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A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Councilman lays out goals for first year
Money for roads a top legislative priority
BY KRIS HILL
BY KATHERINE SMITH
khill@covingtonreporter.com
ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
Joseph Cimaomo, Jr., started meeting with Covington City Council members and staff not long after he defeated Dave Lucavish in the Nov. 5 election. Not only is Cimaomo the newest City Council member, but at 28, he is the youngest. He is passionate about politics and government and he knows it will take time to learn how to be a council member. In some ways, though, Ciamaomo’s youth and energy could be a good thing. “I believe it is COVINGTON a benefit being a younger age, being a young family guy,” he said. “Being that young guy gives me that fresh set of eyes. What’s worked in the past 20 years may not work work in the future.” Cimaomo said during an interview Dec. 5, just a few days before his new council member orientation Monday at City Hall, he was told to expect to leave with stacks
Funding for several public works projects as well as supporting a reinstatement of liquor revenue sharing and supporting Covington’s project to widen Kent-Kangley at Jenkins Creek are the top legislative priorities for Maple Valley in 2014. City Manager David Johnston presented the proposed priorities to council at the City Council meeting on Monday night, to which council members offered their consensus. One of the projects the city will seek fundMAPLE ing for is for VALLEY improvements to state Route 169 between Witte Road and Southeast 240th Street. The project would add a second northbound lane to that section of roadway as well as a bike lane, sidewalk, lighting, and landscaping. The estimated cost of the project is $6.35 million, with $2 million to come from local fund-
McIntyre chops celery Tuesday morning at the Maple Valley Food Bank prior to its Feeding Those Joan opening to clients to select food. McIntyre has volunteered with the food bank for 12 years. Less Fortunate Clients can select food three days a week. KRIS HILL, The Reporter
[ more GOALS page 6 ]
Grant to cover the cost of building new bridge in Jenkins Creek Park BY KRIS HILL khill@covingtonreporter.com
Nearly three years after a storm which dumped record amounts of rain on the region washed out the bridge in Jenkins Creek Park in Covington, the city received grant funding to pay to replace the span. The bridge was originally built in 1990 when the park was owned by King County. Covington received the park from the county in November 2002.
Because the bridge was part of a walking transportation corridor heavily used by residents of the Timberlane neighborhood to get to Covington’s downtown core as well as children to get to school, it is a victory the city was awarded a $418,000 federal community development block grant to cover the cost of building a new bridge. “Basically what that does is re-establishes the bridge crossing there at Jenkins Creek,” said Don Vondran, Covington’s public works director. “It also creates an
[ more ROADS page 6 ]
ADA accessible route all the way through the park from the west side across the bridge through the park to the east side of the bridge in the vicinity of Jenkins Creek Elementary.” Covington staff received a letter Nov. 12 that it received the grant in order to make it possible for those who rely on the bridge crossing such as children and the elderly to get to school as well as into the downtown core. The bridge was built out of timber boards and logs anchored by cement pads on either side of the creek. Parks and recreation staff planned to put the bridge through a stress test in December 2010 to determine if it was safe [ more BRIDGE page 7 ]
The bridge at Jenkins Creek Park crumpled under the weight of a storm in December 2010. Covington recently received a grant to replace it. Photo courtesy of the city of Covington