June 20, 2014 [9]
www.federalwaymirror.com [ LETTERS from page 6]
We have to begin with our lawmakers at every level. If a lawmaker is a member of the association, they are unfit to serve the public and must be voted out. This is a beginning to ensure that public safety and the rights of people to live and be unharmed are not buried under the socalled rights of those who insanely believe that they have a God-given right to own a gun and carry a gun anywhere they please.
Karen Hedwig Backman, Federal Way
High Point project is a ridiculous idea I live in this neighborhood that this project is going to impact very negatively. I have lived here for over 20 years. Putting a
[ ROEGNER from page 6]
able to demonstrate a skill or possessed a background that might be helpful to the board. And each conveyed an attitude that suggested they would be easy to work with. However, Eto clearly had the best interview of the serious contenders. He returned to live in the community a couple of years ago and has some community knowledge. He is retired from the Army Corp of Engineers and
6 story building in an older neighborhood of one story homes was a ridiculous idea. The statements being made that this will not impact our already crowded schools or our privacy and safety including those who choose to live in those apartments are sadly mistaken and or misinformed. On a personal note, I have worked years creating a peaceful and serene back yard that I can enjoy and relax in after working all day. Removing all of the trees that use to be an asset to the community as well as part of our mission statement when we decided to stand alone and become a city. The traffic impact alone on one of the busiest streets in Federal Way was stated as minimal. Really? Can anyone that lives in Federal Way believe that these units and retail are not going
to impact an already over used highway? I will be heartbroken to have to sell my home if what I believe to be our future comes to fruition with this project. I have researched online and found numerous negative comments and editorials as to the integrity of the projects and the longevity of the structures. There are many pictures of the before and now of these projects done by Devco. I truly believe that within 5 years this will look more like a run down tenement building than the pictures of pristine grounds and smiling people that we have been shown in the meetings. I understand to be healthy you need growth and change, but I also believe we must look deeply at the impacts of all as well as the long term impact of this project. I can think of
highlighted his strategic planning skills. He was also articulate and at ease in the process. At the end of the meeting, Ito seemed the most likely appointment. The board announced that it would go into executive session and meet a week later to finalize the appointment. At the next school board meeting a week later, there was a brief discussion about the process and a motion was made to appoint Eto and it
passed unanimously. However, in another surprise moment the board said Eto wouldn’t be sworn in until later in June. After Moore left the board and Superintendent Rob Neu left town, the process to select a new board member had far too many bumps in the road to the appointment, suggesting Moore’s hand on the tiller the last three years may have been much stronger than some thought.
[ DETECTIVES from page 6] safer, and so that justice will always be a need for those proverbial “rough men and women” to stand watch over the rest of us. Thank you detectives for the work you do and the sacrifices you make, so that the rest of us are just a bit
may hopefully be served when its time has come. You are a rare breed, and deserve a greater recognition than you often get. Hopefully this little bit will help correct that imbalance.
Decatur’s horticulture teacher retires
students have gone into the horticulture industry in one way or another. Whether it is being a horticulture teacher, growing a garden, being able to have healthy houseplants, taking care of a yard, being able to recognize and identify healthy plants and flowers, becoming a good consumer of plants, fruits and vegetables.” “The students take away something that can be applied to their lives, forever,” she said. “That is pretty amazing.” McMullen, a former potato, wheat and alfalfa farmer, had a talent for making things grow that expanded beyond her farm. She earned a bachelor of science and teaching degree from Washington State
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Thousands of lawns and gardens are a little bit greener and brighter this summer, thanks to Justine McMullen. McMullen, a horticulture teacher at Decatur High School, will retire this year after 28 years of service. The generations of students who’ve taken her class in that time will carry a little piece of her knowledge for the rest of their lives – using it to make the world more brilliant. “The students are the greatest accomplishments,” McMullen said. “All
Thank you again, Detectives Steiger, Kasner and VandenVeer, from the bottom of my heart, and from the bottom of every other victim, direct or otherwise, who finds their life touched by violent tragedy.
University, and took her first teaching job at Decatur in the 1980s. There, she grew the horticulture program from barely a seedling into a flourishing career and technical education program – among the most successful in the region, school district officials said. When she arrived, McMullen recalls working in two portables and a small plastic greenhouse with a dirt floor. Only three classes were offered each semester. Thanks to her leadership and the support of an advisory board, today’s horticulture complex at Decatur has a classroom, workroom, two storage areas, a walk-in floral cooler, two large greenhouses, outdoor areas and computers.
I just wish to express yet again how inappropriate this development is for Federal Way. Yes, we want positive growth for our city. Yes, we want a vibrant downtown core. We also wish to retain the character of our existing community - as is stated in the city plan. How do five- and sixstory apartment/multi-use buildings fit in with a neighborhood of predominantly one-story private homes? There are a few
two-story residences and the condos that immediately adjoin the property, but four-stories, let alone six, seems like a quantum jump with very little concern for keeping the neighborhood “flavor” intact. Please consider other options for this property. Our traffic on 320th has already deteriorated in the last month or so with the adjustment to the traffic lights at 11th Place South and 8th Ave South. I loathe the day when there are 300+/- more commuters trying to get to their apartment homes with only one road in or out - onto 320th at 11th Place South. Now with the most recent approval letter (issued June 4, 2014), the developer is pursuing all sorts of “modifications” to his original plan that on paper benefit only the builder and proposed buildings,
There also appeared to be some disorganization coming from the district office regarding the sharing of public information, which caused confusion with the public, candidates and media. Considering she has only been on the board herself a few months, President Carol Gregory did as good a job managing the process to a successful conclusion as one could expect. But there was also some
questions raised about the legal compliance with executive session laws after both executive sessions conducted by the board were completed. These are correctable missteps, in fact under a new law, the Open Meetings Act, training is required for most government bodies, including schools, and they do need to be corrected. But the most critical concern was that the board
many things that would fit the neighborhood and location in a much more positive way than squeezing a large complex into a small piece of land.
Karen Bitz, Federal Way
An open letter to the city and school district
not the existing neighborhood. The privacy and security concerns of the current residents - many of whom have lived 40 or more years there - are being largely ignored by the developer. The pedestrian access to 13th Ave South is unsupported by the homeowners as well as the future “cut-through” road to the alley in back of Best Buy, Joann Fabrics, H-Mart, et al. Will the city simply declare eminent domain and take the two homes from long-term residents to push the new road through? That hardly seems like “preserving existing neighborhood [as] an important community value in Federal Way.” Please reconsider the proposed monstrosity slated for this property.
Laura Johnson, Federal Way
selected the best candidate from the five finalists. In Eto, they appear to have selected the best candidate as his experience will help the board. And by adding minority representation, they demonstrated a commitment to having the board reflect more of the community it serves.
Bob Roegner, a former mayor of Auburn: bjroegner@comcast.net.
...obituaries John Hoskinson
February 17, 1919 - May 12, 2014
John passed away, surrounded by his loving family, after a valiant struggle with cancer. He was born to Willam and Helen Hoskinson in Keewatin Village, MN. He graduated from the University of Minnesota on 6-14-41 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He subsequently received a Navy certification at Harvard University and was commissioned in the Navy, where he served as a Supply Officer for the duration of World War II. He subsequently joined the Navy Reserve, from which he retired as a Lt. Commander. He was married to Elva Owen Bailey from 1944 until her death in 2000. In recent years John was a Board Member of the Federal Way Community Care Giving Network and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Federal Way, where he served as Greeter and New Member Inductor. He has also been a member of the Tacoma Elks Club and Lions Club. He enjoyed ballroom dancing, music, and regular bridge sessions with friends. He played the saxophone and organ and enjoyed the monthly Jazz Live concerts at Marine View Presbyterian Church, where he recently had been a regular attender of Sunday services. He was a passionate advocate for quality education. He is survived by his son Owen, Owen’s wife Sandy, their children Matt, Gwen and Eric, Matt’s wife and four children, son Paul, his wife Suzanne and their children, Robert and Evan, and Robert’s wife. The family is holding a private memorial service in Idaho, where Paul lives. A public memorial service, organized by the Kiwanis Club of Federal Way, is being held on Saturday, June 28, at 2 PM at Marine View Presbyterian Church, 8469 Eastside Dr. NE, Tacoma (near Dash Point State Park). A reception at the church will follow the memorial service. To RSVP and for further information, phone Dick Hayek, 253-952-1210. Donations may be made in John’s name to the Kiwanis Club of Federal Way Foundation and to Marine View Presbyterian Church.