Mercer Island’s future municipal electric vehicle charging infrastructure plan has already received a massive boost from the Washington State Department of Commerce’s climate planning grant program.
At the end of October, the department awarded the city a $100,000 grant to put toward the plan that the city intends to complete in phases over the next three to five years.
City Manager Jessi Bon described the funding as a “really incredible lift,” during city council’s Nov. 4 regular meeting. Acting speedily, the city has already issued a request for proposal for a consultant to provide guidance on the initial phase.
Bon said the city aims to electrify its fleet, and city documents state that the plan will call for an assessment for the charging infrastructure needed across city facilities to support that fleet.
“This is really important because we’re in the process of designing a public safety and maintenance building, which will house most of the city’s fleet,” said Bon, who praised the city’s sustainability program manager Alanna DeRogatis for coordinating staff to move on the grant and fire the application off to the Department of Commerce.
MED TAKE BACK DAY
With Mercer Island Police Department evidence technician Tanya Jackson and officer Kristina Lum at the helm, the city collected eight boxes totaling 152.5 pounds of medications at a DEA National Med Take Back Day event on Oct. 26 at the city hall building loading dock.
The medications were then dropped off safely to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Seattle warehouse. The events protect the health and safety of the community by collecting unused and expired prescription medications, reads a city document.
According to the DEA website, the agency is “committed to making our communities safer and healthier, and we can do this by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths. While the community does its part to turn in unneeded medications and remove them from potential harm, we are doing our part to further reduce drug-related violence.”
SHOP SMALL MONTH
City council tagged November as Shop Small Month on Mercer Island by approving a proclamation at its Nov. 4 regular meeting. The document encourages residents to support the plethora of Island businesses and boost the local economy along the way.
“The City of Mercer Island wishes to promote economic recovery and growth by encouraging community members to think local first when purchasing goods and services,” reads the proclamation, which adds that more than 200 businesses call the Island home.
ILLUMINATE MI
It’s Illuminate MI time again and the city has a host of events on tap during the holiday season:
* Tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Mercerdale Park. The event will feature the high school choir and Creation Dance Studio performances.
* Holiday Makers Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the community and event center. More than 75 vendors will be on hand and there will be kids’ activities, holiday treats and festive drinks on the menu as well.
* Family Movie Night and Holiday Party at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the community and event center. Along with the 6:15 p.m. showing of “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” the Dickens Carolers will perform from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and kids can participate in arts and crafts at 5:30 p.m.
* Argosy Christmas Ship at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 at the Luther Burbank Park beach area. Choirs on board the ship will perform to guests aboard and to communities gathered on shore.
* A date and time for the annual Menorah Lighting will be announced soon.
