VALLEY RECORD SNOQUALMIE
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102 S YEAR
High school students teach science to younger crowd Page 2
Fall City Day has a schedule full of fun on Saturday Pages 6-11
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Vol. 103, No. 2
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016 DAILY UPDATES AT WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM 75 CENTS
Tribe files suit to stop Salish Expansion By EVAN PAPPAS Staff Reporter
The Snoqualmie Tribe has filed a lawsuit against the city of Snoqualmie to stop development of homes and a hotel on Tokul Road, commonly referred to as the Salish Expansion. The lawsuit, filed May 27, claimed that the development agreement between the city and the Muckleshoot Tribe for the expansion project is based on an outdated environmental determination that violates the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and tribe members’ religious freedom. The development agreement, first approved in 2004, and updated by the Snoqualmie City Council May 9, is based on an environmental review done in 2002 by the city. The review and checklist were used to determine if the project would have any significant impacts on the surrounding area. That checklist was used as part of the city’s mitigated determination of non-significance (MDNS) for the project in 2003. The lawsuit stated that the city
Parker named CEO and COO for Snoqualmie Valley Hospital By EVAN PAPPAS Staff Reporter
Tom Parker, the Chief Operating Officer of Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer. The hospital board unanimously approved the appointment, who’d been interim CEO since March, June 2. The board also approved a new salary of $220,000, an increase of $45,800 from Parker’s previous salary.
Carol Ladwig/Staff Photo
A sign at the nearly complete Tokul Roundabout in Snoqualmie welcomes visitors to State Road 202. did not reference the use of the land by the Snoqualmie Tribe in the checklist. In the lawsuit, the tribe took issue with the city’s response to a checklist question, number 13, that the proposed project site had no places or objects listed on state or local preservation registers and no evidence of historic, archaeological, scientific, or
cultural importance on the site. In January, the city submitted an addendum to the 2003 MDNS, citing no substantial change in significant impacts. The tribe states in the lawsuit that the city failed to respond to a new version of the checklist question 13 that had been updated in 2014.
an example,” Pollard said. “I think the community would be appreciative of our paying no more than is necessary.” Commissioners Emma Herron, David Speikers, Joan Young and Dariel Norris all spoke in support of the $220,000 salary, citing Parker’s history and Courtesy Photo past months of work as the Tom Parker is the CEO and interim CEO. “Tom is also taking on COO of Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, as of the June 2 two jobs, the COO and the CEO,” Norris said, explainhospital board meeting. ing that the hospital will In a discussion about the not be hiring a new COO salary, commissioner Gene to take Parker’s place. “The cost of living in Pollard suggested setting it at $196,000, in an attempt the area is one of the most to save money in the face expensive throughout the state and, probably the of the hospital’s large debt. “We are 100 million in most important thing to debt, it’s good for us to set me, is that he has demon-
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strated to the board and the finance committee that he is willing to step up and help us be more fiscally responsible.” Speikers said he was confident in Parker’s ability and the (unspecified) savings he had seen so far are indicative of what is to come. Eliminating the COO position will save the district money as well, he said. The board of commissioners also allowed Snoqualmie Valley Kiwanis to set up its firework sales booth on hospital’s east campus property to raise funds for local scholarships. In discussion, the board indicated interest in continuing their relationship with Kiwanis and service clubs in the future.
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Snoqualmie cop pleads not guilty of excessive force charge After being indicted May 19 on charges of using excessive force while working as a Tukwila Police Officer in 2011, Snoqualmie Officer Nick Hogan was put on paid administrative leave. Last week, Hogan pleaded not guilty to the charges. He will face a jury trial Aug. 8. There is currently no end date set on Hogan’s leave, said Nick Almquist, Snoqualmie police captain. Placing an officer on leave during a lawsuit and investigation is common, Almquist said, although the offense didn’t occur in Snoqualmie. “Whenever somebody is under investigation under these terms it is practice to put them on leave while the investigation is going just because of credibility and waiting for the pending outcome,” Almquist said. The already-stretched Snoqualmie Police Department is down to 17 officers, with Hogan on leave. The department has a total of 24 positions allotted from Snoqualmie and North Bend, not including the Chief, Steve McCulley, and Captain, Almquist. “We are already on mandatory 12-hour shifts and we will continue to fill our fragile schedule,” Almquist said. “They normally work 10 hour days, everyone is working two extra hours every day and filling overtime slots on their days off.” To address staffing needs, the department is looking to hire more officers. According to Almquist, the department has made conditional offers to two police officers and has hired another who will be sworn in soon.
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