A last minute breakthrough in funding arrangement for the Eastside Fire and Rescue changed the recommendation from Ben Yacizi, city manager of Sammamish, from “get out” to “stay in.”
But Issaquah has to sign off on the funding agreement, as do other members of EF&R, and it ratified by January 17 or Sammamish could still bolt.
The Sammamish Review has an extensive write-up.
The Eastside Firefighters association made an offer today to Issaquah and Sammamish to pay for a professional mediator to resolve the differences between the two cities over the entire Eastside Fire & Rescue dispute.
I suggested use of a mediator or arbitration when I appeared before the Sammamish City Council Tuesday.
The association’s letter to the Councils is here.
Meantime, Sammamish told Save Our Fire Department that its signs erected along streets in the city are illegal and need to be taken down or moved to private locations. Sammamish claims they don’t qualify as political signs under the city’s sign ordinance. Save Our Fire Department takes the position that the signs are political and qualify for their public right of way locations. I agree with the Save Our Fire Department group on this one.
The City of Sammamish opposed the annexation of Klahanie by Issaquah in a formal letter to the Boundary Review Board.
The BRB is holding a formal public hearing tonight (Sept. 18) at 7pm at the Issaquah Holiday Inn.
The full letter is here and speaks for itself: BRB Letter – Klahanie Annexation 9-4-2013
This is the “Sammamish Comment.” So why am I spending so much time on a water fight between Issaquah and the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District and the proposed annexation by Issaquah of Klahanie?
Because of the impacts on Sammamish, which could be profound.
The water fight and the annexation are the crescendo of long-running disputes between Sammamish and Issaquah, in which Issaquah has basically stiff-armed Sammamish at nearly every turn–most notably years-long efforts to adjust the financial contributions of the many partners in the Eastside Fire and Rescue (EFR) service.
Sammamish, by assessed value of the homes and land, pays the largest share into EFR. But Issaquah generates more calls. By Sammamish’s analysis, Issaquah should be paying about $500,000 a year more than it is based on the actual calls.
Issaquah refuses to adjust. Relations between Sammamish and Issaquah have reached a breaking point. Sammamish will decide soon whether to withdraw from EFR and form its own fire department or possibly even an alliance with Redmond.
Sammamish might close “Klahanie” fire station
Sammamish has warned that if Klahanie annexes to Issaquah, Station 83, more commonly known as the Klahanie fire station–which is owned by Sammamish and located at SE 32nd and Issaquah-Pine Lake Road–may be closed. Issaquah, according to our information from Sammamish, has already told our leaders it won’t buy the station.
This didn’t stop the Issaquah police chief from telling Klahanie residents that he could co-locate a police sub-station at the Klahanie fire station, a comment that came as a surprise to Sammamish officials.
Issaquah’s arrogance over EFR matters–and the continued unfair financial burden Sammamish taxpayers have because of Issaquah–is an issue unto itself but it’s also tied to the Klahanie annexation.
Sammamish Comment 
