By Cameron Delfin
UW News Lab
Auburn City Councilmembers voted unanimously to support Auburn School District’s upcoming school bond at Monday’s (Oct. 7, 2024) City Council meeting.
The more than $500 million bond is set to appear on the ballot in November. Proposition 1 would provide funds to replace Cascade Middle School and Alpac Elementary School, build a new middle school and make facility improvements at 16 schools and six support buildings, according to the school district’s website.
During public comment, Auburn School Board director Arlista Holman asked the board and general public to support the bond, noting how some school buildings are more than 50 years old.
“We live in a community that is very supportive of our schools,” said Holman.
At the meeting, councilmembers discussed city appointments and went through a brief public hearing. Councilmembers also celebrated the groundbreaking of a new parking garage at Auburn Station, approved over $200,000 in grant funds for a middle school biking program, briefly debated amending council rules and passed a resolution adopting traffic safety goals.
During council reports, Mayor Nancy Backus reported that she and other councilmembers attended the Oct. 4 groundbreaking for Sound Transit’s new parking garage at Auburn Station.
“The parking garage was part of ST2, but it fell off the funding for other priorities back in 2008 or 2009,” said Backus. “In 2015, I appeared before the Sound Transit board and asked that it be placed back on the list of financing projects.”
The garage is expected to be finished by 2027, according to Sound Transit.
Councilmembers approved another measure promoting transportation, adopting a resolution accepting over $200,000 in grant funds from the Cascade Bicycle Club in order to support a new middle school biking program. Councilmember Kate Baldwin acknowledged that this resolution will build on the work of the existing Rec n Roll program.
Before unanimously passing several resolutions, councilmembers clashed over a proposed rules of procedure amendment. During public comment, one resident had concerns about disagreements among councilmembers in previous meetings. Acting Deputy Mayor Yolanda Trout-Manuel expressed doubts about language concerning councilmembers’ involvement in regional or national boards, with Backus reprimanding Trout-Manuel for speaking out of turn.
After the debate concluded, city councilmembers approved a resolution adopting the 2024 Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and committing to Vision Zero Transportation Safety Goals. The plan sets a goal of a 30% reduction in serious injuries and fatalities on city streets by 2040 and establishes a vision of zero fatalities and serious injuries.
The 2024 Comprehensive Safety Action Plan expands on the City of Auburn’s Local Road Safety Plan to look at crash data, public input and other information to determine factors that could increase the likelihood of serious injury or fatal crashes. The CSAP determines ways to reduce those risks.
Auburn City Council’s next meeting will be a council study session on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024.
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