City Seeks Applicants for Vacant Council Position

Mayor Michael Siefkes announced his resignation from City Council on Tuesday, September 11th, citing health concerns and his family decision to relocate out of state.

The remaining SeaTac City Council is seeking applications to serve in filling the vacant Council Position #5. The Council will hold a public meeting, date to be determined, to interview candidates and make a final selection for the vacant position. The chosen candidate will serve the remainder of the unexpired term through the November 2019 General Election certification period.

Pursuant to RCW 35A.12.030, all applicants must be a registered voter in the City of SeaTac and a resident of the City of SeaTac for a period of at least one year preceding the date of appointment.

Applications are available from the City Clerk at 4800 South 188th Street, SeaTac, WA 98188, or on the City’s website at: http://www.seatacwa.gov/government/city-council. Any questions, please call 206.973.4661. All applications must be submitted to the City Clerk in person at, or by mail to the address above by 5 p.m., Friday, September 28, 2018.

Are You In Tune to Tune In?

Outboard motor boat racing returns to Angle Lake this weekend!

Angle Lake Park

19408 International Boulevard

SeaTac, WA 98188

Time: 11 AM to 6 PM

Dates:  Sept 8 and 9

Even if you’re not able to view the races from the park, you can still catch all the race action from your FM Radio! That’s right. The Frank Hansen Memorial Race, presented by Master Park will broadcast the race tower announcements over low band FM Channel 90.5

Allan Freedman, a twenty-five year Angle Lake resident and President of the Mark Eleven Condominium Association, is generously donating his time; his equipment and lending his subject matter expertise to enable low power FM transmission of the tower communications! Spectators and race enthusiasts from around the lake will be able to tune in on Saturday and Sunday to hear all the race coverage broadcast from the tower!

Thank you to our local business, Master Park Valet Parking for sponsoring this event and Thank you to Allan Freedman for helping to deliver a great race experience.

A Willingness to Try Something New

Hydroplane and Runabout racing returns a third time to Angle Lake.

Frank Hansen Memorial Race presented by Master Park 

September 8th and 9th 

10:00 am until no later than 6:00 pm each day

Back as early as 2012, a couple members of the Angle Lake Shore Club pondered event concepts that might increase interest in our area and offer family entertainment to our local community. Included in these discussions were festive events like the Celebrate America; athletic events like a Des Moines Creek/Angle Lake Triathlon; and a consideration of bringing hydroplane racing back to Angle Lake. It was rumored that hydroplane racing events were in the past held on Angle Lake. Crazy as it seemed at the time, a small task force was formed to begin exploring the possibility reintroducing hydroplane racing back to the community again. 

  

When discussing the idea with individuals outside the group, general first impressions were formed from their own Seafair Unlimited Hydroplane Racing experiences. Where large crowds of often inebriated race fans crowded around the race course featuring some very large and very noisy boats racing in an oval at a very high rate of speed – who would welcome that kind of experience to a small residential community? 

While the design of the overall event is modeled after the Seafair Race format, research revealed that Junior Series Hydroplane and Small Outboard Boat Racing is not comprised of a bunch of old white guys feeding their need for speed – but is truly considered a family sport mainly comprised of youth, both boys and girls, working together with their families, both Moms and Dads, learning the art and skill of boat building; developing mechanical expertise; and experiencing the sport of organized racing. Who wouldn’t want to support that in their community?!

In 2013 a survey to gauge interest in bringing back boat racing was sent out to 177 homes around the lake. Of the 174 responses receive, only 14% were not in favor of the idea. At that time we knew we had  support from the majority of the community, but could we gain the necessary approval from City of SeaTac authorities to stage the races at Angle Lake Park? After several rounds of negotiation with city representatives over the span of a couple years, the City Council finally voted to approve a onetime event to be held on a trial basis in 2016. The event was a tremendous success in reconfirming community interest, calming much of the prior anxiety and fear and recalibrating experience expectations by delivering a high quality family event.  

This year, 2018 will be the third year that Seattle Outboard Association will host the Frank Hansen Memorial Race, presented by local sponsor Master Park. In addition to watching the races, we hope that you’ll visit the race pits at Angle Lake Park, meet the families who make up this event, experience the camaraderie among the racers, witness firsthand the quality educational and social opportunities presented to each of the participating youth. Perhaps even your youngster may be inspired to join!

After experiencing the race side, please consider viewing the boat building side by paying a visit to the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum to view the Junior Hydro Program where kids 9 to 16 years of age learn traditional wooden boat building skills while building and rigging their own J-Hydros. These boats that are built alongside their family members at the Museum facilities are the same boats that compete in the APBA sanctioned events, including Angle Lake. The Museum also offers a “Kit Boat” to assist in making it more affordable for children to learn and participate.