REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
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REGIONAL | State food aid program restored for many in need [page 10]
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WINNING | The Tahoma Bears are off to an 3-0 start. [9]
WEBSITE | Check the website for breaking news, sports and weather stories. maplevalleyreporter.com or covingtonreporter.com
Board considers new Lake Wilderness Elementary BY REBECCA GOURLEY Reporter
A proposal to build a new Lake Wilderness Elementary School was presented to the Tahoma School Board Tuesday. The previous plan for the school was to remodel the aging building. The remodel was set to occur after the new high school opens in the fall of 2017. However, building a new school for Lake Wilderness students
would result in it opening at the same time as the high school. “All along, the hope was to be able to build a new Lake Wilderness Elementary School,” said Lori Cloud, assistant superintendent. “Remodeling would provide us with a good school, but we now have an opportunity to build something much better.” This new plan is being considered because of the cost savings on the new high school and other improvement projects, according to a news release
from the district. When construction began on the new high school project, a contingency fund was set up, as is typical for any construction project. But, because there have been none of the anticipated issues with the project’s initial phases, some of that contingency money has been freed up. The district has a total savings so far of $23.4 million. With the additional $18 million that was already ear[ more TAHOMA page 3 ]
A plan to build a new Lake Wilderness Elementary would construct the school on the playground. Courtesy Kevin Patterson
Senior services at risk of being cut due to lack of funding leagues are asking the city of Maple Valley to make up the difference by increasing their 2016 annual Beginning July 1, 2016 the comallocation by $15,000. munity centers in Maple Valley Pursley said their fiscal year is and Black Diamond may have to six months ahead of United Way’s, scale back their senior services so they will feel the impact of the programs. funding reduction spread over the United Way of King County, second half of 2016 and the first which funds portions of half of 2017. the community centers’ “The things we do Syd Dawson, the programs, released president on the board here are not sexy. their five-year strategic of directors for the It’s not a ‘oh look plan and will be shiftcommunity center, gave we have saved the ing funding around world,’ but what we’re a presentation at the to match their current Sept. 14 Maple Valley trying to do is keep priority. City Council meeting, people away from the Sara Levin, spokesexplaining the situation. cliff; catch them at person for United Way “The community the top of that cliff of King County, said center has received the before they go over.” the Black Diamond same level of financial Community Center Mark Pursley support (from the city) will see a reduction of Greater Maple Valley since 2010,” he said. $20,000 and the Greater Community Center “And for that we are Maple Valley Commuimmensely grateful.” nity Center will see a He went on to reduction of $30,000 in state that due to inflation over United Way’s 2017 fiscal year. those years, they’ve actually had a Levin said United Way is still aiming its dollars at programs that reduction of $17,000 in purchasing affect older adults like food banks power. and services that help the homeless. The community center has “Our goal is to focus our dollars received approximately $192,500 – on programs that have the greatest about 30 percent of their budget – impact in the community,” Levin from the city every year since 2010. said. “It’s not meant to leave out Pursley said if the city doesn’t any particular group.” increase the center’s allocation of Mark Pursley, executive direcfunds, they will look in other places tor for the Greater Maple Valley Community Center, and his col[ more SENIOR page 10 ] BY REBECCA GOURLEY
Reporter
Mayor’s Day of Concern
Donna Roetter hands a bag of groceries to Covington Councilman Mark Lanza outside Safeway Saturday during the Mayor’s Day of Concern food drive for the Maple Valley Food Bank. Kason Zandell drops money off at Fred Meyer with his mom, Brendy, and dad, Gene. Taya Peterson, 4, also drops money into the collection bin at Fred Meyer. DENNIS BOX, THE REPORTER
New bells and whistles on assessor’s website BY DENNIS BOX Editor
If you haven’t been to the King County Assessor’s website lately, it might be a good time to check it out. King County Assessor Lloyd Hara came to the Enumclaw Courier-Herald office to talk about the latest innovations available on the website. Hara said his office began working on a new website about
this time last year using transparency, education an outside vendor and and understanding of the the results are now on assessor’s job. the site. The assessor’s website “It took less than seven features a vast amount of months,” Hara said. “We information on property really started around the values, various levies and holidays (December). answers many frequently Lloyd Hara Hara said the impetus asked questions like: to redesign the site was • Does higher assessed to, “clear out roadblocks and values necessarily mean higher get people thinking outside the property taxes? box.” He said the more information an individual has improves [ more ASSESSOR page 10 ]
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