Let’s let everyone participate in the Highlands revitalization

I agree with my collegue Marcie Palmer, and with Brett Kappenman and Terry Persson that we should open up the new Highlands Revitalization Committee to a larger group of applicants and make a broad effort to reach out for participants. Like Marcie, I want the next phase of Highlands work to be an inclusive effort, and I feel we have kept people on the sidelines who live near the Highlands but have not yet been included in the detail planning (other than speaking at public hearings). To make change in the highlands, we need a full court press, with everyone’s help. This committee is going to provide the ideas and organizing work; their work is as much of a campaign as it is a technical committee. We simply do not want to shut people out who want to help.

Thanks,

Randy

Hello All-
As the 3rd member of the P&D Committee, I wanted to let you know that is was NOT my understanding that notice and applications would be mailed to everyone (property owners & renters?) in the Highlands. This second task force will be looking at issues involving the greater Highlands area, not just the previous Highlands “subarea” we worked on last year. Terri Briere was very clear in who would recieve the info, and if Terry Persson thought it should go to others beyond what she specifically stated, he should have spoken up at the meeting.

Mailing to such a large area would no doubt be expensive; however, I can see the reasoning behind doing so, since there has been such wide-spread interest in the Highlands & redevelopment for years. I also remember people expressing interest on serving on the first task force, and they were told they weren’t eligible for that one because they didn’t live in the “subarea” being addressed at that time, and would be considered for the next task force. I also don’t think saying “people can go to the City website” for info is a good alternative to a mailing, since we know in this area there are many seniors and lower income folks who may not have access to or be comfortable with computers. Maybe an ad in the Renton Reporter would get the info out in a timely manner.

Thank you for letting us know of the situation and your concerns.

Marcie Palmer

————– Original message ————–
From: “Brett Kappenman” <bkappenman@hotmail.com>
Terry is absolutely correct here.

If the community is not properly notified we will end up right back where we started and a large number of upset residents.

Please take time to consider what Terry is proposing here and work to extend the deadline for applications and make sure that the target area is “blanketed” with notices. If there are fliers available, I personally would be willing to walk the businesses and see what we can do to get them posted.

And for the record, as a Highlands property owner, I did not receive a notice either.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Brett Kappenman
Director
Highlands Community Association

From: tpersson@comcast.net [mailto:tpersson@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 10:37 AM
To: Dennis Law; Marcie Palmer; Don Persson; Randy Corman; Catherine Corman
Cc: Terry Persson; Howard Mcomber; Inez Somerville Petersen; Brett Kappenman; Rosemary Quesenberry; Stephen Morris; Sandel DeMastus; Shirley Gaunt-Smith
Subject: 2nd Highlands Task Force application and information to citizens in Target Area

Hi folks, need you advice. It was our perception that everyone in the Highlands target area would be notified about the formation of the 2nd Highlands Task Force. Subsequently we were told that only those who were currently on the party of record list, some churches and current business owners would receive information and the application to be considered for a position on the task force.

Subsequently have received numerous calls from home owners in the target area asking why they were not included in the mailings.

We are asking that all home owners and renters in the proposed target area be given the chance to submit their names as possible candidates for this second team. We also request that the final submittal date of the 23rd of May be moved out to a minimum of 14 days after they received the application for the Highlands Task Force. The current turnaround time for submittal is just to short. This is a very important issues in the Highlands and we want to make sure that everyone in the impacted area who wants to be on this team gets a chance to do so.

Just for you information, the mailings from Judity Subia was sent out on the 7th of May and Howard and I never received one.

We have asked the Mayors administrative staff to also help us in making sure that all the citizens in the Highlands Target area are informed as to the proposed formation of this Task Force. As of today we have not heard back from them. From Terri Brieres statement at the last city council meeting we were under the impression that all who lived in the Highlands target area would be included in the mailings from Alexander Pietsch’s organization. Is what we heard correct or has there been a subsequent change to that statement that we are unaware of?

Any questions, please give me a call.

Your help on this issue will be appreciated.

Thanks again all the support you have given to the citizens in the Highlands.

Sincerely

Terry Persson President
Highlands Community Association
Home Phone: 425-228-5848