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Bellevue College, WSU eye partnership BY JOSH STILTS ISSAQUAH & SAMMAMISH REPORTER
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
The Eastside could see a lot more cougars in its future as Bellevue College and Washington State University officials are exploring the possibility of a partnership between the two schools. In an effort to meet the increasing financial needs of the college's rapidly growing enrollment, Bellevue College's Board of Trustees unanimously voted to authorize the school's president, David L. Rule, to explore potential financial partnerships, including with Washington State University. Rule told the Reporter he and his staff were approached by WSU president Elson S. Floyd in
November, when Floyd pitched the idea of a potential union of the two colleges. "It's a very logical conversation," Rule said. "We're still the community's college. But we need to find out if the grass is actually greener on the other side." Floyd said there's been ongoing conversations within the state’s higher education sector to find affordable four-year degree programs. With its increasing student population, enrollment, infrastructure and growth potential, Bellevue College was an ideal target. "We're trying to figure out how the two- and four-year programs can work for students," Floyd said SEE PARTNERSHIP, 6
Josh Stilts, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter
Students at Bellevue College could be Washington State University students as well if talks advance on a potential merger between the two schools.
Issaquah leaders tell chamber city, schools are strong as ever
Sports
BY DANIEL NASH ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Skyline basketball tops Issaquah in showdown Page 7
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Daniel Nash, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter
Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler tells business leaders that the city had made strides in permitting processes by cutting the land use permitting process from 160 to 80 days.
SEE LEADERS, 5
Issaquah looks at costs, options in transportation plan BY DANIEL NASH ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
@IssReporter
Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler stood before local business leaders last week to, for the second time of his career as city executive, give his forecast for the year ahead. “I remember being here a year ago in front of all of you, giving my (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis — with one week as mayor,” Butler said, making a face playfully mimicking anxiety. “A lot has happened in a year. “Every day our community is evolving. … To keep up with these changes, our government has evolved also.” Members of the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce convened at the Holiday Inn
Jan. 8 for the organization’s annual Preview Luncheon. In addition to providing a look at upcoming networking events and business education programs, the event is an opportunity for the private sector to listen to their public sector counterparts in city government and schools highlight accomplishments from the year past and make forecasts for the year ahead. For the municipal government’s part, Butler said the city had made strides in permitting processes — noting that the land use permitting process had been cut from 160 to 80 days — the promotion of tourism and fiscal strength, while keeping its eye on obstacles such as traffic, homelessness,
Which comes first: the plan or the money for the plan? On Tuesday evening, the Issaquah City Council will vote on an updated transportation concurrency plan that was crafted to simplify the city’s work with developers and create new funding sources.
Normally, traffic concurrency is a dry and wonkish obligation of the state’s Growth Management Act to ensure cities don’t grow beyond what their infrastructure (primarily roads, but legally including public spaces, schools and fire protection facilities) can handle. With a plan in place, developers apply for new construction, cities determine how they fit into the city’s infrastructure under an established procedure and no one is caught unprepared.
But Issaquah staff have projected $304 million in infrastructure costs, largely around the site of the Central Issaquah Plan, through the year 2030. Of those costs, $191 million are unaccounted for, with no attached revenues in the proposed concurrency plan. Of that, $119 million come from anticipated traffic improvements alone. SEE TRANSPORTATION, 5