REPORTER
Mercer Island www.mi-reporter.com
Wednesday, October 2014 Wednesday, March1,20, 2013| |75¢ 75¢
Center for Arts begins next phase
Sharing the news
Comprehensive Plan update continues The Mercer Island Planning Commission continues its work on the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update tonight at 7 p.m. , Oct. 1 in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The Commission will review changes to the transportation and land use elements of the plan, including the addition of sustainability components. For more, go to www. mercergov.org. and click on the ‘Agenda and Minutes’ tab on the left.
Mercer Island Center for the Arts, MICA, moves ahead, hires consultants By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
Emmanuel Church hosts talk on African School Emmanuel Episcopal Church will host Irish-born Br. Paul Brennan as he tells of ministering to poor children in Kenya where he founded a Patrician school. The event is from 7 until 8:30 p.m., Oct. 8, at the church at 4400 86th Ave S.E. It will include a reception. All are welcome!
Many did not receive message about boil water advisory By Katie Metzger
kmetzger@mi-reporter.com
After a water contamination scare over the weekend, the City of Mercer Island is examining its emergency response management while continuing to monitor its water system per normal operating procedure. E. coli bacteria was discovered in Mercer Island’s water supply on Friday, Sept. 26, prompting a ‘boil water advisory’ that was issued on Saturday at 3 p.m. The
city lifted the notice Monday morning when retest results were found to be clear, though not before announcing the closure of the Island’s public schools and 62 food establishments for sanitation and inspection. Businesses were closed Saturday and Sunday, and the Mercer Island Farmers Market was canceled on Sunday. “We are discussing all of our outreach efforts and looking for ways to improve them, “ said communications manager Ross Freeman. “We take emergency communications very seriously on the Island, and will implement lessons learned from this incident. “
Water | Page 2
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MICA | Page 8
REPORTER
It is not over yet! Despite a market day lost to the boil water advisory, the Mercer Island Farmers Market will return on Sunday Oct. 5, in the Town Center for ‘Oktoberfest.’
An Island weekend without clean water
Freeman said city officials undertook a public outreach effort to inform residents of the situation by posting updates on the city website, putting notices on the doors of eateries and using social media. The city also attempted to use a reverse 911 system, but it did not work correctly. “We understand a number of residents did not receive a reverse 911 call as we expected, “ said emergency manager Jennifer Franklin. “We have already started looking into this issue and are working with the service provider to determine how to better inform the public in any future events using a telephone-based system. “ No illnesses were linked to Mercer Island water as of the Reporter’s deadline, though Freeman said it takes three to five days to confirm cases of E. coli.
Mercer Island
Farmers Market will return Sunday
Mary L. Grady/Staff Photo
Islander Peter Jurca takes a photo of the boil water notice on the front door of Einstein’s Bagels on Sunday to share with friends in the Phillipines. He said they would appreciate the irony of water problems in the United States. The boil water advisory was lifted Monday morning.
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All residents who ride Metro buses, and any others concerned by the imminent and severe service reductions, are invited by Mayor Bruce Bassett to attend a town hall-style community meeting, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2 at the Community and Event Center. See page 2 for story.
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Town Meeting on reduced bus service is tomorrow
The idea for an arts center in the Town Center has gone beyond just being a dream. Spurred on by the closure of Youth Theatre Northwest’s old location to make room for a new elementary school, the idea to have a space for the arts in the Town Center is taking shape. Already more than $4 million has been raised. The design for the 23,000-square-foot Mercer Island Center for the Arts, or MICA, is well underway. Designers, contractors and architects have been invited to submit ideas and bids.
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