Public safety roundtable

Islanders are invited to a public safety roundtable discussion at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17 at the Vashon High School cafeteria, convened by the Vashon-Maury Community Council (VMCC), including panelists from the King County Sheriff’s Office.

The discussion is titled: “How Can Islanders Work with the Sheriffs to Make Vashon Safer?”

The first hour will be a panel discussion with Sergeant Theresa Schrimpsher and Major Coby Hamill from the sheriff’s department; Tom Walsten from Vashon Youth and Family Services (VYFS); Tanner Yelken from Thriftway; Sarah Sullivan, a mother and social worker; and Jim Hunziker, a nurse practitioner who works with islanders who are homeless, according to event organizers.

The discussion, moderated by incoming Vashon HouseHold Executive Director Amy Drayer, will begin with a roughly one-hour long-form discussion. Panelists will identify what our most pressing issues are, and then discuss ways the community can address those problems. The second hour will open the conversation up to the audience.

If the trial roundtable format is successful, there will be more of them in the future, according to VMCC. The VMCC board is also looking for people interested in joining to help create more programming for the island.

Islanders to join Capitol protest

Indivisible Vashon will join in a nationwide “Hands Off” protest against the Donald Trump administration on April 5 at the state Capital, starting at 12:30 p.m. by the Tivoli Fountain, and other islanders are invited to join them. Contact protest.action@indivisiblevashon.org for more information.

Public meetings

• Vashon Island School District’s next board meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March. 27 at Chautauqua Elementary School, Room 302, 9309 SW Cemetery Road. Visit vashonsd.org for more information.

• Water District 19’s next regular meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8 at the district’s board room, located at 17630 100th Ave SW.