Kent to restart Kent 101 and expand neighborhood outreach including 'Drinks in the Driveway' and sidewalk sessions

Mayor Dana Ralph outlined a slate of resident-engagement programs the City of Kent will offer this spring and summer, including a returning civics course and new neighborhood outreach efforts.

Ralph said the city is accepting applications for several boards and commissions; appointments will be made by the mayor and brought to the city council for confirmation. She described Kent 101 as “a civics class focused really on the city of Kent,” and said the spring session will begin Thursday, Feb. 13 and run through April 10. The mayor said the weekly sessions will highlight different city departments and explain which services the city provides.

The mayor also said residents can sign neighborhoods up for “Drinks in the Driveway,” an informal outreach program where city staff (including public works and police) visit neighborhoods to answer questions and discuss local issues. Ralph described a new program, “Sidewalk Sessions,” in which public works staff and the mayor will walk neighborhoods with residents to discuss traffic calming, sidewalks and pavement conditions.

Ralph provided web sign-up references during the update (normalized here to kentwa.gov): kentwa.gov/progress (progress report), kentwa.gov/kent101, kentwa.gov/driveway, kentwa.gov/sidewalksessions. She encouraged residents to apply for boards and to participate in the programs. No formal council action or funding detail for these programs was given in the update.