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COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
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THE COMPLEAT HOME GARDENER | Last chance to plant bulbs [page 10]
CONKS CROWN | Kentwood girls soccer clinches SPSL North title with second win FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011 of season over Tahoma. [16]
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ELECTION TUESDAY NOV. 8 | Remember to send in your ballot for city council, school, water district and fire board races.
School board to consider its options
Utility tax may increase to pay for park
BY KRIS HILL
BY KRIS HILL
khill@maplevalleyreporter.com
khill@covingtonreporter.com
It’s time now for the Tahoma School Board of Directors to consider its next step based on input from an ad hoc student housing committee. The board will review the research and suggestions that the committee put together at its Nov. 8 meeting and go from there to begin the process of deciding what to do, explained district spokesman Kevin Patterson. Committee member Kevin Kalberg reflected on the process. TAHOMA “I think that SCHOOLS we really brainstormed a whole lot, came up with some really out of the box ideas from the wacky, to the realistic to the most extreme to the most rational types of scenarios… just as options for the school board,” Kalberg said. “It was an extremely diverse group of people from staff to principals to people who just recently had family members who had lost jobs to people who were
Difficult financial situations are essentially routine in the current economy and the Covington City Council faces a particularly tough one when it comes to funding its Community Park project. Among the options on the table for the city is to raise its utility tax a half percent, from 5.5 percent to 6 percent, in order to bring in additional cash to the city’s coffers. The city will host a public hearing on the topic at 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 and will vote on an ordinance Nov. 22. COVINGTON At the Oct. 25 City Council meeting, Covington City Manager Derek Matheson explained the situation to the members. “I reminded them that the draft 2012 budget is balanced, which means we can maintain our existing services,” Matheson said. “But, we are not able to build, operate or maintain Covington Community Park unless there is
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Trick Or Treat
Josephine Koszegi, 1, dresses as a ladybug for Halloween at the Greater Maple Valley Community Center’s annual Trick or Trucks event Monday. The event included fire engines from Maple Valley Fire and Life Safety for children to climb on and explore. TJ MARTINELL, The Reporter. To view a slide show go to www.maplevalleyreporter.com and to buy photos go to the Web site and click on the photo reprints tab.
New club at Kentlake gives students a chance to serve the community BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@covingtonreporter.com
“I think there will entlake High School has a new community based service club be a lot of interest called Kentlake Interact, which is sponsored by Covington as well (from the Rotary. students). The kids With physics teacher Russ Ballard as its advisor, the club is supare going to be the ported by the Covington Rotary, and much of the emphasis of the deciders... when club is on service projects similar to what Rotary already does. “It promotes growth in self and awareness of others,” Ballard said. the kids have a lot of discussion and “A big, big focus is awareness of other cultures and how others view are doing research.” common problems.” Russ Ballard For its first year, Kentlake Interact intends to use Rotary as the blueprint for its activities. For example, the Rotary’s Backpack Buddies program, where students at various schools would pick up a backpack filled with food for their families. “We’re feeling through this and it’s better to piggy back instead of build it from the
K
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ground up,” Ballard said. At the same time, however, he hopes the students will form their own ideas as well. “I try not to put too much of my vision into it,” Ballard said. “They (might) note that project x is taking place in Covington and so we want to take it to Maple Valley. I think there will be a lot of interest as well (from the students). The kids are going to be the deciders…when the kids have a lot of discussion and are doing research.” Kentlake Interact currently meets on Wednesdays for 30 minutes immediately after school in Room 2702. Thus far the meetings have consisted of proposals for what community projects interest the members. The club first came about in September when Kentlake Principal Joe Potts approached Ballard with the idea and asked him to be the advisor. “(After that) we just started slowly assembling a (starting) date,” Ballard said. Aside from sponsorship, Covington Rotary support has been critical to Kentlake Interact, according to Ballard. “They have been involved since day one,” Ballard said. “They were very enthusiastic with getting the club going. Even when before we gave birth to the club they were very supportive of what we were trying to do. It’s not just about what we’re doing to put our name on the projects. They want to be able to help, facilitate and expedite.” The club currently has 20 students and elected junior Mitch Hillard as the club president. “My hope is that they would be appreciative and understanding of other cultures and how they can accomplish a common goal,” Ballard said. “I don’t think that happens as much as it should.”