Tuesday night’s (Oct. 1, 2024) Kent City Council meeting was a busy one, filled with discussions on various community matters.
From honoring a dedicated employee to planning the future City Hall and Police Station, the council addressed a range of topics affecting residents.
Key highlights included a recognition ceremony, proclamations, and updates on local projects and initiatives.
Employee Of The Month
Randy Pulkrabek was nominated by his coworkers to be October Employee of the Month. Pulkrabek was originally hired as a maintenance worker in 2002. He has maintained the water treatment plant, protecting our drinking water system, for over two decades. He is held in high esteem by his colleagues, and works with integrity, honesty, and a good attitude. It was said that Randy will cheer you up when the chips are down, and that he can find humor in every situation.
Pulkrabek himself spoke in acceptance of this honor. He said recent years had been difficult for him, and that the city had stood behind him as his wife was dying of colon cancer. After going through that, Pulkrabek said he was diagnosed with stage one Parkinson’s disease. He said that when faced with all of this, he had two choices: He could get angry, or he could make the best of it. He keeps a light heart and a good spirit, and received a standing ovation after he spoke.
Proclamations
September 15th through October 15th is celebrated as National Hispanic Heritage Month, or Mes de Herencia Hispana. According to the proclamation, Sept. 15 is significant as the day of independence for many Latin American countries, with Mexico and Chile celebrating their independence a few days after. The city of Kent celebrates the rich cultural contributions of the 26 Latin American countries. This proclamation was accepted by Carlos Moreno, a DJ for local radio station La GranD.
October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Mayor Dana Ralph shared her personal experience with beating breast cancer thanks to a routine check, and Councilmember Marli Larimer went through something similar last year. As Mayor Ralph explained, breast cancer is 99% treatable when detected early, so those routine mammograms are extremely important for increasing the survival rate.
Arts & Heritage Grants Available
Mayor Ralph wanted to make sure that local artists and organizations know there is grant money available through King County’s 4Culture program. They have rolling application deadlines throughout the year. See their website for more information.
Breaking Ground For New Sounder Parking Structure
Mayor Ralph shared that she and several members of council were present and helped to shovel dirt at the ceremonial groundbreaking for a second Sound Transit parking garage. The new parking garage is expected to open in 2027, and will provide 400 more spaces for commuters to park while utilizing public transit.
King County Mental Health Survey Open
Councilmember Brenda Fincher said that King County has put out a mental health and drug dependence survey to clarify the needs of the communities they serve. As the county prepares to build several mental health clinics, this information will help them provide needed care. The survey is available in 21 languages and can be found here.
Kent Public Library Services
The only public comment at this meeting was news about offerings at Kent Library and Kent Panther Lake Library. According to this speaker, several branches of King County Libraries, including the Kent Library, provide a Welcoming Center to those new to the community, including refugees. The Kent Welcoming Center is staffed with an ambassador who can help connect refugees to resources, such as food, clothing, housing, education, employment, and English language classes.
English Language Learners (ELL) classes are provided for free at Kent Library as well. These are every Tuesday and Wednesday evening, from 5:30 to 7:30. Participants can learn English reading, writing, and conversational skills. These classes are taught by a professional instructor from Green River College. The classes do fill up and require prior registration.
Other popular programs at both the Kent & Panther Lake Libraries include Storytimes. Storytimes are available for different ages from infants to older children, including a Mandarin storytime every Friday. There is also teen programming, a game time for ages 5 and up, and a monthly Lego building day. Visit your local library to find out more.
Renovation Planned for City Hall
The council heard a presentation on the need for a replacement municipal headquarters. According to the presentation, city assets are deteriorating and costs associated with the buildings are escalating. For example, it would cost several million dollars to replace the aged HVAC system in City Hall. The building is over 50 years old, and is obsolete and out of compliance with current codes. It is also having window, sealant, and many other issues that lead to increased maintenance costs.
The police department was initially put in a building that was meant to be a library. They made do with the space, though it was never ideal. In addition, they have run out of room for their operations, and are routinely crowded and sharing desk space. Their building is also 50 years old. It was also mentioned that the current City Hall Campus is confusing for visitors, who routinely enter the wrong building and have a hard time navigating the layout.
The choices of either building new or renovating an existing building were evaluated, and the finances were shown to be in favor of renovation. New construction would cost approximately $28.3 million dollars more than the renovation plans, which involve remodeling the Centennial Center. There will be a Special Council Meeting next Tuesday at 5pm to discuss this significant decision.
