Tag Archives: Citizens for Sammamish

New water wars burbling in Sammamish

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The water wars between the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District and Issaquah were entertaining. Despite the City of Sammamish watching this war, and becoming involved as an interested party, Sammamish city officials couldn’t resist approaching the Northeast Sammamish Sewer and Water District to invite a “discussion” about assuming the district.

To keep the players straight, here are the references we’ll use going forward:

Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District: “Plateau”.

City of Issaquah: “Issaquah”.

City of Sammamish: “City”.

Northeast Sammamish Sewer and Water District: “Northeast”.

Citizens for Sammamish: “C4S”.

Northeast went tilt over the City’s overture. Obviously having watched what was going on between Plateau and Issaquah, and the latter’s hostile takeover attempt of part of the Plateau’s assets and district, Northeast was paranoid. Not only did officials reject any call for “friendly” discussions, they fired up their customers, who flooded the City with emails and protests. Furthermore, Northeast budgeted $600,000 to defend the district against any attempt by the City to take over the district.

City officials seemed bewildered by Northeast’s reaction. We aren’t planning any move to assume Northeast, City officials protested. We just wanted to sit down and discuss the possibilities. A couple of City newsletters devoted a great deal of space to injured innocence.

Having watched the Plateau-Issaquah water wars (and participated in some of the negotiations to bring the wars to an end), I find it astounding that the City was so ham-handed in its timing to approach Northeast and even raise the issue when Plateau and Issaquah seemed headed for armageddon. Repeating, having become involved in talks as a neutral participant, so-to-speak, to resolve the dispute between Plateau and Issaquah, how could the City not understand the sensitivities of even raising the topic at that time with Northeast? It’s mind-boggling.

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Should Sammamish have city council “districts”?

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Seattle has gone to City Council Districts, plus two at-large seats, in its most recent election. The theory is to provide greater representation for the areas of the city.

The concept was floated early in Sammamish’s history, though it didn’t go anywhere. When Sammamish was incorporated, all seven City Council seats were at large and this remains so to this day.

Throughout the history of the City, the council seats have pretty much been concentrated along the center of the City. Councilman Phil Dyer, who served one term from 1999-2001, lived by the lake and so does today’s Ramiro Valderrama. But the rest of the council members are from the Plateau.

I’ve put together this map showing the approximate locations where the new City Council members reside. As you can see, the concentration is still on the Plateau.The locations aren’t precise because the map from the Internet was poor quality and I couldn’t see the street names, so pardon if some of the residences are a little off–but they are close enough for to illustrate the point.

I’ve drawn in possible district lines, based solely on geography and not on population proportions (which is how they have to be drawn). Click on the map to enlarge.

CityCouncilLocations

I’m taking no position on whether continuing the at-large elections or creating districts is the preferred choice. It’s just food for thought. Maybe this is something for Citizens for Sammamish to study.

Citizens for Sammamish push Initiative Vote Right Dec. 4; also Comp Plan changes on the agenda

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Citizens for Sammamish plan to push Tuesday for the Initiative at the City Council meeting. Harry Shedd, head of C4S, sent this email to the Council last week:

Next Tuesday’s meeting will offer you one more chance to certify the “Initiative Process” for Sammamish citizens. It is a simple offering and you have discussed it in the past. Personal freedoms should trump any reasonable alternatives. Please don’t kick this matter down the road…vote YES to allow this right to the citizenry and end your year on a high note.

As I’ve written previously, I’m conflicted about the Initiative process.

Also on the agenda Tuesday is an item starting the process for changes to the Comprehensive Plan, including the Town Center. Citizens and land owners may suggest changes in zoning, policies and permitted uses.

Poll: Do you approve or disapprove of the Sammamish City Council?

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This is a long post: be sure to scroll down.

Following the election and the controversial advisory vote for the Community Center, I thought a poll about the job the City Council is doing might be worthwhile.

Although unscientific, my Go Daddy poll about the advisory center is turning out to be pretty close to the mark: 55.7% of the respondents favored the Community Center and through Nov. 13, actually ballot results give the Yes vote 53%, well within standard margins of error of scientific polls. (The Sammamish Review’s unscientific poll wasn’t so good; it gave the Center a 62% Yes vote.)

A recent Citizens for Sammamish meeting turned into a massive venting session about frustrations with the City. The Council, the staff and the manager all came under fire. So I’m polling on this, too, as well as the Favorables-Unfavorables of each Council Member.

Feel free to comment in the Comment section. BUT: keep it clean, no swearing, no insults. Concisely state your opinions and the reasons for it in a clean and respectful way. I’ll delete comments that resort to name-calling and obscenities.

Question #1

Question #2

Question #3

I know this election is barely over but in 2013, four City Council seats are up for election. Mayor Tom Odell, Deputy Mayor John James, and Council Members John Curley and Don Gerend are up for election. Let’s get some favorable-unfavorable ratings.

Question #4

Question #5

Question #6

Question #7

Council Member Don Gerend has been on the council since the city elected its first council in 1999-13 years. I’m told he plans to run for another term next November, his 14th year on the Council. If elected, he would serve 17 years by the end of his term.

Question #8

The other three Councl Members, Nancy Whitten, Tom Vance and Ramiro Valderrama, were elected in 2011 and won’t be up for reelection until 2015. What is your opinion about them?

Question #9

Question #10

Question #11

Debating the Community Center

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There was a debate Monday night over the pros and cons of the proposed public-private partnership between Sammamish and the YMCA for a $30m community center. The City Council authorized an advisory vote in the November election.

The election statement, and the pro and con arguments, appear in the King County Voters Guide here.

The City Council’s resolution authorizing the advisory vote is here.

As we’ve previously written (and here), we think an advisory vote is a waste of the $50,000 it will cost to hold it.

We weren’t able to attend the debate but it was video taped.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4