7/25/07 - My last Redmond Reporter column - never published
Below is my last "Citizen Watch" column --
unpublished by the
Redmond Reporter after the Ives Administration sent an
Advisory to discontinue my column.
ABREVIATED HISTORY OF OUR CITY OF REDMOND MAYORSAfter 16 years in office Mayor Rosemarie Ives has called it quits. Voters now have a huge opportunity to shape Redmond's future in our vote for either Marchione, Plackett or Robinson on August 21. To understand the challenges facing our next mayor we must look to our past.
Since 1912, Redmond has had nine mayors. All were "strong" or "executive" mayors – meaning they managed the city's business, carried out council policy, performed ceremonial duties and were elected representatives.
Redmond's first mayor was *Fredrick Reil (1913-1918),the son of a German immigrant, a school teacher and Redmond's first merchant and postmaster. The town was incorporated in 1912 to tax the numerous taverns and build a waterworks. Besides mayor, Reil was city clerk, police chief and justice of the peace. Now that's efficiency!
Our second mayor, Bill Brown (1919-1948) was a saloon operator and land developer. The population was only 500! He shared his open- air buses to transport rabid Redmond H.S .basketball fans to Seattle games. Perhaps, his top achievement was purchasing our 800 acre Watershed Park, for $6000. After 30 years of service Mayor Brown lost his office when he refused to annex Education Hill – a neighborhood impoverished from lack of city water.
Three of Redmond's next four mayors – Green, Graep and Young were pro- growth Chamber members. Louis Green (1949-1952), a car dealer, built the first City Hall, appointed our first Parks Director, and drilled the first city well. Brown's old "city hall" is now a bathroom at Anderson Park!
Mayor Gary Graep (1955 – 1967) was a dairyman of Happy Valley Farms. Redmond's first traffic light was turned on and first modern shopping center opened. Churches flourished, the NIKE Missile site on Ed. Hill was completed, Evergreen Point Floating Bridge opened, and the Sammamish River was straightened. The population approached 11,000.
Mayor Bud Young (1968-1979), a Mormon, owned an electric shop and trailer park on Avondale. Eddie Bauer and Physio-Control were built. A second City Hall and library and the Leary Way Bridge was built. The population doubled to almost 23,000. Like today, a significant number of citizens felt quality of life and the environment was compromised by rapid growth.
"
Hurricane (Christine) Himes"
(1980 – 1983) was Redmond's first woman mayor. Himes replaced most of the city staff directors (except John Couch – Parks Director of 30 years) ushering a new era of open government. During Park's Director John Couch's tenure, Himes and three other mayors acquired over 16 city parks and trails. Chris was busy mother and avid horsewoman.
In the midst of a struggle between saving the Redmond Golf Course and building Town Center, Mayor
emerged as Redmond's "consensus builder". Marchione, a native of Seattle, proved to be an excellent administrator giving Redmond a strong voice in regional issues and negotiating the Town Center annexation. Marchione was first to adopt a human services program and establish a program for seniors.
, Doreen's son, is running for mayor this summer.
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