Apr 24, 2019 | Vol. 14 | No. 17
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 Council Reviews Youth & Family Services Fund April 30
On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the City Council will review the history and funding resources devoted to supporting the
Mercer Island Youth and Family Services (MIYFS)
Department. MIYFS provides emergency family assistance, food-bank services, school-based mental health counseling, senior services, and youth programs including drug and alcohol prevention, diversion and early intervention, and volunteer learning opportunities.
Due to the City's projected structural budget deficit, the City's General Fund, which contributes approximately $309,000 to the YFS Fund, cannot continue to support the YFS Fund. To eliminate this contribution, the YFS Department has proposed service reductions as well as revenue enhancements. On Tuesday, the Council will review the proposed reductions and revenue enhancements. In addition, the Council will consider a generous offer made by the MIYFS Foundation, a nonprofit committed to supporting the programs and services of the MIYFS Department, and the Mercer Island Schools Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to supporting student achievement, to provide temporary funding to restore one Elementary School Counselor for the 2019-2020 academic school year. For more information on the proposed YFS budget adjustments, see AB 5553 (available tomorrow), join us at the Council Meeting on Tuesday, watch the meeting from the comfort of your home (YouTube or MI-TV (Channel 21), or share your feedback with Council via the City's new Council Connects page (comments open tomorrow evening).
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New Hours for Luther Burbank Administrative Building
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Luther Burbank Administrative Building |
Effective Monday, April 29 the Luther Burbank Administrative Building, where Youth and Family Services and some Parks & Recreation staff are housed, located at 2040 84th Ave SE, will have new publicly open hours.
Monday - Thursday: 10am - 5pm
Mornings (8am-10am), evenings (5pm-7pm), and Fridays will be open by appointment only.
This change in hours is due to insufficient funding and the reduction of a full-time administrative staff member. A property tax measure on the November 2018 ballot did not pass, and the City must reduce expenses going forward. After reviewing public patronage and client requests for assistance, these reduced hours were identified as an efficiency that would have minimal negative public impact. These reduced public hours will not alter the schedule worked by most staff; there will simply be some hours when the front door of this auxiliary City Building will be locked and there will be no reception offered.
Please contact Cindy Goodwin, MIYFS Director, at 206-275-7611 with any questions or concerns.
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Please Scoop the Poop!
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Left uncollected, pet waste pollutes waterways; click to watch the 30-second video
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Mercer Island has thousands of dogs and cats which generate a lot of pet waste every day. When left on street shoulders, in parks, or even your backyard, pet waste can be carried by rainwater to storm drains and then into our local creeks, Lake Washington, and ultimately Puget Sound without any treatment. It is one of the leading causes of bacterial contamination in regional streams and causes other water quality problems just like livestock manure and fertilizer do.
There are bacteria and micro-organisms in pet waste such as Roundworms, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, that can make people sick if they're ingested. Some can linger in your yard for as long as four years if not cleaned up, exposing children who play outside and gardeners to a risk of infection.
- Scoop the poop
- Put in a plastic waste bag (e.g. the mutt mitts found at many City parks)
- Place in the trash
- Wash your hands
- For indoor cats: bag the dirty litter and place in the trash; never flush down the toilet!
You can learn more about protecting the health of local water bodies from our partners at the Puget Sound Starts Here program: watch our
humorous pet waste video
today.
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Youth Internet Addiction
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Click to learn more about the movie
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This short documentary addresses the impact of social media on our lives as well as the potentially damaging effects it can have on the developing brains of children. A post-film panel included educators and local experts who discussed the topic with the community; approximately 220 Island parents and teens attended.
MIYFS Senior Programs Manager
Derek Franklin helped introduce the film and hosted a resource table, while two YFS school counselors (Harry Brown, IMS School Counselor and Cathy Gentino, MIHS School Counselor) were on-hand to answer questions.
Experts warn parents that technology can be addictive and impact individual and family functioning: to consult with a local counselor, contact the MIYFS intake line at
(206) 275-7657.
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Spring Charity Craft Fair
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Click for more event
and vendor information
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Local non-profit
Room Circus
is organizing a Spring Charity Craft Fair at the VFW Hall (1836 72nd Ave SE) on April 27 from 11:00am-4:30pm, which will include a food collection for the City's
Food Pantry
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The fair is a free, family event with activities for children, and dozens of artisanal craft and food vendors, many of which are local businesses. The event seeks to raise funds for Room Circus, which helps alleviate the stress of sick children and their families at Seattle Children's Hospital.
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