Customer Service: Moving from "not my problem:" to fixing the problem In a year the City of Seattle receives more than 10 million phone calls and thousands more e-mails, letters, and visits from people looking for help. Many are handled well. But too often, callers are confronted by a bureaucratic and unresponsive system that does not value their time or their intelligence. City government can do much better. But first the City must establish clear standards and expectations, which will be based on the following guiding principles outlined in a Customer Bill of Rights: Easy and understandable -- City products and services should be easy to locate and access. Responsive -- City employees should be helpful, connecting customers with others who can help if they cannot. Fair -- There should be no economic, social or cultural barriers to accessing City products and services. Results oriented -- Customers should get results, not just process. To help us develop a meaningful "Customer Bill of Rights," we need to hear from our customers. Please visit the Customer Bill of Rights website to respond to few questions.  Your responses will help us focus and develop an open, responsive and accessible government that serves all customers regardless of language, income or neighborhood. For more information, call the Customer Service Bureau at (206)684-CITY (2489)

Free Home Energy Kits Available at Neighborhood Service Centers The kits, which include an energy efficient light bulb, shower timer, coupon for a power strip, and a how-to video are available at your local Neighborhood Service Centers across the city.  Think that a shower timer can't help save the planet? Consider this: if 10,000 people reduced shower times from 7.9 minutes to 5 minutes, Seattle residents could save more than 3.39 million kWh per year, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 2,034 metric tons of CO2. That's like taking 452 cars off the road a year. Check out the The Seattle Channel's how-to videos on finding air leaks, weather sealing windows, weatherstripping doors, and sealing cracks and gaps. For a step-by-step guide to improving your home's energy performance, go here.

2008 Neighborhood Business District Program - Funding Opportunity - Request for Proposals (RFP) The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) is soliciting proposals from non-profit organizations interested in completing projects or providing services that benefit a Seattle neighborhood business district. This project funding opportunity is designed to help neighborhood business district organizations develop and attain their goals of growing and strengthening the business community in their neighborhoods.  Proposals are due by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, April 4, 2008 For additional information, visit Office of Economic Development.

Seattle Parks and Recreation Draft Strategic Action Plan The draft Strategic Plan, now available for public comment and review, was developed from August 2007 to March 2008 (Phase 1) and is based on input from City leaders, Parks and Recreation staff, and the public. The Plan has undergone multiple draft versions, and is still in the process of evolving. The next phase, Phase 2, will be dedicated to listening and responding to City and public comment on the draft Plan. Based on this feedback, Parks and Recreation will further refine the document over the upcoming months and develop it into a final Plan. For more information and to read the Plan, please visit Strategic Action Plan.   Provide input to the draft Plan by attending one of the community open house or submitting a comment online.   Tuesday, April 8th 6:30 – 8:30 pm Magnolia CC 2550 34th Ave W. 6:30 – 8:30 pm Rainier Beach CC 8825 Rainier Ave S. Wednesday, April 9th 6:30 – 8:30 pm Greenlake CC 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N 7-9 pm Laurelhurst CC 4554 NE 41st St 6:30 – 8:30 pm Mt. Baker Rowing and Sailing Center 3800 Lk Washington Blvd S Thursday, April 10th 6:30 – 8:30 pm International District/Chinatown CC 719 8th Ave S 6:30 – 8:30 pm Yesler CC 917 E Yesler Way Saturday, April 12th 10 am – Noon Miller CC 330 19th Ave E 10 am – Noon Northgate CC 10510 5th Ave NE 2 – 4 pm Jefferson CC 3801 Beacon Ave S 2 – 4 pm South Park CC 8319 8th Ave S 3 – 5 pm Alki CC 5817 SW Stevens St Monday, April 14 6:30 – 8:30 pm Graham Vistors’ Ctr Washington Pk 2300 Arboretum Dr E 6:30 – 8:30 pm Hiawatha CC 2700 California Ave SW 6:30 – 8:30 pm Queen Anne CC 1901 1ST Ave NW Tuesday, April 15th 6:30 – 8:30 pm Magnuson CC 7110 62nd Ave NE 6:30 – 8:30 pm Parks Headquarters 100 Dexter Ave N Wednesday, April 16th 6:30 – 8:30 pm Camp Long ELC 5200 35th Ave SW 6:30 – 8:30 pm Meadowbrook CC 10517 35th Ave NE 6:30 – 8:30 pm Montlake CC 1618 E Calhoun ST 6:30 – 8:30 pm Van Asselt CC 2820 S Myrtle St Thursday, April 17th 6:30 – 8:30 pm Loyal Heights CC 2101 NW 77th St 6:30 – 8:30 pm Rainier CC 4600 38th Ave S 6:30 – 8:30 pm Southwest CC 2801 SW Thistle St Saturday, April 19th 2 – 4 pm Delridge CC 4501 Delridge Way SW Monday, April 21st 6:30 – 8:30 pm Carkeek ELC 950 NE Carkeek Park Rd 6:30 – 8:30 pm Garfield CC 2323 E Cherry St Tuesday, April 22nd 6:30 – 8:30 pm Langston Hughes Performing Arts Ctr 104 17th Ave S 7 – 9 pm Ballard CC 6020 28th Ave NW Wednesday, April 23rd 6:30 – 8:30 pm Discovery Park ELC 3801 W Government Way 6:30 – 8:30 pm Ravenna-Eckstein CC 6535 Ravenna Ave NE Thursday, April 24th 6:30 – 8:30 pm Bitter Lake CC 13035 Linden Ave N 6:30 – 8:30 pm High Point CC 6920 34th Ave SW

Seattle Green Festival April 12, 2008 10 AM – 8PM April 13, 2008 11AM- 6PM Washington State Convention & Trade Center 800 Convention Place Seattle, WA    Named one of the top 10 green cities in the U.S. in 2005 by National Geographic’s The Green Guide, what better place to celebrate an urban community’s vision of green than Seattle? Led by the Office of Sustainability and the Environment, the City of Seattle is proud to co-host the first Green Festival in the Pacific Northwest.Discover some of the best green products and services the Northwest has to offer. And, through Seattle Climate Action Now!, Clean & Green Seattle, and the city’s many other climate projects, you’ll learn how neighbors, community nonprofits and city departments are working together to make their city a healthier place to live. Take in more than 350 exhibits: - Shop for everything from natural home and health products to solar panels and Fair Trade gifts and crafts. - Hang out with your kids as they play and learn in Organic Valley’s Green Kids’ Zone. - Enjoy organic dining and sample local beers & wines. - Explore developments in green education, social investing and independent media. - Learn about City resources for energy conservation, green power, climate action and more at the City of Seattle Pavilion. See more than 125 dynamic speakers on 5 stages: - Find inspiration from stories of collective and personal successes. - Discover green techniques and strategies during great how-to workshops. - Network with sustainable neighborhood groups. - Enjoy a diverse program of live local music and performance. Visit your local neighborhood service centers to receive a 2-for-1 ticket coupon. For additional information on this event, visit  green festival.

Seattle's Annual Spring Clean Event Spring Clean is Seattle's premier clean up event and part of Mayor Greg Nickels' Clean and Green Seattle initiative. Now in its 22nd year, Spring Clean provides opportunities for citizens to clean up Seattle's public open spaces of their choice with city support. Typical projects undertaken by citizens include litter pick ups, invasive plant removal, storm drain stenciling, graffiti removal, and general area beautification. City support includes planning assistance, tools, gloves, safety vests, disposal bags, transfer station passes, and waste pick ups. Once again, Seattle Public Utilities is partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods on the event. So if you have a project that needs some clean up work, as long as it is on City of Seattle property, we can help! Spring Clean begins Saturday, April 5th, 2008 and runs through Saturday May 31st, 2008. If you are interested in participating, please complete and mail in the registration form (pdf) to be eligible for resource support. For additional information, visit Seattle Public Utilities Spring Clean .

Coffee Hours at the Mayors Office for Senior Citizens Central Building 810 3rd Avenue (between Columbia & Marion) 4th Floor Boardroom 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 17   Special Guest: Barb Graff, Director, Office of Emergency Management Barb Graff is dedicated to helping the Seattle community prepare for emergencies, to reduce harm if disaster does strike and to speed recovery. Learn how the City coordinates public education and response training, and accesses resources for recovery. More importantly, learn how you can protect yourself and help others get prepared, too.

Free Tax Help at Various Seattle Public Libraries The Seattle Public Library, AARP, and the United Way of King County are working together to offer free tax help at nine Library locations through mid-April.  Trained volunteers will be available to answer questions and prepare personal tax returns. This service is free and available to everyone.  Registration is required at some locations.  The free service is not available for business tax returns.  For times and locations offering tax return help, visit Free Tax Help at Seattle Public Library.

April Events at the Fremont Library 731 N. 35th Street Talk Time at the Fremont Library Mondays (4/07-4/28) 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Tuesdays (4/01-4/29) 2:30 pm – 4 pm   Come to a free English as a Second Language (ESL) conversation group to practice speaking English. This program is for beginning to advanced level learners. Participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome. Registration is not required. Evening Book Group Tuesday (4/08) 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm   Join us for a discussion of Dinaw Mengestu’s "The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears," the 2008 Seattle Reads featured work.  Set in a poor neighborhood in Washington, D.C., Dinaw Mengestu’s award-winning novel tells a story of the African immigrant experience through three main characters: narrator Sepha Stephanos, an Ethiopian immigrant, who runs a small corner grocery store, and his friends, Joseph, from the Congo, and Kenneth, from Kenya. All share nostalgia for their home countries; none has come close to achieving the American dream. When Judith and Naomi, a white academic and her biracial daughter, move into the neighborhood and befriend Sepha, tensions build and it becomes clear they are not welcome in the gentrifying neighborhood. Next Month's Title "Reading Lolita in Tehran " by Azar Nafisi Family Story Time Thursdays (4/03-4/24)11 am – 11:30 am   It is story time at the Fremont Branch! Bring your preschoolers and toddlers to enjoy stories, rhymes, songs and fun with our children's librarian. Family Fun Night Tuesday (4/29) 7 pm – 7:45 pm   Come enjoy an evening of fun for the whole family with puppets, folk dancing and crafts!

Seattle Climate Action Now For most of us, the pressing question is, “What can I do to stop global warming?  How can I get started?”  Thanks to a campaign launched today--Seattle Climate Action Now--the answer is getting easier. Seattle Climate Action Now offers practical tools and resources that help us take concrete steps become part of the solution to climate change. Visit www.SeattleCAN.org to get started.

Passports Now Processed in Seven Neighborhood Service Centers in Seattle Offering Saturday hours was a stunning success, so the Department of Neighborhoods is adding more hours and more places where you can apply for your passport. The new times at our Neighborhood Service Centers (NSC) are effective today. Passport Processing Available Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Ballard NSC 5604 22nd Ave NW 684-4060 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 10am - 2pm Lake City NSC 12707 30th Ave NE 684-7526 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm Closed University NSC 4534 University Way NE 684-7542 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 2pm Central NSC 2301 S. Jackson St Suite 208 684-4767 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 5pm Southeast NSC 3815 S. Othello St Suite 105 386-1931 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 10am - 2pm Delridge NSC 5405 Delridge Way SW 684-7416 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm Closed West Seattle NSC 4205 SW Alaska St 684-7495 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm 9am - 4pm Closed

Energy and Utility Assistance Get help with your utility bills! The City of Seattle's Utility Assistance Program helps eligible low-income families, seniors, and adults with disabilities keep utility payments current. Emergency funds help eligible Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities customers who face electrical and water disconnection. For information, call 206-684-0268.  Interpretation services available.

Lake Union District Community Meeting Calendar Get involved in your Neighborhood!  For more information on community organizations and meeting places, please call the Fremont Neighborhood Service Center at 206.684.4054 Lake Union District Council   April 7th, 6-8 pm 908 N 34th St      Wallingford Community Council  April 2nd, 7-9 pm                                             Good Shepherds Center, 4649 Sunny Side Ave     Cascade Neighborhood Council      April 16th, 6-7:30 pm                                          Scott Kerner House, 514 Minor Ave Fremont Neighborhood Council April 28th, 7-9 pm Fremont Baptist Church, 717 N. 36th St

It's Pothole Season! Call 206- 684-ROAD to report potholes. The City is committed to responding to reports within two business days.

Small Sparks Community Development Fund is Waiting!   Do you have ideas for building community that could use up to $250 from the City's Small Sparks program? Small Sparks seeks to bring together new people. The goal is to get new people (e.g. recent immigrants, youth, seniors, and people with disabilities) involved in creative small-scale community building initiatives.  If you have any ideas we would love to hear about them as well as sharing program information with you! Email us your ideas at yun.pitre@seattle.gov

Visit the Fremont Neighborhood Service Center! We Have Available... Neighborhood Programs and Services New pamphlets are available that explain the City of Seattle's Neighborhood Programs and Services.  Included is information regarding the Neighborhood Matching Fund, P-Patch program, Historic Preservation, and more. North Seattle Herald-Outlook News Published every Wednesday, it covers stories affecting our community. It also contains information on upcoming events in the area. Senior Discount Card and Directory Provided by the Seattle Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens (aged 60 and older) is a discount card and directory of businesses and organizations that give discounts and special offers to seniors. Woodland Park Zoo & Seattle Aquarium Passes Passes for the Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Aquarium are available at the NSC. These are only for low-income families and there is a limit of 4 per households. Always Available... Information on City Services Neighborhood events and services  City and other job opportunities  Community and neighborhood organization contacts Crime prevention and block watch materials                  Heating and utility assistance List of local food banks     Land use and zoning information  Application Forms Passports   Voter registration Accident reports           Business license  Other Services * Public meeting room available.  Call 206-684-4054 or email yun.pitre@seattle.gov  for more information.

Also, if you would like to be removed from this publication, please email  yun.pitre@seattle.gov with your name and email address and we will make sure you are removed from the list........

 

Lake Union District Council City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods 908 N 34th Street, Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 684-4054 Fax: (206) 684-4820 Contact Us