In March, Seattle residents will have the chance to vote on the future of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Recently the King County Elections Department decided to grant the city of Seattle's request to make the March 13 advisory vote an all-mail election, meaning Seattle voters must mail in their ballots. For this election, polling stations will be closed.

While I support the eventual transition to all-mail voting, I am concerned about using it for the Viaduct vote due to the extremely short deadline to inform more than 100,000 poll voters that they must vote by mail. I will continue to push the County Elections division to expand voter education and preparation efforts beyond the original outreach plan. You can read more about this below.

My thanks to all of you who offered support and condolences after the unexpected death of my father, Murray Ferguson. My family appreciates your well wishes and we were touched by the obituary in the Seattle Times written by Keith Ervin. The following is a link to the February 3rd obituary. A model neighbor and father on Queen Anne - Seattle Times.

The King County Council Addresses Storm Preparedness

Eric Holdeman in Shoreline for Bob’s 2006 Town Hall on Emergency Preparedness.

I heard from many of you about your experience with the storms of 2006. I recently joined my colleagues for a Town Hall meeting on the topic of winter storm readiness to discuss how the region can improve its response. The meeting included presentations by King County Emergency Management Director Eric Holdeman as well as Jerry Henry, Senior Advisor to the Chairman of Puget Sound Energy, and Sung Yang, Chief of Staff for Seattle City Light.

The meeting was taped by King County Television and will be aired in the future as time allows. You can also watch the Town Hall on your computer using the following link, February 5th - Town Hall on Storm Preparedness. You will need RealPlayer installed on your computer to view the Town Hall.
 

Name this building!

Contest Underway for Naming of New County Office Building

The contest to name the new County office building in downtown Seattle is officially underway. Residents of King County who are in seventh through ninth grade are invited to submit their idea for a name, which can include significant county residents alive or dead, as well as, but not limited to, names of groups, social movements, artifacts, symbols, or activities significant to King County residents.

The deadline is April 1st and a name will be selected by June, when the building is set to open.
 

Learn more about the contest or submit an entry.

March 13th Special Election – Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement
Remember to vote by mail!

The current Alaskan Way Viaduct.

If you live in the city of Seattle, I encourage you to vote in the Tuesday, March 13th special election on how to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. You will be voting on whether you prefer a four-lane tunnel or an “elevated structure alternative”—a new viaduct.

King County Elections granted the city of Seattle's request to conduct this election entirely by mail. This means that you will be receiving your ballot through the mail.

Here are some things you should know:

• Polls will not be open on Election Day (March 13th).
• All voters must vote by mail.
• You must postmark your ballot by Tuesday, March 13th
• If you have questions about how to complete your ballot, or if you prefer to personally turn in your ballot, visit one of the Seattle ballot drop-off locations (PDF, 177KB).

Staff at the King County Elections Office in the King County Administration Building can also answer questions and receive your ballot. The Elections Office is located in downtown Seattle at 500 4th Avenue, Room 533. The office is open during regular business hours Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, March 13th.

You should also receive a form in the mail from King County Elections asking for your current signature. I strongly recommend that you complete this form and mail it back within two weeks. Elections workers are required to check the signature on your ballot envelope against a signature database. If you have never before voted by mail, it is possible that your signature on file is outdated and may have changed. By sending in the signature update form before you cast your ballot, you minimize the chances that your vote will be challenged due to a signature mismatch.

If you have further questions about this election, please do not hesitate to call the King County Elections Office at (206) 296-VOTE (8683).

Please forward this information to Seattle voters that you know.
 

Save the Date! Town Meeting with the New Director of Public Health

Dr. David Fleming is the new Director of Seattle/King County Public Health.

Please join me in welcoming the new director of Public Health - Seattle & King County, Dr. David Fleming. Dr. Fleming comes to Public Health as the most recent director of the Global Health Strategies program for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Fleming, who also teaches at the University of Washington School of Public Health, has worked for the Gates Foundation since 2003.

Before joining the Gates Foundation, Fleming was a deputy director of public health at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. He holds a medical degree from State University of New York Upstate Medical University and a bachelor's degree in science from SUNY Albany.

Plan to meet Dr. Fleming in May when he will join me for a Town Hall in Shoreline regarding Public Health.

Mark your calendars for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 3rd at Meridian Park Elementary School (17077 Meridian Ave. North in Shoreline). More details coming soon!

In the news:
Seattle Times
Gates Foundation leader to take over King County Public Health
Seattle P.I. - Ex-CDC, Gates Foundation official chosen to head county health department
 

King County One Night Homeless Count

District 1 Staff Erin Vincent (left) and Shari Tracey (right) look at the count numbers after participating in the 2007 One Night Count in Shoreline.

According to King County’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness, the most effective system of determining the number of homeless people in our community is the One Night Count. During this event, volunteers take a night count of people in specific areas who are living without housing. These numbers help determine where the County will focus resources and provide a snapshot of how the County is doing in its goal to end homelessness.

The 2007 One Night Count in North King County was a reminder that homelessness touches people in every area of the County. Volunteers, including District 1 staff members Erin Vincent and Shari Tracey, counted 47 homeless people in North King County, which included Bothell and Woodinville. This year there was a total of 2,140 homeless individuals counted in King County.

When limited to the geographic regions included last year, these numbers represent a 5% decrease in the homeless population throughout King County.

Thanks to all of you who participated in the 2007 One Night Count.
 

Staff Corner

Shari Tracey, New District 1 Staff Member!

I want to introduce you to a great resource—the District 1 Staff!

Shari Tracey is the newest member of my staff. Shari will be acting as my Office Operations Director and is responsible for working with the Shoreline community.

Shari has been a Shoreline resident for 15 years. She was Co-Chair and Treasurer for the Citizens for Shoreline Parks and served on the Board of Richmond Little League. In her spare time, Shari serves on other local boards throughout the Shoreline area and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

Shari comes to District 1 from a large law firm in Seattle where she worked as a legal assistant focusing on real estate, land use, and corporate law.

Shari is married to Tim Tracey, whom she met through her volunteer work. Her son and stepson, Dan Hawkins and Sean Tracey, are both 2005 graduates of Shorewood High School, and her stepdaughter Mackenzie Tracey currently attends Shorewood.

Please feel free to call Shari at (206) 296-1636 or email shari.tracey@metrokc.gov with questions related to Shoreline, or just to say hello.