KentTV21.com<\/a> beginning March 13.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThank you Jasmyne Lujan for sharing your talent with us today.\u00a0 Jasmyne, a senior at Kent Meridian High School, is the granddaughter of Roberto and Aricelli Gonzales, owners of Mexico Lindo.\u00a0 She\u2019s also the daughter of Marta Gonzales, a six-year City of Kent employee.\u00a0 Thank you for joining me to hear the state of our city.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cBusinesses and stock traders are not the only ones who look for a high return in investment \u2013 so do cities and the public they serve.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cYou may measure your ROI by net profit or accrued interest.\u00a0 Some people measure it as an outcome of their time spent, as in mentoring children or accomplishing a task.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cMy dad taught me the value of investing in a business. His ROI was primarily the self-satisfaction of owning a business \u2013 something his family had not accomplished, and using his knowledge to serve others. He also taught me that returns on investment can change due to factors outside of one\u2019s controls. In his pharmacy\u2019s case, the shift to one-way streets, a new medical clinic on the outskirts of town, and market competition with chain discount drug stores ended his dream. The pharmacy became an investment he just couldn\u2019t afford anymore.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cIn some ways, Kent, too, has been dramatically affected by forces and decisions outside of our control. To name a few, not only has an increase in on-line shopping and the long – but temporary \u2013 economic recession depleted our revenue, Streamlined Sales Tax has taken a permanent bite out of our revenues – to the tune of $5 million a year.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cYou can see the dramatic impact on this slide.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThe \u201cKent Efficiency Study\u201d just published by Berk & Associates, reported that Kent\u2019s sales tax base is now the lowest among our peer cities. The Efficiency Study went on to say that \u201cthe City is already operating efficiently across both internal and direct service functions,\u201d but \u201cstaff are spread thinly and are concerned about their ability to maintain service levels in the long term.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThis chart shows the total number of city FTE positions and each year\u2019s per capita rate. We went from a high of 803 positions in 2007, or 9.3 staff per capita, to 630 positions in 2012, or 5.3 staff per capita. While a significant contributor to the drop is the public\u2019s approval to transfer the fire department into a separate taxing district – called a Fire Authority, the net drop in FTEs was still 107 positions over five years.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cIt is said that \u201cnecessity is the mother of invention.\u201d In our case, we have had to reduce some levels of service, and are having to re-invent how we do business. More on that topic later.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cOther changes that stretch our bottom line include technology advancements (they are expensive to license!), the transfer of animal control from the County, and a shift in regulations by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency that affect the status of our Green River levees.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps the most notable change can be seen in our population.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cOver the past decade we have increased our ethnic minority population from 32% to 50%.\u00a0 The people represented by the numbers are behind the City Council\u2019s strategic goal to Foster Inclusiveness. You can experience a sense of our demographic shift at this June\u2019s International Festival at Town Square Plaza. And our staff is participating in a new diversity training model that focuses on RESPECT.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cBut one thing hasn\u2019t changed: Kent remains a family-oriented city.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a glimpse of the 4,000 residents who attended You Me We last Friday at ShoWare Center.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cNow, let\u2019s get back to your return on investment.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt is clear that the economy is turning around. An example can be found in building permit comparisons.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2011, there were 253 commercial permits issued with a valuation of $33 million.\u00a0 Last year, while there were 44 more permits issued, their accumulative value increased to $60.25 million.\u00a0 It\u2019s worth noting that of the $60 million value, $55 million of it was located in the Kent Valley.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cWhile we\u2019re on the subject of permits, obtaining a plumbing, mechanical or re-roof permit also got simpler and faster since the city launched its on-line permit system last October.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cShowing a major vote of confidence in our economy and in the Kent Valley, the IDS Real Estate Group and its Clarion Partners purchased more than 70 acres for warehouses from the Boeing Company.\u00a0 They intend to construct an approximate 1.5 million square foot business park on site valued at $30 million, with construction starting this spring.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIn line with another strategic goal of the City Council, Create Connections for People and Places, a consortium of Valley cities, (Kent, Auburn, Renton and Tukwila) is working with Integra, one of the largest facilities-based providers of communication and networking services in the western United States, to establish a fiber optic run that stretches from our north and south boarders.\u00a0\u00a0 This City will be afforded fiber optics strands that can be utilized to connect public facilities like City Hall and Valley Communications Center.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAs the private partner in the effort, Integra will be positioned to provide data and voice transport services to private companies along the eventual service route.\u00a0 All of this eventually leads to the enhanced ability to connect public and private facilities to high speed Internet and voice services.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cEven with the new B&O tax, Valley RV of Auburn relocated to Kent on March 1st. Now called Valley RV Supercenter, they are the regional dealer for the Jayco line of RVs and will be an excellent addition to our business community.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe new owner of Kent\u2019s downtown \u2018Post Office\u2019 building will begin a major renovation project on the property early this summer. While we are not able to name the tenant just yet, the renovations will include a kitchen, bar and an expansive new outdoor dining patio along 2nd Avenue.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cMy staff is working with the owner to include a signature identity at the intersection of 2nd Avenue & Gowe Street. This reinvestment is just another example of how the downtown core is gaining momentum and attracting capital from our long range planning efforts.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of food, beef jerky from Kent-based Oberto Brands came out of top of a taste test in this month\u2019s issue of Consumer Reports!\u00a0 Way to go Oberto\u2026we love having this national company based right here!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAnd good food and snacks are always better with handcrafted-in-Kent beer!\u00a0 Congratulations to Airways Brewing Company who will celebrate its 3rd anniversary this weekend!\u00a0 Alex and Dione Dittmar wanted me to tell you you\u2019re all invited to their party this Saturday!\u00a0 Kindly leave the kids at home though, this is a 21 and over affair.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAnd they have a lot to celebrate!\u00a0 Along with an interview soon to be aired on NPR, they\u2019re launching 3 new tasty brews for us here, and also for their fans in Japan.\u00a0 In spite of the economy, their business continues to grow, so much so, they anticipate being at full capacity at both their brewery and bistro by this summer.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re exploring their expansion plans now.\u00a0 While the Dittmar\u2019s wish they could be here today, they\u2019ve got a big party to plan.\u00a0 Congratulations to them and to Airways Brewing!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cHeritage Bank has long wanted a presence in the downtown core, and has broken ground on a new site at the corner of 4th and James.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThe redevelopment of our downtown continues.\u00a0 Goodman Real Estate is excited to move forward with its Kent City Center project.\u00a0 They will brand this transit oriented development as \u201cThe Platform\u201d.\u00a0 The name is an acknowledgement to the development\u2019s proximity to the commuter line station and to the vibrant Kent Station retail center.\u00a0 By next summer, residents of Kent will be \u201ccoming home to The Platform!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cGoodman is working with a nationally branded retail tenant to occupy the commercial space at the intersection of 4th and Smith.\u00a0 As part of the design process, they are adjusting the building to allow for outdoor seating which will further activate that corner.\u00a0 We are excited about this opportunity and the vitality it will bring to The Platform.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSince their initial submission, they have made a few modifications to the plan.\u00a0 Most notable, a roof top amenity will be incorporated for residents to enjoy.\u00a0 These amenities we have included in our other developments have been tremendous additions to those communities and we are excited to add one at The Platform.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cGoodman Real Estate has numerous projects under development in the Seattle metropolitan region.\u00a0 They are particularly excited to be the first new multifamily project in downtown Kent and are looking forward to The Platform becoming an integral part of the city.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWho else is coming to Kent?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cDon’t be surprised if you see mouse ears on 200+ people June 7 at Turnkey Park on the East Hill. Kent has been selected for another KaBOOM community playground, and our funding partner is The Walt Disney Company!\u00a0\u00a0 Given this is our second win from KaBoom in less than two years; obviously they\u2019re impressed with our know-how and get it done attitude.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAnother strategic goal of the City Council is to Create Unique Urban Centers.\u00a0 This will be a central theme as revisit the boundaries of Kent\u2019s 24 Neighborhood Councils.\u00a0 Most were formed around a particular concern such as traffic, code enforcement or a desired improvement in the immediate area.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cKent\u2019s growing population, combined with limited staff to support constituent relations in each Neighborhood Council prompts us to engage residents beyond small neighborhoods \u2013 to mobilizing people for leadership and decision-making on a grander scale.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cSpeaking of activities in neighborhood districts, the momentum continues toward revitalizing the East Hill.\u00a0 The citizen group, Kent East Hill Revitalization or KEHR, will focus on maintaining clean public spaces, while also searching for ways to engage kids and families.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems no State of the City speech is complete without mention of the Green River Levees.\u00a0 With Howard Hansen Dam operating at full capacity, we declared the Valley open for business again when we removed the giant sandbags last July.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe Flood Market Assistance Plan that was activated to help businesses obtain excess flood insurance beyond the National Flood Insurance limits was dissolved.\u00a0 It was a tremendous partnership between this Chamber and the City that helped establish the plan in the first place.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to thank the Chamber for working with us, and Ken Sharp for representing our community\u2019s interests in this plan.\u00a0 I\u2019m thrilled it has been deemed no longer necessary.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI can finally breathe a sigh of relief with the approval last week by the King County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors to go with Kent\u2019s plan to fix the Briscoe-Desimone Levee.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe Briscoe-Desimone Levee between South 180th and 200th streets has weak spots that don\u2019t meet federal standards. But the stakes are higher than whether or not to fix the weak spots.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cBesides Boeing, the levee protects the Starbucks roasting plant, IKEA, the Alaska Airlines call center and other businesses where more than 18,000 people work. The levee also protects highways, railroad lines, electrical transmission lines and a gasoline pipeline.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIf the levee isn\u2019t repaired soon, federal officials could expand the flood plain map in much of the Green River Valley from Auburn to Tukwila.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThis would mean property owners in the West Coast\u2019s second largest warehouse district would have to buy flood insurance. Property owners, like the IDS Real Estate Group reference earlier, also would face stricter development regulations.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThe Board\u2019s 8-0 vote paves the way for a cost-effective, environmentally beneficial fix. It also will lead to levee accreditation by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will mean lower insurance premiums for residents and businesses.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThe $17.5 million project, rather than the $74 million proposed by the County Executive, will be funded by a $7 million state grant with the rest coming from flood district revenues.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cI can\u2019t thank this Chamber for your partnership and support on this critical issue. Thank you to the Property Owners for Sensible Flood Plain Regulations for their efforts and support in working to protect this Valley from onerous costs and regulations.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cAnd many thanks to The Lakes Neighborhood Council for flexing your residential muscle in making a difference for your own community. Your communication with the Board of Supervisors really got their attention and bolstered our efforts.\u00a0 This is perfect example of what residents can do when they work together for the betterment of our community. This is a great example of what we hope to see more of as we move our Neighborhood Program forward with bigger districts.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cCarlisle Interconnect Technologies relocated from Tukwila last September.\u00a0 They needed more space that could accommodate their parking and their growth plans.\u00a0 We were happy to help them out.\u00a0 This aerospace company is the market leader in providing cable assemblies for in-flight entertainment systems and is now one of our city\u2019s largest employers with over 800 employees; they expect to increase their employment even more in the coming year.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of things perking up, Starbucks announced late in 2011 they were not only making tens of millions of dollars of upgrades at its roasting plant, but they would move its Tazo Tea operations from Portland to Kent.\u00a0 I was thrilled to co-host its ribbon cutting with executives and employees in January at this world class manufacturing and distribution facility.\u00a0\u00a0 Consolidation of their west coast operations brought 50 new jobs to Kent.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cIt was an honor for Kent to be chosen as the host city for the Hilton HHonors Skate America event last fall. Having 52 world-class skating champions at ShoWare Center, and bringing with them interest by 70 TV, print and radio journalists from around the world, helped put ourselves on the map as a major sports and entertainment destination.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cWe rolled out the red carpet for 15,000 visitors that weekend and impact was significant. People came from 37 states, and from Canada, Japan, Denmark and Singapore. Nearly 30% of attendees required lodging, staying an average of 2.8 nights, spending $116 per night. Also, direct spending from dining and shopping in our region is estimated to exceed $461,000 during the three-day event.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cNot only did visitors enjoy Kent and ShoWare Center, the athletes did too. Have a look at what Olympic gold medalist Ben Agosto has to say about Kent in this promotional spot, seen by 2.5 million NBC TV viewers during Pandora Unforgettable Moments of Love on Ice featuring Barry Manilow, just this January.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIn spite of the rumblings by naysayers, ShoWare Center is helping drive economic development in Kent since opening its doors in 2009.\u00a0 Taxpayers are seeing a strong return on their investment.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAnd independent study concluded the facility \u201cis a regional magnet, attracting more than one million visitors to Kent for sports events, entertainment, conferences, civic events and more.\u00a0 All told, ShoWare Center patrons spent an estimated $12.1 million at local businesses with a ripple effect of $25.1 million in 2011.\u00a0\u00a0 This spending contributed $609,700 in tax revenues to the city annually.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s no secret the national recession and the negative impact it\u2019s had on the event industry has caused an operating loss of $1.3 million over the past three years.\u00a0 Despite this loss, ShoWare Center has been helping our local economy recover.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIn continuing these efforts, our arena operator SMG has recommended, due to the change in the concert promotion business, that ShoWare Center participate as a financial partner to attract enough events to have a chance for future revenue growth.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we\u2019re talking about risk and rewards, Kent was the only recipient in Washington last year to receive a Brownfield Assessment Grant.\u00a0 This $400,000 federal grant will help to identify sites that have possible environmental issues, like gas stations, assist private developers redevelop sites.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWith the purchase of the municipal court building, Kent is now providing court and probation services to the City of Maple Valley and possibly other jurisdictions in the future.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cKent was able to move our probation department into the court building. This provides increased security to city and court users.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center now houses the King County District Court, providing more visitors to Kent and downtown business.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of downtown, imagine what Downtown Kent might look like 5, 10, or even 20 years from now.\u00a0 That\u2019s exactly what a Downtown Steering Committee has been doing over the past year as we work to update Kent\u2019s Downtown Subarea Action Plan.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cMembers of this committee that are here, would you please stand.\u00a0 My hearty thanks go to this 13 member committee including city board and council members, representatives from the Chamber and Kent Downtown Partnership, as well as residents, who have been looking at our downtown to see what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done to continue successes like Kent Station, ShoWare Center and Town Square Plaza.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cUp next is the review of proposals that would encourage more people living downtown, increase building heights to 5-stories, expand guidelines to ensure attractive development, and an even more streamlined development process.\u00a0 Changes are coming to Kent folks, and you can still be a part of shaping Kent\u2019s future.\u00a0 By providing your input, you\u2019re adding value to the process. Get all the details at VentureDowntownKent.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of providing value, this month, the City will host its first workshop on LEAN. We\u2019re taking a hard look at our expenditure of staff resources and the end value provided for our customers.\u00a0 And, we\u2019re targeting a very public process \u2013 permitting.\u00a0 Streamlining our permit process has been a top priority when I first ran for this job.\u00a0 On behalf of the City, I\u2019d like to thank Mike Moran of Cascade Gasket for offering his time and expertise to show us the way.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll conclude my remarks today with this.\u00a0 Kent is a safe city.\u00a0 Public safety is the paramount service municipal government provides.\u00a0 And your safety is our top priority.\u00a0 While the number of auto thefts in King County is the third highest in the nation, Kent has the second lowest auto theft rate we\u2019ve seen over the past five years.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cCars being broken into have always been a frustration for residents.\u00a0 Last year, the rate for vehicle prowls was once again the second lowest that we have seen over the past five years.\u00a0 Street robberies, assaults, and other violent crimes are at the lowest rates that we have seen over the past six years.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe tragic shootings at Newtown Elementary have many thinking of the security of our children.\u00a0 Our police department expanded its partnership with the Kent School District where we\u2019re sharing the cost of the placement of School Resource Officers in four of our schools in the city.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re also working together to put a \u201cCops in Schools\u201d program in place, where officers adopt an elementary school in their beat and stop by several times per week to get to know school staff and students.\u00a0 This is a no-cost way to expand community policing and provide a sense of safety and security at our elementary schools.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe are well on our way to the reaching the City Council\u2019s Strategic Goal:<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cKent is a safe, connected and beautiful city, culturally vibrant with richly diverse urban centers.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a great return on your investment.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThank you all for coming.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke sang the praises of the ShoWare Center during her annual State of the City address Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Meridian Valley Country Club.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":212,"featured_media":20229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-20228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20228"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/212"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20228\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20228"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=20228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}