Subject: [Tweeters] Herons Forever Update: Renton City Council votes
Date: Nov 7 11:01:57 2004
From: suzanne krom - szkrom at juno.com


Renton City Council votes tomorrow -- Please attend
The Renton City Council will vote tomorrow -- Monday, November 8 -- on
whether to overturn the hearing examiner's decision requiring additional
studies to make sure that a proposed 65-house development does not impact
our Black River herons.

Please attend this City Council meeting. It's very important to send the
message to the Councilmembers that we care about our herons. No testimony
will be taken. Our presence speaks volumes.

CONFIRMED SCHEDULE:
WHEN: Monday, November 8, at 7:30 pm.
WHERE: Renton City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way, on the 7th floor in the
Council Chambers

A yes vote by the council would go against the strong recommendation of
the hearing examiner who, after four full days of testimony -- one of the
longest hearings in the history of Renton, recommended an environmental
impact statement evaluating the development?s impact on the herons?
habitat.

We fully expect the Council will overturn the examiner's decision as it
is consistent with the Council?s pro-development orientation. Renton
appears to be on a fast track to get the developer's 65-house project
underway as soon as possible, with as little environmental review as they
can get away with.

We can overturn the Council's approval of this development if we raise
the funds to take this case to Superior Court. According to our attorney,
getting the Council's decision overturned is virtually assured. But we
have to raise the funds first, which is why we launched our Save Our
Black River Herons fundraiser last Thursday... (see "Herons Forever's
emergency fundraiser," which follows.)


Herons Forever's emergency fundraiser
Thank you to all who attended Herons Forever's Save Our Black River
Herons launch fundraiser, making it an enormous success. Last Thursday,
11/4, we launched our emergency fundraiser to raise $35,000 to challenge
Renton?s decision in Superior Court.

The grand tally from Thursday night is $5,050! Seattle Audubon
contributed directly to our campaign, which is highly unusual for them as
their budget is extremely tight . Matt Mega, Urban Habitat director,
announced during the fundraiser that SAS' board had approved a
contribution only hours earlier of $1,000 to Herons Forever. Several
Seattle Audubon board members attended our fundraiser. And a financial
angel dropped by, stayed for short time, and left a $2,000 check. Angel
indeed.

Our launch was truly an extraordinary night. Outstanding artists,
photographers, and sound artists contributed their original works that we
bid on. Several are well known -- fine artists Sandra Kahler
http://watercolor.net/sandra/skahler.html, and Ed Newbold
http://www.ednewbold.com/; Herons Forever's photographers Michael
Hamilton (featured CD "A Year At Black River"), Rob York, and Ray Brown;
and sound artist Martyn Stewart http://www.naturesound.org, whose
recordings of birds are found on many CD's, including Cornell Lab of
Ornithology and Donald & Lillian Stokes nature series.

Total so far: $5,050 contributed, $29,950 to go.

A holiday fundraiser is in the planning stages. Stay tuned!

We need your help
Please contribute. Saving this heron colony is entirely in our hands. Our
time is short ? we must raise these funds by February. If we fail to
accomplish this, we will be stuck with Renton?s decision to proceed
unimpeded with the developer's 65-house development next to the colony,
which will be disastrous for the herons.

We need significant donations to accomplish this. Our hope is that some
of you will consider making $250, $500, $1,000, or larger donations.
Every donation, every penny counts. Your donations of $25, $35, $50 will
go a long ways toward helping us defend the Examiner?s decision. Ask your
friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors to help the herons too. No
amount is too big or too small. Together, we can protect the largest
heron colony in the region.

Please complete the form that follows. Your donations are tax-deductible.
Many companies match their employees? charitable gifts to nonprofit
organizations ? ask your employer if they will match your contribution.

Herons Forever is 100% volunteer based. Every penny goes toward direct
support of this effort. There is no paid staff or overhead. We do this
work because of our commitment to the herons and to our community. We
want these majestic birds to continue to thrive in this place they have
chosen as their home. We want our children and grandchildren to always be
able to enjoy this spectacular place.

Please donate now ? in honor of your love for the Earth, as a gift
honoring someone you love, as a token of thanks for all that the herons
do for our ecosystems and our soul. We will keep you informed as this
process unfolds. Please feel free to contact me if you would like.

Isn?t it remarkable what a few people can do to make a real difference.
Together we can save our Black River herons.

Thank you for your contribution and continued support. Nothing we have
done to date would be possible without you. Your support now is crucial
to saving our Black River herons.

The herons thank you.

Suzanne Krom, President
Herons Forever

***********


Contributing by mail
You can help by sending your contribution to Rainier Audubon Society in
care of the Black River herons. Please complete this form and include it
with your contribution.

Dear Herons Forever,
I do not want poorly planned development to destroy the Black River heron
colony, and want to do what I can to make sure it is protected. My
tax-deductible contribution toward paying for an appeal to King County
Superior Court is:


_____ $35 level

_____ $50 level

_____ $75 level: Receive "A Year At Black River" CD with a collection of
over 1,000 photos taken by photographer Michael Hamilton at Black River
over the past three years.

_____ $125 level: Receive "A Year At Black River" CD and the audio CD of
the "Black River Heronry" by Martyn Stewart, of
http://www.naturesound.org

_____ $250 level: Receive both gifts above, plus a personalize tour of
Black River for your family, friends, coworkers, and anyone else you
would like to include. Children are welcome. Black River is wheelchair
accessible.

_____ $500 level or greater: Receive all gifts and field trip.


_____ Or enter your own amount: $______________

My employer will match my gift. My employer is
____________________________.

To contribute to Herons Forever, make your check or money order payable
to Rainier Audubon Society/Black River and in the memo section, write
Black River. Send your check to: Jim Tooley, Treasurer, Rainier Audubon
Society, P.O. Box 778, Auburn, WA 98071. You will receive a receipt from
Rainier Audubon.

Your name: ___________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City: ________________________________ Zip: ____________________________
Phone including area code: ____________________ Email:
____________________


*Rainier Audubon Society is a 501c3 organization.

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