From the essential yet unsung work of sewer maintenance to the impending global spotlight of the FIFA World Cup, the Kent City Council’s May 5 meeting spanned the full spectrum of civic life.
The session balanced significant long-term policy shifts, such as a ten-year plan to overhaul public defense caseloads, with a tangible plan for neighborhood improvements like new pedestrian crossings and trail expansions.
While the city geared up for a festive May full of bike rodeos and international celebrations, the evening also highlighted a growing local debate over privacy and surveillance technology, underscoring the complexities of governing Kent’s growing and diverse community.
Meeting New Public Defense Standards
The council approved a resolution to meet new statewide public defender requirements. Kent has ten years to meet these requirements, which reduce public defender caseloads from 400 to 120 per year. Kent public defenders will see a drop of 28 cases per year, over the next decade. The city has enough public defenders to cover these requirements at present.
Transportation Improvement Program Update
City Transportation Planner David Paine gave an update on the Transportation Improvement Program, which lays out projects it would like to see happen in the next six years. New projects on the list include pavement preservation along 84th Ave S./East Valley Hwy, Central Ave N., and James Street. While putting in an overlay of new pavement on the streets, curb ramps and push button crossings will be evaluated for any needed accessibility improvements.
A new pedestrian crossing is also on the list, for safer crossing of Pacific Highway at 268th. This pedestrian hybrid beacon crossing would serve the library, as well as provide safer access to bus stops. A new non-motorized trail is planned along S 240th Street, between 30th and 32nd Ave S. This trail would connect to a planned bike facility in Des Moines, and would improve connection to the Kent Des Moines light rail station. The plan includes landscape panels and tree plantings along the trail.
Sanitary Sewer Comprehensive Plan
During the Council Workshop there was a presentation on the city’s Sanitary Sewer Comprehensive Plan. Engineers model the city’s 222 miles of underground public sewer pipes, with projections for expected population growth over the next 20 years, in order to ensure that sewer capacity can keep up with demand. Undersized pipes mean a backup onto city streets, which engineers do everything they can to avoid. There are 21 meters monitoring the flow throughout this sewer system, tracking sewage flow rates throughout both the dry and wet seasons.
In addition to monitoring flow, upgrading pipes, and avoiding leaks and damage, public works must monitor for clogs. These clogs are mostly caused by what is referred to as FOG (fats, oils, and grease) which are too often washed down the drain. FOG settles into solid masses that can stop up the flow, so it must be removed periodically. In addition, tree roots can also get into the pipes and cause a blockage. Crews systematically clean 30 miles of public sewer pipes each year, making repairs as needed.
It was mentioned that some cities, including Seattle, use one pipe system to transport combined storm and sewer water. This can lead to major issues when flooding events happen. Kent does its best to keep stormwater separate from sewer flow. It was mentioned that the flooding event last winter did not impact Kent’s sewer system, thanks to maintaining this separation.
Council President Satwinder Kaur said that Public Works employees are the unsung heroes of the city. Public Works Director Chad Bieren said in reference to the work they perform providing clean drinking water and removal of sewer, “When it’s working, nobody knows about us”.
Bike Everywhere Month & Bike Rodeo
Mayor Dana Ralph read four proclamations, including one recognizing May as Bike Everywhere Month. The city encourages people to ride recreationally as well as for commuting, and aims to increase bicycle safety.
The Kent Bicycle Advisory Board puts on a free annual Bike Rodeo. This year the Rodeo will take place from 10am-1pm on Saturday May 16, at the YMCA. Kids can practice safe riding skills along an interactive skills course. Mayor Ralph added that in past years this event offered free helmets as well as bicycle repair.
International Festival
Another free event this month is the 18th annual International Festival. This event includes many performances, and will take place throughout the day on Saturday, May 30. The full program lineup is available at the link above.
Preparing For FIFA
Councilmember Zandria Michaud reported that people should be prepared for major impacts to traffic during the FIFA World Cup this summer. Entire roads around the stadium will be shut down during the games, and no parking will be available in that area. She said more communication is expected closer to the games.
Public Comments
A few speakers expressed concern about the city’s use of Flock cameras. These cameras take images of license plates, and are used to track down vehicles wanted in crimes as well as to locate missing persons and stolen cars. However, it was mentioned that many cities have discontinued using the cameras in order to prevent any misuse by the federal government. Speakers mentioned the very diverse Kent community, and how many people are living in fear of ICE. They asked that the city be open about the location of these cameras, at the very least.
