UPDATED: Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball is the Lake Washington School District's Magic Bullet.

Editorial:

Updated 12/13:   Dr. Chip Kimball, Lake Washington School District Superintendent,  has been working long and hard  - very hard - launching the School Board's levy/bond measures to the public.  In the brief time I've been following the District, I'm aware of fifteen (15) public presentations

• 6 community school input meetings
• 2 Regular School Board Meetings
• 1 community advisory meeting, including PTSA
• City of Redmond, City of Sammamish, City of Kirkland
• Redmond Chamber of Commerce, presented 11/24, per Dianne Jenkins, lwsd.
• Kirkland Chamber
• Sammamish Chamber

Last Tuesday, Dr. Kimball addressed three organizations in one day.  At this point, Chip's pretty much on auto-pilot but his talk (like an infomercial) remains dynamic and draws a lot of questions and interest.   Chip could use a little more help.  School Director Shahani and two  volunteer citizen-'lobbyists' pitched in during his City of Redmond presentation.  It was effective.  Mr. Shahani gave a persuasive talk and I hope he continues his activism and public support for the Bond.

I don't know if Chip has taken his 'Dog-&-Pony' show to the Redmond Chamber of Commerce but, he needs their support, too.  I'm confident the Chamber will advocate for the School Board measures.  The question is, how will they support him?  By endorsement only?   Or will  the Chamber motivate their membership to actively promote the ballot measures?  The Bond needs a 60% majority to pass.

The ducks are lined up for Dr. Kimball by the Redmond Chamber:   1) The Chamber has a new strategy for their Mission Statement:  "political advocacy". 2) A Board of Trustees membership is skewed toward politics and government. (Membership includes three elected officials, two staff from quasi/government organizations and a trustee for governmental affairs.)  The chamber's guns are loaded for the February 9 election.  The question is will they fire bullets or blanks? 

Chamber Board membership has a tilt toward government and away from education.  Were it not for Trustee Pat Vache', the Chamber would probably lack a direct connection to job training and education.  Mr. Vache'  is a founding trustee for the Lake Washington School Foundation.    During the December 5 Redmond city council meeting, Mr. Vache' remarked, it's clear that everyone knows that a key attractor for business is education and the two must be linked together. 

While the Redmond Chamber's gun may be loaded for the good cause of education, it's missing fire power.  Dr. Chip Kimball, as Ex-Officio. would be a magic bullet for the chamber.   Adding a school district executive or School Director means more government, but it would bring a refreshing vibrancy and economic gusto to Redmond, Kirkland and Sammamish commerce and their communities.

by Bob Yoder