Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum is among the neighborhood leaders you can expect to see at tonight’s City Council Budget Committee hearing at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center (signups at 5, hearing at 5:30, more in this morning’s preview). ANA is the latest local group to voice concern about Mayor McGinn‘s proposed budget, particularly the cuts that would be made in the Department of Neighborhoods – closing the Neighborhood Service Center in The Junction and cutting the Neighborhood District Coordinator job that’s based there, as well as cutting the amount of money that would be available through the Neighborhood Matching Fund. Read on for more, as well as other toplines from last night’s meeting:

ANA is drafting a letter to send to city leaders ASAP asking them to reconsider the aforementioned cuts. Last night, the coordinator whose job is on the chopping block, Stan Lock, came to the ANA meeting after an earlier stop at the concurrent Fauntleroy Community Association meeting (we had a reporter there too, and our story is still to come). He wasn’t there to plead for support – nor has he done that in earlier appearances – but to share information about the potential effects of the Neighborhoods budget cuts (detailed here).

The prospective Neighborhood Matching Fund cuts, in particular, hit home for ANA members – they recalled seed money from various NMF grants for projects including the Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade. Jim Del Ciello, who represents ANA on the Southwest District Council, talked about their recent presentation from Neighborhoods Director Stella Chao. (WSB coverage here). More on the budget as we report tonight from the SSCC hearing.

ADMIRAL TREATS AND TREASURES: ANA is participating in the trick-or-treating event 3-6 pm Friday, October 29th – they’ll be set up at a table alongside Quality Cleaners on the southwest corner of Admiral/California, Admiral side.

SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE: SWS’s Stu Hennessey – also an Admiral businessperson with Alki Bike and Board – gave ANA an update on the group. First he made a pitch for Green Halloween. Then he discussed activities/campaigns including the Spokespeople West Seattle bike rides he leads monthly – next one is November 7th (and while you’re at Alki Bike and Board, check out the unique bike rack out front, like the new ones on Metro buses, a chance to learn how to use it before you’re standing with a bike in front of a bus) – and the West Seattle Tool Library (check this WSB story for some updates on that program). Once you pay $35 a year for membership, you’ve got free access, he enthused. Another group within SWS is working on stormwater, according to Hennessey, and he himself collects rainwater, usually with about 1,000 gallons on hand. He says they’re trying to get a permit for a bioswale downhill from Puget Ridge to help cleanse water before it moves on toward local waterways. Overall, Hennessey said, Sustainable West Seattle is about making choices in your daily life, different from the same-old same-old: “Am I going to ride my bike today or take the car?” for example. He says the sustainable lifestyle can improve your health and wellbeing, and “make you feel better in general.” He left the meeting after his guest spot, on his way to take a turn milking what he described as “time-share goats.” (More about SWS at sustainablewestseattle.org, including upcoming events such as the Money-Free Shopping Spree.)

OFFICER NOMINATIONS: Nominated for next year are two current officers – president Katy Walum and treasurer Ann Limbaugh (provided she wants to run again – she wasn’t at last night’s meeting) – and one new candidate, Karl De Jong for vice president (Jim Cavin isn’t running again). Secretary Catherine Barker isn’t running again either, but no one had a nomination for that office, so it’s currently open to suggestions. Voting will be at a later meeting.

NEW LOGO: You can see the new ANA logo on the Yahoo! Groups page where you’ll still find most group information – they’ve got a new website of their own in the works, but it’s not ready to go yet.

LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY SPORTS SWAP: It was mentioned that this fundraising swap/sale is happening again this fall, 9 am-3 pm dropoff at Lafayette on November 6, 9 am-3 pm sale on November 7.

The Admiral Neighborhood Association meets the second Tuesday of the month, 7 pm, in the lower-level meeting room at Admiral Congregational Church.