This needs-based scholarship program awards three students who are pursuing a college education. Two $14,000 scholarships will be awarded toward a university/college education and one $8,000 scholarship will be awarded toward a vocational or community college education. All scholarships are distributed over a 2-year period. Priority is given to students who have not received a substantial scholarship from other entities.

The application is available on-line this year at http://www.highlineschoolsfoundation.org/scholarships/stiascholarshipapplication.html

The application deadline is Friday, March 23, 2012.

Students should seek the help of their school’s counselor with the application, or to contact the Foundation office at info@highlineschoolsfoundation.org or (206) 248-5196.

“The STIA scholarship I was fortunate enough to receive allowed me to focus more of my attention on my classes and less on worrying about paying my college costs. It was a real motivator for me.” -Christina Shull, former STIA scholarship recipient

Follow these important steps for reporting damages to personal property and registering for financial assistance:

Step 1: Assess and document the damage
Identify and make a list of all the damages.
Take pictures of the damages.
Estimate how much you think it will cost for repairs or to replace your belongings.

Step 2: Call your insurance company
Locate your insurance policy documents (if available) and call your insurance company.
Report damages. Your insurance carrier will advise you on coverage and additional steps to be taken.

Step 3: Call the King County Damage Reporting Hotline or file your report online
Complete an online damage report form -OR- call the King County Damage Reporting Hotline: 1-800-523-5044.

You will be asked several questions including the estimated damage to your home and belongings, as well as your insurance coverage. This information will be used to establish a county-wide damage assessment which will aid us in obtaining federal assistance. Even if you have suffered only minor damage and do not expect to need assistance, you should submit a report. Information you will need includes:

• Contact information
• Address of the damaged property
• Name of the owner or renter
• Estimated pre-disaster value of the property
• Estimated structural damage
• Estimated personal property loss
• Primary cause of the damage
• Insurance coverage for the flosses and the amount of your deductible
• Is the property habitable?
• Is the property accessible?
• Is the damage major or minor?
• A description of the damage

Reporting forms:

Residential:
The purpose of this form is to collect information from primary residences affected by this the January snow and ice storm in order to make a preliminary assessment of damages following a disaster. Detached garages and storage buildings, secondary homes and recreational homes should not to be reported. After filling out this form, click the “Submit” button. You may want to print this form before submitting via e-mail and keep it for your records.

• Your submission is not a guarantee of eligibility for assistance.
• Please note: it may 30 days or more to process your submission.
• Form for primary residences

Business:
The purpose of this form is to collect information of businesses affected by this incident in order to make a preliminary assessment of damages following a disaster. After filling out this form, click the “Submit” button. You may want to print this form before submitting via e-mail and keep it for your records.

• Your submission is not a guarantee of eligibility for assistance.
• Please note: it may take 30 days or more to process your submission.
• Form for businesses

This is the second time this school year the district has refinanced bonds to take advantage of lower interest rates.

The first set of bonds refinanced in November saved taxpayers $3.7 million. This week’s transaction brings the total savings to $5.4 million. That means the district will not need to collect the entire amount approved by voters in 2002.

Refinancing bonds is similar to refinancing a home mortgage. Locking in a lower interest rate reduces the overall cost of paying back the bonds, and the savings stays in the pockets of property owners.

“We have been watching interest rates over the past several months, looking for opportunities to save the public some money,” says Highline Assistant Superintendent Susan Smith Leland. “We were fortunate to seize two windows when interest rates were very favorable.”

“This is just good stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” says Interim Superintendent Alan Spicciati.

The bonds refinanced this week are part of the bond package approved by Highline voters to fund the replacement of eight elementary schools and Mount Rainier High School.

Currently, the field is covered with water for several months in the fall and spring. The grant will fund regrading of the field and installation of a drainage system that will make it playable all year.

The project was initiated by Highline School District Director of Athletics Terri McMahan, modeled after similar partnerships she brokered as Director of Athletics in Edmonds School District.

“When I realized the level of district use on Moshier’s practice field, specifically Highline High School’s football and soccer programs, coupled with the fact that the field was down for many months of the year and unavailable for community use, this project became my immediate mission,” McMahan said.

The improvements will turn what is now open space at Moshier Park into an ongoing practice field for school and community teams, as well as a competition field for younger athletes. The work will begin in late May 2012 and will take several weeks to complete.

McMahan plans to look for other opportunities for joint projects in the community.

“It is my hope that the partners can use this success as a springboard for larger projects in the years to come.”

Here’s some history of the park from the city’s website:

King County Parks Department superintendent George Wyse at Moshier Park dedication, circa 1955. Photo courtesy King County Archives.

The “Highline Project” at Highline High School was promoted by Associated Clubs of South King County. Bill Moshier of Shorewood was active in this group and influential in developing the plan for the extensive array of ball fields. When Bill died suddenly, Moshier Field was named in his memory. Moshier served as a King County Commissioner in 1958, and was one of the initial members of Metro’s 15-member governing Council.

In 1962 King County established the first county arts center and year-round arts program at William Moshier Memorial Park. Between 1962 and 1972 the Center was redesigned to accommodate pottery and jewelry programs.

In 1968 King County voters approved Proposition 6, a Forward Thrust Parks and Recreation bond, which included $39,400 for facilities improvements at Moshier Park. The Moshier complex included three lighted softball/baseball fields, one lighted 90-foot softball/baseball field, two lighted football/soccer fields and public restroom.

Moshier Park was one of nine King County Parks in Burien that was transferred to the City in 1994.

To see some great historic photos of Moshier Field in action, click here.

The Burien office of Windermere Real Estate has given a $1,000 grant to Hospitality House, a non-profit homeless shelter for women located in Burien.

Hospitality House has been open every night since 2000, helping women move on to better places.

This grant will fund one woman for 45 days in the programs at Hospitality House.

“It’s greatly appreciated by Hospitality House,” reads an email announcement.

The Windermere Foundation receives money from each Agent when an Agent closes a Real Estate transaction. Windermere’s Burien Office pools money with six other Windermere Offices, two in Federal Way, two in Renton, one in Kent and one in Maple Valley.

Here’s more from an email:

In October the seven offices put on an Oktoberfest Event at Fairwood Golf Course and raised $15,000 to go to the Foundation. At the Oktoberfest is staffed by all volunteers, no one gets paid, so it is all to the Foundation. This was Windermere’s 3rd Event, like this. Windermere started doing the Events 3 years ago because the Foundation has not raised as much money because of the poor real estate market. Windermere needed to do something extra to help out the organizations who receive the grants to. Windermere also do issue spring grants.

A Public hearing before the boundary review board is scheduled for January 9th and 10th.

Some issues to consider— include the budget reduction…$400,000 below last year with $100,000 allocated to annexation (b town blog 11/16):

Costs too high:

1. Infrastructure support, capital improvements, human services, public safety concerns
2. Items missing from budget
3. State Sales tax credit in jeopardy
4. Fire district costs (new aid car, retirement account service) plus previous agreement from 1st annexation

Violates the GMA:

1) RCW 36.70A.020(1) Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services exist or can be provided in an efficient manner.

• Due to Burien’s lowering their budget by several hundred thousand dollars and cutting costs for police services, without the sales tax credit, Burien would be unable to provide adequate police services to the area providing they would have to increase their contract with King County to $3 million dollars.
• Fire district needs have not been budgeted into the Berk report as the need for a new aid car and servicing the retirement account wasn’t made apparent to the council until after completion of the Berk report. These items have not been budgeted and no public disclosure of documentation provided by the City showing how the city can budget these needs has been provided.
• Again, budget cuts have been made and there is no evidence revenue will increase enough in the future or be collected beyond projected revenues from the area Y to cover these newly discovered costs.

2) RCW 36.70A.020(12) Public facilities and services. Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards.

• For the above reasons, and the following indicate the established service levels cannot be maintained.
• Fire and police services may not be affordable for Burien and potentially will not remain at current levels.
• Street repair, surface water management, curbs, gutters represent 34 (Berk) to 77 (Seattle) million in infrastructure needs that have not been budgeted by the Berk report and are missing from the yearly budget of service needs.
• Human service needs, court costs, prosecution, jail, etc., in this area with a higher crime rate and statistics than present Burien needs have not been properly considered. There is a gap of 1.5 million between the Seattle report on annexation and the Berk report. Additionally with the recent Burien budget cut made to police services, it is indicated the level will drop rather than increase as needed.
• Without the sales tax credit there is no way Burien can afford to annex and even with the credit there are serious doubts.
• Service levels for parks have been understated in Berk and one park is missing from their analysis.

The City of Burien does not have the right to make future promises for levels of services that currently do not exist in the city, issues that are not currently in city master plans and it cannot propagandize why residents in Area Y should vote to join the City of Burien. Also, the city does not have the right to hire PR firms do any of underlined and highlighted above mentioned items. Meetings in Area Y must strictly be limited to be only informational in nature. Additionally, the Burien City manager does not have the authority to go to the Unincorporated North Highline Council and promise items and services to the citizens of Area Y that are not publicly known to the current citizens of Burien.

Citizens have a right to speak for or against the application for annexation on Area Y but are encouraged to keep their presentations to factual issues and the requirements of the application process. The repetitive comments that “we are just nice people in Area Y” may make some people feel good but are not relevant to this process. Citizens opposed to annexation should make their comments based to why annexation is not feasible based on service levels, income sources of the city, requirements for increased services that are needed in Area Y but seem to have no funding source, lack of funds to sustain Area Y in the future, future sustainability of the City of Burien should this annexation occur, issues with funding and sustainability of the special districts, history of the area for growth and development to generate income or special considerations for services based on the historic and current population needs of the area.

Best Regards,
John and Linda Poitras

[Have something you'd like to share with our Readers? Please send us your Letter to the Editor via email. Include your full name, and, pending our review, we'll most likely publish it.]

by Ralph Nichols

There will be no property tax increase in Burien in 2012.

The city earlier posted notice of a public hearing at tonight’s (Monday, Nov. 14) council meeting, soliciting comment on a possible property tax increase of up to 1 percent (read our previous coverage here, including a Poll and numerous Comments).

By law, the council must also review the city’s budget midway through the biennium to address any budgetary items that require adjustment.

A public hearing must be held before adoption of a new budget or budget adjustments, including the next year’s property tax.

The council establishes the city’s property tax levy annually, as required by state law, according to Burien Finance Director Kim Krause.

Local governments are limited by Initiative 747 to annual property tax increases of 1 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

I-747 was approved by voters statewide in 2001, then reinstated by the Legislature after the law was invalidated on a 5-4 decision by the State Supreme Court.

“This year’s inflation rate was 2.755 percent,” Krause noted. “Therefore, the city is limited to a 1 percent property tax increase, which is approximately $71,135.”

But, she continued, “the city has received notification from the King County Assessor’s Office that the preliminary assessed valuation [of property in Burien] is 9.23 percent lower than 2011.

“Due to this reduction, the city can only collect the statutory limit of $1.60 [per $1,000 of assessed value], which is approximately $467,000 less than 2011. Ordinance 557 adopts the Property Tax Levy.”

“As the values of homes go down, people pay less property taxes,” City Manager Mike Martin said. “As a result, the city will get about half a million dollars in revenue next year.”

Property values and mill rates – a unit of measure used in calculating property taxes – are like a teeter totter, he continued.

When values go up the mill rate goes down, and when values to down, the mill rate goes up. This year, that formula puts the city at the $1.60 per $1,000 cap.

“We can’t tax above that,” Martin said.

In 2010, the city “did have the ability to increase our property tax by 1 percent, but the council chose not to do it. The council felt that because the recession was hard on everybody, they should do something symbolic that recognized times were tough for everyone.”

Martin said for a house valued at $335,000 – the average value of a home in Burien – a 1 percent property tax increase would be 38 cents a month, or $4.56 annually.

Compared to what a 1 percent property tax increase would cost Burien homeowners, Highline School District voters renewed and increased in February a six-year operation and maintenance levy, which costs about $150 a month for an average home.

On Monday night, Nov. 14th, the Burien City Council will be holding a public hearing for ‘the purpose of receiving the publics’ comments on revenue sources, including a possible up to a 1% increase in property tax revenue, and expenditures for the 2011-2012 Mid-Biennial Budget review and amendments.’

As we do from time to time, we like to take the pulse of our Readers, and that’s why we’re asking you to participate in our poll. Please note that this survey is not scientific, and has nothing to do with the city. If you really want to share your opinion, you should attend Monday’s hearing, which begins at 7 p.m. at Burien City Hall, located at 400 SW 152nd Street.

Copies of the 2011-2012 Mid-Biennial Budget Review are available and can be obtained by calling the city’s Finance Department at (206) 439-3150.

More info on the hearing can be found in a PDF document from the city, which can be downloaded here.

Please take our poll below and also let us know your thoughts in Comments (thanks to Commenter Coverofnight for the suggestion!):

Burien non-profit Para Los Niños has been selected as a 2011 Grant Award Finalist by the Latino Community Fund, and they’re asking our Readers to help them by voting for them.

Only one vote is allowed per e-mail account, and you’ll automatically be added to a newsletter. However, you can opt out by choosing “unsubscribe” in the first newsletter you receive.

The link to vote is included in the note below:

Dear Friend of Para Los Niños,

We are happy to announce that Para Los Niños has been selected as a 2011 Grant Award Finalist by the Latino Community Fund!

As a finalist, Para Los Niños needs your vote to be selected as a 2011 Grant Award winner. Please consider taking the time to login and vote for Para Los Niños through the LCF website with the following link:

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5832/signup_page/grant2011

We thank you for your continued support of Para Los Niños and its programs here in our community!

If you’re not familiar with this organization, here’s some info from their website:

Para Los Niños is a grassroots community organization founded by members of the community it serves—the growing immigrant, Spanish-speaking population in South King County.

In 2003, a group of Latino parents gathered to talk about education. As a result of this meeting, Para Los Niños was born with the following priorities: to support the education of Latino children, with a focus on early childhood development; to maintain and promote their culture and language; and to teach English as a second language in order to develop leadership and civic engagement for parents in the community.

To support these priorities, the founding group of parents knew they needed to address the particular barriers they faced as immigrants. The barriers are many. They include economic challenges, language and cultural barriers, and discrimination.

In addition, school systems function differently in our parents’ home countries than in the United States. Therefore, a lack of information and understanding of how the educational system works in the United States presents an additional challenge as well as creates isolation from the broader community. In response to these particular challenges, Para Los Niños was organized.

With input from the community, it developed programs that met the needs of the community. These programs range from providing school readiness and ESL education to helping parents develop the skills and motivation for community involvement. In all its work, Para los Niños and its programs represent the desire of a community change that can support all immigrant families in their complex journey through the educational system in the United States.

Public Health – Seattle & King County wants our Readers to know that they are awarding mini-grants worth $750 for community groups who participate in parks clean-up events between now and the end of the year. 

Groups who choose to participate will hold a cigarette butt clean-up event at one of several identified parks (download a PDF list here). Each event pays $750. Groups do their own organization, including purchasing gloves etc. but instructions are provided.

Organizations are considered eligible and may apply if:

• They have a federal tax ID number.
• They have not already received $4,250 in funding from any King County Department.
• They don’t already receive funding from tobacco or alcohol companies.

Eligible organizations may apply for more than one event and may suggest parks for future events.

This mini-grant opportunity is part of a larger regional effort to support parks who want to implement tobacco or smoke-free policies. Tobacco/smoke-free policies in public places are widely supported by the public. They help protect park users from exposure to second-hand smoke, save on maintenance costs for the parks, and provide healthy spaces for people to live and play.

More information on this grant opportunity is online here.

If you have any questions, please send an email by clicking here.