REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
NEWSLINE 425-432-1209
LOCAL | Maple Valley playright reflects on latest production [page 3]
RUGBY OPENS DOORS | Kent Crusaders Rugby Club brings players together on the FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2012 pitch and off [12]
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Ground broken on community park site
WEBSITE | Check the website for breaking news, sports and weather stories. maplevalleyreporter.com or covingtonreporter.com
Collective gardens banned in city limits
BY KRIS HILL
BY TJ MARTINELL
khill@covingtonreporter.com
tmartinell@maplevalleyreporter.com
City officials marked a significant moment in history Tuesday by breaking ground on Covington Community Park. Earlier in June the city hired Maple Valley-based contractor Goodfellow Brothers to build the first phase of the project, according to CovCOVINGTON ington Parks and Recreation Director Scott Thomas. “Shortly it’s going to be in the hands of the construction contractor, then it will be in the hands of our maintenance staff,” Thomas said. “It’s really been 10 years in the works. That’s not a long time for a project, that’s not unusual, but that speaks to the dedication and tenacity of the city council
Even though the Maple Valley Council banned medical marijuana collective gardens, access points such as Green Society Group can still move just outside the city limits. That’s because King County has taken a different stance on the issue. MAPLE The Maple VALLEY Valley City Council passed a ban with a 6-1 vote — Linda Johnson was the lone dissenter — on collective gardens for medical marijuana at its meeting Monday night. In a separate approach, King County has handled the issue of collective gardens with an “administrative interpretation” within its incorporated area, according to
[ more PARK page 7 ]
Shoenfeld, 4, enjoys a rare moment of sunshine on the beach June 20 at Lake Mermaid Fun Macey Wilderness. The sun came out on the first day of summer and so did the swimmers as families flocked to the lake to take advantage of the warm weather. To view a In the Sun slide show go to www.maplevalleyreporter.com. TJ MARTINELL, The Reporter.
Cities take a hit after change in state’s liquor sales laws June 1 BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@covingtonreporter.com
It’s a tale of very different cities when it comes to the effects of the new liquor laws. Despite a one-year loss of $61,000, Covington will be mostly unaffected by changes to the state’s liquor laws, while Maple Valley suffered a loss of $120,000 at a time when spending is outpacing revenue. Meanwhile, Black Diamond is still waiting to learn how its budget will be impacted. According to Covington City Manager
640471
Derek Matheson, the city will lose $61,000 this year legislative fiscal year. While the city managed to retain the liquor fees and licenses, the state Legislature eliminated its share in excise taxes from June Derek Matheson to July 1, 2013, approximately $93,500. Every year after that, the city’s share will be cut by $23,500. At the same time, however, Matheson
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GARDENS
said Initiative 1183 sets aside money from the liquor license distribution fee to go to municipal governments for public safety services in the amount of $23,500, which effectively makes up the loss from excise taxes. The $61,000 is a far cry from projections earlier this year, when Covington officials were anticipating a $250,000 cut. Yet, Matheson said it’s too early to celebrate, as the state Legislature may come back to it during its next session and make additional cuts. Meanwhile, he said the city will have to decide where the cuts need to be made. “We’ll see how that shakes out in the fall,” he said. “We’re seeing increases in sales tax revenue that could offset that, or more. But we’re also seeing that familiar increase in the cost of providing current services, that’s
[ more BANNED page 4 ]
the biggest challenge.” In Maple Valley, however, the city’s loss is $120,000 this legislative fiscal year, according to City Manager David Johnston. The loss of revenue also occurred from a cut in its share of the excise tax. According to Johnston, the legislative fiscal year is July 1 to June 30, while the city’s fiscal year is Jan. 1 to Dec. 30. Johnston added that the Association of Washington Cities, which lobbies on behalf of municipal governments, would likely David Johnston take up the cause with the state. “The biggest battle that AWC needs to
[ more LIQUOR page 4 ]
$PWJOHUPO 8BZ 4& $PWJOHUPO t 253-630-0527