PRESS RELEASE
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
CONTACTS
SENT: June 8, 2009
Marta Grunlund
Sharon Sato - secretary
Voice: 425-556-2311
ParksAndTrailsCommission@Redmond.gov
Vacancy on Redmond Parks and Trails Commission
Redmond, WA – The City has one opening on the Parks and Trails Commission that must be filled by a person living outside the city limits but with a Redmond address. Experience as an equestrian is desired. If you fill that criteria and think Redmond’s parks and recreation are high priorities, you are invited to apply.
- Press Release, Marta Grunlund, Communications, City of Redmond, 6/8/09
ONLY COUNTY RESIDENTS WITH EQUESTRIAN INTERESTS NEED APPLY. by
_______________________________________________________________________
OPINION
Updated, 6/9. In sum: if you live in Redmond and don't have equestrian experience you won't fit the Park & Trail Commission's criteria so don't waste your time applying (even if you are a mountain-biker interested in trail connections.)
The Parks & Trails (P&T) Commission is over-regulated! It is composed of 9 commissioners, two (2) of which must NOT live in Redmond. This policy is unpublished by the Commission and cannot be found on the City web site. That's not fair to interested parties. The only way I discovered the Commission's exclusive policy was by attending a few P&T Meetings. (Meetings are not televised and I couldn't find the regulation in P&T summary minutes.)
Yes, Redmond has a rich history of equestrian culture and it's clear the Commission wants to honor the horse culture, rightly so. But, is it fair to the 50,000 tax-paying residents of Redmond to allocate almost 25% of our P&T commissioner representation to one single interest group? Can Redmond & the county's horse culture, equestrian trails, pony clubs, etc. be so valuable as to consume almost 1/4 of our Commission's resources?
Survey results from the recent 6-year Park Planning public meetings would shed light on the interest level of residents wanting more horse trail connections. In review of the meetings, equestrian-specific trails actually seemed well down the list on the survey and barely made the radar at the last commission meeting. Yes, our horse culture and future horse trail connections are important & valuable to Redmond, but a 22% requirement for non-resident commissioners is a bit much, don't you think? A policy recommending equestrian interest would be more empowering to the commission than a requirement.
Other Commissions - full disclosure of commissioner requirements on the city website, RC-TV, or the public media for all commissions is lacking, except for the Planning Commission.
The Arts Commission is composed of nine (9) commissioners and two may be selected from outside the city limits but with a Redmond address. (no requirements, no special interests). Attracting Redmond business owners experienced in the arts, who live outside city limits, is a valid Art Commission policy. For example, look at the value Clint McCune brings to the commission, as owner of Soul Food. Without a non residency requirement the Arts Commission policy is more flexible and empowering for it's commissioners.
The Planning Commission is composed of seven (7) commmissioners. All must reside within the city limits. Staff confirmed this under "comments".
final draft
Posted from an email, 6/9
ReplyDeleteBob,
All Planning Commissioners must be residents of the City of Redmond.
Sarah Stiteler, AICP, Senior Planner
PO Box 97010
Redmond, WA 98073-9710
425.556.2469
E-mail: sstiteler@redmond.gov
Posted from an email, 6/9
ReplyDeleteBob, I can speak to the process of filling vacancies on the PLANNING COMMISSION. When there is a vacancy, there is a press release sent out for general distribution in newspapers and also it is usually posted on the home page of the City’s website, to the right under What’s New. The vacancy is also posted on the Planning Commission’s page.
Hope this helps – let me know if you have further questions.
Sarah Stiteler, AICP, Senior Planner
E-mail: sstiteler@redmond.gov
Posted from an email, 6/9
ReplyDeleteEach year we look at the list of (P&T) commissioners to see whose terms will be ending. If they are eligible for reappointment, we then ask them if they wish to. I believe that’s all that happened with Terri D. I do understand, though, what you’re saying and will discuss it further with the Mayor and appropriate staff.
Talley, Executive Assistent to the Mayor.
Posted from an email, 6/9
ReplyDeleteHello Bob
I am responding on behalf of the Council as Ombudsman for June. It appears that you are correct that there is not single source for the information that you are seeking. Each of the commissions is enacted by Ordinance, and it is within the authorizing Ordinance that the rules for the constitution of the commission are found. To complicate the issue, some commissions have created their own operating policies.
Staff is researching to determine if there is an effective means for presenting, and keeping the data current, in a single format.
Regards,
Pat Vache
Redmond City Council, Ombudsman
An email I sent to Mayor Marchione, 6/10:
ReplyDeleteDear Mayor Marchione,
Almost one fourth of our Parks & Trails Commissioners are REQUIRED to live outside the city limits AND have a special interest.
--- for the newly open position, equestrian is the "special interest" ;
--- what will the 'interest' be for the next county opening? or has that position already been filled? if so, is equestrian the special interest, again?
If the P&T Commission can regulate and restrict who is invited to join their commission and require two county commissioners with special interests (in equestrian) I think this policy is not representative and unfair to the Redmond taxpayers and community at large. I ask you change this policy to eliminate the "requirement" language. Click the underlined sentence for my complete opinion (sent to your attention yesterday).
Thank you,
Bob
CC: Council
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Also, thanks to Mr. Vache and staff for looking into the various commission ordinances and operating policies clouding the information the public needs to have to understand how commission positions are selected and regulated....and why.
June 10, 2009 9:03 AM
An announcement for the open King County, equestrian P&T commission position was posted yesterday on the front page of the www.redmond.gov city site. I haven't checked the P&T Commission web page yet.
ReplyDeleteEquestrian folk are typically well connected (and fairly well to do) so the candidate has probably been chosen days or weeks or months ago. City council has one or two active representatives in the horse world. An officer of the Redmond Historical Society has deep equestrian roots. So I'd bet a dollar the website announcement is token. And, I think the announcement is a first for the front page of the web for P&T. In any event the announcement here is much better than none at all and I hope it sets a standard for P&T and other commissions.
I think the P&T Commission already has their first county commissioner on board, but the public would never know since since residency (and any advertised special interest)is never dentified.
Whoa, I may have to write another post to string these comments together!
The only park I am aware of that support horse is Farrell-McWhirter.
ReplyDeleteOccassionally, you will see horses on the Power Line trail, which connects Farrell-McWhirter (the Avondale side) with the Sammamish River trail. I use the Power Line trail virtually everyday.
ReplyDeleteAlso, very infrequently you will see horses on the Sammamish River trail. However, with so many people using that trail, it cannot be a good mix of horses and people.
I have listed more info about most Redmond Trails and Parks at http://TrailsToParks.org (click on Parks Directory )