The Kent City Council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 was filled with both somber reflection and celebratory moments.
The session kicked off with a generous donation to Akin, a local family resource center.
This was followed by proclamations honoring Small Business Saturday, the tragic Holodomor genocide, and Native American Heritage Month.
The meeting also included the swearing-in of two new police officers and a recognition of Officer Nick Lontz for his exceptional and clearheaded negotiation skills.
Charitable Giving
The meeting began with the awarding of a very large check, in the amount of $10,850, which was raised this year by city staff. Each year a charity is chosen to be the recipient of funds collected at a fundraising event. This year the event was held at Showare Center, and the lucky charity was Akin, a donation-based family resource center. The check was enthusiastically accepted, and will go toward providing food, diapers, clothes, and even pet food to families in need.
Proclamations
Mayor Dana Ralph then read three proclamations. The first was in recognition of Small Business Saturday, on Nov. 30. This is a day to encourage everyone to shop and dine at small, locally-owned businesses. According to the proclamation, when people do this on Small Business Saturday they are more likely to continue frequenting local businesses throughout the year. Kent’s downtown businesses can be explored in person or at this link.
The second proclamation honored the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor genocide, a manmade famine that occurred in Ukraine in 1932-1933, under Soviet occupation. During this time, the USSR took nearly all the food produced in Ukraine, leaving Ukrainians to starve. Anyone caught taking food for themselves from the abundant fields was shot. With their resources completely under Soviet control, 28,000 people died every day. According to the proclamation, Kent is home to one of the largest Ukrainian populations in Washington State, which has over 100,000 recent Ukrainian immigrants. Ukraine today is facing the fastest-growing refugee crisis since WWII.
The third proclamation honored Native American Heritage Month. The proclamation recognizes the need to combat the impacts of inequities and racist policies on our native population. It also honors the valuable contributions of native people from our many local tribes. Mayor Ralph added that the Kent Historical Museum has great info on tribal history throughout the region; it is a wonderful resource for those wanting to learn more.
Public Safety Report
Deputy Chief Matt Stansfield presented two new officers, who were sworn in to the Kent PD. They said they chose to become officers in Kent because the department is driven, professional, and family friendly.
Deputy Chief Stansfield gave the Chief’s Award of Exceptional Duty to Officer Nick Lontz. Officer Lontz responded to a call at the Fire station where a woman was in crisis. The woman was suicidal and waving a gun. Lontz got her on the phone and kept her talking. She did shoot several bullets into the air, but officers successfully kept both firefighters and the public safe. Though the woman eventually shot herself, her life was saved through immediate critical care.
Other Updates
Councilmember Brenda Fincher shared that King Conservation District is holding their annual Native Plant Sale, for anyone looking to utilize more native plants in their gardens. They are taking orders now, with pickups available starting in February.
Councilmember Fincher also mentioned that there is a new show at the Centennial Gallery. The gallery is open to the public and free of charge.
Dec. 10 will be the last council meeting of 2024.
