Mayor Dana Routh highlights RapidRide transit, volunteer events and diaper drive in weekly update

Mayor Dana Routh used her weekly update to thank residents for attending the State of the City and to outline several upcoming community programs and volunteer opportunities. She said the city hosted the State of the City at the new Kent East Hill operations facility and posted the presentation on the city’s YouTube channel and Kent TV 21.

Routh described the work of Communities in Schools South King County after attending its breakfast at Kent Meridian High School, highlighting its one-on-one mentoring model. “It’s about one-on-one mentorship … to be that adult that is there to listen and guide,” Routh said, and she encouraged residents to volunteer with the program.

She also thanked volunteers who took part in a Green Kent event at 3 Friends Fishing Hole to remove invasive blackberries and plant native species, and said the event is the first in a series with details available at mykentparks.com.

Routh described a recent groundbreaking for the RapidRide I Line at the Renton Park-and-Ride and credited multiple funding partners. “The RapidRide I Line is going to be a Metro line … limited stops … connecting Auburn, Kent, and Renton to our major transit centers,” she said, calling it more like a commuter service that received federal, state and local support.

The mayor promoted the city’s spring and summer parks guide and appealed for volunteers for programs such as the youth soccer league, giving the Kent Commons phone number, (253) 856-5100, for those interested. She announced the return of the city’s informal neighborhood outreach program, “Drinks in the Driveway,” in which city staff and police visit neighborhoods for conversations with residents.

Routh invited families to a free Easter event at Kent Station from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with activities including an egg hunt. She also reminded residents that March is the city’s diaper drive month and that donations can be dropped off at City Hall. “If you’ve priced diapers lately, they are extremely expensive and there are a lot of families in our community that are in need,” she said; the transcript’s stated deadline for collections was unclear.

Routh closed by thanking city employees, volunteers and the community for their contributions to Kent and encouraged residents to check city channels for event details and signups.