The Kent City Council meeting on Tuesday night, Oct. 15, 2024 kicked off with proclamations honoring Hindu Heritage Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, followed by a public safety report recognizing outstanding officers and new additions to the force.
Economic development updates highlighted recent business growth and plans for future development.
Additionally, the council addressed retail theft concerns, infrastructure improvements, and staffing plans for the upcoming biennial budget.
Proclamations
The meeting began with a proclamation honoring October as Hindu Heritage Month. Kent celebrates its diversity, which benefits from the philosophy, teaching, art, yoga, and community service, and other contributions by those of Hindu origin. Hindu Americans face negative stereotypes and bullying despite their positive impacts on Kent and the nation. According to the proclamation, Hindu Americans actively promote the ideals of tolerance and religious freedom, as tenets inherent in their religion. Members of the Kent Hindu Temple were present to graciously accept the proclamation.
In addition, a proclamation was read in recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to this proclamation, twenty people every minute are physically abused by a domestic partner in the United States. This month is meant to create awareness and remove the stigma and secrecy associated with being a victim of domestic violence. Kent Police refer people involved in domestic violence to Project Be Free, which helps hundreds of families each year. The proclamation was accepted with a heartfelt speech by a spokesperson from Project Be Free, where they aim to break the cycle of abuse. She said domestic violence affects people of all backgrounds, and damages the lives of so many.
Public Safety Report
Chief Rafael Padilla gave a short and sweet public safety report, swearing in two new officers and honoring a few others with awards. One of the new officers was recently recruited through the Corrections Officer to Police Officer Program. He speaks fluent Portuguese as well as English and Spanish. The other new officer grew up locally and is excited to be able to give back to his community by serving on the force.
The highest honor available to police officers, the Medal of Honor, went to Officer Taylor Burns. Chief Padilla explained that this medal has only been given to one other officer in the long history of the Kent PD. The award is given to honor exceptional acts of extreme heroism outside the line of duty. In his case, Officer Burns was first on the scene when a small plane crash-landed in Lake Meridian. The plane was upside down in the water, with the pilot trapped inside. Officer Burns stripped off his gear and dove into the lake to try to free the pilot. After many attempts along with the help of firefighters, they were finally able to break the glass and free the pilot from the wreckage, 18 minutes after the crash.
The pilot, who was immediately given lifesaving support, unfortunately passed three days later in the company of his friends and family at Harborview Medical Center. Two other officers were given the Chief’s Award For Exceptional Duty for their efforts after the crash.
Economic Development Report
Economic Development Manager Bill Ellis gave a brief report to Council on the state of business developments in Kent. He shared that Top Pot donuts had their grand opening, after recently relocating from a smaller facility in Tukwila. The new facility will produce 40,000 donuts per day for regional distribution. There will also be a cafe opening at that location soon, for those in the industrial area who want to stop in for a fresh donut and coffee.
Bill Ellis shared that there are over 713 food and beverage manufacturers in Kent. He said for many previous years, Kent had a 0% vacancy rate for industrial buildings. Thanks to a spate of new developments, there is now a 6.8% vacancy. He said this might sound a little high, but it means that Kent is perfectly situated to welcome any new businesses that might be thinking about relocating. He said Kent aims to be attractive to businesses, offering good, efficient customer service as well as useful business connections.
Other Updates
Mayor Dana Ralph shared that she went to a retail theft summit, where many agencies and businesses discussed ways of reducing retail theft. She said King County is unfortunately among the top counties in the nation for retail theft. Kent police remain committed to helping local businesses be less appealing to criminals.
Councilmember Brenda Fincher shared that the Meeker Street Bridge is now open, after the completion of safety and accessibility repairs, including repainting.
The 2025-2026 city budget includes plans to hire around 9 new full-time staff members. This would help to bring staffing back up to pre-pandemic levels.
Lastly, a bid was approved for around $2 million, just below engineer estimates, for the Willis Street Improvement Project. Public Works Director Chad Beiren said that this project has been in the works for over 20 years.
