City of Lake Forest Park

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

May 2023

Mayor Jeff Johnson

Mayor's Corner - Volunteers Make the World, and LFP, Go Around

Over the last several months, I put out the call for volunteers to serve on our advisory bodies and our community did not disappoint! Currently, there are just a few more regular vacancies to fill on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Tree Board, and Library Advisory Committee.

At one of the upcoming city council meetings, I anticipate approval of an ordinance allowing for alternate members on our boards, commissions, and committees to serve as voting members when an alternate is needed to make a quorum and to become permanent members when vacancies occur. We have so much to do in the coming years and we want to keep moving forward!

If you are interested in one of the current vacancies, or in serving as an alternate on a board, commission, or committee, please submit the online application.

My deepest thanks to our current members and all those who preceded them. Volunteering is a chance to connect to our community and make it a better place—evening helping with the smallest tasks can make a real difference.

In addition to thanking the members of our advisory bodies, I would like to also thank the members of the volunteer groups in our community that give their time to work on community projects and events. These groups also help make LFP a better place: Lake Forest Park Rotary Club, Stewardship Foundation, the work party groups at Grace Cole Park and Five Acre Woods, King County Master Gardeners, the PTAs for Lake Forest Park Elementary and Brookside Elementary, and board members and volunteers with ShoreLake Arts and Third Place Commons. Your support of the greater LFP community and the City and its work is greatly appreciated.

Volunteers do make the world, and LFP, go around. Thank you!

--Mayor Johnson

Judge Linda Portnoy (retired), Phil Stanley, Judge Jennifer Grant

Judge Portnoy (ret.), Phil Stanley, Judge Grant

Municipal Court's Probation Officer Phil Stanley Retires

After 19 years with the Lake Forest Park Municipal Court, Probation Officer Phil Stanley staffed his final review calendar on March 29, 2023. The court gathered to celebrate his final day. Special guests included Mr. Stanley’s wife, Tricia, and retired judge Linda Portnoy.

Mr. Stanley joined the court in 2004. Imminently overqualified for the position, he implored presiding judge Linda Portnoy to give him a shot. His impressive resume included 27 years with the Washington State Department of Corrections (WA DOC). Hired in 1973 as a Parole Officer, Mr. Stanley was promoted repeatedly within WA DOC. He served as the Prison Superintendent (1992-1997) and Regional Administrator (1997-2000) before heading across the country to become a Commissioner with the New Hampshire Department of Corrections where he reported to the Governor and Executive Council. He retired after three years and returned to the Pacific Northwest.

Not one to be idle, Mr. Stanley saw a newspaper ad for a part-time probation officer in Lake Forest Park. Having never supervised misdemeanant offenders, Mr. Stanley decided to round out his resume and apply for the position. Judge Portnoy recognized her good luck and brought him on board. Somehow, in addition to the LFP gig, Mr. Stanley served as the Director of the Chelan County Regional Justice Center in Wenatchee from 2007-2012, where he managed a $9 million annual budget and led the 90 employees operating the 308-bed facility.

Mr. Stanley brought his expertise to LFP Court. He implemented an innovative pretrial supervision program, earned the respect of the probationers he supervised, and made sound recommendations to the court. Mr. Stanley worked for Judge Portnoy until her retirement in 2021. Judge Grant is grateful for Mr. Stanley’s steady presence during her first year as presiding judge and thanks him for his guidance in the selection of his successor, Charles Mitchell.

Since retiring, Mr. Stanley has been on a grand tour of the many beautiful parks in Utah. The court thanks Mr. Stanley for his many years of service and wishes him a joyful and adventurous retirement.

Officers Carlsrud and Benson holding plaques

Officers Brandon Carlsrud (l) and Jayson Benson (r)

Lake Forest Park Police Officers Receive Life Saving Award

During the City Council meeting on April 13, two Lake Forest Park Police officers received an award for saving a life. Officers Brandon Carlsrud and Jayson Benson were recognized for their bravery and quick thinking in a life-threatening situation, where they demonstrated remarkable courage and took decisive action to save the life of another human being. Their selflessness and dedication to preserving life in the face of danger are examples of the impact Lake Forest Park Police officers have in serving our community. The awards were given as a symbol of gratitude and admiration for their heroic actions.

Council Corner - The Sound Cities Association - Public Issues Committee

It is my pleasure to serve the community of Lake Forest Park as the representative to the Sound Cities Association “SCA” Public Issues Committee or “PIC.” As a standing committee of the SCA, the PIC is made up of representatives who collaborate on current critical regional issues facing 38 Puget Sound member cities totaling more than one million residents.

The PIC is the body that makes recommendations to the SCA Board on policies and committee appointments. Each member city has a voting member and an alternate and each city has an equal vote on the PIC.

The PIC considers regional issues such as homelessness, equity and inclusiveness, police reform, pollution, growth management, utility rates, solid waste, upcoming ballot measures, taxation, and many other important regional topics.

Equally important to being the recommending body for policy considerations by the SCA Board, the PIC affords local elected representatives the opportunity to share ideas, issues, and solutions with their fellow elected officials from other regional cities.

Current policy considerations by the PIC include the very full 2023 Legislative session that just wrapped up in Olympia, which included: a variety of middle and affordable housing bills; changes to how education is funded; updates to the police pursuit bill; and reforming drug possession laws as well as many more.

Additional current topics for consideration and discussion by the PIC are upcoming ballot measures such as King County’s Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy Renewal and King County Proposition 1: Crisis Care Centers Levy.

Other regional issues under discussion include: King County wastewater rates; affordable housing countywide planning policies; homelessness and governance of the region’s response system; affordable housing, state mandates, and local implementation; transportation and mobility, including Metro transit service and long-term funding; diversity, equity, and inclusion; Clean Water Plan and capital investments; solid waste rate restructure and the future of recycling and disposal; addressing public safety concerns and changes to state law.

The Sound Cites Association Public Issues Committee meets virtually the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. and is open for all to attend.

--Deputy Mayor Tom French

LFP Green Fair is Saturday, April 29

The LFP Green Fair is coming up! Save the date: Saturday, April 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.at Third Place Commons. This year, the fair offers two great workshops:

10:30 p.m.: Recycling 101 with Republic Services
12:30 p.m.: Composting Workshop with Cedar Grove

Be sure to stop by with your questions! Other local organizations and businesses will also be at the fair to offer educational information, answer questions, share giveaways and more—all relating to reducing waste, natural yard care, water conservation, environmentally safe products, and combating climate change!

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

Bank of multifamily mailboxes that were broken into

Mail Theft is on the Rise

Our area is experiencing an increase in mail theft. This is a crime of opportunity, where suspects look for gift cards, checks, credit cards, cash, or documents that can facilitate ID theft.

Suspects target not only traditional mailboxes but also locking ones and cluster box units.

You can help:

Collect your mail every day.
Do not leave mail in the box overnight.
If you are going on vacation, either arrange for a neighbor to collect your mail daily or ask the post office to hold your mail.
When sending mail, drop it at the post office instead of leaving it for the mail carrier to collect—a red flag tells everybody that there is mail in your box!

Although the Police Department is conducting extra patrols—especially during evenings and nights—and actively working with USPS investigators, we urge our citizens to call 911 if they notice somebody spending time at or near mailboxes or following a mail carrier.

Thank you!

Teen member of CERT wearing green hardhat and yellow vest

Emily McKenzie

Community Emergency Response Training: A Teen Perspective

By Emily McKenzie

I'm 16, and recently graduated from my first Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) class. Before this, I had heard of CERT but had yet to see it as something I could do. Now I know I am one of many capable and willing to help my community.

Going in, I was skeptical about an eight-hour class. I thought it was going to be a long day, but I was blown away by the teachers and class. We were learning essential and exciting things, and every single teacher was there to be supportive and engaging. It was funny and captivating, encouraging us to explore and learn more in our homes and communities. The best part was getting donuts and coffee for breakfast and pizza for lunch. So, if you want to help your community and you are hungry, CERT is for you!

There were four different stations, and the exercises were unmatched. Medical, where we helped role players (aka “survivors”) with injuries using our knowledge and supplies available. For the Fire Module, we practiced approaching a fire and putting it out using fire extinguishers. In Search and Rescue, we searched the fire tower for survivors. Then there was Lifting and Cribbing, where we learned how to lift heavy objects off someone. Each exercise was designed to strengthen and test a vital skill we learned in class.

My favorite part was Search and Rescue. Walking next to my team using headlamps in a dark building with all our gear on was a real rush. We got to be loud, calling out for survivors, and practiced surveying every door, room, and hallway to make sure it was safe. I enjoyed doing these hands-on activities because they made me feel more prepared for a real natural disaster. By the end of the third day, our class was so close, and we had so much fun. I was honestly sad it was over, but there are always more opportunities to get involved. We earned two certificates and a whole backpack of supplies to use for our exercises. I even earned about 25 volunteer hours to use for the National Honors Society. My takeaway is that everyone should take a CERT class to help yourself, your family, and your community.

Car dropping off recyclables at last year's event

Recycling Collection Event with the City of Kenmore - May 13

The cities of Lake Forest Park and Kenmore are partnering for a combined Recycling Collection Event! Take a look at the event flyer to view the full list of what you can and cannot bring. Please be aware fees do apply for certain items. The event takes place on Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Northlake Lutheran Church.

While supplies last, you can purchase, for $25 (cash only) rain barrels and compost/worm bins. Fees are payable with cash only, so please bring exact change for user fees and purchase of rain barrels and compost/worm bins.

Items you can bring are tires*, propane tanks*, electronic equipment, appliances and scrap metal*, cardboard, porcelain toilets and sinks*, lead acid and household batteries, mattresses*, paper shredding (four box limit), clean bulky wood, and refrigerators and freezers*. Fees apply to items marked with an asterisk*.

For a full list of acceptable items and additional information, view the event flyer.

Please note: No flatbeds or dump trucks allowed. We reserve the right to refuse oversized, commercial, contaminated, excessive, or unacceptable loads.

Circular economy flyer from Waste Management

Five Ways to Contribute to the Circular Economy from Home

The success of the circular economy depends on the small actions we take to keep items we use out of landfills and close the loop from home! Visit the Republic Services Earth Day page for more information.

What is meant by the term “circular economy” in waste management? The US Environmental Protection Agency offers this: It is a change to the model in which resources are mined, made into products, and then become waste. A circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products.

AXON Roadshow Coming to the Seattle Area

The Lake Forest Park Police Department is proud to announce that the department is hosting a 2023 AXON Roadshow on Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is one of two roadshows happening in Washington state this year.

Police agencies like Lake Forest Park continue to move forward on tools that enhance public and officer safety as well as increase effective training for first responders and public safety personnel. The AXON Roadshow will feature AXON’s state-of-the-art training equipment and public safety tools including AXON air drones, AXON fleet in-car camera systems, AXON Body 3 body-worn cameras, and the AXON virtual reality training system.

For further information, please see the event flyer or email Sgt. Parrish or AXON at roadshow@axon.com.

About the Lake Forest Park Police Department

The Lake Forest Park Police Department was established in 1961, and its 20 sworn and 3 support personnel serve over 13,000 citizens in the city as well as over 30,000 daily drivers on two state highways that bisect the city. The Department is committed to making our community the safest in the Puget Sound region. The Department has over 10 years of experience with body-worn cameras and has been successfully using AXON Body 3 cameras since 2020.

About AXON

AXON Enterprise, Inc. is a Scottsdale, Arizona, based company which develops technology and products for the military, law enforcement and civilians.

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

Mark Your Calendars, the King County Wastemobile is in Bothell May 12-14

Do you have Household Hazardous Waste that needs disposal? The King County Wastemobile is making a stop in Bothell Friday – Sunday, May 12-14, 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.

City of LFP Hiring Entry and Lateral Police Officers

Police Department Applicants May Now Submit Test Scores through National Testing Network

We are excited to share that individuals interested in applying for an entry-level police officer position with the City of Lake Forest Park now have the option to submit their test scores to the Department through National Testing Network (NTN).

Applicants can still use Public Safety Testing (PST) to apply online, but do not need to use both testing sites.

Considering a lateral move? Visit our website for more information.

More information for both entry-level and lateral officers can be found here.

Tips for Natural Yard Care

Natural yard care is easy to do and there’s no better time of year to start than right now, plus you save money and time! Get tips on lawn care, planting new trees and shrubs, and watering. Visit The Garden Hotline or call 206-633-0224 for answers to your garden and yard care questions.

Stay Current on City News

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