Somerset Sun June 2022

Somerset Community Association Board of Directors - responsibilities

Charles Bofferding President, CRC

Yiyi Guo Vice President

Marie Vieth Treasurer

Sue Sander Secretary

Gary Albert Landscaping

Francis Brito Pride

Diane Fern CRC

Johannes Grad Website, Social Media

Kristen Iversen Membership, CRC

Pete Mansfield Emergency Preparedness

Muriel Mittelstrass Welcome, School Liaison

Allan Yeung Member-at-Large

Directors are elected at our annual general meeting and serve a 3-year term. Our officers of President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer are chosen after election to the Board. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us at somerset98006@gmail.com.

Somerset Sun Advertising deadlines:

August 12, 2022 – Fall issue

November 11, 2022 – Winter issue

February 10, 2023 – Spring issue

May 12, 2023 – Summer issue

Sizes and Rates per issue (same for color or black & white):

Business Card (3"w x 2"h) $25

Quarter Page (4"w x 5¼"h) $140

Half Page Horizontal (8"w x 5¼“"h) $300

Half Page Vertical (4"w x 10½"h) $300

Full Page (8"w x 10½" h) $550

There is a 10% discount for Somerset residents. Thank you for your interest in advertising in the Somerset Sun.

Together, we are neighbors helping neighbors.

Somerset Babysitters

Are you looking for a local babysitter or interested in offering your services as one? Please contact us at Somerset98006@gmail.com and we will share information between verified Somerset residents. We already have a few interested babysitters, so email us soon to make plans for your next evening out.

Reconnect and Energize --

Block Groups are a key and your involvement is essential

Hello again. I am Charles Bofferding. This is my second year on the Somerset Community Association (SCA) Board and first year as President. I have a lot to learn and continue to be amazed at the talent on the board and in our community volunteers. My goal is to help everyone understand and use their passion for the betterment of our community.

SCA PRESIDENT S MESSAGE

Are you ready to step out of COVID isolation? Would like to get to know your neighbors? Would you like to work with your neighbors on something you agree is important (could be emergency preparedness, neighborhood watch, welcome new people, make your streets cleaner and views better, or anything you all agreed was a good thing to do)? The SCA Board answers YES to all these questions and is working to help anyone else who also answers YES to do something positive. Block Groups are a key to our success.

This year the Board’s focus is to “Reconnect and Energize the Community.” We believe our role is to help people do good things for themselves, their families, and our community. We know COVID has isolated us and broken many of the bonds established over the years. We intend to reform those bonds and create new ones. Our mission is to understand, connect, and empower the community.

Based on a suggestion at this year’s annual meeting, we held our first ever Lunar New Year celebration. We have decided to make it a yearly event. We have also added two additional Community Meetings to better connect the community, hear suggestions, share information, and improve responsiveness.

We just held our first Community Meeting on May 19th. A BIG topic was Block Groups. Block groups (groups of 10 - 25+ contiguous houses) have been around a long time and used for many purposes: block watch, emergency preparedness, social gatherings and connecting neighbors, to name a few. Over time they have atrophied, and it is time to rebuild them (RECONNECT).

(ENERGIZE) At the community meeting, block group coordinator Pete Mansfield shared information on our website (somerset98006.org/blockgroups) that defines block groups and provides step by step instructions for anyone willing to start one.

We also heard from a long-time block group coordinator – his group and others were formed decades ago and continue to stay active and benefit from the organization. They have shared info and keep an eye on each other’s homes, they have a shared emergency preparedness plan, and they have worked together to improve a common area for everyone’s benefit -- sounds like something we all want to be part of. We have also heard from others who will be forming new block groups.

BOTTOM LINE: Block groups help connect our community members to each other. They are a strong and necessary foundation. Please sign up to support or form your local block group. If you’re wondering if you’re already in a block group or would like to start one, reaching out to Pete Mansfield is a great first step.

Also consult our website for volunteer opportunities including the upcoming July 4th celebration.

Let’s Reconnect and Energize – and have fun doing it! Thank you for being part of the Somerset Community and enjoy the summer.

Charles Bofferding SCA President

Heartfelt Thanks

The SCA, its Board members and the Somerset community want to express our sincere appreciation to the CENSE team who have worked diligently for over eight years to keep the Energize Eastside project from affecting our neighborhood. Though Board members included those from other neighborhoods, we want to acknowledge Somerset residents Don Marsh, Karen Esayian, Jan Medley, Joan Nolan, Sam Esayian, Kristi Weir, Gloria Thompson, Barbara Braun, and Curt Allred for their thousands of hours of tireless dedication and monetary support. Many of these folks are continuing on

with the CENSE work to try to protect North Bellevue even though they have lost the battle in Somerset.

We also appreciate the many Somerset residents have contributed over the years – by monetary contributions and by showing up at hearings. CENSE confirms that Somerset gave the most of any impacted neighborhood. We are proud of our residents’ civic engagement and commitment to the neighborhood – thank you all.

SCA Board

City Council Discussing New Parks and Open Space Funding

Voted measures and impact fees are under consideration

By Councilmember Jennifer Robertson

Bellevue is known as a “City in a Park”, and we try to live up to that label by continuing to improve and expand the parks, open space, and recreation facilities within our borders. As our city grows denser, it is more important than

COUNCIL CORNER

The Council is currently considering the creation of a new parks levy or bond measure to meet the parks and open space needs of our growing city. If approved, this would appear on this November’s ballot. If approved, a measure would likely include capital funds for new projects and also could include funding for maintenance because, if we build it, we need to maintain it. As the Council works through these issues, I encourage you to let us know what you would like to see funded if the Council does put a measure on the November ballot. The Council will decide on a potential ballot measure by mid-summer.

ever that City leaders keep the abundance of parks, recreation, and open spaces accessible and available to all residents. This means purchasing open space when it is available, adding new recreation facilities, and completing park projects that are in the pipeline such as a new beach front park on Lake Sammamish, phase two of the Meydenbauer Bay Park, developing more neighborhood parks, and developing a regional aquatics center.

The City Council recently approved an updated Parks and Open Space System Plan. This is the primary tool for shaping the future of Bellevue’s parks over the next 20 years. We heard loud and clear that the community supports investing in trails, open space, beach and waterfront access, and other indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities. The Parks and Open Space System Plan includes a 20-year list of projects which reflect these community interests. These projects will require between $500 million to $1 billion in funding to complete. Unfortunately, current parks funding sources will only support completing about one-third of these projects.

In addition to considering a levy or bond measure, the Council is also considering establishing parks impact fees. Impact fees are paid by developers when new capacity (residential or commercial) is added. They do not apply to renovations or replacements, but only when new housing units or commercial space is added. Impact fees can be used for new or expanded parks and open space facilities which will serve the new growth. Impact fees are one way that the City can help “growth pay for growth” in terms of parks funding. The Council will likely make a decision on impact fees by the end of this year or early in 2023.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer. Please go out and enjoy the abundant parks in Bellevue. If you go to a different Bellevue Park every day during summer, you won’t quite visit them all. I hope to see you around the neighborhood or around the pool deck cheering for our Somerset Stingrays!

Jennifer Robertson is a 4-term member of the Bellevue City Council and a municipal attorney with the Bellevue law firm Inslee Best Doezie & Ryder. She and her husband have raised three daughters in Somerset.

So how do we fund the future expansion and maintenance of parks and open space in Bellevue?

Spring Communit

The Somerset Community Association hosted its first quarterly community meeting on May 19th. About 15 people attended in person at Somerset Elementary School and an additional 25 on Zoom. During the meeting, the SCA shared our focus for 2022 of reconnecting and energizing the community. We discussed upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, updates on landscaping and police townhalls, and how to form block groups for social interests and preparedness.

We invited Mark Heilman (City of Bellevue Neighborhood Outreach Manager) to share more on community engagement opportunities with the city. One of our Somerset residents, who is a volunteer at the City, spoke about a

campaign she is helping to develop to promote and support heat pump adoption. We also recognized long-time volunteers Beverly Edwards and Angela Cheung for their continued support of the SCA

City councilmember Conrad Lee also joined us as a community member and we had a great discussion during the Q&A portion of the meeting. Big thanks to Somerset Elementary School for the great venue. We look forward to seeing you again at our fall community meeting! You can find more details, resources, and the meeting presentation on our website at https://tinyurl.com/yc84em3r.

Yiyi Guo SCA Vice President

A ONE-TWO PUNCH FOR ENERGIZE EASTSIDE

PSE scored two decisive victories for its transmission line upgrade project, Energize Eastside, during the past few months.

In late April, a Hearing Examiner engaged by the City of Newcastle approved a land use permit for Energize Eastside. This was the final approval PSE needed to complete the South Segment of the project that includes Somerset. Work crews have begun cutting down trees and preparing to install taller steel poles to carry very high voltages (230,000 volts) through our neighborhood.

In early June, an important land use hearing was held in Redmond. PSE recruited large corporations like Microsoft and Facebook to join the chorus of hospitals, schools, professional organizations, and charities testifying in favor of the project. Approval of the North Segment running through North Bellevue and Redmond appears inevitable.

The triumph of a plausible story

PSE prevailed using a story that sounded plausible to most people and ubiquitous marketing that helped convince companies and the public that rolling blackouts are an imminent threat. At each hearing, PSE showed less and less data to support this claim. Instead, the company said that it had conducted internal studies that were reviewed by authorities but not accessible to the public. In essence, PSE asked us to trust that it was doing its job correctly

CENSE, on the other hand, believed strong facts and attractive alternatives would win the debate. We used PSE’s own data to show that demand for electricity has been falling for the past decade due to more efficient lighting and heating, smart devices, and a concerted effort by customers to limit consumption for environmental and financial reasons.

When confronted with conflicting claims, land use judges gave PSE the benefit of the doubt. The case is so huge and complicated, it’s easy to see why these judges, none of whom are energy experts, chose the easier path in their decisions.

Bigger issues

During the pandemic, CENSE found it difficult to organize neighborhoods and raise funds to fully pursue our case. Attorneys and experts are expensive! PSE had a virtually unlimited pool of money and consultants to pursue a project that will be profitable for the company and its foreign investors.

The average customer will pay PSE approximately $1,000 in interest charges during the life of this power line. CENSE may try to reduce that amount at the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, but there is no longer any realistic way to stop construction of the project.

CENSE UPDATE

When CENSE was formed eight years ago, Energize Eastside seemed like one of the biggest threats to our quality of life in Bellevue. But we have now lost one million Americans to the pandemic, climate change threatens the Puget Sound region as well as the whole globe, war with Russia or China is a growing concern, and heated arguments over race and politics continue. It’s understandable that Energize Eastside might not loom as large in our minds as it once did.

The sight of tall steel poles sprouting from our neighborhood will sting for a while. In time, we will adapt. The long-term health and beauty of Bellevue will probably depend more on our ability to solve many other challenges we face as a city, a nation, and a troubled world. Our greatest strength will be our ability to maintain hope in the face of these significant challenges. CENSE demonstrated this spirit every day for nearly a decade.

Thanks for your support

This is likely to be the last “CENSE Update” in the Somerset Sun, since the project is likely to be well underway by the next issue. CENSE is very grateful for the moral and financial support of our Somerset neighbors and the Somerset Community Association throughout this long process.

Questions? Please contact us through email at info@cense.org.

Don Marsh CENSE President

Building an Inclusive Community

Residents of Somerset come from all over the world. We are a wonderfully diverse neighborhood. However, the various languages and cultural affinities can hinder neighborhood communication and development of personal connections. Making connections has many benefits. Developing a feeling of inclusion within your community is one important benefit. The

EMERGENCY

PREPAREDNESS

Somerset Community Association (SCA) is very focused on finding ways for all of us to develop connections with each other.

Community Events - The SCA promotes neighborhood-wide activities like our annual Fourth of July Celebration and our recent Lunar New Year event to help encourage community participation and involvement. We are always looking for more help. If you can lend a hand or if you have ideas for other events and are willing to become involved with helping to organize them, please contact the SCA directly on our website Somerset98006.org.

Block Groups - In following with the SCA’s focus this year (see the President’s Message), block groups are another great way to help residents who may not feel included to become more active in the community. Simply getting to know your neighbors is a huge first step in building community and making connections. A block picnic, potluck or similar event will bring out the neighbors, help build social bridges and improve neighborhood safety and security through increased communication. Events can also include a specific focus on preparedness, home safety or security. The SCA will support you

in this as well. Please email somersetprepares@gmail.com if interested in forming or joining a block group. Also see Somerset98006.org for additional block group information.

Bellevue Police Advisory Councils - On a city-wide basis, the Bellevue Police Department is working to become a more inclusive and community-oriented organization by implementing a Transformational Policing Model including the formation of Police Advisory Councils. The goal of the advisory councils is to strengthen the relationship between the department and the community through trust, respect, and mutual understanding.

There are seven advisory councils including African American, Muslim, Latino/Latina, LGBTQI+, Interfaith, Asian/Pacific Islander, and South Asian residents. The councils meet as individual groups on even months and all councils meet as a large group on odd months. Each council collaborates in a partnership with police on projects, provides guidance on best practices and approaches, helps to identify barriers that exist between police officers and members of the community, and develops strategies to eliminate those barriers. Council members are invited to participate in behind-the-scenes police training sessions and are also part of police hiring and promotional boards. Members will also be involved with helping to make recommendations for large police policy shifts.

The immediate goal is to find community members for each council that will commit to being involved and active participants. Anyone with questions can contact Major Andrew Popochock (apopochock@bellevuewa.gov) or Captain Alycia McKinney (amckinney@bellevuewa.gov). A web-search on “Bellevue police advisory council” leads to additional information.

Pete Mansfield SCA Preparedness Chair

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design

A Neighbor Reports a Valuable Experience

In our December 2021 issue of the Somerset Sun, we mentioned the Bellevue Police Department’s Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program. We received the following response from one of our residents who contacted the BPD’s crime prevention specialist, Officer Ruby Daly (RDaly@bellevuewa.gov) to see what could be done to improve security around his home. His experience:

I contacted Officer Ruby Daly and she arranged for Officer Lucas Porter to visit our residence. Officer Porter conducted a thorough CPTED evaluation and made two observations/recommendations that would help us “adopt and display a more aggressive security posture”. We implemented the two recommendations a few days after his visit.

It was very helpful to have a pair of trained eyes look at “how we are doing” when it comes to preventing a burglary from occurring. I recommend to the Somerset Community Association members signing up for a CPTED evaluation.

For anyone interested in receiving a similar CPTED review, please contact Officer Daly at her email above and let us know how your evaluation goes!

Peter Halamek, Somerset resident since 1996

Should I Call the Police?

Have you ever thought about calling the police but decided not to?

We should all feel comfortable with calling the Bellevue Police Department (BPD) whenever we see, hear, or otherwise experience something in our neighborhood that we know, or suspect, is illegal. Calling the police not only helps protect you but also allows you to help protect our community.

However, it is well known that many of us, particularly those who may not be strong English speakers or who have had experiences outside Bellevue where policing is different, do not necessarily feel comfortable calling the police when needed. There are also those who believe there is no point in calling the police since the event, perhaps a car prowl, occurred during the night and nothing was taken. Or maybe we just feel like we shouldn’t bother the police about an issue that in the grand scale of things seems small.

These and others are all reasons that much criminal activity consistently goes unreported. Reporting crime, even if minor and after occurring, is critically important. First, all crimes no matter how small, may fit a pattern in a region or neighborhood. The more reports police receive the clearer this pattern becomes and the better chance the police will find the criminals. Second, crime statistics are used to justify adding resources to our Bellevue Police Department. A documented increase in calls provides motivation to add patrol officers and detectives to the police force to improve call response and investigation. Please note that posting your

Newport Way Library Programs

Check out these summer programs at Newport Way:

experience on Nextdoor or other social networks is not the same as filing a police report with the details police need to help them in their work.

The Somerset Community Association (SCA) and BPD are very interested in finding ways to encourage residents to speak up about safety and security issues in the community and generally communicate with each other on issues of mutual concern. The SCA sponsored a Virtual Police Townhall meeting in April to give residents a chance to ask questions and voice concerns to members of the BPD. The meeting was well-attended and provided valuable insights regarding crime and tips for avoiding crime in our neighborhood. If you did not hear about this, please sign up for email notifications on Somerset98006.org. The SCA will sponsor additional townhall meetings in the future.

Remember: You may call 911 for ANY issue. Be prepared to provide your name, location, and description of what you are experiencing, have seen, or encountered. If this is not an emergency, the operator will connect you to the police nonemergency line where you can speak directly with an officer They are here to help, appreciate your call and will create a police report for their records.

For non-emergency issues, the BPD has an online reporting system. Go to bellevuewa.gov/city government/departments/police/report-and-prevent-crime to find out what options exist there. Even if you do not receive a specific response, the BPD really does appreciate your reporting.

The Summer Reading program began on June 1 and runs through August 31! Track your reading on a paper log or through the library’s online reading site, kcls.beanstack.org/reader365. Any age can sign up to meet summer reading goals and kids can earn prizes.

Family Concert with singer Nancy Stewart - Join beloved children’s performer Nancy Stewart for a singing celebration of Pacific Northwest Sea life! The young audience will be invited to help explore the animals of our coastal waters. An outdoor, in-person program at the Newport Way library on Sunday, June 26, 11am.

Children’s Book Sale on Sunday, June 26, 11am to 6pm – The Newport Way Library Association will be offering great bargains on hundreds of children’s books. Come support the library (credit cards accepted.)

Story Time

dance and play

June, 11-11:30am

For more information, go to the King County Library System website. To sign up for newsletters to be notified of these and other programs, see kcls.org/newsletters/.

2022 Summer Pool season is now open!

On Saturday May 14, the sun came out and the SRC’s pool was officially opened for the summer season when kids lined the pool deck and jumped in during this fun annual kickoff event! It was great to see the toddler pool filled with kids, f laughing, the ice cr pickleball on the ne out the benefits of a SR house visitors enjo the off season including fresh landscaping and of course, the new sport court! Thanks again to all the members who helped get SRC ready in the pre-season!

Summer Swim Team: This year we have more than 130 Stingrays and Sharkies swimmers excited to get back into the water! Our Division II Somerset Stingrays team looks forward to another competitive (yet fun!) season for boys and girls ages 7-18. The SRC summer swim team is a spirited, family-based swim team committed to providing a well-rounded swim experience balancing community, sportsmanship, and overall enjoyment with high quality instruction, individual skill development, and a competitive team-oriented environment.

For the full schedule of swim team dates including practice times and swim meets please check out check the Aquatics section at somersetrec.org. Still have questions? Please contact our Swim Team Coordinators at SRCswimteam@gmail.com.

Group Swim Lessons: Did you know that SRC offers group summer swim lessons for members AND non-members? Weekdays for 30 minutes, lessons are ideal for children ages 5-12. Kids are grouped according to ability and the SRC ratio of coach to student is very low for new swimmers and goes up slightly as kids become water safe. Sessions run for two weeks and cost is $150 for members and $200 for nonmembers. Thirty-minute lessons run Monday through Friday, 12:30-1:00 pm and 1-1:30 pm. Session 2 is already sold out as we go to print, but check our website for availability and more information about group swim lessons.

Sport Courts: We are excited to be able to offer tennis, pickleball, basketball and badminton options to our 2022 members! After resurfacing last year, our multi-purpose courts are now open and will be available to be reserved through our online reservation system. We are also planning some Adult Pickleball Evening events, and an Open House to learn about group tennis lessons for ages 6-18. More details are posted on Facebook and our website.

Summer Social Events

(see our website for more details as dates approach)

Thursday, June 23 and Monday, August 29 Pizza and Bingo, 6-8pm

A fun night for the whole family! Dinner includes a slice of pizza, salad, beverage and a treat. Bingo cards are for sale during the event. Dinner is $6, Bingo cards for sale 2/$1. Please RSVP online so we know how much pizza to purchase.

Saturday, July 23

Annual Auction & Fundraiser Dinner

Join us for a fun adult evening at the pool. We’ll have dinner and lots of fun items to bid on to raise funds for the pool. Ticket information will be available on our website.

Thursday, August 4

Pizza Funday w/Dessert Potluck 6-8pm

Pizza will be available for pre-purchase, you provide the dessert. Pool games for the kids! Please RSVP and order pizza online so we know about how much food to get.

Friday & Saturday Outdoor Movie Nights, August 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27

Movies start at dusk. Bring a float for the pool, or sit in a chaise poolside. One of the amazing benefits of membership – watching a movie together outdoors on a balmy summer’s eve.

Memberships are still available!

New members welcome! Join today!

Facility Improvements: The SRC Board continues efforts to make SRC a community treasure for the Somerset neighborhood. We've hired our first landscaping service to tend to our facility property maintenance, and had fresh bark installed. The new slide project is currently under plan review with the City of Bellevue and based on the feasibility and timeliness of any requirements from them, we should be able to order the replacement slide before the end of summer. Unfortunately, due to supply chain issues and fabrication of custom parts, installation may not be completed until it’s time for the Polar Bear plunge. The PSE Energize Eastside project is underway and the two poles just to the west of the club are scheduled to be replaced in September and October. Some work will happen before then (ropes run, bases installed, and some preparatory work). It’s possible this work may impact court usage for a couple of weeks in June.

We were excited to have turf installed in the court area in time for Opening Day. We still plan to purchase and build a gazebo for the courts area. As of publication, the Somerset Reservoir Decommissioning Project timeline is under negotiation. Replacement of the pool coping (the pool edge) and surface tile project has been pushed until Fall/Winter 2022.

HELP WANTED!

Do you enjoy our quarterly newsletter? Do you have graphic design or editing experience? Do you have mad writing skills or a desire to keep the neighborhood informed? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, please consider taking on the role of Newsletter Editor

The SCA is looking for someone to take over (or share) the position of Newsletter Editor beginning in 2023. Duties include consultation with Communications Chair as to topics, collection and editing of articles, community research, roving reporting, and occasional photography. Please contact the SCA at Somerset98006@gmail.com for more information. Help us keep the neighborhood informed!

GOOD READS

Some suggestions from Somerset resident Marie Vieth for our mystery lovers out there:

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman 403 pages (2009)

When two sisters disappeared from a shopping mall thirty years ago, a lot of questions arose. How do you kidnap two girls? Who could have lured them away from a busy mall on a Saturday afternoon? Now a disoriented woman involved in a rush-hour hit-and-run claims to be the younger sister. Except that after her initial admission, she stonewalls the authorities and the information she does give the police seems to lead to a dead end.

This story moves back and forth across the decades and is seen through the eyes of the sisters, the parents and now the authorities. Will the truth be revealed? This crime novel is a tightly written story that explores loss and love.

The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves 382 pages (2020)

This mystery features the beloved, crochety Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope. Driving home one evening in a blizzard, she becomes disoriented and takes a wrong turn, where she discovers a car that has slid off the road. The door of the car is open and, in the backseat, she discovers a toddler. Where is the mother? As the book progresses, we learn more about DI Stanhope, her complicated family connections and the secrets of her hometown in northern England.

This highly successful series of books has sparked an even more successful TV series (“Vera”) that first aired in 2011 with the last season premiering in 2021 (look for it on Britbox and Amazon Prime if you are interested).

The CRC has received several street parking complaints and questions recently. Here is a summary that might be helpful for understanding what your Covenants say, and the City of Bellevue rules which also apply

Most divisions’ Covenants do not allow trucks, RVs, boats, etc. to be parked on your property or the streets but do allow for overnight automobile parking. However, that is intended to mean the auto is used daily and the street isn't being used as a storage lot. The City of Bellevue has regulations regarding this under Municipal Code 11.23.020 which states that “no person may park or re-park a vehicle on either side of a public street within the same block for a period exceeding 24 consecutive hours. A vehicle shall be deemed to be parked in violation of this section unless the vehicle is moved to a different block every 24 hours.” (Ord. 4611 § 6, 1993.) Simply moving it a few feet or across the street does not meet the standard for restarting the 24-hour clock. If a car owner does not want to use a car regularly, it should be in the garage, driveway, or stored in a storage yard.

The City of Bellevue and the State of Washington both have other parking restrictions which we must abide by in Bellevue. For example, it is illegal to park closer than 10 feet to a mailbox (during delivery hours) as it could compromise the USPS’s ability to safety deliver the mail. It is also illegal to park partially or fully on the sidewalk, facing the opposite direction of the flow of traffic, or more than 12 inches from the curb. For more details on parking restrictions, visit the City’s website at bellevuewa.gov and search for “parking restrictions.”

If you have an issue with a neighbor’s parking practices, you must follow the process for handling complaints described in

landscaping update

the CRC dispute resolution process. The first step in the process requires you to be the first responder to the complaint. So, you need to talk with the neighbor or owner of the car and let them know the parking rule(s) which they are breaking. If the neighbor does not take appropriate action then please fill out the CRC Neighbor Complaint Form on our website and the CRC will assign a committee member to follow up. If the offender fails to respond to the CRC request

COVENANT CORNER

for compliance with their Covenants we will be left with no choice but to forward the complaint on to City of Bellevue Code Enforcement which has the power to issue citations until the parking code violation is corrected.

The CRC would like to thank our members in the community for submitting their exterior house paint colors, roofing material, landscape plans, decking changes and remodeling plans for our review as required by the Covenants. This quarter saw an increase in submittals, as most homeowners try and get things done in the (dry?) summer season. Thank you also to those community members who are keeping their property looking nice and protecting their personal investment in their home, property, and our neighborhood. Collectively we make this community an enjoyable place to live for ourselves, our visitors, and future residents.

Diane Fern CRC Chair

It is the time of the year again when cleaning up and refreshing the landscaping is needed. For our part we have removed some of the winter color in the front entrance and installed colorful impatiens for the summer. The impatiens we ordered have been a little slow in developing this year but they were installed near the end of May. The fountain has been cleaned and restarted; hopefully it won’t get soaped again this year… what a waste of time it is cleaning up afterwards.

You may have seen sidewalks marked for repair to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act for ‘trip hazards’ and to make it easier for people with mobility issues to mo around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, once again, due to limited funding for sidewalk repairs, the city will use asphalt, both unsightly and displeasing in our nice neighborhoods. There are five city sidewalk districts, and each is covered about once every five years. W have met with the city’s sidewalk crew to see about replacing panels with concrete instead of a temporary fix. They normally are replacing about 10,000 square feet of concrete sidew year but this year they can only do 3,000 due to reductions in the budget. If you also agr this looks bad, please use your voice and complain to the City Council and City Manager them know they need to increase the funding for neighborhood sidewalk repairs.

Gary Albert Landscaping Chair

Sidewalk marking and asphalt patch.

Confessions of a Somerset Housewife: Eating Crow

This is my fourth year living in Somerset. In a previous column, I confessed to you all the reasons that I sometimes feel like an imposter in this neighborhood. And I still do sometimes. I still buy Pirate’s Booty in bulk. There’s a load of laundry that has been in the washer for at least 3 days. There is currently a stroller, an electric toddler car, and a child’s sock on my front porch. I haven’t planted anything yet this spring, and instead the “garden” features all of the plants that have died on my watch that I couldn’t stand to look at anymore, like a weird plant cemetery

Last week, I was feeling this lack of belonging even more than normal. I had woken up after a night spent mulling over unfinished tasks. I surveyed the state of the house and decided to start with the kitchen. I looked at the state of the kitchen and decided to make a list. I looked at the list and decided to take a walk with Finn (my now 20month-old).

I breathed in the fresh spring air and sneezed a few times, trying to do so covertly (one does not sneeze in these times) as I passed a neighbor who was also out walking at 6:40am (who are you people?). I tried to relax, look around, and enjoy the spectacular views in the neighborhood. Nothing like a walk to give you some perspective.

Finn was babbling as he does, and he interrupted his “mamamamamamama” with an “ah”. “Ah” is short for “caw” which is what we always yell when we see our neighborhood crows. I followed his line of sight and spotted it – a big, beautiful crow flying above. I joined him in cawing at said crow, and had a small conversation: “Good morning, crow! How are you doing today? Pretty good? That’s great!”

Then, in my peripheral vision, I saw something white falling from the sky. A petal, I thought. A beautiful petal from the beautiful tree we were passing. As I looked down at Finn, I quicky realized that it was not, in fact, a beautiful petal. The crow had unleashed his entire digestive system’s worth of that week’s food on my baby’s face. My mouth fell open in horror, and Finn blinked at me.

I was livid. I had just exchanged pleasantries with this crow. I had never even heard of being crapped on by a crow, and I have lived my entire 41 years without ever catching it in my face. And yet, here was my 20month-old, looking uncannily like the lead singer of Kiss. Finn continued yelling “ah” at the crow, and I yelled other things, as I panicked and looked for something with which to clean it up. I rejoiced that the bottom of my stroller was messy with kids’ discarded sweaters and began cleaning my sweet baby boy’s face as best that I could.

We were about halfway through the loop at that point, and I could have spent the rest of the walk muttering and grumbling about my luck and the cursed crow. Instead, I looked down at Finn who was happily chattering away as he does, focusing on every new thing he encountered with enthusiasm and awe. I thought back to my feelings of being an imposter and decided that a perspective shift was in order. I could think of the incident as a rejection of the worst kind. But there’s another way of looking at it. Perhaps the crow incident (as it shall henceforth be known) was something of a benediction, a strange kind of knighting ceremony. And so, that is how it shall be remembered, the day the crows truly welcomed us into the neighborhood.

Renee Kipp lives in Somerset with her husband and four children and is kind enough to occasionally share her musings with the community.

Bellevue Schools Foundation

On Friday, May 13, over 500 parents, educators, friends, and dignitaries gathered for the annual “Spring for Schools” luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. Following an education showcase, guests gathered for the premiere of School Spirit, a short film highlighting the impact of the Bellevue Schools Foundation throughout all 30 schools in the Bellevue School District. The event was brimming with learning, inspiration, and philanthropy!

Established in 1979, Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF) is the first foundation dedicated to supporting public K-12 initiatives in Washington State. Spring for Schools 2022 w contributions, as well as BSF’s mission to promote and fund the best possible learning opportunities for all students in Bellevue’s public schools. BSF’s investments allow students to achieve higher levels of academic success and social-emotional well-being, regardless of language, gender, race, socioeconomic status, or special needs. BSF is committed to expanding funding for racial equity and amplifying the diverse voices and strengths of students and families within the Bellevue community

Finn enjoying puddle-jumping through Somerset

NHS Team Crowned National Champs in Rocketry Contest

On May 14th, Newport High School’s Team Graveyard won the National Title for The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC). TARC is the world’s premiere student rocketry competition with over 5,000 students representing 724 teams from 41 different states. The team will advance to the International Rocketry Challenge at the Farnborough Airshow.

The rocketry season began in September and included months of designing, building, testing, and altering. This year’s competition rules revolved around launching a rocket to an altitude of 835 feet with a flight duration between 41 and 44 seconds. In addition, rockets carried payloads of two raw eggs which were required to land safely

“We had our fair share of challenges, but we were determined to work through them, and that’s what made the difference for us in this competition,” said Arthur Gwozdz, team captain. “Our advisors and mentors have supported us every step of the way. I am so proud of the team and what we have been able to accomplish.”

Liu, Rose Liu, Brandon Luo, Ethan Luo, Kavin Manivasagam, Vanu Rao, Shreyas Subramanian, and Minghan Sun.

In addition to Team Graveyard, Team Meeska Mooska of Newport High School finished second at The American Rocketry Challenge.

By Samuel Chen NHS Student

3rd Annual SOMERSET SUN COVER CONTEST!

Do you have a budding artist at your house? We believe in encouraging children’s creativity and supporting young artists in our Somerset community. Art offers children a unique means of expression, capturing their passion and emotions and fostering the exploration of new ideas, subject matter, and cultures.

We are inviting our Somerset children to share their creative talents by entering our cover contest. The winning entry will be featured on the cover of the Fall issue of the Somerset Sun. Other entries may be included inside the same issue. (We reserve the right to use another cover should we not receive a sufficient number of appropriate submissions.)

This year’s theme: Pets

Guidelines:

· Participants should create their artwork on 8-1⁄2" x 11" unlined white paper

· Participants must be residents of Somerset between the ages of 5 and 12.

· Artwork should be scanned and emailed to Somerset98006@gmail.com. If you don’t have scanning ability, contact us at the same email address and we will help.

· All entries must include name and age of artist, and the email must be signed and sent by the entrant’s parent/guardian.

· By signing, parents grant permission for their children’s artwork and first name to be put online and printed in the magazine.

· We only allow one entry per person.

· All entries must be the entrant’s original, unpublished and previously unproduced work.

· Deadline for entries is August 15, 2022.

PO Box 40531

Bellevue, i

WA 98015

Somerset 4th of July Celebration

Mark your calendars now and save the date for Monday, July 4th for our 15th Annual Somerset Community Association Parade and Picnic in the Park. It’s a great day for neighbors to get together, have lots of fun and celebrate our country’s independence.

We will have prizes for the best costume (most traditional, most original, and most patriotically adorned family) and best decorated transport (bike, wagon, scooter).

We will gather beginning at 10:30am in the Somerset Rec Club lower parking lot at the corner of Somerset Boulevard. and Somerset Dr ve (4445 Somerset Boulevard). The walking parade along Somerset Drive starts at 11:00am and the route is about 0.8 miles, ending at Forest Hill Neighborhood Park.

Then it will be time for BBQ hot dogs, chips, drinks, and dessert for all, hosted by the Somerset Community Association. We are planning for field games and other fun. Honey buckets will be available at the park also. Things will wrap up around 1:30pm, giving us plenty of time to rest up for the evening fireworks!

Please bring the entire family. Hopefully a fire truck can visit us again this year. It’s the best way to start your day of celebration

Somerset Community Associaton