(October photo by John McIntyre)

Longfellow Creek … home to salmon … and pollution. The creek runs almost the entire length of eastern West Seattle, from Westwood (where it’s undergrounded) to the Duwamish River. Seattle Public Utilities is planning a water-quality project that would focus on reducing polluted stormwater overflows in the creek during heavy rain. But the project isn’t just about some big public-works facility – it’s also about other potential neighborhood benefits, as detailed here. So right now, they’re recruiting community members for an “Innovation Team,” explained as:

We are building an Innovation Team of nine, paid, community co-creators that reflect the diversity in South Delridge. The Innovation Team will guide and work with the Project Team. Team members will attend up to 8, 2-hour meetings this winter and next spring. The Innovation Team will help us:

• Create innovative solutions to achieve community goals

• Build relationships and community partnerships

• Understand risks when deciding where to make investments

Some examples of people we are looking for:

• A high school student engaged in design, poetry, filmmaking, or engineering

• A person for whom English is a second language

• Someone who leads an informal group like a women’s group, soccer team, or book club

• Someone who builds things or helps organize activities in the neighborhood