On Monday, Aug. 6, the Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council (GMVUAC) held its regular monthly meeting. The newly established King County Community Service Areas (CSAs) were discussed. King County CSA manager, Alan Painter, was in attendance.

Community Service Areas

The King County Community Service Area (CSA) to ensure they are open to any local organization. The purpose of the CSA Program is to expand outreach and communication to a wide range of community organizations in unincorporated King County,create improved online information with a website that includes County contact information, a calendar of County meetings, and information on each CSA, including CSA work plans and identify a primary point of contact that will function as a liaison, ombudsman and information clearinghouse for residents of each CSA.

King County has established seven CSAs. The Area Council is part of the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River CSA.

For more information on CSAs please see: http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/community-service-areas.aspx.

CSA Grants up to $5,000 each are available from King County. According to the King County Executive, these Grants “are aimed at helping enhance communication, improve neighborhoods, and bring new amenities to the residents of unincorporated King County.”

A total of $60,000 will be reimbursed for projects initiated in 2012 or 2013.The Area Council decided to prepare Grant applications for its Bi-Annual Election and Survey and Annual Train Show.

It is expected that King County will award the grant by the end of October.

Citizens Survey

The Area Council will once again conduct its popular and informative citizens’ survey to give unincorporated area residents an opportunity to voice their concerns on a variety of local and regional issues. Our last survey resulted in nearly 800 respondents.

More details will be available in future articles and on our web site.

For well over 10 years the Area Council has been conducting these surveys to gain and maintain an understanding of citizens and their opinions on issues of importance to our rural area.

We thank all those who have participated in the past and those who will participate in this year’s Survey.

A summary of the past Survey responses can be found on our web site.

Results of all Area Council citizens’ surveys are shared with county and state officials.

Area Council Information

The Area Council “works to keep the Rural Area rural” by serving as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District.

Meetings are held the first Monday of each month.

A public comment period at the beginning of each meeting provides citizens an opportunity to voice issues of concern to Area Council members and county and state government officials in attendance.

Please visit www.greatermaplevalleyareacouncil.org for more information on the Area Council and rural issues.

The Area Council’s next monthly meeting will be from 7-9:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 10 (second Monday, due to Labor day) at the Fire Station at 231st Street and state Route 169.

If you live in the Tahoma School District outside the City of Maple Valley, you are eligible to apply to become a member of the Area Council. Interested Rural Area citizens can mail a brief letter of interest to GMVUAC, P.O. Box 101, Maple Valley, WA  98038 or e-mail gmvac_chair@hotmail.com.