City of Lake Forest Park

17425 Ballinger Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
www.cityoflfp.gov
206-368-5440

April 2023

Mayor Jeff Johnson

Mayor’s Corner – Events and Volunteers

Springtime has arrived! With trees and flowers blooming, we are already looking ahead to enjoying our spring and summer events: the LFP Green Fair (April 29), Concert in the Park (June 28), Battle of the Bands (August 3, 4, and 5), Picnic in the Park (September 9), and the Farmers Market (beginning May 14). Check out the article later in this issue for more information about the Green Fair. It’s so nice to be on the other side of the pandemic and see activities and events resume in what is our new normal. Watch our website and social media for additional information about these and other events that may be scheduled.

One of the things I like most about my job as Mayor is meeting, interviewing, and appointing applicants to fill vacancies on our advisory boards, commissions, and committees. In recent months, I have interviewed and appointed some very qualified, skilled LFP residents. Still, vacancies remain on the Tree Board and Library Advisory Committee. If you would like to apply, please fill out our online application. The Tree Board meets on the first Wednesday of the month. The Library Advisory Committee meets quarterly in March, June, and September on the fourth Wednesday of the month; in December on the first Wednesday of the month.

We appreciate our volunteers and hope you will consider applying if you are interested in the Tree Board or Library Advisory Board.

Here’s to a happy spring!

--Mayor Johnson

Executive Director Brook Buettner

New Regional Crisis Response Agency Welcomes Brook Buettner as Executive Director

The newly formed Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency announced Brook Buettner as its first Executive Director. The RCR Agency provides regional mobile crisis response services for the five north King County cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline.

“Brook’s decade of experience in the King County crisis system and her proven track record building and leading the successful RADAR program made her a clear and unanimous choice by the RCR Board to be RCR’s first Executive Director,” says RCR Board President Kurt Triplett. “We all see Brook’s leadership, passion, and vision as exactly what it will take to make this innovative program a success.”

Buettner comes to RCR having managed the North Sound Response Awareness, De-escalation, and Referral (RADAR) Navigator Program for the last three years. The RADAR Navigator Program deploys Social Worker/Navigators to address the needs of individuals in crisis with behavioral health issues and/or developmental disabilities and connect them to the community of care. Under her leadership, RADAR improved the lives of people served, showing incredible outcomes like a 67% reduction in adult jail bookings and a 60% reduction in crisis services events for people touched by the program.

Prior to managing RADAR, Buettner worked for the King County Department of Community and Human Services for several years as the Familiar Faces Initiative Manager and a Health and Housing Integration Specialist. She has also worked in the County’s Department of Public Defense as well as for the Downtown Emergency Services Center Crisis Solutions Center.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting and ground-breaking approach to getting people in North King County experiencing behavioral health crisis the right resources at the right time,” said Buettner. “We are poised to build a whole new approach to first response in our community.”

Buettner holds master’s degrees in social work and public administration from the University of Washington. She also serves on the Executive Board of the North Urban Human Services Alliance and Co-Responder Outreach Alliance.

The RCR Agency consolidates and expands the services provided by the successful North Sound RADAR Navigator and Kirkland Community Responder programs with the goal of offering services on a 24/7 basis. When all positions are filled, the RCR Agency will have 13 full-time staff, an initial $5 million biennial budget, and will deploy Crisis Responder Mental Health Professionals to serve community members in the five-city region who are experiencing behavioral health crises. The RCR Agency Crisis Responders may refer community members in crisis to a new behavioral health crisis response center, which is scheduled to open in Kirkland in 2024.

Wheelbarrow, storm drain, lake - Puget Sound Starts Here

Spring Garden Tips from the Garden Hotline

Spring is here! Are you looking to get your garden going but need some tips on soil care, clearing old growth, trimming shrubs, or plant choices? The Garden Hotline has you covered with many free resources, classes, and education to get your garden going this year without the chemicals!

The Garden Hotline is managed by Tilth Alliance and sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities, Cascade Water Alliance, Seattle and King County's RainWise Program and the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County.

The LFP Green Fair is on April 29!

The LFP Green Fair is back! All are welcome and invited to attend this free event. Local organizations and businesses will be there to answer your questions regarding composting, recycling, reducing waste, natural yard care, water conservation, environmentally safe products, and more.

The fair is hosted at Third Place Commons (top floor) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on April 29, 2023. Bring your friends, neighbors, and family down to the Commons for some fun and while you’re there, learn something new and take home some giveaways!

Photo by Miguel A. Amutio on Unsplash

Council Corner - Wear Your Life Jacket While Enjoying Our Beautiful Waters

The springtime waters in our community are in the mid- to low 40s and are very, very cold. Wearing a life jacket is just one way to keep yourself and those you love safer. The dangers of hypothermia upon immersion are very real.

The dangerous reality of hypothermia became all too apparent last April when I was fortunate enough to be nearby to rescue a young man whose racing kayak overturned on Lake Washington. After only 90 seconds in the frigid waters, he was unable to speak and could barely move. His life jacket saved his life.

With the warmer weather upon us and more of us enjoying the outdoors, I want to remind everyone of the dangers that chilly water presents to the users of human-powered craft and to boaters.

As of May of 2021, LFP Municipal Code Chapter 11.05 (Ordinance 1222) requires wearing of a Coast Guard-approved life jacket (personal floatation device or PFD).

Similar legislation is being considered in our neighboring city of Kenmore.

While state law requires that a Coast Guard-approved PFD be on board a paddleboard or kayak, the LFP Municipal Code requires the actual wearing of a Coast Guard-approved life jacket (personal floatation device or PFD). It cannot simply be on board the human-powered craft or paddleboard; it must be worn properly.

The intent of this ordinance is outreach, awareness, and education, and the first violation will result in educational outreach and a warning. Subsequent offenses will result in a citation and a fine.

Over the past few years, we have observed a dramatic increase in human-powered craft out on Lake Washington and the pandemic has encouraged families to try new outdoor experiences and get out on the water more.

When I sponsored this Ordinance two years ago, it was with these first-time or more casual users of human-powered watercraft that I had primarily in mind. I hope it will help contribute to their awareness of the dangers of the water, particularly in the spring and early summer when the water is so cold.

Importantly, this is not like a helmet law--if someone chooses to not wear a helmet (they should wear one as required by our law), they are not placing a first responder in danger. Failing to wear a PDF can place a first responder's life in jeopardy out on the water.

National Safe Boating Week is May 20-26, 2023 and is a perfect time to begin the process of ensuring everyone who wants to access the water this season is safe and educated.

--Deputy Mayor Tom French

Photo by Mohamed Abdelghaffar on pexels.com

Rotary Sponsors Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Event on Saturday April 22

On April 22, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Rotary District 5030 will hold a battery recycling event in Lake Forest Park.

The drop-off site will be at the Lake Forest Park Town Center on the lower level across from the main entrance.

Batteries collected there will be taken to the main pick-up site at Bellevue Downtown Park where Redwood Materials, a California company, will collect them for recycling.

Here is the list of acceptable items:

Cell phones, laptops, tablets, electric toothbrushes, wireless headphones, power tool batteries.
Bluetooth headphones and headsets, keyboards, mouse, digital cameras (pull memory card), e-readers (Kindles and Nooks), game controllers (X-Box, Nintendo, PlayStation), Smartwatches.
Smoke / fire / carbon monoxide detectors IF 10yr without battery changers (ion or photoelectric alarms)

Generally, they will accept lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride batteries – any rechargeable device with a lithium-ion battery.

You may bring the entire device with no need to remove battery from the device.

Before dropping off a personal device, though, be sure to sign out of all your accounts and perform a factory reset.

This is a great opportunity to take care of these otherwise non-recyclable devices and participate in an important environmental program.

Beach with palm tree, sand, rocks, and water

Crime Watch Volunteers Support the Vacation House Check Program

Did you know the Lake Forest Park Police Department provides a service that will check your house when you are gone? Crime Watch is a volunteer-based program sponsored by the Lake Forest Park Police Department that provides free house checks for Lake Forest Park residents while they are away. To request a vacation house check, simply complete the Crime Vacation House Check Form and email, FAX, mail or drop it off at the Police Department. The form can be found here.

Crime Watch Volunteers Needed

The Crime Watch program’s House Check Team is always looking for additional volunteers. If you are interested, please email Casey Kryzminski or call 206-734-2781 and he will send you the required application information. Crime Watch staffing is currently very low so please consider joining our team!! The success of the Crime Watch program relies on its volunteers. Each volunteer is paired with a partner and together they use a city vehicle to conduct house checks for residents who have submitted a Vacation House Check Form. Volunteering for Crime Watch not only helps the community, but it also provides an opportunity to get to know your neighbors better and learn the intricacies of the City’s road system. Interested volunteers must pass a background check and credit check. If accepted, the program director will provide training on how to manage vacation house check forms and conduct house checks.

What is better than recycling and composting? Not producing waste in the first place!

Waste prevention includes lots of strategies to keep waste from occurring or being produced. Like bringing your own cup, bottle, or bag when out and about, repairing rather than replacing a broken item, or choosing to purchase something second hand rather than new. Together, we can help reduce waste in our community.

CERT volunteers in hard hats and yellow vests

Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo) Community Member Training Resumes

Last month marked the completion of NEMCo’s first Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) basic course since the COVID pandemic began. The CERT program offered more than 20 members of the community a three-day course that provided more than 24 hours of training on local hazards and basic disaster preparedness. Also included was hands-on training in fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations. At its conclusion, and after a hands-on final practical exercise testing their new skills, each student earned a certificate indicating that they have been trained in these basic skills which will allow them to join CERT groups throughout the region and better help their friends, neighbors, and the public in the event of an emergency. Some of those newly certified CERT participants have already taken the initial steps to become state-certified volunteer emergency workers and will be further enhancing their skills and experiences as members of NEMCo.

Also this quarter, the NEMCo Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES) Chief Radio Officer, Jon Rumsey, coordinated two advanced amateur radio trainings in Winlink, an emergency radio messaging system used by organizations throughout the country, for both NEMCo and other area ham radio operators. Area hams participated in basic and intermediate skill level training and had an opportunity for hands-on practice with their own equipment. This training was followed by a three-day exercise coordinated by several of our experienced ham radio volunteers in various communications modes, including the popular VARA protocol. This exercise was open to ham operators throughout the region to practice sending radio/computer messages throughout the area via the amateur radio system. Operators from Mukilteo, Redmond, Bothell, Shoreline, Mercer Island, Wenatchee, and even Albuquerque, NM joined in contacting the net using Winlink protocols. The ability to network with fellow hams throughout the region and beyond is critical in ensuring supplemental communications during emergencies when government resources are overwhelmed.

We thank all our volunteers, partnering ham radio operators, and members of the public for contributing to the success of all these training programs!

Flyer with list of items to bring and don't bring.

Mark Your Calendar, the King County Wastemobile will be in Bothell April 14-16

Do you have household hazardous waste that needs disposal? The King County Wastemobile is making a stop in Bothell Friday – Sunday, April 14-16, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to provide household hazardous waste disposal services for King County residents. The address is: 18115 Campus Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011.

You may drop off items such as antifreeze, batteries, gasoline, fluorescent lights, and pesticides. To view the full list of what you can and cannot bring and learn some safety tips visit the King County Household Hazardous Waste webpage or call the Household Hazards Line with King County at 206-296-4692.

If you cannot make it to the Wastemobile, do not dispose of hazardous waste like cleaning products, batteries, or pesticides in the garbage or down the drain. Take it to the North Seattle Hazardous Waste drop-off site for safe disposal. Additional information is available on the link above.

Now through June 30 license your dog or cat or renew with no late penalties

Stay Current on City News, Meetings, and Events

Want to keep up with what’s going on at the City? There are several ways to stay informed. Subscription options include notices of city meetings and events, planning announcements, emergency alerts, city newsflashes, and more! Click here for the full list of available subscriptions.