By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Community group meetings are often excellent ways to learn a little about a lot of things – and not just about what’s happening in the group’s home neighborhood. So it went at the October board meeting of the Fauntleroy Community Association on Tuesday night, with 10 topics of note:

BUDGET MEETING WITH COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD: FCA president Mike Dey said City Councilmember Lisa Herbold convened representatives of at least a dozen neighborhoods a night earlier to talk about the budget. They are being invited to sign on to a letter supporting increases in fines/fees to support SDCI monitoring vacant buildings proactively. Also discussed: Funding for paving. SDOT might delay some West Seattle repaving (Roxbury and part of 35th) until 2023 because the Avalon repaving is going to stay on track (Delridge repaving also is in the works); Herbold wants support for pressing to keep all the repaving on track. Dey said they also talked about the need for more police but Herbold felt that would be tough because of the back pay in the new police contract; he said Herbold suggested that they should focus on recruiting now and depending on how that goes, come back in the second half of the year and talk about more staffing.

SCALE HALA MHA EIS APPEAL: The citywide coalition challenging the environmental impact report for Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning has raised almost $200,000 and needs about $20,000 for the lawyers who are handling the appeal, to which FCA is a party. The Hearing Examiner’s ruling is due before Thanksgiving.

HISTORIC BUILDING? There’s talk of investigating a landmark designation for the commercial building that holds Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor), the Original Bakery, and other businesses. They’ll be talking with Historic Seattle. The 1926-built building is more significant for its history than its architecture. The idea is in a very early stage.

BUSINESS-PARKING SURVEY: FCA worked with several local businesses to survey their customers about how they got to the business. The survey lasted for three months from late February to late May and was not scientific, but ~90% of the respondents said they drove. Most of them parked on the street. Would these survey results be enough to make a case to the city about parking? The FCA discussed that.

CAR PROWLS: Cars parked on streets are more often hit than those parked in a driveway, stats indicate, president Mike Dey reported, though they did not have correlatory data on how many cars are parked on streets vs in driveways. They are considering surveying people on their experiences and might partner with other organizations to do a West Seattle-wide survey.

CREOSOTE LOG REMOVAL: This winter Lincoln Park and the Duwamish River will be the sites of a DNR removal effort, and private beach owners at Fauntleroy Cove will participate, Dey said. Every foot of a creosote-treated log is a gallon of creosote, he learned. Beach owners need to sign an agreement granting the state access for this.

FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: Coming up 2-5 pm Sunday October 21st! New website up at fauntleroyfallfestival.com. More volunteers needed – sign up here.

FERRY MATTERS: Gary Dawson, former FCA board member and longtime Ferry Advisory Committee rep for Fauntleroy, provided updates including the long-range plan and a reminder that a new triangle route schedule will be shopped at meetings including one at Fauntleroy Church 5-7 pm October 23rd.

SIGNBOARDS FOR FAUNTLEROY FOOD FEST: FCA lost some to vandalism earlier in the year. So they’re brainstorming what should be on the signage next year, and how best to let people know in one quick glance that the Food Fest is the FCA annual membership meeting.

READING PARTNERS: Only 39 percent of our state’s 4th graders are reading proficiently – and those who are not are at great risk, said Hannah Tyne. So her organization, Reading Partners, works to pair helpers with K-4 students who need help. If you’re not caught up by that grade, she explained, you just fall further and further behind. You give at least an hour to work, with an easy-to-follow curriculum and structure. Reading Partners works with Title I schools – in West Seattle, Sanislo and Highland Park Elementaries. Ideally, each volunteer stays partnered with a student for the entire academic year; the tutoring happens at the school, during the day. FCA invited Reading Partners to table at next year’s Food Fest. Former board member Gary Dawson said his wife volunteers with RP and is helping a first-grader this year. 40 kids are waiting for RP partners, she said. To find out more, go here.

The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays most months, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.