Responsibility of the voters:
Responsibility means many things to us, but what do we owe to our city, state and nation, not just to our family?
We must care for the daily needs of food, shelter and necessities, but what are our responsibilities that citizenship places on our shoulders? If you have not written to your representatives to express your views, called Olympia to express your views to your elected voices, or the other Washington, then have you taken the time to meet any of the candidates for office, which will be decided on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007?
Our government has made contacting the elected as simple as a phone call or letter — our fastest way of influence. Have you stepped up to your responsibility?
On Tuesday, we will elect several local members for Federal Way School Board, Federal Way City Council and South King Fire and Rescue board. For the county: Prosecuting Attorney and Port of Seattle Commissioners.
Will you cast your voice at this election? The Federal Way Mirror has made a strong effort to present the candidates to this readership. Have you been responsible and taken a look? Or were you just too busy taking care of the other responsibilities? With or without your voice, this election will be conducted and the elected will change directions, taxes, access, roads and policies. Will you step forward to be counted?
There is still a shortage of poll workers; will there also be a shortage of voters?
Larry L. Jackson, Federal Way
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Library expansion:
The King County Library System (KCLS) administration officials do not intend to “increase the collection” at the Federal Way Regional Library after the proposed expansion.
Both they and the Mithun Architects firm stated that several times Monday at the meeting about the FW Regional Library expansion. They are not planning to add book shelving though the expansion is supposed to be an additional 10,000 square feet, an increase of the library size to 167 percent of current area. An expansion this large has room for more books —that’s what I expected to get when I voted for the $172 million 2004 KCLS bond for libraries.
In our current, crowded FW Regional Library, patrons can observe the need for more wooden desks and chairs to accommodate readers. Those consulting both newspapers and research books need the larger desk space. Students with their study groups utilize the same furniture for the same reason.
Patrons can appreciate that more computers would be useful too. But why no more space for books? If the library is to be expanded to 167 percent of its current size, why not plan to expand the shelving for books, desks and tables and computers to 167 percent, at least, of their current areas? At least this acknowledges the importance of the three uses for all of us.
I commend Federal Way Mayor Mike Park, Federal Way School District Superintendent Tom Murphy and Federal Way School Board member Dave Larson for attending this meeting. They all spoke in favor of having some kind of library services during the construction phase of a year when the building will be closed and the books in storage. Larson suggested forming a mitigation committee with the city, school district, Chamber and KCLS to see if some location for a “temporary” library could be set up to help all the patrons while the Regional Library is closed. I applaud them, and hope they can find a plan that will work.
Please email KCLS Director Bill Ptacek at billp@kcls.org and the KCLS Board of Trustees at boardoftrustees@kcls.org with your comments and suggestions. We all need to keep track of the decisions they make about our community and its library.
Margaret Nelson, Federal Way
