Due to budget cuts, as of January 1st, 2011, the Fremont Neighborhood Service Center office (also known as ‘Little City Hall’) will be closed permanently. Of the 13 city-wide Neighborhood Service Centers, operated by the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, four in other neighborhoods – Capitol Hill, Queen Anne/Magnolia, Greater Duwamish and Greenwood – also closed. In addition, an office operated in Downtown Seattle closed last December 21st, 2010. However, Fremont Service Center Coordinator, Tim Durkan, remains the liaison at large for our community, and the Lake Union District.
At this time, seven Neighborhood Service Centers remain open – in Ballard, Delridge, West Seattle, Southeast, University, Central, and Lake City. These centers still provide city and neighborhood information. Unlike those just closed, they have also been able to (and continue to) accept payments for City utility bills, pet licenses, traffic tickets, and applications for U.S. Passports.
For more information on all the centers, and their hours, visit the Department of Neighborhoods website, or call 206/684-0464. Or consider visiting Rob Mattson, Coordinator for the Ballard Service Center, at 5604 – 22nd Ave NW.
Changes have also come to the nationally recognized Neighborhood Matching Fund program, also operated by the Department of Neighborhoods. Updated application forms, program guidelines and application deadlines are now available for their three funding programs – Large Project, Small and Simple, and Small Sparks.
Changes for 2011 include three application rounds now available for Small and Simple funds – with the first deadline on January 18th. Criteria for Large Project funds continues to limit projects such as neighborhood-wide planning efforts or master plan development for large parks.
For neighborhood groups or community organizations interested in learning more about how to utilize Large Project funds, for projects seeking up to $100,000 in funding, consider attending an upcoming free workshops –
- Tuesday, January 11, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Rainier Community Center – 4600 38th Ave S - Wednesday, January 19, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Garfield Community Center, 2323 East Cherry St - Thursday, January 27, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Ballard Library – 5614 22nd Ave NW
Letters of Intent for application to the Large Project Fund, will be due on February 14th, 2011. For more detailed information, visit the Neighborhood Matching Fund website.