CleanGreens doesn’t get City funding

I had heard that CleanGreens was nominated for a grant from the City so I wrote a letter of support to the Council.  Yesterday I received the good news that the funding had passed.  Today however, a correction came from Council member Richard McIver with the bad news.   CleanGreens will need all of our support even more to make the program work.  Stop by the produce stand, make a donation, or volunteer to help.  The produce is really good and the program even better.

Mr. Spitzer,

I’m embarrassed to have to correct my email response to you yesterday
regarding City funding for the Clean Greens Farm & Market Program.  I
wrote that the Council had voted unanimously to provide $50,000 to the
program in both 2009 and 2010.  Apparently my staff and I both
mistakenly thought this item was among the one hundred plus individual
budget votes we took this past Monday.   It was not, meaning that this
program will not receive this money.

The City is required by law to adopt a balanced budget.  The proposed
2009-2010 budget presented to the City Council by the Mayor in September
was balanced, although more recent pessimistic revenue forecasts forced
us to find an additional savings of $18 million over the biennium.  As
such, in order to add new or additional expenditures, the Council is
forced to find a corresponding savings or new revenue source.

My Council colleagues and I proposed far more additional spending than
we could realistically accommodate.  In order to create a final budget
that is balanced, Council members are forced to prioritize and find a
majority of colleagues who agree to fund particular items.  In the end,
an informal “balancing package” including some items, but excluding
others, is created which ensures that projected revenues match
expenditures.  The Council then votes to approve each of the individual
items included in that package, before approving the budget in its
entirety.

Somehow I was under the mistaken impression that the Clean Greens Farm
& Market Program was in that package, and was accepted by a unanimous
vote on Monday.  Please accept my apology for providing you with
incorrect information.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to
call my office at 684-8800.

Richard J. McIver
Seattle City Council

———————————————————————————————-
>>> “Kevin Spitzer” <[email protected]> 11/6/2008 5:14 PM >>>

When I heard about the program in the neighborhood to mentor city kids
in organic farming and also bring fresh produce to the neighborhood, I
knew to keep my eye on them.  We have started using the CleanGreens<http://www.cleangreensfarm.com>produce at our restaurant.
The quality and flavor is very good and the program does great things for the diets and minds in the Central District.  Apparently the Council needs more encouragement and convincing to approve Richard Conlin’s proposed grant of $50k to this project. CleanGreens<http://www.cleangreensfarm.com>Farm & Market is a project that doesmany beneficial things for the area in a direct way.  I have live in the Central District for a dozen years now and there are often discussions about fighting crime that seem to drown out any other ideas.  CleanGreens<http://www.cleangreensfarm.com/>is a program that is inspirational in many ways and I believe it will bring positive changes in attitude to the neighborhood that will make working on the negative stuff that much easier. Please do what you can to direct the muscle of the city to assist this program to reach the point where it will stand on it’s own.

Thank You,

Kevin Spitzer
Central Cinema
1411 21st Avenue Seattle WA 98122
206-328-3230 office
206-686-MOVI info line
www.central-cinema.com

Anthem for Obama Election Night Party

We had a really fun time at the Election night party in the Cinema. The Yellow Hat Brass Band played a couple of numbers on stage after Obama’s acceptance speech.  Then a woman jumped out of the crowd and sang this great rendition of our National Anthem.  If anyone knows her please pass along her name.  We have been asked by a few people who she was but she is still unknown to us.  It was a magical moment to witness.

2009 Openings on the Design Review Board

The City of Seattle is looking for qualified candidates to fill upcoming
openings on the 35-member Design Review Board. The volunteer positions
will be available in April 2009 when retiring board members’ terms
expire.

The deadline for applications is December 10, 2008. Applications may be
downloaded from www.seattle.gov/designreview or requested from
[email protected]

Applications will be accepted for the following ten positions on the
city’s seven design review boards:

Northeast Design Review Board
— community at-large representative
— local business representative
Northwest Design Review Board
— no openings
Queen Anne/Magnolia Design Review Board
— design professional representative
— local residential representative
Southeast Design Review Board
— no openings
Southwest Design Review Board
— design professional representative
— local residential representative
Downtown Design Review Board
— development representative
— local residential representative
Capitol Hill Design Review Board
— community at-large representative
— development representative

Applicants should have:
— knowledge of, or interest in, architecture, urban design and the
development process;
— the ability to evaluate projects based on the city’s design
guidelines;
— the ability to listen and communicate effectively at public meetings;
— a passion for design and community development; and
— the ability to work well with others under pressure. Prior experience
with community or neighborhood groups is a plus.

Board members are appointed by the Mayor and City Council and serve
two-year terms. They should expect to work 12-14 hours a month attending
and preparing for board meetings, which are held twice a month, in the
evenings. Board members must live in the city.

The Design Review Board and program was established in 1994 to provide
an alternative to prescriptive zoning requirements and foster new
development that better responds to the character of its surroundings.
Boards evaluate the design of development projects based on citywide and
neighborhood-specific design guidelines. The board reviews mixed-use
developments, multifamily housing, and commercial projects above a
certain threshold. Learn more at www.seattle.gov/designreview

Applications may be downloaded at www.seattle.gov/designreview or
requested from [email protected] Please send an application, a
cover letter and resume by Dec. 10, 2008 by email to Tom Iurino at
[email protected]

Questions may be directed to [email protected] or 206 615-1457

Homade Horror Film contest

Break out the fake blood and rattle some door knobs! Make a short horror film in any genre from Gore to Psychosis to Zombies. Keep it under 10 minutes-ish. Burn it on a DVD and submit it to Central Cinema before Midnight October 26th. Extra credit for including a STIFF Festival T-shirt, STIFF Poster, Central Cinema T-shirt, or Central Cinema Sticker somewhere in your movie.

Bring your friends ready to SCREAM on Mischief Night Oct 30th. The judging will be heavily influenced by the Scream-o-meter! Drink Beer! Eat Pizza! SCREAM! Win Fabulous Prizes!

Watch the trailer http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2008/09/28/centralcinema/