In a budget-cutting move, Sammamish City Manager Ben Yacizi eliminated the job of Michael Mathias, who had headed the Town Center development plan for the past several years.

Mathias, hired as an expert with experience in developing Town Centers, worked with the Planning Commission and then the City Council to develop the Town Center Plan and its regulations.

Unlike the others on the Community Development staff, or anywhere else in City administration or City Council, Mathias has key knowledge for public-private partnerships, finding creative financing and grants and understanding some key, intricate details of financial and developmental concerns of developers that will–or shall we say, “would”–be crucial to proceeding with the development of the Town Center.

Continue reading →