"Dodge Ball for Dollars" at RHS! -- Olivia Boker's culminating project

[See comment]

link to my opinion story on this event

An incredible event happened at Redmond High School last night, all because of Senior Olivia Boker's entrepreneurial and caring spirit. Some called the event "Dodge Ball for Dollars". Olivia Boker's (photo above) purpose was to excel in her Senior year "culminating project". Her goal was raising money for "The Invisible Children" of northern Uganda and entertain! She had a little help from lots of volunteers. Advisor Erica Gililand, her parents, Natalie and untold passionate others pitched in.


Olivia's Dodge Ball tournament was a gigantic success. I think we may be seeing more of this crazy sport at RHS for years to come. Watching players get nailed reminded us of the days we called it "War". I loved this game!!

Mr. Mayor Marchione attended with two city teams -fire & police- to throw in the opening ball at Oliva's volunteers (below). Unfortunately, he couldn't be around to watch his Fire Team take the trophy from a team of H.S. boy athletes. With two resounding, simultaneous "zingers" at the bell our city department put out the fire!
The colorful Teacher Team was awesome on all counts. If it were me, I'd have voted them "Best dressed". "The Clean Up Crew" -- young boys dressed in garbage bags and duct taped hats won. About a dozen teams played and the bleachers will filled. But, it's Coach Greg's Mustang Girls Ballistics team that got the most photo exposure. Yes, my daughter, #21, is on the team!

I'm not sure how much Olivia Boker's fundraising team earned for the abducted 20,000 Ugandan boys and girls, but it was significant. If you want to make a contribution contact Ms. Gililand in room E206 at RHS or click http://www.invisiblechildren.com/.

A short video clip of Dodge Ball follows, but first some parting facts about the Invisible Children of Uganda:

• Since 1986 20,000 boys and girls were abducted as child soldiers in General Kony's Lords Army Resistance (LAR) militia.
• More than 90% of LRA troops are children.
• 250,000 children in Northern Uganda receive no education.
• 60% of the schools don't function.
• Only one teacher for every 300 students!!!
• and on..... do you want to make a donation? (click on the link)

That jokingly "evil" government form!

That jokingly "evil" PRR government form - "PRR" is a government acronym for "Public Records Request form". Yes, indeed, the public has a wonderful tool to acquire information they need to conduct business with the government and communicate with neighbors. It's the PRR! When you can't get the information you want from city hall you can try a PRR. By state law (and as long as your request is NOT for profit) the city is required to hunt around for what you ask for -- budget information, land use documents and more! And they can't dilly dally. Law states the information should arrive within 5 working days. Obviously, the city doesn't particularly like us snooping around "their records" and it creates extra work on their part. In addition, some would prefer to control the "inside information" rather than give it up to the public. Thus, the PRR is jokingly "evil" to some but a god-send to most.

One of Mr. Mayor Marchione's first actions has been conducting "customer service" training. Hopefully, he will train his staff on the courteous and open availablility of this public document.

- excerpted from my "ODDS & ENDS" entry, 3/18/08

Bob Yoder
co-author
Ed. Hill neighborhood

Where do our Property Taxes go???

After I refinanced the mortgage on my home in Redmond, the county sent me a pie chart to explain "Where do your property taxes go?" I found their answers surprising!

The county slices our property tax into 8 pieces.

How much of your property tax goes to the City of Redmond?

85% of your property tax expenditures are consumed by just three pieces of the pie! And guess what? The City of Redmond's slice is one of the 'Big 3'

The Big 3 slices fund: 1) County purposes including medical services, 2) State and local schools, and 3) Cities & towns.

The largest slice 49.1% goes to State and Local Schools

The 2nd largest slide (17.9%) goes to County & Emergency services

The 3rd largest slice (17.7%) goes to Cities and Towns
The 4th largest slice (5.0%) goes to Fire, Hospital and other Districts
The 5th largest slice (3.6%) goes to Surface Water Management
The 6th largest slice (2.8%) goes to King County Libraries
The 7th largest slice ( 2.3%) goes to Port of Seattle

The smallest slice (1.6%) goes to Ferry and Flood

[Google "ferry" on this blog's search engine for details on the new "Mesquito Fleet" tax. For information on property tax problems and information on appealing assessed values call 206-296-5202.}]

Bob Yoder

Ed. Hill Neighborhood

Our Planning Commission really cares

The Planning Commissioners held a Public Meeting last week on "Home Business Licencing" requirements. I caught the tail-end of the meeting on RC-TV21 and wanted to tell them about a home-based food re-packaging business that was attracting rats in my neighborhood. Guess what? It wasn't too late! They "heard me" even though the Public Meeting had closed!

Usually, citizens can only "comment" before or during Public Meetings. That's changed. At times, they will extend the comment period for a few days after the Meeting. It's clear our commissioners go the extra mile to "listen" to us and encourage participation during their important city decisions.

The planning commissioners can be reached at planningcommission@redmond.gov . We are very lucky our commissioners will often "hear us" after a Public Meeting and before they make their decision. At present, comments made by email are not accepted during Public Hearings or Study Sessions. Hopefully, this policy will change. Usually, several planners sit at the table with the commission with their computers. It would be beneficial to keep this line of communication open.

Below, is the email comment I sent during last week's Public Meeting on business licensing. I learned later, a Redmond resident had already contacted our code enforcement officer, Carl McArthy and these businesses are now shut-down.
Dear Commissioners -

I have a comment on home business licensing for "food repackaging" businesses. Recently, Carl McCarthy had to make a visit to a home in our neighborhood that repackages dated food items and then sells the food at discount prices. The business is messy. It's operated out of the garage, multiple refers and freezers are used. Recently, a neighbor reported a large rat infestation in a nearby home and a few other homes. Lots of food waste is left on the curbs in over packed garbage barrels.

I hope these types of food businesses are shut down. The business is not a charity. It is a money making business. Public health is also a question mark.

Thank you,
[leave name and address]

Bob Yoder
C0-author, Ed. Hill neighborhood

Home sweet home

There's no place on Earth quite like Redmond, Washington.

Our fair city is known by many nicknames (both formal and informal): Bicycle Capital of the Northwest, Microsoft Town, a community of good neighbors.

But for me (and I suspect a great many of my fellow residents) Redmond is synonymous with merely one concise, cherished word. Home.

My attachment to Redmond is all the more powerful because it is the only home I have ever known. I've happily spent all twenty one years of my life here, and can't imagine spending the rest of them anywhere else. While I do love traveling, and sightseeing, there's perhaps nothing more exciting to me than coming home.

I call it returning to Redmond.

My thoughts always turn to coming home when that plane is taxiing to the runway to depart for SeaTac. Or when I'm passing under the 148th Avenue overchange on State Route 520, heading towards downtown. My favorite sight from the highway is when Redmond Town Center comes into view from the sloping hill. You can see the retail district, the forested hills above, and on a clear day, the breathtaking Cascades far and away, towering over the fields of Marymoor Park.

The future and well-being of the City of Redmond are vitally important to me. In fact, concern for Redmond is what led me to become involved in politics and civic affairs just over six years ago.

I was a freshman in high school at the time, and greatly concerned about the impact of Tim Eyman's harmful initiatives. Initiative 747 had recently passed then, putting the squeeze on Redmond and King County, and Eyman was going after Sound Transit, the very agency that will eventually provide me and all other Redmond residents with a way to reliably and quickly get out of town without an automobile.

I had no political experience and no connections back in February of 2002. Just an incredibly strong instinct that what Eyman was doing was harmful to Redmond, harmful to my family, and harmful to my future. So I launched a website to oppose him.

In 2003, recognizing that effectively blunting the impact of Eyman's initiatives was difficult without having better ideas, I founded the Northwest Progressive Institute, a strategy center which I continue to lead as executive director. Today NPI has over a dozen staff (nobody is yet on the payroll, but that will change soon) and more of us live in Redmond than any other municipality in the Pacific Northwest, giving NPI a strong connection to the community.

I am not only a proud liberal, but also a partisan Democrat as well (I serve on the Executive Board of the 45th District Democrats). I may not be an independent, but I am open minded. I enjoy listening to the perspectives of conservative and Republican friends even if I disagree with what they're saying. I pay close attention to reader feedback, whether it's praise or criticism, and I use it constantly to improve my writing.

While I do follow national and state politics very closely, my posts here will usually focus squarely on life in Redmond or city government - this is, after all, a neighborhood blog! Our relationship with the rest of the Puget Sound region is important, however, and I will touch on that, especially in the context of topics like transportation. If you're someone who would like to read my analysis of the presidential race - or another non-Redmond political topic - I invite you to check out NPI's blog, which we update about every day, published (as the description says) from majestic Redmond, Washington.

Or, more simply...home sweet home.

- Andrew Villeneuve

Eggstravaganza coming to Redmond

I can't tell you how excited my kids are that the City of Redmond's Eggstravaganza is just around the corner.

This annual event, held at the Redmond Senior Center on March 22nd, is a big hit at our house. Sure the Easter Bunny visits my kids at home and leaves them baskets of goodies in the back yard next to her hole. And of course we decorate eggs with stickers, crayons and dye that takes days to get scrubbed off my kitchen table. But nothing beats heading down to be with our neighbors and friends hunting eggs with candy inside for the little ones.

The first time we went, we paid for the Traditional Hunt and Pancake Breakfast that is held inside the Senior Center from 8am to 11am and put on by our local Lions Club. This year, it'll be in Classroom #24361, but in the past years that we've been to this event, we've just headed to the actual hunt at 10am (SHARP) and slept in a bit. (Around our house, the Easter Bunny wakes up very early to put those baskets near her dug out hole with the chewed up carrots. Then after she's done, she goes back to bed!) I also like that the "hunt" is held in an open area so I can see where the kids are at all times while I'm having a conversation with the other parents that are there.

After the hunt, we head inside (admission is $5 for kids and $7 for adults) for some face coloring, arts and crafts and games. And who can resist a photo with Mr(s) Bunny ($3 donation) to send back home to the grandparents? It sure beats the photos at Bellevue Square Mall that start at $19!!! Last year they started a Flashlight Hunt and Family Dance from 7pm to 10pm, also at the Senior Center, but our little ones are just to young for such an event.

Thanks to Jill and the City for providing such a great non-religious event that my family can take pleasure in and giving us a chance to see the community come out to enjoy the day. To learn more about the Eggstravaganza, visit the City of Redmond's website and we'll see you there! Rain or shine.

Koloud 'Kay' Tarapolsi
Co-Author, Overlake Neighborhood

"Odds & Ends"

Odds & Ends

Affordable Housing 101

"Thumbs up" on purchasing Lake Tapps

That jokingly "evil" PRR government form!

SR 520 road widening news!

Affordable Housing 101- Many citizens are mis-informed about affordable housing, thinking it is funded primarily by public assistance. On the contrary -- on the Eastside, the majority of affordable housing is funded by the private sector. Visit "Housing 101" to learn more. Mortgage assistance (4% loans, and more!) is available for first time buyers of homes under $361,000 with incomes ranging from $40K - 67K. For details visit "House Key Plus ARCH". And don't forget to tell your children!

-- source: City Council meeting, 2/2008 and Arthur Sullivan, Program Manager, ARCH.

"Thumbs up" on buying Lake Tapps - The city council gave a "thumbs up" on approval of the Purchase and Sale of Lake Tapps (near Tacoma) for the Cascade Water Alliance. The Cascade alliance plans to pipe water into Lake Tapps for storage. The water source is the White River. It drains Emmons glacier on Mt. Ranier -- the ultimate source. A pipe up to 70 inches in diameter will transport the Lake Tapps water to Redmond and other eastside cities and districts. Since 2003 Emmons glacier has been receding. In one study, University of Washington scientists forecast a 59% loss of snowpack by 2050. I've mountaineered Emmons - its huge. The receding glaciers were not discussed publicly as a concern by the either the Cascade alliance or city officials during the council 3/08 meeting. The Cascade alliance pipe, conservation, and a smaller carbon footprint will ALL be required to keep our water supply at capacity. "By 2020 existing water supplies will not be enough to reach forecasted demands" according to the "2001 Puget Sound Regional Outlook". Councilman Cole summarized, we are fortunate to have the resources of Cascade Water Alliance.

That jokingly "evil" PRR government form - "PRR" is a government acronym for "Public Records Request Form". Yes, indeed, the public has a wonderful tool to acquire information they need to conduct business with the government and communicate with neighbors. It's the PRR! When you can't get the information you want from city hall you can try a PRR! By state law (and as long as your request is NOT for profit) the city is required to hunt around for what you ask for -- budget information, land use documents and more! And they can't dilly dally. Law states the information should arrive within 5 working days. Obviously, the city doesn't particularly like us snooping around "their records" and it creates extra work on their part. In addition, some would prefer to control the "inside information" rather than give it up to the public. Thus, the PRR is jokingly "evil" to some but a god-send to most.

SR 520 road widening news - Word is out a few local city and state government officials are "cautiously optimistic" about funding a Bear Creek meander to move it away from the 4 additional lanes planned for 520. The lanes will be built on the creek-side and will consume flood plain capacity and threaten endangered salmon. Meandering the creek will mitigate flooding, make traveling safer, and protect the listed salmon. Citizen Gary Smith (past Trails Commissioner, salmon aficionado and Water Tender ) has spearheaded and coordinated citizen efforts with the city, agencies and legislature and is a large reason for the success we've had to date. You can find Gary's regionally renowned 520-Bear Creek flood video clip here. Gary only recently announced guarded optimism for creek restoration funding.

Bob Yoder

Education Hill neighborhood

A Walk in the Park

Howdy Neighbors, Bob Yoder asked me if I might contribute a few blog posts. Before I realized my commitment, I said, "yes!" My topic is about Redmond Parks and Trails. I am a regular user of Parks and Trails, so this should be an easy task for me.

Let me begin with Hartman Park. If you are new to Redmond, you may not have discovered this jewel yet. Hartman Park is located across the street from the Redmond High School at the top of Education Hill. The park is home to a King County swimming facility and 5 baseball fields. This is the home field of Redmond North Little League.

In 2004, Redmond North Little League won the Northwest region and participated in the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, PA. With Redmond North claiming the Northwest, it is the third team from Washington to claim the Northwest since its inception in 2001. Previous Washington champions were Bainbridge Island (2001), Richland (2003).

I walk thru the park virtually everyday with my companion dog, Sadie. Spring weather is showing color now in the park. The flowering plum trees are on display, and most trees are showing new green! Spring is a time of natural renewal, and plenty of outdoor activity.

I like this neighborhood park, and really enjoy watching the baseball games, and soccer games on the newer "turf" field. There is plenty of activity beginning in the spring, and that continues through the summer. In the summer, when my home windows are open for ventilation, I can easily hear all the baseball fans screaming, "go Johnny, go Johnny!"

My favorite area of the park is the wooded trail that meanders through a forest of cedars. It is walking in the woods that I feel grounded. Sadie likes to run freely on the trail. It is pure joy when she leaps to action and gives chase to a wild rabbit. We walked the park trail today in the rain. I got fairly wet from head to toe, yet the air is clean and fresh. My shoes got wet too, but they usually dry out overnight, for the next walk in Hartman Park.

Richard Morris

Education Hill neighborhood

Co-author

Blog Purpose, 2008

With the important mayoral and council elections over I've been thinking about where to direct my attention next with this blog. Mayor Marchione has been in office for over 60 days and he seems to to have gotten off to quite a good start. Thus, mayoral public relations are no longer called for from this keyboard. The mayor is an excellent administrator (the primary reason I campaigned for him) so, I'm confident his staff is soon up and running. Recently, the mayor completed land use public notice improvements that were initiated by ex-Councilman John Resha. Though, nothing was codified some of the improvements are significant. Thus, at this point I see no purpose in echoing Notices the city gives for land use. (I will amplify and enrich city event notices.) If the city errs or misleads on land use notices (or other areas) and I am informed, I may scrutinize the issue with the public and to bring clarity, transparency and/or reform.

Scrutiny of Redmond city government still remains the keystone of this blog. Neighbors have told me repeatedly they are happy "someone is watching" the city. Connecting and engaging city officials with citizens is the central purpose of this blog. "Together we make Redmond Better." A third purpose has come to the fore recently. I call it "The Big Sell." The Redmond Blog has a unique ability to accurately deliver multi-media messages to layered decision-makers to influence outcomes. Entertaining stories and features encourage readers to come back and to keep sharing this blog with others. And lastly, I advocate.

I'm a community volunteer. I do the best job I can, time permitting. Presently, I'm looking for work and some day soon I won't have endless hours to wile away at my favorite hobby!

It's important this blog keeps current and interesting and reaches out to a broader audience. Sports, cultural, environmental, land use, commerce and other Redmond topics are important to citizens and to the value of this blog. Once I start work, I won't have the time to write up these events. Thus, I'm launching a "team blog" of co-authors, to take the Redmond Neighborhood Blog to the next level of communication within our neighborhoods!



Stay tuned! And, don't forget to tell your friends to google "redmond blog" for the latest alternative neighborhood news!



If you would like to learn about how to be a co-author please email: redmondblog@gmail.com . I'm open to your job ideas, too!


All the best,

Bob Yoder
Education Hill
Redmond, WA. 98052

REDUX: Redmond Junior High 166th Avenue safety improvements

At last night's council meeting, the Council and Mayor gave "the green light" to road safety improvements on 166th Ave adjacent Redmond Junior High. The present 4 lanes will be re-channeled to 3 lanes, wider sidewalks, with bike lanes.

The Mayor is working with LWSD authorities to reconfigure the RJH parking lots to improve circulation. Construction is not not planned for completion until the first quarter of 2009. This is right during the school year. The delay is attributed to ordering light poles for 104 & 166 intersection. The rechannelization will probably be done first to convenience students, parents, and vehicular traffic.

Council felt confident in approving construction owing to the positive survey results at the last RJH public informational meeting. "100 citizens showed up" and 74 completed surveys. With the exception of one* survey question participants were positive about the improvements. *41% of those surveyed felt it would be more difficult to merge onto 166th Ave. The survey found most wanted rechannelization extended to NE 100th Street.

The February 7 Community Meeting SURVEY RESULTS on 166th improvments are listed here. If you were unable to attend the meeting how would you respond to this survey? Interestingly, 20 of 74 surveys were mailed in after the meeting. Can we assume the surveys were completed soley by community meeting residents?

Several councilmembers and the Mayor appear to prefer to rechannel 166th all the way down the hill to 85th, but they want to wait until the residents become comfortable with the RJH road safety improvments first. Councilman Pat Vache stated Redmond already has several 4:3 conversions showing rechannelization works and has safety benefits.

Some concerns about the rechannelization of 166th Ave. were voiced by a few citizens after the public meeting: 1) fencing is too close to 166th and impedes line-of-site. 2) during the AM commute cars may back up to NE 100th St. and make it impossible to turn left. Also, some drivers actually get out of their car now on 100th St. to punch the crosswalk light button. Will a timed light be programed at 100th?

Teenager Mike Ellis officiates 5 high school sports - his story!

While watching my daughter's basketball games I met Mike Ellis, a young official. I was impressed with his love of officiating and curious as to what drew him to it. Mike officiates 5 school sports! It takes a special person with unique skill sets and sturdy self-esteem to be a good official. I tried it once. Not for me. Mike wrote the following story about his job:

"My name is Mike Ellis. I am currently a student at Bellevue Community College and officiating is my income. People constantly ask me how some one my age (18) can handle coaches and fans in such high stressed games. Well, simple for me: its just a game, I'm out there to have fun and give back to the players and community. Most of the comments I find funny and you can usually see me just laughing with a whistle in my mouth. Sure some comments bug me but its never anything that's going to effect the way I officiate. I'm there for the kids not the parents or fans.

(The lacrosse photo on the right is not of Mike. You can find his lacrosse officiating photo at the Redmond Lacrosse Club site header)

I currently officiate 4, High-school sports - Hockey, Lacrosse, Football, and Basketball - and I'm training for Volleyball. Hockey is the most difficult to officiate mainly because it is on Ice and you have to constantly think about how to get into position without falling. Hockey is also a hard hitting sport with lots of decisions based on the intent of what the players are doing -- sort of like basketball but in basketball the fouls stand out a lot more.

Lacrosse vs. Basketball: Basketball is a split second decision making process. Your whistle is in your mouth. In Lacrosse you have a few seconds....the whistle isn't in your mouth but on your fingers so you can think about the call. Lacrosse is obviously a contact sport. For me basketball is more fun to officiate since there are fewer players and you are closer to them on the court so you can joke around -- unlike lacrosse which is played on a large field similar to a soccer field. Usually only 2 officials work a lacrosse game. So, you have to cover 2X as many players as basketball and in a very big arena.

Lacrosse pays the most of the of the high school sports I officiate -- $40 for Middle School games and $70 for High School games. Sure, I could make officiating a career if I could work at the professional level -- but I could never make it by officiating high school alone. I'm majoring in business so I'm sure I can find something else to do (if I don't make it to the professional level).

I started officiating Lacrosse and Hockey four years ago (age 14). Finding time is not hard for me as I take college classes from 10:30 - 1:20pm and most games don't start till after 3pm.

The largest shortage of officials is in Lacrosse and Volleyball. (Growth of lacrosse is limited by the availability of officials, coaches, and fields -- not players). If anyone is interested in learning how to officiate lacrosse a visit to www.waloa.info is a good start. Training clinics are being organized and underway right now."

Thank you,

Mike Ellis

Msellis@comcast.net

425-241-6835

LACROSSE: http://www.waloa.info/

HOCKEY: http://www.kentvalleyhockey.com/hockeyofficials.html

VOLLEYBALL: http://www.gsvo.org/

BASKETBALL: https://www.pugetsoundbasketball.com/content/view/19/50/

Basketball, youth & rec woman's : http://www.sowb.org/

And, thank you, Mike, and all the best in your avocation and possible future career!

March 20 YOUTH SUMMIT gives students opportunity to share their needs and concerns. (This is an excused absence from school).

ATTENDANCE - According to Nanchy Chang, Teen Program Coordinator, 57 students and 37 adults attended. Council Vice-President, Pat Vache was present.

YOUTH SUMMIT - “Cooperation through Communication: Bridging the Gaps”

WORKSHOP #1 It's all about the $$ - looking at money management

WORKSHOP #2 Dealing with it - addressing the issues that teens face

WORKSHOP #3 Expanding your World - looking beyond for opportunities

WORKSHOP #4 Stepping up to H.S. - for junior high students only

WORKSHOP #5 Life After H.S. - what are some options

TIME: Thursday, March 20, 2008 from 8:30am-2:00pm

PLACE: at the Old Redmond School House Community Center.

This is an excused absence for Lake Washington School District students.
The summit will be an opportunity for youth and adults to share their issues and concerns of the needs of youth in Redmond. This summit is sponsored by (RYPAC).

ATTENTION: REGISTRATION IS DUE MARCH 12! Register online here. (scroll down)

The day will begin with some opening remarks and a keynote speaker. We will then break out into different workshops to begin to develop ideas. Each person will have an opportunity to participate in two workshops during the day and input will be shared at the close of the summit.

Unfortunately, we have limited space and we want to have all junior high and high schools in Redmond represented. So if you are interested and want to be a part of this please fill out the online application and submit it for consideration. We will notify all applicants if you are selected. Each school will be responsible for transportation and permission slips so see your school administrator for more information.

Adults we need you to help in this process. Please fill out the online application by March 12 if you are interested in being a part of creating a better place for teens in Redmond. We have a limited number of spaces.

Youth Summit 2008 Registration Form (here) : Because of limited space, only 200 youth from the Redmond area will be randomly selected to attend the Summit. Please be sure to get your registration in by Wednesday, March 12, 2008. We cannot accept any registrations after this date.

When you open the "online registration page" SCROLL DOWN to find the form. If you need assistance, email RYPAC@REDMOND.GOV

THIS EVENT IS SPONSORED BY: "The Redmond Youth Partnership Advisory Committee" (RYPAC)

My favorite budget priority: "I want a sense of community and connection with others."

The council and Marchione administration are trying a new tack to involve the public in creating a respectable budget for the next two years. It's called "Budgeting by Priorities". [video clip of Mayor Marchione & Pres. McCormick at bottom.]

I went to the first public meeting last Thursday. It was kinda fun. The focus of the meeting was to learn about 6 Budget Priorities that were picked by a Focus Group of 40 citizens and Council. The council chambers were almost full at the meeting. We all had a chance to pick our favorite Priority and talk about it in group breakouts.

I selected the priority group: "I WANT A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION WITH OTHERS". I look at my blog as a way to connect the neighbors with each other and the city and schools. I also like the network of trails that connect developments to parks and schools and roads. With a good trail system, fewer cars (& less congestion) are needed for student commutes; more bicycles are used for errands. And especially, trails and parks are synonymous with lower health costs & increased productivity.

Korby Parnel, a planning commissioner, has been a long-time advocate of city-wide WI-FI. I like the concept too, for convenience, more opportunities to connect with others, and less commuting "home" or to the office to get "hooked in". Some citizens recommended a more comprehensive web site to connect the neighborhoods. Later, I discovered Communications Program Manager, Ms. Gronlund just built-out a Neighborhood site (here)!

My final strategic thought was to keep families connected by expanding housing choices. "Mother-in-law" housing -- also known as ADU's help to keep handicapped or dependent families under one roof. Seniors and boomerang kids is another group that benefit. One citizen reminded us that affordable housing is more likely when buildings are allowed to add an extra story.

It appeared the bulk of the folks in my group were interested in arts and theatre and culture. Many arts commissioners were present,including Tom Flynn, Chair of the arts commission and Mary, the arts staffer. I thought the best idea we agreed upon as a group was one recommended by Tom. He suggested an indoor gathering place similar in concept to the Crossroads Mall. Every weekend live music is played by a different group, kids and adults dance (my favorite attraction), "sidewalk" chess is played, large food court, and a New York style open newspaper rack and bookstore. Tom suggested a public-private partnership. A developer savvy citizen said the X-Roads mall worked, in part, because it was surrounded by high density residential. Good point. Several Arts commissions had brought up Cleveland Ave. for a location idea. With several 6 story residential buildings going up on Cleveland Avenue soon, commissioners may have hit the mark for a mall location?!! Promenades came up briefly, too.

One gentleman recommended we add a 7th Priority addressing aspects of "CIVIC PRIDE". I think it's a great idea! Do you? The 6 Priorities are listed below:

Priorities:
1) I want a well-maintained city whose infrastructure keeps pace with growth.
2) I want to live,learn,work, and play in a clean and green environment.
3) I want a sense of community and connection with others.
4) I want to be safe where I live, learn, work and play.
5) I want a diverse and vibrant range of businesses in Redmond.
6) I want a city government that is responsible and responsive to its residents and businesses.

Is there a place for "civic pride" here? What's our city signature? "Who are we"? How do we budget for it? Is our city "signature" the bicycle capital of the NW? Digital art? Parks & trails? Natural areas? What are we proud of in Redmond and how do we express it?


4 minute clip of Council President Nancy McCormick and Mayor John Marchione talking it up at the 3/4 meeting. The next, last and most important meeting is April 24.