Contributed by Jennifer O’Neil, Dynamic Partners

Dynamic Partners Wins $20,000 Zino Society Award for Social Innovation

Kent, Washington – October 6, 2011 – Through a grueling elimination process, Dynamic Partners, emerged as one of

the top two nonprofit finalists competing in the first annual Social Innovation Fast Pitch presented by Social Venture Partners on October 3, 2011 at Fisher Pavilion in Seattle. Dynamic Partners was awarded the $20,000 Zino Society Award for Social Innovation for their Dynamic Labs project. “We feel privileged to have been a part of this inaugural event and incredibly honored to receive such an award,” Jon Botten, the CEO of Dynamic Partners.

“Dynamic Labs exemplifies the core values of the Social Innovation Fast Pitch program through exceptional societal impact, innovation, sustainability and leadership,” said Will Poole, SVP Lead Partner and Social Innovation Fast Pitch organizer. “The ZINO Society Award for Social Innovation represents our community’s enthusiastic support of Dynamic Lab’s vision and work in developing breakthrough solutions for individuals with special needs.”

The 2011 Social Innovation Fast Pitch competition began in August with over 120 applicants. Forty organizations were chosen to compete in the quarter finals with twenty advancing to the semi finals. Of those semi-finalists, Dynamic Partners was chosen as one of seven nonprofits to pitch their projects onstage to an audience of 700 at Monday’s Fast Pitch final event at Fisher Pavilion in Seattle.

Jon explains the purpose behind Dynamic Labs. “By creating Dynamic Labs, we are making an organizational commitment to innovation. We recently went through an intense organizational review as part of a marketing and branding project with an outside consultant. This project brought to light the fact that innovation is a key characteristic of our organization and staff. This drive stems from our commitment to do whatever it takes to help children with special needs reach their full potential. Until now, we did not have a dedicated space for staff, families, and community members to test, vet, and trial innovative products, services and funding models. Consequently, we missed opportunities. We’ve now made a commitment to make innovation a priority via Dynamic Labs.”

“Through a process of systematic innovation, we will gather ideas from a wide variety of constituents including staff, families, referral sources and community members. Then, we will vet those ideas for impact and sustainability. Once something has proven itself inside the lab, we will spin it off into its own social enterprise. Like all of our products and services, Lab ventures are intended to help children with special needs reach their full potential.”

Dynamic Partners is consortium of organizations empowering children with special needs through innovation and collaboration headquartered in Kent, Washington. Our Dynamic Partners include Children’s Therapy Center, South King Early Intervention Program, Dynamic Orthotic Systems, SPIO Compression Garments, Dynamic Labs, and Dynamic Family Services. Member organizations have been providing therapy services for children with special needs in South King and Pierce County since 1979. We currently have locations in Kent, SeaTac and Tacoma.

To learn more about our Dynamic Labs project, make an investment, volunteer your expertise, or present an idea, please contact Jon Botten, CEO at jon@dynamicpartners.org. To learn more about SVP’s Social Innovation Fast Pitch, visit www.sifp.net.

Contributed by Michelle Wilmot, City of Kent, Community & Public Affairs

Mayor Suzette Cooke’s 2012 Budget Proposal to Kent City Council

Kent, Wash. – October 5, 2011 – Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke’s 2012 proposed budget was presented to the Kent City Council on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 by Chief Administrative Officer John Hodgson.

In a prepared statement, Cooke said her budget is in line with the “new normal.”

“For nearly four years, city government has been in persistent contraction. Rising costs and deteriorating revenues have forced reductions in nearly every area our budget.

We’ve made significant cuts, we’ve reduced staff, we’ve cut programs — and hoped conditions would stabilize.  Instead, projections continually collapse.  As Arun Raha, our state’s economist and forecaster, recently stated, ‘a return to normalcy seems like mirage in the desert that keeps slipping away’. This unprecedented recession just won’t end.

Earlier this year, the Council established its strategic goals for 2012 including the ‘development and implementation of a sustainable funding model for city services.’  This budget proposal is reflective of that goal and the new economic reality.”

The proposed 2012 Operating Budget totals $141.7 million.

Cooke’s statement further noted the budget continues to make law enforcement and public safety a high priority. “Approximately 46% of the expenditures in the General Fund are dedicated to public safety, which includes police, corrections and courts.”

Highlights of the proposed budget

Top priorities maintained

• Law Enforcement:  No reductions in the number of sworn officers are proposed.
• Human Services:  Maintain 2011 funding levels for human services. With the departure of the fire department, the original 1% calculation would have been $733k.  An additional $95,600 keeps it whole for 2012.
• Infrastructure:  Preserve the City’s infrastructure assets, including utilities (water, sewer and drainage), streets, parks, facilities and technology.
• Economic Development:  Focus on increasing economic development opportunities that provide jobs for Kent residents.
•  Increase connections and communication with our residents: Aim to foster inclusiveness by celebrating our diversity and creating new gathering places.

Cost increases and required/contracted expenditures

* $500,000 towards repayment of a 2002 loan from the water fund related to land acquisition for Kent Station.
* $126,000 increase in animal control services provided by Regional Animal Services of King County, for a total cost of nearly $417,000 for 2012.  The city-county contract will end 12/31/2012.
* $110,000 increase for election services and $44,573 increase in voter registration services provided by King County.
* $172,000 new expense for custodial, maintenance and security screening costs for the newly acquired Aukeen Court/Municipal Court building.
* $572,000 in utility cost increases for city-owned facilities and parks (i.e. electricity, water, sewer, garbage, etc.), as well as neighborhood street lighting previously covered by Home Owners Associations.
* $343,000 increase for state-mandated pension costs.
* $373,000 increase for worker’s compensation costs, largely due to remaining fire department claims.  The City is still responsible for these outstanding claims, because they occurred prior to the formation of the Regional Fire Authority.

Cost savings/fee increases

•     Eliminate 20.5 vacant positions – $1,711,562
•     Restructure fees for permitting and development services – $400,000
•     Apply a technology fee to permitting, parks and utility billing transactions to maintain technology systems – $125,000.
•     Increase business license fees – $100,000.

Residents are encouraged to attend a public hearing on the 2012 budget on Tuesday, November 15 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Council members will review the budget and likely adopt a final version at their December 13 meeting.

Despite the gloomy weather, there were smiles all around at the demolition of the unfinished parking garage at the corner of Smith and 4th in downtown Kent today. Demolition of the structure took place at 11 a.m., after many months of legal wrangling to regain control of the property. The City of Kent now owns the property free and clear.

In place of the parking garage, the city is planning Kent City Center, a mixed used development with 164 apartments and 3,700 square feet of retail space and parking.

For more information about the project, visit KentCityCenter.com or contact Kurt Hanson in the City’s Economic Development Department.

*Note:  The picture to the right is not a photo of the actual demolition.

Seattle, Washington, September 8, 2011 – True to the company’s motto “Movers Who Care,” TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle recently participated in two local events, showing their commitment to the communities they serve.

The first event was Big Truck Day, an annual event hosted by the City of Redmond. Now in its ninth year, Big Truck Day was held August 26 and featured 22 big trucks including police cars, an armored vehicle, a recycling truck, a school bus and a moving truck from TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle. More than 215 kids participated in this year’s event which was held at Farrel-McWhirter Parker.

“It’s an opportunity for kids to get up close and personal with the big rigs,” explains Cindy Johnson of the City of Redmond. “TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle was a great addition to our event. They had these darling little moving boxes shaped like houses.”

Tera-Rose Layton and Anthony Clendenen of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle participated in the event as well, passing out the moving boxes and letting the children and parents walk inside the truck. Layton says the kids enjoyed running up and down the ramp into the truck, as well as getting “hands on” experience inside and receiving the moving boxes for their own personal treasures.

In addition to Big Truck Day, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle participated in Kent Downtown Partnership’s (KDP) first ever Hot Rod & Custom Car Show on August 27. As a member of KDP, owners Rick and Glenna Clendenen wanted to support the event which drew 75 cars and brought residents and visitors to downtown Kent. They passed out cup holders, pens and other goodies to attendees.

“This is one of the reasons we love TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®,” says Rick Clendenen. “We not only get to know and help our customers, but we can also be active in communities in the Seattle area.”

To learn more about TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle, visit them online at http://twomenandatruckseattle.com or call 253-656-4322.

The Seattle area franchise of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is owned by husband and wife team Rick and Glenna Clendenen. Originally from the Midwest, the couple moved to Western Washington to expand the popular moving franchise. The firm serves the Seattle area out of offices located in Kent and Kirkland. In addition to back-to-school moves, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK© offers a full-range of residential and commercial moving services including senior move management. The company also offers packing services, supplies and workshops.

For more information, contact:

Rick Clendenen
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK©
253-656-4322
Rick.Clendenen@twomen.com
http://facebook.com/twomenandatruckseattle
Twitter:  @TMAATSeattle

Contributed by Lori Nevin of Urbia Fresh Cafe:

ANOTHER BUSINESS CLOSING IN DOWNTOWN KENT

 August 22, 2011, Kent, Washington — In an open letter to the Kent Community, Urbia Fresh Café would like to thank each and every one person that visited the Cafe over the last year. The business grew 53% while operating costs were lowered by 40%. The Urbia Connections Program contributed to eleven community organizations helping with support in over $2500 in cash and products. Urbia hosted many ad-hoc business meetings for Kent, and three ongoing meeting groups. Urbia participated in the Mayor’s initiative Kent 4 Health, the Kent Chamber of Commerce, and Kent Downtown Partnership.

The Cafe operated at 30% capacity. It needed to be at least 50% within the first year to continue. Therefore, this month the Café ends regular business hours and the shop is closing August 31. Urbia sends sincere thanks to those of you who were brave enough to try out yet another new restaurant at this location. Urbia will miss you all and provides a recommendation for independently owned restaurants: Maggie’s on Meeker, Golden Steer, or Pat’s Bar and Grill. These owners contribute greatly to the Kent community.

Please do your part to carry the vision of transforming downtown Kent, the sixth largest city in the state. Don’t wait until another downtown business is gone. Be a part of making Kent downtown lively again not just by spending your money locally or frequenting the national chains, but take walks through downtown, sit in the Town Square or on a corner bench, even go in to look in the independent shops and just meet the business owners. Find out how they contribute as your neighbors making a difference for downtown Kent.

The Kent Chamber of Commerce “Find It In Kent” event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28 from 3-7 p at ShoWare Center, 625 W. James St. in Kent.

This is a great opportunity for local businesses to showcase their services.  There are multiple sponsorship opportunities available.  Please log onto http://www.kentchamber.com/ for more information.

The Taste of Kent Reception will feature 12 local restaurants with samplings of their finest cuisine from 5 to 7p, the closing of the Business Expo.  Interested restaurants are invited to register.  It’s a wonderful way to market your restaurant!  Please log onto http://www.kentchamber.com for information.

The cost of the Taste of Kent Reception is free for those participating in the passport program and you can do this by picking up a free passport at the Kent Chamber booth.  The passport also entitles you to be entered to win great door prizes.  The Taste of Kent is $10 admission for those that don’t want to participate in the passport program.

Come to ShoWare Center on September 28 to experience all of the things Kent offers!

Realtor® Marti Reeder of John L. Scott has been awarded the CRS designation – Certified Residential Specialist – by the Council of Residential Specialists, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors®.  Reeder adds this designation to three others:  Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Accredited Sellers Representative (ASR) and Certified Foreclosure Specialist (CFS).

The CRS designation is earned by exhibiting the highest standard of ethics, achieving a high level of professional experience and sales, managing residential transactions and maintaining strong technical skills to keep up with today’s ever-changing real estate market. Fewer than 4% of Realtors® have earned the CRS designation. Reeder qualified for the designation by executing more than the minimum requirement of 75 transactions in the last five years plus the completion of numerous hours of continuing education courses in the field of residential real estate. As a Certified Residential Specialist, Reeder has specific training and expertise to help clients buy and sell their homes.

“I want my clients to know that I take my job – and their homes – very seriously,” Reeder said. “This is one more credential that exhibits my commitment to learning all I can to help them with their purchase or sale.”

Reeder is a broker/real estate agent with John L. Scott in Kent-Covington. She is an award-winning Realtor®, earning presidential honors from John L. Scott the last four years and “Best in Kent” in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Last December, Reeder also received the “Five Star Real Estate Agent, Best in Client Satisfaction” award from Seattle Magazine.  In addition to her work, Reeder is active in the Kent community as a member of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Kent Downtown Partnership and Noon Kiwanis Club. This summer she is sponsoring a Relay for Life team called Friends 4 Life to earn money for cancer research.

For more information about Reeder, visit http://www.marti-realtor.com or http://johnlscott.com/martireeder. You can also find Reeder on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Biznik and YouTube.

Tacoma, WA, May 25, 2011 – Washington’s largest proposed merger among credit unions has reached an important milestone.  After an in-depth application process, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and Washington State regulators gave their approval of the $1.1 billion merger between Watermark and Sound Credit Unions.  Washington State regulators gave approval on March 23, pending NCUA approval.  NCUA regulators approved the merger on May 23, 2011. The final step in the process will be an approval by Watermark members. Qualifying Watermark members will receive ballots in late May. The outcome of this vote is expected to be announced by June 24.

“We are very pleased to receive approval from both national and state regulators,” said Richard Brandsma, Sound Credit Union President & CEO.   “This is an important step in the merger process.”

“We’re excited about the opportunity to deliver additional value to our combined membership,” said Bob Valentine, Watermark Credit Union Chairman of the Board.

Brandsma will lead the ongoing organization with 21 branches in Western Washington from Lynnwood to Olympia. The Board of Directors will consist of 12 members with equal representation from Watermark and Sound. The continuing credit union will use Sound Credit Union’s charter and operate as Sound Credit Union with its corporate office in Tacoma, WA. Sharon Sanford, Watermark Credit Union President & CEO is scheduled to retire as of the merger date.

Sound Credit Union is a member-owned financial institution open to anyone who lives or works in Washington State. Founded in 1940, Sound serves the personal financial needs of more than 43,000 owner/members. Sound Credit Union is headquartered in downtown Tacoma with 12 branch locations: Auburn, Bonney Lake, Downtown Tacoma, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Key Center, Lakewood, Olympia, Pacific Avenue, Parkland, Puyallup, and Westgate.

Watermark Credit Union is a member-owned financial institution founded in 1938. Today, Watermark serves the personal financial needs of over 75,000 member/owners and is headquartered in Seattle with 9 branch locations: Bellevue, Burien, First Hill, Fred Hutchinson, Lynnwood, Redmond, Shoreline, Seattle and Southcenter.

Commercial real estate broker Chad Gleason of Gleason and Co. recently earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. He received the prestigious designation from the CCIM Institute, one of the leading commercial real estate associations in the world, following the completion of 200 hours of class work and satisfaction of the professional experience requirements.

The CCIM designation is awarded to commercial real estate professionals upon completion of the graduate-level Core Course curriculum. The curriculum includes financial analysis, market analysis, user decision analysis and investment analysis, cornerstones of commercial investment real estate.

Agents earning the CCIM designation are recognized experts in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation and investment analysis. There are more than 9,000 CCIMs in 1,000 markets throughout the United States, Canada and 30 additional countries, and another 6,000 practitioners are currently enrolled in the CCIM curriculum. CCIM is an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors®.

Gleason is the owner of Gleason & Co., a commercial realty company based in Kent and Renton. He is an active member of the Washington State chapter of CCIM in Kirkland and is a member of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Kent Rotary and Kent Downtown Partnership. In addition, Gleason teaches leasing workshops and helps local businesses in analyzing their local market position.

For more information about Gleason & Co., contact Chad Gleason at 253-656-5357 or chad@gleasonandco.com or visit him online at http://gleasonandco.com. Gleason can also be found on Facebook (http://facebook.com/gleasonandco and Twitter (http://twitter.com/gleasonandco).

Starting March 1, Kent Station will launch the “Moolah for Schoolah” pgrogram, its newly titled annual March scholarship fundraiser. “Moolah for Schoolah” provides scholarships for Kent area high school graduates attending Green River Community College (GRCC). Since 2007, Kent Station has held the annual fundraiser, providing 15 scholarships and more than $20,000 in college funding to students who might not be able to attend school otherwise. During the month of March, shoppers can participate in the scholarship fundraiser by picking up a postcard at any one of Kent Station’s 56 participating merchants.

For each postcard completed, Kent Station will donate $1 to the GRCC scholarship fund and provide the shopper with a chance to win a $500 Kent Station gift card and other prizes. The prize winners will be selected in a  random drawing to be held on April 5,2011; winners will be notified via email or phone.  For further questions, please contact Sommer Ueda at Kent Station at 253-856-2301.

Update, April 8, 2011 – The 23rd annual dinner auction netted $190,000 to be used to help children with special needs. The dinner auction served as the official kickoff of CTC’s capital campaign to raise $4 million to purchase and remodel its third therapy center in Burien. The auction fund-an-item brought in cash donations to go toward that campaign. Donations up to $50,000 were MATCHED by Cascade DAFO, Inc., the company that manufactures CTC’s orthotics.

Thank you to our volunteers, as well as our sponsors:  premier sponsor Kent Station, Cascade DAFO, Quota International of Kent VAlley, Belfor USA, Brantley Janson Yost & Ellison CPAs, Charter Private Bank, Curran Law Firm, Edward Jones (Tim Scheuffele), Emerald Downs, FamilyCare of Kent, Haeger Orthodontics, Live Oak Audio Visual, Miller Hayashi Architects LLC, Mountain Construction, Hentschell & Assoc., Inc., Shannon & Associates, SPIO Compression Garments, Sprague Israel Giles Insurance, Stephen and Barbara Glass, The Creative Office, The Hunt Family, Rock Wood Fired Pizza and Spirits, Univar USA and Wesley Homes.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Children’s Therapy Center

23rd Annual Fun for Funds Dinner Auction
March 26, 20111 @ Emerald Downs
6:00 – 10:00 pm

Register for this event using our secure online form! This year we are honored to receive a matching gift from Cascade DAFO for expanding the orthotics program in our new therapy center! All fund-an-item donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $50,000!

Individual Tickets are only65.00.

Unlocking Potential…One Child At A Time

There are so many questions when a parent discovers that their child has special needs, the most pressing of which is “Where do I go for services for my child?”  We have been empowering children with special needs and their families in King and Pierce County since 1979 through the provision of quality, individualized physical, occupational, and speech therapy; early intervention; specialized education; family resource coordination; parent education; custom orthotics; and compression garments:

https://dynamicfamilies.org/Page.aspx?hid=513

Commercial real estate broker Chad Gleason recently announced that he has started his own commercial real estate firm, Gleason & Co., in Kent and Renton. As a full-service commercial realtor, Gleason provides property management, landlord representation, tenant representation and investment analysis services to businesses and property owners throughout the Puget Sound.

After four years with Retail Realty Services, Gleason left the Renton-based firm in January on amicable terms, stating that he was ready to fill the growing void in the Seattle-Tacoma-South King County area. Gleason provides a full range of commercial real estate services for small to mid-sized companies that utilize retail, office, industrial or multi-family space. Though other agencies service the same territory, Gleason focuses on personalized, one-on-one service and enjoys working in historic downtown communities like Kent and Renton.

“No one here is providing property owners with the service they need; everyone deserves first class service,” Gleason explains.

In addition to commercial real estate services, Gleason often serves as a project manager, connecting his clients with a team of experts like attorneys, property managers and other businesses who provide complementary services.

“I’m looking after my clients’ businesses all day long, so they can focus on what they do best,” Gleason says. “We make the connections so all of the pieces fit.”

In addition to managing Gleason & Co., Gleason is an active member of the Washington State chapter of CCIM in Kirkland and is a member of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Kent Rotary and Kent Downtown Partnership. He is teaching a free leasing workshop as part of the business incubator series in Federal Way next month.

For more information about Gleason & Co., contact Chad Gleason at 253-656-5357 or chad@gleasonandco.com or visit him online at http://gleasonandco.com. Gleason can also be found on Facebook (http://facebook.com/gleasonandco and Twitter (http://twitter.com/gleasonandco).

South Puget Sound Realtor® Marti Reeder Tops Off an Award-Winning Year withJohn L. Scott’s President’s Award

Kent, Washington, March 1, 2011 –

Following a tumultuous year in the real estate market, Realtor® Marti Reeder of Kent continues to excel in helping clients to buy and sell homes in the South Puget Sound. Most recently, Reeder received the 2010 President’s Award from John L. Scott for her real estate work last year. She and several other agents received awards last week in a ceremony hosted by J. Lennox Scott, Chairman and CEO of John L. Scott, in the company’s Kent office. This is the fourth year in a row the Kent Realtor® has won a President’s Award from John L. Scott. (Pictured at left are J. Lennox Scott and Marti Reeder.)In addition, in the local John L. Scott office, Reeder was named Top Producer and Top Salesperson during the second and fourth quarters and Top Listing Agent during the first and third quarters of 2010. She was also named a Five Star Real Estate Agent for Overall Satisfaction in the December 2010 issue of Seattle Magazine. As a full-time, full-service real estate agent and broker, Reeder credits her success to hard work, engaged clients and a strong support team, both at home and work.“This has been a whirlwind year for me, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Reeder says. “These awards are always fun to receive, but the best reward is knowing that I’ve helped a client to successfully buy or sell a home. That’s what keeps me going, no matter what the market is doing!”With more than 25 years of industry experience, Reeder has worked in the John L. Scott office on Kent’s East Hill for the last six years. She is a certified buyer’s and seller’s representative, and she specializes in pre-foreclosure properties and short sales. Born and raised in the Seattle area, many clients seek Reeder out because of her vast knowledge of the area, its neighborhoods and their unique charms. In fact, she has been voted “Best in Kent” for the last three years for this knowledge and personalized service.In addition to her real estate work, Reeder is active in the Kent community. She is a member of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Kent Downtown Partnership and the Noon Kiwanis Club. This summer she is sponsoring a Relay for Life team called Friends 4 Life! For more information about Reeder, visit http://www.martireeder.com.

You can also find Reeder on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

For more information, contact:Marti Reeder, John L. Scott13026 SE Kent-Kangley Rd., Kent, WA 98042253.859.8500 (office) 206.391.0388 (cell) martireeder@johnlscott.com www.martireeder.com

February 1, 2011

To Whom It May Concern,

I attended the Economic Development Committee meeting held on January 24, 2011, and was pleased that the board is willing to review the Traffic Mitigation fees, as to the effect they will have in attracting new business in Kent.

I do feel however the graphs, showing new investors in our city, to be a bit deceptive.

First of all, Redmond should not have been included. It is not in the same economic situation as the valley cities and it skews the results.

Secondly, without Redmond, Kent would have the highest utility rates due to the exorbitant drainage fees. Kent collects approximately. $1,027,380.00 per month from commercial accounts, $260,000.00 per month from residential accounts, and $29,000.00 from the state just for storm drainage. Of the 1,316,183.94 funds collected each month for storm drainage, business are paying 78% of this amount. If our property were in Auburn, we would pay $249.00 per month. If in Renton, it would be $288.00 per month. Here in Kent, we pay $746.00 per month.

Thirdly, there was no mention of the newly enacted Regional Fire Tax. This new fee for our business is $9,400.00 per year. That amount is hard to afford for us because, since 2008, our business is down 25%. Renton does not have the Regional Fire Tax, so there is no extra charge of this type in Renton.

Also I wonder about the 4.2 million dollars that the City of Kent saved by going to the Regional Fire Authority. Is the monies saved going to defray the expenses or going to hire more employees?

With all these factors, I find it hard to believe any company knowing the above facts would feel welcome in Kent, further hurting our local economy.

If money is needed so badly for roads and storm drainage, why is 25% of the monies collected for these services being spent on a $49,000,000.00 Operational Facility? That the people in this area can ill afford? How much has already been spent on this for Engineering and Utilities? If our roads and storm drainage needs so much repair why is this money used for this new very expensive facility

As a business owner, I strongly urge you to reconsider the TIF and other fees you expect companies to spend to maintain & grow in Kent. In this economy we cannot afford such expenses. Thank you for your time.

Cordially,

Delores Christianson
Owner of Central Avenue Mini Storage (Kent, WA)

Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke is set to give her annual “State of the City” address this Wed., Feb. 2 (11:30 am) at ShoWare Center. Mayor Cooke will highlight 2010 accomplishments, as well as give an update on what’s happening in Kent now and in the near future. The address will be taped for viewing on Kent TV21 and will be reprised in an expanded format during the Mar. 15 Kent City Council meeting.

For more information about the event, which is being hosted by the Kent Chamber of Commerce, visit the City’s website online.

Last Friday Sara Wood, public education specialist for the City of Kent Police Department sent out an email notifying Kent businesses that metal theft from local businesses is growing.In particular, copper seems to be the most frequently targeted metal, even going so far as removing it from air conditioners and pipes. Her suggestions:

• If you have a surveillance system, make sure it is working.
• Secure any metal used or sold as a part of your business.
• Inventory your supply of metal to be sure everything is accounted for.

If you see anything unusual or suspicious, please call 9-1-1 to report the incident.

Questions? Call Sara Wood at 253-856-5851.

In the December 2010 issue of Seattle magazine, Kent Realtor® Marti Reeder of John L. Scott was named a Five Star Real Estate Agent for Overall Satisfaction. Reeder was selected out of 17,900 real estate license holders in the Seattle area, and is part of an elite group representing fewer than 5 percent of licensed agents in the area.

In an independent study, Crescendo surveyed recent homebuyers and other industry experts by mail and phone to determine which real estate agents provided the best service in nine areas:  customer service, communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation and overall satisfaction. The survey was sent to Seattle residents who purchased a home over $200,000 within a 36-month period (Feb. 2007-Feb. 2010), as well as to 5,000 subscribers of Seattle magazine and 1,045 mortgage and title company representatives.

Qualifying real estate agents were then reviewed by a blue ribbon panel of realty company executives, professional and trade association officers and others in the housing industry. Only those with the top scores were awarded the title Five Star Real Estate Agent in Overall Satisfaction, including Reeder, a full-time broker/ real estate agent with John L. Scott in Kent.

In addition to this prestigious award, Reeder received the 2009 President’s Elite Award from John L. Scott, has won top producer and top resale awards at John L. Scott in 2010, and was voted “Best of Kent” Realtor® by readers of the Kent Reporter for the last three years.

“I am honored to have been selected as a Five Star Realtor by Crescendo and Seattle magazine,” Reeder said. “It means a lot to me that my clients, business associates and peers recognize my customer service skills, work ethic and attention to detail. It makes all of my hard work worthwhile!”

For more information about Reeder, visit http://www.marti-realtor.com. To learn more about the Five Star Real Estate Agent distinction, visit http://tinyurl.com/martifivestar.

As a lifelong resident of King County, Reeder is a full-time, full-service real estate broker. She has a wide range of experience in mortgages, home inspections and real estate. Starting her real estate career with John L. Scott six years ago, Reeder has earned designations as an accredited buyer’s and seller’s representative, and she can help with pre-foreclosures. Reeder enjoys working with individuals and families to find their dream home and was named “Best in Kent” in 2008, 2009 and 2010 by Kent Reporter readers for her real estate work.

For more information, contact:

Marti Reeder, Realtor®, John L. Scott
13026 SE Kent-Kangley Rd.
Kent, WA  98042
253.859.8500  (office)
206.391.0388  (cell)
martireeder@johnlscott.com
www.marti-realtor.com

This Saturday, November 6, the Kent Sunrise Rotary Club is hosting its annual dinner auction at ShoWare Center, starting at 5:30 pm. Event tickets are $65 each and include a champagne toast, entree, complimentary wine and dessert. The evening will include a Fund-a-Cause auction item for Kent Youth and Family Services along with a wine raffle and a live and silent auction.

In addition, Mayor Suzette Cooke will announce five winners of the Service Above Self awards:  Chaplain Pat Ellis, Crisis Intervention Coordinator with the Kent Police Department; Lance Goodwin, Chair of Kent’s Relay of Life; Bill Westcott, Kent Lions’ Cornucopia Days and Farmers’ Market Coordinator; community advocates Marge & Harry Williams; and Sara Wood, Public Education Specialist with the Kent Police Department.

For more information about the event, please contact Marianna Stephens at 253-631-9609.

Thanks to Victoria L. Andrews of the Kent Sunrise Rotary for providing this information.