On the Mayor's Mind - staying informed

Shari Winstead, Mayor
City of Shoreline

On the Mayor’s Mind

4.6.15 - Staying Informed

By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

Sometime during the weekend I make time to go through the stack of paper mail that has accumulated through the week. On an (almost) daily basis I pick up and sort my snail-mail, most goes in the recycle container, bills go to my desk, and the “other” lands in a stack on the counter.

With the tons of email most of us read through everyday, it’s sometimes tempting to toss it all (except the bills!) in the recycling, but it’s always worth the time it takes to read through the “other” mail, especially mail from the City - postcards, newsletters, etc. It’s a great way to stay informed.

It’s probably not a surprise that going through the stack of “other” mail is actually one of my favorite things to do on Saturday morning. This week’s items included both my neighborhood newsletter and the City’s Currents.  

Even though I am the Mayor, I don't review these newsletters before they hit the press, so I'm always curious to see what news and events we are highlighting for our citizens. Even in this age of technology, our surveys tell us that Currents is the only way some people get City news.

I’ve been especially enjoying the 2015 issues, as we celebrate Shoreline’s 20th birthday. Each month Currents is taking a look back and highlighting a department or program. I hope you'll take a moment to read through your Currents to learn about the past and the present, and join us on August 15 for our 20th birthday party at Celebrate Shoreline. The celebration will be bigger than ever and take place at Cromwell Park from 10am - 9pm. Keep your eyes on your inbox (e-mail and snail-mail) for more information. There’s a lot to celebrate and I hope you’ll be part of the party!

This month’s Currents also gives an update on the Aurora Avenue project - the work has finally switched to the east side - we are moving right along, with completion expected at the end of this year (we are making plans for that celebration in December.  I hope you’ll be there!) Your continued patience, patronization of Aurora Avenue businesses, and of course cautiousness, are appreciated while construction continues.

In case you missed the announcement, heads up that the Shoreline Farmers Market is moving! With three years under their belt, there’s been a lot of work to figure out how to make the Market more accessible and successful. The decision was made to move the Farmers Market to the parking lot of Aurora Square, adjacent to Central Market and Sears. The Market has a new manager and we are expecting this to be the best year yet.

Opening day is Saturday, June 20, from 10am-3pm. I hope you’ll be there, or stop by on any Saturday through October 3. The Market is also looking for volunteers, including folks to serve on the citizen’s advisory committee. If you're interested you can find more information on the City’s website.

And speaking of the City’s website, mark it as a favorite on your computer and consider checking it out once a week, maybe when you are on the bus or taking a coffee break. There’s always a plethora of valuable information.

You can also sign up to get text and e-mails of important announcements through Alert Shoreline. I think you will find that your experience as a Shoreline citizen will be richer if you are informed and educated. Currents, Alert Shoreline and our website are just a few of the ways you can do so.  

Happy Spring!