[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6193195,"mediaKeyId","3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac","parentId",3868123,"title","Kent accepts $169,654 Department of Ecology grant to fund recycling events and encampment cleanup","audioSeconds",587,"startMs",4576000,"endMs",5163000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac&start=4576&end=5163","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac/thumbnail_4576000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6193195/Kent/King-County/Washington/Kent-accepts-169654-Department-of-Ecology-grant-to-fund-recycling-events-and-encampment-cleanup","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193195-901807d91c677baf3579f43ffee3886a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771069454&Signature=Pm3UcxP7kdcqMsJXjSRqorVz2X3IjWvxsI8bbVV-PJn7dRAE-wMtXcjKctWBA~zsAb1hmwMNXjhj0SUwBQkqtmavXzkZzfU67f~MB1WuSEgSA8hMohJSSSl7s1mY3E1cuputHtCs3t9hKi9vyKFJOMazpY5uz1E6vSBpoYxY6CVKTAPMON~g54J6GisjhOL~xO0-pymnH7igtwD7vmVIRAXTbbrJSURUoTj59WRI~FrLCc90BehQEMi8U4t2imkffIl0mv59Z8nbaSsPmAzakaqOMhl4g2HHDk999r0THiWXg4y5dzfEZQfqfyy0KpJUO78vpKt~Z5Dmi3ondeAfWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kent City, WA","date","2025-06-18T13:33:14Z","article","Tony Donati, conservation coordinator in the Public Works Department, asked the council Committee of the Whole on June 17 to accept a two-year Local Solid Waste Financial Assistance grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology. Donati said the grant runs July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 and provides $169,654 on a cost-reimbursable basis; the city will provide a 25% match from other solid-waste grants, the drainage utility fund and project-specific funds. Staff time to manage the grant is funded by utility funds, Donati said.

Donati described uses: funding the city's spring and fall recycling collection events (including Saturday large-item events and Friday mini-events) that keep hard-to-recycle materials out of the landfill and make drop-off free to residents; supporting encampment debris cleanup on city-owned drainage and street right-of-way; and covering staff costs to administer the work. He said a recent Canyon Ridge Middle School event handled 34 cars and about 1.11 tons of material (as reported in the presentation) and that the program sells rain barrels and compost bins at events.

Council moved and seconded acceptance of the grant, authorized amending the budget and authorizing the mayor to sign the agreement subject to final terms acceptable to the public works director and city attorney. Council voted in favor and the motion carried.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Kent Committee of the Whole & Workshop - June 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public works staff said the city will accept a two-year Department of Ecology solid waste financial assistance grant of $169,654 to fund free recycling events, encampment debris cleanup on city property and related staff time; council approved acceptance and authorization to sign the agreement.","taxTitle","Kent, King County, Washington","taxId",2557,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6193200,"Finance staff reports Q1 2025 investment portfolio: county funds shift to treasuries and LGIP for liquidity",376,506000,882000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac&start=506&end=882","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac/thumbnail_506000.jpg","/articles/6193200/Kent/King-County/Washington/Finance-staff-reports-Q1-2025-investment-portfolio-county-funds-shift-to-treasuries-and-LGIP-for-liquidity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193200-8e490911c9804b1b8c0b8bf9937ce646/orig.mp4?Expires=1771069454&Signature=mjjZP-AbeMSjmNTUwn1RpC9QGuuizc~HgdM7JtyLUjWKiaAyL0z32mrlL3j~sjD0I2o3qbB1JIpfTFH0pGb0dTBJMzszsHMKI7vMVchsBoC1EFNlvCYpPF7piL~VfwipFfMbuxAxdDAeFI~qjwPnmqDrhg6T-RpkYxI~gv3BsXEt8GACDJRNCHj68ajIDKQuj6k6DYEStCjnqVhe-lt2gsO6nIiCUSVQL5lcFUwX5suvs1QQY~5-fz0bdxbfZNNBj9PAR8zip0BAnfhCP4yF2LIGms5f~Tq4bCq5gFiBV89A97aWTtUGYqBurr8dzFO~Rr5omkdjvcTO5hSr~qW8Qg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joe Bartlemais of the City of Kent finance department presented the city's first-quarter 2025 investment report to the Committee of the Whole on June 17. He said the city's total cash and investment portfolio at the end of Q1 2025 was about $383.5 million, with material balances held in a Washington State Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) and a laddered long-term portfolio.

Bartlemais said the portfolio structure is: approximately $4.9 million in bank cash (earning an earnings credit to offset bank fees), roughly $119.4 million in the short-term LGIP (overnight liquidity, yield ~4.4%), and a long-term portfolio with an average yield around 3.38% and a market value near $258.2 million. He reported a roughly 47% allocation to U.S. Treasuries within the long-term portfolio and described a laddered maturity profile with an average maturity of about 879 days for the long-term holdings.

The finance presentation noted that the city incrementally increased the long-term portfolio in 2024 to take advantage of higher yields, and that fund balances were drawn down last year to pay for large projects including an administrative services building and the Keahok project and ARPA fund expenditures. The Q1 2025 trajectory was reported as tracking close to 2024 levels for the first quarter. Bartlemais said all investments were within established policy limits.

Council members praised the finance team and asked about allocations to corporate securities versus treasuries; staff responded that advisors (PFM) evaluate maturing investments to determine best value and that corporates sometimes offer incremental yield, though treasuries have comprised a larger share recently.

No action was required; the item was listed as information only.","Finance presented the city's Q1 2025 investment report showing a $383.5 million cash and investment portfolio, a shift toward U.S. Treasuries and a significant short-term balance in the Washington State Local Government Investment Pool for liquidity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6193205,"King County brief: options after Cedar Hills landfill closes include rail export or mass-burn; public EIS scoping underway",1506,6519000,8025000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac&start=6519&end=8025","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac/thumbnail_6519000.jpg","/articles/6193205/Kent/King-County/Washington/King-County-brief-options-after-Cedar-Hills-landfill-closes-include-rail-export-or-mass-burn-public-EIS-scoping-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193205-698ac090a0b36e0340d8edb27d9375e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771069454&Signature=QNsh3uh5KsOZh6BL~t2-jozGxeLTdtz4voo4DbVewpnOSueFyzsVajoasuemqiF6I2WqizVzRQiBTegmwBRlxthI8p6voifOSPv~kmGpmwO8o3gA2OkcKrBzllgTCZ7eicR0Bc5c1PtbFFkjI6VNeZU5WUoVsUHrxd1tYQEu82SDAKb1MdNlXCIOxypqLGjvj-371SRJew8zkKw3SA9UlMRmUPJ1gGdpyFE1wS5OdgChb5WxyG~HI87dMX0wftEESDs6m9FHTNnG4GXVTL7TehhrW6UB64adb67pFShCjBaFsL3vbXH1~O8n3uRD-OOR~LW2XbV-ZP5gbkpIB9tppQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from King County Solid Waste told Kent council members on June 17 that the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill's remaining life is expected to end around 2040 and that the county is studying long-term disposal options. The County study examined five approaches'waste export by rail, mass-burn energy recovery (with ash export), gasification/pyrolysis, refuse-derived fuel, and partial early export'and found only two options currently feasible at scale: export by rail and mass-burn with ash export.

County staff and consultants reported they modeled three future tonnage scenarios (high, medium, low) to reflect uncertainty in diversion and recycling through 2060. They analyzed economic, environmental (life-cycle analysis), social, capacity and logistics criteria and concluded that refuse-derived fuel and thermal technologies such as gasification or pyrolysis are either unproven at needed scale or face market and process constraints given the heterogeneous municipal solid waste stream. The mass-burn option carries high capital cost (the county report cited roughly $1.2 billion in capital and about $75 million per year operating costs, with an estimated cost per ton materially above rail export) and faces siting and permitting challenges; rail export relied on using existing intermodal facilities and had a considerably lower estimated cost per ton in the study.

County staff said SEPA scoping has begun and a series of public meetings will gather scoping comments; a draft environmental impact statement is planned for 2026 with a final EIS in late 2026. The county will ask advisory committees for a recommendation after the final EIS; the county executive will make a proposal to the council and that plan will later be included in the King County Comprehensive Solid Waste Plan for adoption by jurisdictions.

Council members asked about operating histories and reasons for recent closures of West Coast mass-burn facilities; county staff said states and localities are tightening emissions and regulatory/financial contexts for such facilities and noted some West Coast closures in recent years. County staff said the study document and FAQ are available online and encouraged cities and residents to participate in the EIS scoping and comment process.","King County Solid Waste Division presented a long-term disposal study to Kent council detailing five disposal options, narrowed to two feasible approaches (export by rail or mass burn with ash export), and announced SEPA scoping and a draft EIS in 2026.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6193209,"Kent police, Comcast and Lumen urge public help after wave of cable thefts disrupts 911, businesses and homes",2524,2274000,4798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac&start=2274&end=4798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac/thumbnail_2274000.jpg","/articles/6193209/Kent/King-County/Washington/Kent-police-Comcast-and-Lumen-urge-public-help-after-wave-of-cable-thefts-disrupts-911-businesses-and-homes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193209-b94cabaa99b1d5758084b962ede2d9ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771069454&Signature=Azii9lp4jFc55FBPl0qWKYM36XfPJlCV5GvfBTjuxXmpomr2aPJ2WyD9Y2lMTMa0txmRa6gfE3UIlBcsakVJbdUbE8dgR5MHeLBf~wlzSvZKoy~4feOQYy~TfDW6wCpTdvYgTPVnjc13N2N~JIQi~Wo46NrDoEQviLi0JnpRkXFFl4LwE4MM7JxqzB-fXlAgFDOrP6FEpuVcvoXQ~GGH4tWOI-MvWyNjIgJhpRKAD2u9HufVpV2MLyGLtpiYdpHnJUItm2a8AIai4y~7j2ccHXEY5nrShmc4aA3UePGgXSAvczrhdoGF2YzDp~Bv26ac-aVysC9~CvYMjFoQJz50sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kent police, Comcast and Lumen briefed the City Council Committee of the Whole on June 17 about a continuing rash of cable thefts that have severed telephone, internet and critical communications in residential and rural areas. Chief Padilla said the department now prioritizes in-person officer response to reported incidents and has assigned a detective to work directly with carrier security teams.

Padilla said wire theft has interrupted work, business operations, school communications and, in some cases, 911 dispatching. He told council the problem covers hundreds of miles of aerial and street-level wiring, and that full suppression of the crime will require partnership among police, providers and the public. Padilla credited Comcast and Lumen for training officers and producing public-awareness materials.

Representatives from Lumen (regional operations manager Gene Reid) and Comcast (Terry Davis, senior director of external government affairs) described operational impacts and countermeasures. Lumen said thieves target copper that can be resold and that fiber is sometimes damaged when criminals cut overlaying copper; one Lumen representative estimated millions of dollars in regional losses year-to-date and described crews finding people asleep on cut cable. Comcast said it had recorded dozens of incidents in Puget Sound this year, with about 42 in South King County and roughly 29 incidents in Kent specifically; company technicians reported typical field setup and restoration times of several hours and overall restoration within about four to eight hours when crews can safely splice fiber.

Both companies said they have deployed cameras, improved splicing preparedness, expanded technician capacity and are coordinating public messaging by SMS and blog posts to alert customers. Comcast said it is exploring cellular-based backup options tied to modems and mobile services for affected customers but said work on consumer-facing backup solutions is ongoing.

Council members discussed enforcement and prevention strategies, including legislative changes to discourage resale of stolen copper and closer scrutiny of local recyclers that buy scrap metal. City and company representatives said prosecutions are difficult but possible; Padilla said the department has made arrests and will pursue misdemeanor or felony charges when applicable, and he asked residents to call 911 immediately when they see suspicious activity near telecom infrastructure.

Comcast, Lumen and the police department also described a short public-service video produced with the Kent Police Department to help residents recognize and report copper theft.","Police, Comcast and Lumen told council the city has seen a spike in copper/line thefts that cut internet, phone and 911 service; companies described repair times and security steps and asked residents to report suspicious activity immediately.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6193214,"Kent staff brief council on phase 1 housing code update ahead of June 30 vote",1123,1056000,2179000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac&start=1056&end=2179","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868123-0ab176373cb59d5d51775cdfc298a4ac/thumbnail_1056000.jpg","/articles/6193214/Kent/King-County/Washington/Kent-staff-brief-council-on-phase-1-housing-code-update-ahead-of-June-30-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193214-cac94d2443354a58a50cd48adce03633/orig.mp4?Expires=1771069454&Signature=aL8Os2YBq2XZeKaWM8mGxYGakN2PmrpasAVfb3rVzYFTfF1FrMIgEYg98SIEvdi6C21A1pYKQGjqXyTjfhEDZsVp4MmABJQHW2A4rT1Gq8fhZvtvb08rSBfGP1IsfM2v-2YZYcA426ZZeQv4lKU8ipG3TyzAWuVL1PJXz2DKF6bzYL13zLssNDSdU81OYTvxylGBVhZW-BuREko2Ab06YI2v83q5H1W7UbaYox72ky~jS-hJCFnF2JCiKA31Hbwrsf4oIK-x7MXrOvNWCEw5RlkYo4kFVK98uAodzRM14IhpnwkRvGANUppOmPNIQ7Xx862SR~aAmddfBrIaiHOojg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kristen, a city planning staff member, told the Kent City Council Committee of the Whole on June 17 that the city will present a phase 1 housing ordinance for adoption at a special council meeting on June 30. The ordinance incorporates new state middle-housing requirements and other recent state legislation and is intended to prevent the automatic application of the state's model ordinance to Kent.

The ordinance restructures zoning nomenclature and consolidates zones to reflect new per-lot unit rules; it implements state-mandated allowances (including middle housing types and accessory dwelling units), revises parking requirements, streamlines some permitting timelines, and adds incentives for retaining existing homes and trees. Staff said the city will update the zoning map before the ordinance becomes effective; if council adopts the ordinance on June 30, a 30-day standard effective date is planned so new permits can be accepted beginning July 30.

Kristen said the draft was released in May and described a targeted outreach program. Staff reported meetings with the Master Builders Association, the state Department of Commerce, the Land Use and Planning Board and two public commenters at the planning-board public hearing. Commerce reviewed the draft and provided comments that staff incorporated where required. Kristen said most of the public comments related to issues the city plans to address in a later phase (phase 2) rather than in this regulatory, deadline-driven first package.

On several policy points, staff said state law constrained local choices. For example, Commerce required the city to allow emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing wherever housing is allowed, which required the city to permit those uses in agricultural zones as well (though staff noted such development would be heavily constrained by existing acreage-based density rules). Staff also described an approach to a statutory bonus for affordable housing co-located with religious institutions: rather than adopting a numerical unit bonus, staff proposed an extra story or 10-foot height bonus, citing inconsistencies across zoning districts and the absence of maximum densities in some zones.

The Land Use and Planning Board recommended adoption of the ordinance subject to minor city-attorney edits. The board also asked staff to remove a perceived requirement for window shutters from the design options; staff replied that shutters are one of several options for meeting design standards and recommended retaining the option now and addressing design standards more holistically in phase 2. Council members asked clarifying questions about outreach, the limited ability to change state-mandated provisions, and the practical effect of design options such as shutters.

No formal council vote on the ordinance occurred at the Committee of the Whole. Staff and the city attorney's office will present the final, approval-as-to-form draft at the special June 30 meeting, when council will have the opportunity to adopt the ordinance. If council does not adopt local code by that deadline, the state's model ordinance provisions would apply to Kent until a local ordinance is adopted.","City planning staff summarized a large ordinance to implement recent state middle-housing laws, explained outreach and limits of local discretion, and told council members a formal vote will be held at a special meeting on June 30.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kent accepts $169,654 Department of Ecology grant to fund recycling events and encampment cleanup

Finance staff reports Q1 2025 investment portfolio: county funds shift to treasuries and LGIP for liquidity

King County brief: options after Cedar Hills landfill closes include rail export or mass-burn; public EIS scoping underway

Kent police, Comcast and Lumen urge public help after wave of cable thefts disrupts 911, businesses and homes

Kent staff brief council on phase 1 housing code update ahead of June 30 vote