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HomeMy WebLinkAbout18_Mayors Newsletter_111016New animal control shelter services at state-of-the-art facility I’m pleased to announce that we have established a partnership with a new veterinary facility – Eastside Veterinary Services – to provide high-end shelter and veterinary services for animals in our animal control program. Police command staff and city staff worked to explore options to serve the needs of the city after our long- standing relationship with the Seattle Humane Society was terminated by their decision to not work directly with local cities. This new partnership provides a state-of-the-art clinic staffed by caring professionals and quality medical services in a highly sterilized facility. It will offer outstanding shelter and care for animals as they wait to be reunited with their owners. Every animal will receive a full medical examination, vaccination, and if necessary, flea treatments. Spay/neuter, microchipping and dental services are also available. The facility features separate wings for cats and dogs with individual climate control and dedicated heat and air conditioning. We are also adopting additional animal control measures to improve service, and partnerships are being developed to assist with adoption services. Reuniting lost animals with their owners is a priority so we have added a social media component and we’re considering holding some animals for up to five days instead of the three days required by law. The costs of sheltering the animals at the new facility will be covered by our current budget. We will also continue to increase outreach and education efforts to get pet owners to license, spay/neuter, and microchip their animals. We have plans to hold several community events including pet fairs, licensing and chipping campaigns, and social media and advertising efforts. Renton will be providing the highest level of animal control services in King County. Dog and cats will be on separate sides of the clinic and every animal will receive an examination. NOVEMBER 10, 2016 This Week from the Mayor Denis Law, Mayor VOL. 1, NO. 18 Council passes ordinance to help protect Section 8 families I’d like to thank the City Council for passing an emergency ordinance on Monday night to protect residents from evictions. It’s the culmination of two weeks of work that started when a group of Section 8 tenants came to us and told us they were being displaced. We were immediately concerned about their challenges and felt it was critical to address the issue right away. We held meetings with housing advocates to better understand what the families need and determine how we could help. City staff worked with the Renton Housing Authority, Tenants Union and human services organizations to provide assistance and find solutions for the families impacted. As a result many landlords have either withdrawn their vacate notices or are now allowing tenants to stay until the end of their leases. In many cases this will allow children to stay in their current schools through the end of the school year. The ordinance is a great step, but regional leaders need to address the issue of affordable housing. The shift in the regional housing market has caused hardships for families of all income levels. Like many areas in King County, Renton is becoming increasingly unaffordable. We need to find long term solutions for affordable housing. Council president Randy Corman summed it up best when he told those at the meeting, “these families are among Renton’s most vulnerable and it’s our duty to protect them. The ordinance gives us the ability to make sure they are treated fairly.” Yes it does. FEEDBACK Comments, questions or suggestions, or just want to share all the great things that are happening in the city, please e-mail me. Thanks for reading. Thank a veteran Veterans Day honors all American veterans who are serving or have served in our nation’s armed forces. November 11 of each year is reserved to express to our veterans how deeply we appreciate the sacrifices they have made to keep our country free. Every day we see the faces of the brave men and women serving our country in various parts of the world and we see the equally brave faces of men and women whose loved ones are risking their lives to protect our freedom and that of future generations. Because of their service we continue to enjoy the liberties and freedoms our country has to offer. As we celebrate this Veterans Day in the company of family and friends, please join me in remembering all those who are serving or have served in our nation's armed forces. Let us reflect on the freedoms we enjoy in this nation and take a few moments to thank a friend, family member or colleague who has so bravely served our country. Veterans Memorial Park in Renton