District 9 Highlights of 2014 King County Budget

November 12, 2013

Summary

Councilmember Dunn details Annual budget and district 9

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously adopted King County’s 2014 budget.

As the “local” government for the 250,000 county residents who live in unincorporated communities, the 2014 Budget will include funds that impact those communities. The budget funds additional staffing—8 officers: 6 deputies and 2 sergeants —in the King County Sheriff’s Office. It also includes funds to reopen the shuttered Hicks-Raburn Precinct in Maple Valley. The Sheriff’s office will also continue to maintain a presence in Covington through a store-front capacity at its current location at Covington City Hall

“Over 70,000 residents of unincorporated King County that I represent will soon feel much safer,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn. “This budget not only funds the re-opening of the Sheriff's Hicks-Raburn Precinct in South East King County, but also funds eight new sheriff deputy positions. This budget clearly illustrates the importance of the County's role as the provider of law enforcement services to our unincorporated area residents.”

“The reopening of the Hicks-Raburn Precinct in Maple Valley is a huge victory for the citizens of King County,” said Sheriff John Urquhart. “For all kinds of reasons, people need a police station to go to. Reopening Hicks-Raburn will bring the Sheriff’s Office that much closer to the people we are entrusted to serve and protect.”

As the regional economy continues its climb out of the Great Recession, the 2014 Budget maintains the County’s commitment to the County Strategic Plan and its focus on equity and social justice. The budget also preserves King County’s AAA bond rating by not using the County’s cash reserves or tapping the rainy day fund.

Other important items of interest for County Council District 9 include a number of County investments that will increase recreational activities and increase quality of life opportunities for residents of the district:

• $15,000 for the City of Covington to help serve the recreational needs of the Greater Covington area,
• A $10,000 County investment in increased maintenance at the heavily utilized Petrovitsky County Park located in Fairwood,
• $5,000 awarded to the Maple Valley Community Center.

“Thanks to the support of King County and Councilmember Dunn, we’re going to be able to provide an emergency warming center to area residents in the event of power outages this winter,” said Mark Pursley, Executive Director of the Maple Valley Community Center. “This could literally mean the difference between life and death for our vulnerable populations.”

“The city of Covington is grateful to the King County Council and Councilmember Reagan Dunn for their support of city recreation and aquatics programs,” said Covington Mayor Margaret Harto. “We look forward to expanding our excellent programming for city residents and our unincorporated neighbors.”

The adopted budget will also help the Ravensdale Park Foundation secure County support for its field renovation project at Ravensdale Park. Arranging for County grant funds to reach the Ravensdale Park Foundation sooner than originally planned will allow the Foundation to complete the project more quickly and at lower cost.

“The County’s Community Partnership and Grants Program is an extremely valuable way for King County to work with local organizations to improve our parks,” said County Council Budget Chair, Joe McDermott. “I’m delighted that we will be able to help the Ravensdale Park Foundation improve the fields at Ravensdale Park and make the park a better place for the community.”

“The Ravensdale Park project can be a model going forward demonstrating the difference it makes when a whole community gets involved in a public project. This effort has brought thousands of neighboring citizens together as well as county, city, and state officials to construct a first-class park in southeast King County,” said Rob Nist a Board member of the Ravensdale Park Foundation. “The park was designed collaboratively by the community and its representatives to serve a wide variety of needs with both active and passive interests. Once completed it is projected to have several hundred thousand visits per year, benefitting the surrounding communities with much needed recreational infrastructure as well as increased commerce through its visitor base.”