By Scott Hamilton
Accusations flew between the two factions of the Sammamish City Council as it considered whether to drop committees in favor of a council Committee of the Whole or some hybrid system.
Motives were questioned, personal attacks flew and “blind ambition” was alleged as interfering with the work of the committees.
Two members claimed the body is a “do-nothing” council.
The meeting again illustrated the dysfunction and political rivalries between the majority and minority factions.
By Scott Hamilton
Commentary
The Sammamish City Council tomorrow will take up a motion to dissolve its
Council Member Tom Hornish
committees, where a lot of spade work is done on issues, and adopt a Committee of the Whole (COW) process instead.
This move should be rejected. It’s been tried before. The council ultimately returned to the committee system. This city council should not repeat the mistake of the past.
By Scott Hamilton
Commentary
If residents wonder why the Sammamish City Council is mired in acrimony, one need look no farther than the June 18 meeting.
Council Member Pam Stuart
Jason Ritchie
Sammamish Council Member Jason Ritchie isn’t wrong when he cites frustration about the divisions in the city council.
Nor is he wrong when he fingers members of the majority of the council for their contributions to the split.
But Ritchie needs to look in the mirror and accept responsibility for his own actions.
Ken Gamblin
Sammamish City Council candidate Ken Gamblin filed his required paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission this week, long after the deadline for candidates to do so.
The last day for candidates to file for election was May
17. Forms called C1, C3 and F1 are required for candidacies, financial contributions and financial disclosures and must be filed within 10 days of declaring candidacy.
By Miki Mullor
Editor
Sammamish Plateau Water Commissioner Ryika Hooshangi filed a PDC report (Public Disclosure Committee) yesterday, indicating intent to run for Sammamish City Council seat 4.
Hooshangi ran for city council in 2017 and lost in the primaries to Chris Ross and Rituja Indapure. Sammamish Comment endorsed Hooshangi and Ross in the primary and Indapure in the general election.
By Celia Wu and Miki Mullor
Rituja Indapure
The Sammamish Comment sat down for an interview with City Council candidate Rituja Indapure. Indapure was a candidate in the 2017 election and lost to now Council Member Chris Ross. In 2018, Indapure was appointed to the City’s Planning Commission.
She has filed for the seat currently held by Tom Hornish, who is completing his first term. He has not declared whether he will run for another four-year term.
It’s three weeks to the first filing date May 12 for the August primary for local elections. So far, there are only two declared candidates for three Sammamish City Council seats up for election this year.
Only one of the three incumbents announced election plans; two others haven’t decided if they will seek reelection.
