King County Local

Wow, the Community Investment Budget Committee has been busy.

The group recently reached a milestone after months of meeting online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members had to build trust, create structure, establish values, and immerse themselves in King County’s Equity and Social Justice strategies.

Vashon Island residents: Do you need a simple, convenient way to get to where you need to go? If so, consider making the Vashon-Maury Community Van part of your daily routine.

The Vashon Community Van gives residents a way to reach any part of the island without taking their cars. The reservation-based rideshare program – which has been available on the island nearly four years – was developed to provide alternative travel options and help fill transportation gaps.

Attn: Groups in unincorporated King County that are trying to bring together the community.

You can apply for grant money to help your event become reality, via the Alan M. Painter Grant Program.

The grants—formerly known as Community Service Area grants—fund community projects that allow residents of the unincorporated areas to participate in, and be more connected to, their communities.

It’s fitting that the grant program Alan Painter was so passionate about now bears his name.

Earlier this year, the King County Council approved renaming the Community Service Area Grant Program officially to the “Alan M. Painter Grant Program” as a tribute to his passion for the community.

By Jamie Holter

One of the highlights of summer 2021 was the restart of the King County Road Services Summer Internship Program that was put on hold in 2012 due to the economic downturn. This year, we welcomed six local undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in Engineering and Public Administration into our paid internship program.

A half-mile section of 107^th Avenue SW will display the honorary road name designation of “Mukai Way.” It pays tribute to the Mukai Family and the Japanese American immigrant community’s contributions to the island in the 20^th century.

On Aug. 17, the King County Council unanimously approved the designation. It also directed the Road Services Division to place signage recognizing the section of road, which is located off SW Bank Road. It’s also where the historic Mukai Farm & Garden property is located.

Local Services is planning a public ceremony to celebrate the designation.

Thank you! Over 700 people completed the survey between March and April 2021! 

King County is acting on your input to develop new programs to increase access to mental health and substance use services in rural communities. We will convene community sessions this fall to share what we learned. New services and programs will launch in 2022. Stay tuned to the Department of Local Services newsletter for updates.

When we asked for your feedback, we promised to share a summary of what we heard. Here’s what you, your neighbors and your community had to say about wellness in your area.

Local Services is now gathering data and creating a work plan that will help King County implement a 20-year Subarea Plan for the Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Community Service Area.

The community and county staffers will work together to develop the subarea plan and refine the Community Needs List. These documents will reflect the community’s vision and priorities. This collaboration will take place through both in-person and virtual community meetings, online surveys, and topic-specific focus groups.

Local Services will host an official Subarea Plan Kickoff Meeting this fall.

The Skyway community celebrated the installation of a pair of deep-blue, public kiosks in July.

One is located on Renton Avenue S near Nevzat’s Espresso, and the other is just down the street from Campbell Hill Elementary School. These kiosks serve multiple functions. Residents can pin fliers and announcements to a roof-covered bulletin board. The kiosks also serve as neighborhood entry signs, complete with side panels designed to resemble maps of the neighborhood.