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INSIDE | Salvation Army expands facilities, hosts nightly dinner [5]
It’s Blue Friday! See inside for our special
Seahawk Section
Friday, JANUARY 10, 2014
RALLY | City to unveil new sign at rally today. [8]
Potential change to council meeting frequency causing stir Change could add comment period to Committee of the Whole meetings, but opponents worry about reduced access. By Brian Beckley bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
An idea by the City Council to reduce the frequency of council meetings to every other week, with extended Committee of the Whole meetings during the off-weeks, has raised the ire of citizens even before the council has had a chance to discuss it. Several citizens, especially those who felt the City Coun-
cil was not listening during the library discussions, have come out against the idea on the grounds that they believe it will lead to a reduction in the the council’s public comment period. New council president Don Persson said the idea to change meeting frequency has circulated behind-thescenes among council members for several years and he said he felt because of that, the council should have an official discussion about the prospect. “I want to try going biweekly,” Persson said this week. Persson also said he felt the Committee of the Whole discussions, which would take place in the off-weeks, as opposed to prior to the weekly Monday night meeting, could be “more meaty,” especially if public comment was allowed during those meetings.
“We’re not trying to not have public comment,” he said. Outgoing council president Randy Corman said he was “still forming an opinion” but echoed Persson’s views that a public comment period during the Committee of the Whole could increase citizen participation. “I don’t really think we would be reducing the opportunity for public comment,” he said, adding that if done right, the change could lead to more comments at “more appropriate times in the process.” Corman said much of the discussion on any issue happens at the committee levels and by the time it reaches a full council meeting, when citizens have a chance to comment, the process is already so far along that it is difficult to change directions, leading to citizens thinking their [ more meetings page 4 ]
14 businesses vying for three marijuana retail licenses By Brian Beckley bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
Even with a six-month moratorium in place on city licenses, the chase for stateissued recreational marijuana business licenses is beginning to heat up. As of Dec. 31, 14 businesses have applied for the three retail licenses to sell marijuana to be available in the city of Renton. With names ranging from “All Natural” to “The Happiness Company” to “World of Weed,” the 14 potential locations come from all parts of the city, though with five applications, Sunset Boulevard is by far the most competitive street in the city to get a retail license. According to Liquor Control Board spokesman Mikhail Carpenter, the board will do preliminary license investigations of all of the applicants. The investigation will include a look at the proposed locations to ensure that they meet all state criteria for a retail shop, including the correct distance from schools, parks and other sensitive areas. In addition, Carpenter said landlords at
A chilly plunge into the new year Hundreds of residents braved 40-degree temperatures to begin their year with a splash during the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Gene Coulon Memorial Park on Jan. 1. While most people ran in and then right back out, some, like the two gentlemen to the right, opted to stay in MORE PHOTOS online… the water for a little longer. Brian Beckley, rentonreporter.com Renton Reporter
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