castle contest on Sunday, and prior to that, the first ever Bust Your Buns beach to bluff run (or walk!) 

I’ll see you there!


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On the Mayor's mind: practical reasons for Shopping Shoreline

Sunday, July 27, 2014

On the Mayor's Mind
July 28, 2014
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

Last week the Shoreline Area News shared an article from the Seattle Times, about one of our local restaurants, Grinders. (see article here)

The focus of the article was the difficulties businesses in the Aurora construction zone encounter. 

On June 14, I wrote an article about the importance of patronizing our Shoreline Aurora Avenue restaurants, especially as we enter this last phase of the Aurora Redevelopment project. If you missed it, I hope you will take a moment to read my article

Last week’s article focusing on Grinders got me thinking (again), how can we help people to really understand why it is so important to shop in Shoreline. I believe you can find almost anything you need or want in Shoreline. Sure, it’s nice to go to dinner in Edmonds or shop at Alderwood or downtown Seattle. But make those instances the exception, not the rule. And here’s why.

On every purchase, you pay almost 10% sales tax. Most of that goes to the state, the county, and other government agencies, with only about .85% staying Shoreline. In real numbers, if you spend $200 on taxable items at Costco, $1.70 goes to Shoreline.

What does Shoreline do with that money? Those are the dollars used for filling pot holes, sweeping the streets, funding police officers, and maintaining the parks, just to name a few. (And if you are really interested in where your tax dollars go, join us for the annual City budget process, starting on October 13. (We always hope to have interested citizens attend these meetings, but often the Council chambers are empty.)

I know that $1.70 doesn’t seem like much – but have you ever seen how many people are in Costco on a Saturday – most probably spending more than $200. Very quickly, that $1.70 adds up.

So now you want to know how much some of these services cost, don’t you?

  • To sweep the street in front of your house one time, it costs about $1.85 (that one $200 trip to Costco).  (Street sweeping is important to keep our water clean and help manage debris).
  • For one police officer to spend 30 minutes responding to a call for help, it costs approximately $43.  It takes one resident to spend a little over $5,000 in Shoreline to pay for this time or 50 residents to spend $100 each.  (Ever bought a new car in Shoreline?  We receive a major amount of sales tax revenues from car dealerships.  Embrace them!
  • To maintain one acre of park land it costs approximately $3,700 per year.  One person would need to spend $450,000 to generate $3,700 in sales tax or 4,500 residents spending $100 each in Shoreline.
Basically, if you choose to shop in Edmonds, Lynnwood, or Seattle, you are helping pay for these services – in another city! And that’s okay, sometimes it’s even necessary. Just be aware that you can choose where your tax dollars go- by where you shop.

Besides keeping our sales tax in our City, the extra bonus is that shopping Shoreline also generates local jobs, reduces environmental impacts, and creates (more of) our great community!

I challenge you to shop Shoreline. If you live on the east side, try the North City Bistro and Wine Bar. If you live on the west side, try Streetzeria in Richmond Beach. Shoreline is bigger than just your neighborhood, or even Aurora Avenue. If we want our City to thrive, if we want more and different businesses, we have to show business owners that we will support them. Regardless of if the street happens to be a construction zone for a few months.

 See you somewhere in Shoreline!

Updated 7-28-2014 10:21pm

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On the Mayor's mind: a summer full of events in Shoreline

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead
On the Mayor's Mind
July 14, 2014
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

Both the calendar and the weather are telling us (loud and clear!) that summer is really here. We know it won’t last long enough, so let the fun begin!

Besides the City wide events, most neighborhoods have their own signature event , maybe an ice cream social or a picnic. It’s a great way to meet new neighbors and to reconnect with folks I haven’t seen all winter. You can check out the City’s Neighborhood website to find out what’s coming up in your neck of the woods.

And there’s no shortage of City wide events through the summer:

Swingin’ Summer Eve, July 23  – bring a picnic or try something new from the food vendors, sit back and enjoy the music, visit with your friends and reflect on how beautiful Cromwell Park is, thanks to the citizens’ tax dollars. Many of us remember the “dust bowl” that Cromwell was years ago when our kids played ball there. Things in Shoreline just keep getting better!

SolarFest,  July 26 – Eleven years and still growing! One of the best, and most hip events around our region. Shoreline is really making a mark on the solar industry. It’s appropriate that this festival is held at Shoreline Community College, home of the Zero Energy House and Clean Energy program. This year will be even more fun with the “trash fashion dog show” at 2pm. The first in the world – you’ve got to check this out. I am proud to be in the show with my dog Stewart, and my grand-dog, Hunter. I had a blast making their cute costumes out of recycled materials. Come see what it’s all about!

August brings non-stop good times in Shoreline, starting with with Arts Al Fresco on the 7th. Piano Time, one of my favorite summer activities, also kicks off on August 1, as the piano’s are rolled out around the city. Make it a point to check out some of the great artwork on the pianos, and feel free to plunk out a few notes, or if you are a true musician, take a seat and entertain the passersby. Last summer I had a musician friend from New York come to visit, and she played a song on each one of the pianos in Shoreline. It was a really fun day for all of us, and she tells everyone she knows what a cool place Shoreline is!

National Night Out, Tuesday, August 5. Yet another chance to meet your neighbors. Have a block party! Start a block watch! Last week I noticed an unfamiliar car in front of my neighbor’s house. I waited a couple of days, noticing that the car had not moved, and then phoned my neighbor to see if it belonged to them. As it turned out they were on vacation. After checking with another neighbor, I phoned the Shoreline Police and asked them to check on the vehicle. They ran the plates, and sure enough, it was a stolen car that had been abandoned. The owner, an Edmonds resident, was very happy to have her vehicle recovered within a week, and fortunately, without any damage. Just another example of why it is important to know our neighbors, have cell phone numbers and be aware. And don’t ever hesitate to call the police if something seems “not quite right”. Trust your gut.

This year’s North City Jazz Walk on August 12th is going to be better than ever. We have new businesses and venues this year, so make sure you get your ticket in advance and don’t miss the party!

And of course, the granddaddy of events, Celebrate Shoreline, starts on Friday, August 15 and goes through Sunday, August 17. It kicks off with a skateboarding contest on Friday afternoon, the big festival celebrating the City’s anniversary on Saturday and the Sand Castle building contest on Sunday.

Let’s hope it’s a sunny week to be out and about! I’ll see you there!


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