Mayor's Newsletter for Jan. 17, 2020
January is Mentoring Month in Renton
One of the rewarding parts of my week is the time I spend mentoring a student in the Renton School District through the mentorship program of Communities In Schools of Renton-Tukwila (CISR). This is my seventh year of mentoring and it has been a wonderful experience. I sincerely believe that I get more out of the relationship than my mentee does!
As adults we all have an obligation to give our children a better future than we have and one of the most powerful ways we can affect a young life is to take an interest in them and provide support. Mentoring is a proven way to help at-risk students stay in school and develop their potential and academic success through a constant and caring relationship.
I’m proud that my first proclamation as your mayor is designating January to be National Mentoring Month in Renton and that Kathy Ulrich (pictured at right), CISR’s development director was on hand Monday to accept the proclamation. It was my honor to thank her for their outstanding work. Renton is fortunate to have this organization in our community to help remove those barriers that prevent our students from succeeding.
Mentoring can have a powerful effect on both the mentor and the mentee. There are hundreds of children in Renton in need of a mentor and I would urge you to take the time and make a difference in those lives. To find out how you can take part, visit the CISR website.
City was prepared for this week's severe weather
The cold weather and dusting of snow earlier this week found city staff prepared and ready to tackle the challenge and provide services that would keep citizens as safe and secure as possible.
For Public Works street maintenance crews, those preparations started last October when they transformed their dump trucks into plow trucks with sanders and stockpiled sand/salt and de-icer. When the weather forecast took a menacing turn Sunday, plow crews were ready at 3 p.m. and worked overnight spreading de-icer on roadways. Fortunately, heavy snows bypassed the city and plows were not used.
Our Community Services Department was also busy. Staff in the human services division coordinated with Catholic Community Services and other entities to open the city’s severe weather shelter at the former chamber of commerce building. Renton was the only city south of Seattle to keep our emergency shelter open on Wednesday and Thursday night, and we were able to help lots of people stay warm.
A special thanks to our emergency management staff who play a vital part in all our preparations. Their ability to analyze complex information from multiple sources and share with the rest of the city is an important part of our plan. Hopefully this week was our only winter blast, but if we do get another, be assured our staff is ready.
Census Ambassadors to help get complete census count
We’re preparing for the upcoming 2020 Census and it’s vital we do everything possible to conduct a thorough, accurate count of all our residents so Renton gets its fair share of federal aid. Estimates show that for every 100 households that are not counted in Washington in 2020, the state will miss out in approximately $5.8 million in federal aid.
We understand that some in our community are not comfortable answering a census form, but this led to a severe undercount of our population in 2010. We realize that some of our residents have real concerns and fears about the Census. We are taking several steps to alleviate those fears to help achieve a complete count in the 2020 Census.
To reach out and explain the census to the community, we’re hiring community members to serve as census ambassadors. These individuals will work within their communities as trusted voices and encourage census participation through educational sessions and question assistance centers. We would like representation from all areas of the city, but specifically from those who live in the West Hill, Highlands, and Benson neighborhoods.
Ambassadors will receive training and will make $25 per hour. If you’re interested, we’re holding an information session on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Renton Library (100 Mill Ave S). Our census program manager Ginna Hernandez is also available to answer any questions (ghernandez@rentonwa.gov or 425-430-7728).
Judge Kara Murphy Richards join Municipal Court bench
Judge Kara Murphy Richards takes the oath of office from Renton Municipal Court Judge Terry L. Jurado. Judge Murphy Richards joins Judge Jurado as the court's second full time jurist.
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Comments, questions or suggestions, or just want to share all the great things that are happening in the city, please email me. Thanks for reading.
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