Comments_Combined_KimleyHorn - Laserfiche WebLink

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I am a returning resident of Easton, Having graduated from Easton School in 97'. 1 returned 26 years later with my own family in tow. Upon returning, my daughter and I became volunteers with the local Fire Department (KCFD#3), and I joined the Easton School board. We try to stay active within the community, through School events and holiday events via the Fire Department. I am a single father to two children, my 9-year-old son Steven (named after my father), that spends weekends and vacations here, and my 15- year-old daughter Josephyne, who has lived with me since she was 5. 1 am a Machinist by trade, and currently one of the Westside commuters.We moved here from Enumclaw when Jo was 12 years old, living in the home my family built when I was child. I moved back here to raise my kids in this amazing environment that I cherished as a child. Now for the purpose: It is known that there is the formation of a "Community Group", within Easton, in an attempt to"Speak for the Community". I attended a few of their meetings and was left unimpressed by their direction and vision for the town of Easton. As stated earlier, I have been on the Easton School board for approximately 3 years. At the beginning of my service, the school was in financial crisis.This school used to be the heart of the town. How it could have ever gotten in the situation it faced is beyond belief. Fast forward to present day, 3 years later and it would be difficult for anyone to say the school is not thriving.We were fortunate to have made some changes within the district, albeit rather tumultuous at times, but all for the greater good of the school and the students. I attend most all of the Board meetings as an active chair, and only once have I ever seen any delegate or representative from the Community group attend our meeting. They by no means are required to attend, but how can a group claiming to"Speak for the Community", do so, when a major component of current day community is disregarded or ignored? The few meetings I attended were a handful of community members discussing ways of removing a trailer park in town, keeping a truck stop from being built and how much each of them would pocket for their service in local government with the creation of a 501 C nonprofit. A school requires students to exist, and businesses require able body employees. In order for there to be students and able body employees, there needs to be housing. Current housing in Easton consists of a wide range of dwellings, one of which being that of a trailer park. This trailer park provides housing for families, and any plan to remove it,without a viable option for these families to grow and thrive within Easton is a hard no from me.