Redmond Reporter, January 06, 2012

Page 1

REDMOND

˜

.com

REPORTER

NEWSLINE: 425.867.0353

NEWS | LWSD superintendent candidate to meet public at Tuesday open house [3] CRIME WATCH | Redmond Police Blotter [5]

SCHOOLS | New state program helps LWIT FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012 curb book costs for students [3]

A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING

Council sticks to decision on Overlake plan

SPORTS | Redmond High coach spearheads new tennis facility [11]

FREEZIN’ FOR A REASON

Concerned citizens want leaders to reconsider tree removal at Group Health site SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com

[ more TREES page 10 ]

More than 80 people ran into the 45-degree waters of Lake Sammamish in support of Special Olympics Washington as part of the Redmond Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day. The brave plungers raised $11,000 for the organization. See story, PAGE 5. AMY SISK, For the Reporter

Vache selected as Council president; Margeson named VP SAMANTHA PAK

INSIDE

spak@redmond-reporter.com

Redmond City Council members Pat Vache (Position 2) and Hank Margeson (Position 3) were selected as Council president and vice president, respectively, during Tuesday’s business meeting at City Hall. Both members were elected in 7-0 votes. Vache replaces former President Richard Cole, who retired from the Council at the end of last year after 24 years of service. Vache was the former Council vice president, working along side Cole.

7:2 6227+,1* :$<6 72 (1+$1&( <285 :(// %(,1* 7KHUH¡V QR EHWWHU ZD\ WR VSHQG WKH QH[W KRXU WKDQ LPSURYLQJ \RXU RYHUDOO KHDOWK ZLWK D FXVWRPL]HG PDVVDJH RU 0XUDGŠ +HDOWK\ 6NLQ IDFLDO &DQ¡W Ă€QG WLPH WRGD\" 7KHQ JHW DZD\ ZHHNQLJKWV ZHHNHQGV RU ZKHQHYHU LW¡V PRVW FRQYHQLHQW IRU \RX DW 0DVVDJH (QY\ 6SD

39 49

Former Redmond Mayor Doreen Marchione elected Deputy Mayor of Kirkland. See story, PAGE 9. Pat Vache

Hank Margeson

“He makes it easy to follow (as president),� Vache said. Vache, now serving his second stint on Council, is not new to the president’s position. He had served on City Council from 1981-89 and was president for four years during that time. Vache returned to Council six years ago. Vache said one of the major

jobs the Council president is tasked with is working with the mayor to set meeting agendas. He said the president will also run Council meetings if the mayor is not present. Council president also has ceremonial duties such as attending ribbon cuttings and grand opening events for new businesses. Vache said he is looking forward to planning and executing

,QWURGXFWRU\ KRXU FXVWRPL]HG PDVVDJH VHVVLRQ )UDQFKLVHV $YDLODEOH _ 0DVVDJH(QY\ FRP _ &RQYHQLHQW +RXUV

,QWURGXFWRU\ KRXU 0XUDG +HDOWK\ 6NLQ IDFLDO VHVVLRQ

8 Open 7 days. M-F 8am - 10pm. Sat 8am - 6pm. Sun 10am - 6pm 2QH KRXU VHVVLRQ FRQVLVWV RI D PLQXWH PDVVDJH RU IDFLDO DQG WLPH IRU FRQVXOWDWLRQ DQG GUHVVLQJ 3ULFHV VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH 5DWHV DQG VHUYLFHV PD\ YDU\ E\ ORFDWLRQ $GGLWLRQDO ORFDO WD[HV DQG IHHV PD\ DSSO\ ‹ 0DVVDJH (QY\ )UDQFKLVLQJ //&

the Council’s retreats, adding that there will probably be two retreats this year: a mini-retreat to be held soon and a more involved retreat around March, which will focus on the upcoming budget for 2013-14 and the Council’s role in the process. Finalizing the next budget will be one of the biggest items on the Council’s agenda for the year, but Vache said other items include the many construction projects in the downtown and Overlake neighborhoods. “We’re looking forward to a good year,� he said. [ more COUNCIL page 9 ]

REDMOND 17214 Redmond Way Bear Creek Village Shopping Center

BELLEVUE 14339 NE 20TH St. Ross Plaza by Video Only

(425) 558-9399

(425) 614-3689

*Valid on member and first time guest rates. Rates and services may vary by location. Š2011 Massage Envy Franchising, LLC. plus 1.8% B&O tax

564164

Members of the Redmond community continue to voice their concerns about City Council’s decision to allow developers to eliminate more than 1,100 trees in Overlake to make way for a mixed-use development. The topic dominated the public input portion of the first Council meeting of the year on Tuesday as speakers implored Council to reconsider the 6-to-1 approved plan and come up with an alternative that would preserve some of the trees. But Council members did not make any motions to reconsider and the development will move forward as planned, according to Council President Pat Vache. Robert Berg of Sustainable Redmond, a group that encourages sustainability within the city, said he felt the planning and decision making for the former Group Health Overlake Hospital site at 2464 152nd Ave. N.E. deserved a better process with more community input. “I felt that the process wasn’t as transparent as it could’ve been,� he said. Berg added that if there had been more public discussion, they possibly could have come up with a viable, alternative solution that would satisfy the developers as well as preserve the natural environment. Former Redmond mayor Rosemarie Ives also spoke at Tuesday’s meeting and agreed with Berg, saying the community outreach and public input portion of the process was insufficient. Additionally, Ives said the Group Health Cooperative (GHC) site will help with growth


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.