The Ballard Neighborhood District Coordinator Records (Record Series 5752-16) are now available for use in our research room. The records date from 1974 to 2016 and include meeting minutes, reports, correspondence, and notes relating to the activities of Ballard District Coordinator Rob Mattson.
Each of Seattle’s 13 neighborhood districts had a coordinator who acted as a liaison between the City of Seattle and district councils. In addition, the neighborhood district coordinator was responsible for overseeing grant applications, responding to community requests and complaints, and managing the activities of the neighborhood service centers. In 2017, the Department of Neighborhoods reorganized neighborhood staff to four community engagement coordinators (one citywide coordinator, and one each for the north, central, and south sectors.)
Rob Mattson was the first Neighborhood District Coordinator for the Ballard neighborhood when the Community Service Center program, also known as “Little City Halls,” started in 1973. He was also an active member of the Ballard District Council, which was formed in 1988. Mattson retired in 2013.
Records in this series include administrative files from Mattson, Ballard District Council and Northwest District Council meeting materials, and Ballard and Crown Hill neighborhood plans. Other topics include the Ballard branch of the Seattle Public Library, the Ballard farmer’s market, Ballard Interbay Northend Manufacturing and Industrial Center (BINMIC), Ballard rail, and the Nordic Heritage Museum.
