Last week, the King County Superior Court determined that Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) engaged in unlawful discrimination.
Chief Hank Lipe, the new head of Vashon Island Fire & Rescue, as well as the board that hired him are doing something fairly remarkable in this day of political gamesmanship, when Orwellian speak seems to dominate.
The recent judgment against Vashon Island Fire and Rescue (VIFR) for “wrongly denying a paid position” to a female volunteer firefighter and citing ongoing harassment of this and other women might give community members the wrong impression about the role of women in our department. The facts, however, paint a different picture.
In 1995, the Vashon community saved Vashon Community Care Center, our Island’s only nursing home, from closure by creating a nonprofit organization and raising funds from generous Islanders to purchase the old building. Fast forward 14 years, and our community now has a new facility with 30 skilled nursing beds, 40 assisted living apartments and an adult day health program.
During the past two weeks, we have undertaken a door-to-door survey of several residents of the residential buildings near the Vashon Library.
I am a parent of two daughters who attended Seattle public schools and went on to The Evergreen State College. I have taught in public high schools in New York and Oregon. I believe in public education. I believe that we as taxpayers should pay for public education. That said, I am voting “no” on this upcoming school bond.
Vashon High School has outlived its useful life. It is beyond repair and requires new design and vision. We have the design and vision; now is the time to move forward and build it.
Watch out, would-be Island spellers: The Icelandic Sledders are now in training for this year’s Third Annual Community Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Vashon Community Scholarship Fund.
First, let me take a moment to thank all those folks who’ve stopped me in town to say how much they liked my seven-part series, “The Anatomy of Home.” Thank you. To both of you.
Despite downturns in our local and national economies, the Sunrise Ridge board of directors is considering future uses of the 17-acre Sunrise Ridge property.
King County Superior Court Judge Cheryl Carey’s verdict in Lanora Hackett’s lawsuit against Vashon Island Fire & Rescue stands as…
It is an honor for me to chair your Vashon Park District board in 2009. When I was initially elected to serve on the board, I truly didn’t know the breadth and depth of what the park district offers this Island. From concerts in the park to kayaking for families and ski school for children, I am continually impressed with the dedication of the park district staff to provide quality recreation experiences for a wide range of interests.
A year ago, a commission empaneled to review King County’s charter took a close look at the regional library system and delivered some harsh words. During public meetings, it noted, patrons of the King County Library System “voiced several concerns about KCLS’ governance structure and operations, including lack of oversight and accountability, an unengaged and unresponsive board of trustees, limited public access to board decision-making processes and lack of planning.”
