Published October 15 2014
In 1994, the idea of taking local government to the people -- putting it in a shopping mall -- rather than having people come to the government seemed a bit unusual.
But on Wednesday, October 22, Mini City Hall will mark its 20th anniversary at Crossroads Shopping Center with a celebration beginning at 3 p.m. Now the idea of not having Mini City Hall in Bellevue's most diverse neighborhood seems odd.
Mini City Hall assists the community in a variety of ways, including language services, housing referrals and human service needs. But what sets it apart from more traditional government offices is its location and its welcoming atmosphere, said Barb Tuininga, a city employee who has managed Mini City Hall for 17 years. She said the satellite city office was created to reach residents who ordinarily would have little connection with city government.
Crossroads Shopping Center and the City of Bellevue are teaming up to throw community party. The free event at the Center Stage of Crossroads Mall will feature live music, beverages and bites from nine Crossroads restaurants, giveaways, stories about Mini City Hall and a city proclamation.
In addition to the general public, guests at the celebration will include the people who helped launch Mini City Hall, community partners, past and present volunteers and previous clients of Mini City Hall.
Maria Sitzmann, a former client, said the staff at Mini City Hall, impacted her life in a profound way. "The most important thing I got from Mini City Hall … was I got hope to fight for my life," said Sitzmann, who came to Bellevue from Colombia in 1997 and was seeking help to escape an abusive relationship. "I got empowered to continue fighting for me."
Sue Popma, marketing director for Crossroads Shopping Center, said Mini City Hall provides a service her customers want and the mall has supported Mini City Hall since its inception. "People think of this as the heart of the Crossroads neighborhood," Popma said."Mini City Hall is really central to that."