By Mellow DeTray

Here’s our recap of the Normandy Park City Council meeting held on Tuesday night, Aug. 8, 2023:

Parks Commission Annual Presentation

Ron Ebbers, Chair of the Parks Commission, described the recent work on forest restoration, removal of invasives, and planting of pollinator gardens at area parks. He said ten yards of compost were given away at the Arbor Day event, and it was suggested that next year they should have 50 yards of compost to give away. The Pea Patch has 25 full plots being utilized by community members. Events like the Owl Prowl, Bird Walk, and Bat Prowl have been popular, getting people out into parks for wildlife viewing. Coming in October is the Fall Frolic.

PROS Plan Update

The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan is updated every six years, creating a vision for the city’s parks. This plan is helpful in receiving grants, and goes along with Normandy Park’s Comprehensive Plan. Chris Overdorf, with the SJC Alliance, presented on how they have been conducting a robust public engagement survey to find out what people want more of. He said there is an ongoing desire for more public beach access, playgrounds, and areas for swimming or splash parks. He did say that they have had a hard time getting younger respondents to the survey. The survey can be found here, and it was mentioned that it takes around 5 minutes to complete on a computer; it can take a lot longer on a phone.

Mayor Sue-Ann Hohimer wanted to make sure people know that the city contracts with Mt. Rainier Pool to allow residents of Normandy Park to use that pool. Proof of Normandy Park residency is required. For more information, check out their website.

City Seeks New Financial Director

Normandy Park is looking to hire a new Financial Director. Here is the job posting. According to City Manager Amy Arrington, the city offers great benefits to employees.

A Few Preschool Spots Remain

Mayor Hohimer mentioned that Normandy Park preschool is filling up quickly for the fall, but there are a few spots left. More information on the preschool can be found here.

Mellow DeTray is a Seattle native who has spent the last 16 years raising her family in Burien. For many years Mellow kept a moderately popular cooking & lifestyle blog, and she had a brief stint in political journalism during a local election. Clear and informative writing has always been a side hobby of Mellow’s and she looks forward to bringing you unbiased coverage of City Council meetings.