With lots of news packed into the VOICE of the Valley during 2016, those making it to the Front Page are as follows:
JANUARY – Tahoma School District (TSD) Boundary Review Committee tackles a major overhaul of the District’s school boundary alignments in order to balance out student population with schools.
Tahoma High School’s We the People once again earned first place in Washington State competition.
Maple Valley Fire & Life Safety Board voted to support the Fire Benefit Charge instead of the current Levy/Bond system. Next step was to pass it to the Steering Committee who would decide when to place the issue before the people for a vote.
TSD Boundary Review Committee takes on their next step of figuring out the best attendance area boundaries for each of the six elementary schools, which will house some 3,500 students from across the District.
FEBRUARY – Recreational enthusiasts driving along SR 410 where abandoning their vehicles along the roadway to go enjoy outdoor activities in the winter wonderland. Drivers were urged to obey all signage and warnings about parking near and/or on highways.
Black Diamond City Council majority members stirred it up at the Regular Council meeting on January 21st by wanting to change Council Rules. City attorney, Carol Morris, warned against adoption of the Rules, however, the majority Councilmembers (Morgan, Weber, Pepper) voted to pass the resolution. Councilmembers Edelman and Deady withdrew their names from the new committee assignments, which would have made a quorum of three members.
State Senators Mark Mullet and Joe Fain sponsored a resolution honoring the We the People team in their state championship win in January. It was the team’s 20th state championship win.
Vine Maple Place brings their newest project idea – the Family Hope Center – to the public for a fundraising event.
Bye Bye Birdy musical performance by 6th-9th graders announced for March.
Unincorporated Maple Valley and Cedar Area neighborhoods selected for Community Service Grants from King County. Those receiving grants included Save Habitat and Diversity of Wetlands (SHADOW), Hobart Community Church, Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council, and Lake Desire Community Club.
MARCH – The City of Maple Valley set a Park Bond for $22.5 million for an April 26th ballot issue.
Rockin’ 50s were alive and well in Maple Valley with the musical production of Bye Bye Birdie taking place on March 11,12,18 and 19.
Sketch released of the Lake Kathleen assault suspect, who was suspected in the stabbing of a 16-year old female who was at home in a workshop near her house at the time of the incident.
Tahoma Robotics Club team, Bear Metal, wins second place during competition at Auburn Mountainview High School. The theme for this year’s game was Stronghold and carried a medieval theme.
Tahoma National Cemetery administration invited Vietnam Veterans to a special pinning ceremony that was held in their honor for service in Vietnam.
Michael and Donna Brathovde of Ranvensdale were presented with the inaugural Martin Luther King Medal of Distinguished Service for their over 2,000 hours of public service in helping create the Ravensdale History Trail. The award was presented by Reagan Dunn, King County Council Vice Chair.
APRIL – Vietnam Veterans were welcomed home in a special pinning ceremony held at Tahoma National Cemetery on March 29th.
The Greater Maple Valley Veterans Memorial Foundation continued to gather community support for a local Veterans Memorial.
Hooked on Fishing event planning well underway – including tagged fish tickets that were on sale. This year’s Tagged Fish – Princess – was in honor of retired Maple Valley/Black Diamond Chamber CEO, Sue VanRuff.
Maple Valley City Council gave a nod to go ahead and develop a Disc Golf course on an 8.7-acre piece of property within Lake Wilderness Park by the Skate Park and Community Center.
Tahoma High School drama announced upcoming performances of the high-spirited musical Oklahoma in May.
MAY – The community was invited to the Tahoma Boundary Review Committee’s information/public input meetings.
Black Diamond City Council argues over agendas, legal services and much more. Note cards were observed on the dais of Councilmember Pat Pepper that appeared to be what she was referencing during the heated arguments at the meeting.
Final weekend of Oklahoma – May 12-14.
The public was invited to learn about the new Lake Wilderness Elementary School construction project.
Memorial Day service at Tahoma National Cemetery included a special Vietnam War Commemorative Lapel pinning ceremony.
Witte Rd. Traffic Alert to let everyone know about lane shifting to accommodate utility work during construction hours.
Maple Valley City Manager David Johnston retires.
Black Diamond Councilmembers (Morgan, Weber, Pepper) were no shows for their May 19th and May 25th Council meetings.
JUNE – Black Diamond Councilmembers Morgan, Weber and Pepper walk out of the June 2nd Council meeting. Prior to walking out, all three were censured for their unexcused meetings in May.
Cub Scout Pack 581 recognized Flag Day/Week by retiring warn/damaged flags given to them from the community. This year, the Pack retired 10 flags.
Maple Valley Public Works Interim City Manager/Public Works Director Laura Philpot updated the Council on existing projects in the works along with information regarding projects planned to be constructed during the next 6 years including Phase 4 out of 5 phases for Witte Rd.
Approximately 600 community members from all over the area met at Tahoma Jr. High school to send King County Board of Health back home with something to think about regarding the subject of “taxing” private septic tanks.
JULY – Maple Valley Parks & Recreation held its annual Bike Challenge at Lake Wilderness Park for kids ranging in ages from 6-11 years old.
Major Brad Thompson retired from King County Sheriff’s Office with an amazing resume that included work as an Army Reservist.
Maple Valley construction update for 216th Ave. included undergrounding of utilities – power and communications lines.
Kitty Hawk – the “epic journey” of Maple Valley’s Jimmy Ball flying a small private airplane from Enumclaw to Kitty Hawk and back home again became a reality after years of dreaming about the trip.
The annual Kids Festival sponsored by Fred Meyer, Discovery Playtown, Maple Valley Firefighters, Haeger Orthodontics, Jr. Junction Day School, Recology CleanScapes, and Good Chevrolet at Lake Wilderness Park was full of great fun and weather.
AUGUST – Over 300 people turned out for the National Night Out Against Crime at Glacier Community Park on August 3rd.
Several signs popped up around the City of Black Diamond calling for a Recall of Morgan, Pepper, and Weber, who failed to pass a permit for the City’s 102-year old Labor Day’s Community event.
Those supporting a fundraiser for African Promise Foundation were out raising funds to sponsor school students in Uganda.
Construction Update for 216th Ave. – Concrete medians poured. Next – installation of new streetlight system, landscape restoration.
Despite the usual disruptions by Black Diamond Councilmembers (Morgan, Weber, Pepper), Morgan was the only no vote following a lengthy discussion regarding a mitigation payment and building permit for the Black Diamond Elementary School.
American Pickers, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, announced that they were planning on filming some episodes throughout the region for their hit series.
SEPTEMBER – Free benefit concert with singer/songwriter and local resident Ron Porzio was given to help the Maple Valley Food Bank.
Local mother and daughter reached out anonymously to Maple Valley Police Department showing their appreciation by making each officer a hand-crafted bag with goodies and notes of appreciation.
More 216th Ave. construction updates that included pavement and temporary striping. The project caught the eye of some young spectators peering over their fence.
Ground breaking celebration held in Black Diamond by Oakpointe brought out Former Mayors Gomer Evans, Howard Botts and Rebecca Olness along with Mayor Carol Benson, Enumclaw Superintendent Mike Nelson, State Representative Chad Magendanz and many more. CEO Oakpointe, Brian Ross, gave out checks to Enumclaw School District, Black Diamond PTA, Black Diamond Community Center, and Kiwanis Club Backpack Program for a total of $5,000.
Elk Run Farm, a 4 and a half acre piece of property from what was once Elk Run Golf Course, is now becoming a local farm where produce is being raise in order to provide fresh produce to 12 food banks in South King County.
OCTOBER – On time and moving right along were comments made about the building of the new Black Diamond Elementary School. The school is scheduled to be finished by August 2017 at an estimated cost of $22 million.
The 19th annual Maple Valley Model Train Show took place in Gracie Hansen Community Center in Ravensdale on Saturday, October 15-Sunday, October 16.
Maple Valley’s local Girl Scouts decorated the grounds of the Maple Valley Community Center with their annual Scarecrow exhibit.
Black Diamond Majority Councilmembers disrupted the meeting in an attempt to push their meeting agenda to the point that 55 seconds into the beginning of the meeting a recess was called. Mountainview Fire & Rescue Chief Greg Smith had been asked by the mayor to speak to the Council, but due to technical difficulties, was unable to give his presentation. Later in the meeting, Majority Councilmembers voted for Amended resolutions that the Mayor stated she would deny and did.
Tahoma High School held its annual Halloween Carnival for kids to enjoy a fun safe Halloween.
Tahoma Drama Club announced its upcoming comedy performance of You
Can’t Take It With You.
NOVEMBER – Black Diamond Council had moments of relative peace during their November 3rd Council meeting as they voted to pass one item – the Collective Bargaining with the police department. Two weeks earlier, they heard from unhappy citizens regarding the Majority Councilmembers during a Town Hall meeting.
WWII Vets were honored during Veteran’s Day ceremonies at Tahoma National Cemetery
Maple Valley Fire & Life Safety held a reception to have the community meet the five candidates vying to fill the position of Fire Chief as Chief Brad Doerflinger prepared to retire at the end of December 2016.
Kindergarten registration was opened to eager students wishing to enroll early in the Tahoma School District.
Hometown Holidays celebration announced to take place on December 1st filled with all sorts of activities for the whole family to enjoy including the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.
The Jerry Woods Holiday Engine was announced to be traveling around the neighborhoods gathering food donations that would be donated to the Maple Valley Food Bank & Emergency Services.
DECEMBER – Much to the surprise of everyone attending the December 1st Council meeting, Black Diamond Majority Councilmembers (Morgan, Weber, and Pepper) were each served with lawsuit documents from Oakpointe Communities. The suit contains more than 135 violations of the Open Public Meeting Act (OPMA).
Shop with a Cop saw another successful year as the Maple Valley Rotary along with a whole host of other associations, businesses, and more helped 450 children from around the greater Seattle area have a better Christmas season.
The Wreaths Across America annual special event honoring service men and women laid to rest at Tahoma National Cemetery was held on Saturday, December 17, at 9 a.m. Those gathered for the special event then worked together to place 2,700 special wreaths at individual gravesites.
Black Diamond Councilmembers failed to pass their annual Budget for 2017 at their last official regular Council meeting on Thursday, December 15. The race was then on to accomplish a balanced budget by December 31st. Councilmembers Erika Morgan, Brian Weber, and Pat Pepper held out for Weber’s Substitute Budget. (Councilmembers passed a temporary budget during a Special Council meeting on Tuesday, December 27, with a sunset date of March 31, 2017 to pass a full budget.)
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