Steve Fields, "Redmond Person of the Year"

Steve Fields speaking at his post-election party

Steve Fields won Council position #2 by bringing a new perspective to how council members value their constituents.  He gave, and is giving, hope and inspiration to passionate "outsiders" to run for office -- reinvigorating city governance.  While taking on the Establishment during the campaign, Mr. Fields proved he's a very strong, courageous, intelligent and experienced leader willing to speak up for his constituents to move our city, urban centers and neighborhoods forward.

B. Yoder
2017

New Council Members sworn in

Redmond, WA – In a ceremony prior to last night’s Council meeting, newly elected Redmond residents Dr. Jeralee Anderson (Council Position 6), Steve Fields (Council Position 2) and Tanika Padhye (Council Position 4) were officially sworn in. Their terms are effective January 2018 through December 2021. Fields has lived in Redmond for over 30 years. He worked across all functions of government in his positions at King County and the City of Seattle in the Executive offices. Fields guided elected officials on policy, budget and operational improvements. He advised department heads and their staff to help the government perform better. Fields is also a Redmond small business owner with his wife. Dr. Anderson earned her doctorate in sustainability from the University of Washington Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering in the Heavy Civil & Construction Engineering Program. Dr. Anderson is CEO of Greenroads Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit located in Redmond. She co-founded the company in 2010 and now works with government agencies and private industry on hundreds of green transportation projects. Jeralee is a 7-year resident of Redmond. Padhye was previously appointed by Council and filling a vacancy in Position 4 since last March. She has lived in Redmond for 14 years and has served on both the City of Redmond’s Planning and Parks and Trails Commission. She has been a member of the Community Centers Stakeholder group and contributed to updates on the PARCC Plan and projects including Redmond Central Connector (Phase II) and the Downtown Park. She is a licensed attorney in the State of Washington, with legal expertise ranging from work as a Civil Rights Investigator to cases dealing with employment and housing discrimination. “I look forward to continuing to work with Padhye and welcome both Fields and Anderson in their new Council positions. They bring a fresh perspective to the Council that is reflective of our community. I’m confident that through Council's combined experiences we will continue to lead in the region and represent the priorities of Redmond residents,” stated Council President Hank Margeson.

Dr. Jeralee Anderson (Council Position 6) Steve Fields (Council Position 2) Tanika Padhye (Council Position 4)

UPDATED: Redmond Candidate Forum

Steve Fields, Position 2: 

Byon Shutz, Position 2

Jeralee Anderson, Position 6

Jason Antonelli, Position 6 

Tanika Padhye, Position 4 

Eugene Zakhareev, Position 4

A Candidate Forum was held at the First Baptist Chruch on Education Hill last week.  The first up were school board candidates.  Besides the Voter's Pamphlet, this forum probably gives you the best information on the candidates you can find.  

Paige Norman, the founder of "Educatiion Hill Neighborhood Association" (EdNHA) organized and moderated the forum.  Miki Mullor, a City of Sammamish resident and entrepreneur will speak about their moratorium at the EdNHA meeting on November 2nd, 7 pm. 

Thank you Paige!

UPDATED: LETTER: Fields is focused on solutions that benefit everybody

After hearing (repeatedly!) from my neighbor that Steve Fields is the guy for Redmond City Council Position 2, I decided I wanted to find out more for myself. I met Steve at his Thursday Community Coffee Time, heard his insights about issues affecting Redmond – and then he listened.

When Steve talks about his vision for Redmond, “Build Community not Just Buildings,” it actually means something. He believes that the best civic leadership is based first on trust, then making sure residents are well-informed, then engaging the community in a dialogue before important decisions are made. His process is to bring stakeholders together and figure out a solution that benefits everybody. I like that he’s a “project guy”.

Steve Fields' and Byron Shutz's "Vision Statements"

Mr. Shutz's and Mr. Fields' "Vision Statements" were harvested from their Candidate Websites and City Candidate videos.

Byron Shutz's Vision:  "Redmond's Mayor and City Council continue to lay the ground work for Redmond's next 100 years, and beyond. My email byline reads:   

Redmond -- a great place to live, work, and play for over 10,000 years -- all true, and keeping the long view in mind --the archaeological site on Bear Creek dates to over 10,000 years ago."  

As your Council member, I'll continue to work City aims to:  

• Serve each resident and visitor with respect, dignity, and trust.

• Collaborate regionally on all municipal issues, and continue my focus on strengthening ongoing human service infrastructures for every resident.

• Improve connections to area transportation and transit infrastructures - lightrail arrives in Overlake 2023 and Downtown in 2024.

• Connect our residents and businesses with regional aspirations and expectations.

• Facilitate transparency and continual improvement in collaboration among city, county and state services.

-- Byron Shutz's Candidate Website


Steve Fields' Vision:  "Build Community, not Just Buildings." 

Promote a Smart and Sharing City

Our quality of life is good, but as we’ve grown, we’ve been steadily losing ground. We can choose to be smarter and do a better job of managing our growth. This begins with reevaluating how we make our decisions and improve our current approaches and methods to be more inclusive and more comprehensive. Our best city planning resources are the people who live and work in Redmond. If elected, I will be an advocate for community involvement in determining what our city will look like and what amenities we will insist on.

Plan Growth with Innovative Ideas

Our buildings, streets, public gathering places should be placed to enhance our everyday lives and the beauty of our built and natural environment. We should not be stuck in traffic congestion every time we want to get somewhere. Our city government should be innovative, creative and thoughtful. We need to take the time to plan and understand what is best not just do what is quick and easy. I will ensure that Redmond uses the most advanced analytical tools and information to plan our growth with innovative ideas.

Osama Hamdan endorses Steve Fields for Redmond City Council

Osama Hamdan

The theme for my race for Redmond City Council was #ConnectingRedmond. I believe we need to prioritize better planning and more community parks in order to better connect our communities. Even though I am no longer a candidate, my priorities have not changed and I am actively looking to continue the efforts of #ConnectingRedmond.

While the results of the race did not get me into the general election, the results did make it very clear that voters are looking for change. Redmond is at a crossroads and the City Council needs to ensure it is making the right decisions for the residents it serves.

I have had the opportunity to meet with both Byron Shutz and Steve Fields to better understand their positions and how they align with my own vision. While I believe both candidates have the best intentions for our city, Steve Field’s vision is more aligned with my own and can help us be more focused on building the city we need.  Steve wants to “Build Community, not Just Buildings” and he aims to have the city be more engaged with the residents of the community.  These positions reflect the spirit of #ConnectingRedmond and have therefore led me to endorse Steve Fields for Redmond City Council Position 2. 

This November, I plan to vote for Steve Fields. I encourage supporters to do the same and help get Steve elected to the Redmond City Council. 

-- Osama Hamdan

Steve Fields candidate website

Cleveland Street two-way traffic expected soon -- candidate websites

Redmond  Way & 166th Ave NE Credit, Bob Yoder Council candidate comments on traffic are footnoted below Redmond, WA – The much-anticipated conversion to two-way travel on Downtown Redmond’s Cleveland Street and Redmond Way begins soon. Cleveland Street’s two-way travel is expected to start on Friday, September 8 and Redmond Way will follow on Tuesday, October 10. These dates are approximate and are subject to change due to unanticipated changes in weather or construction delays. The full project is expected to be complete by the end of the year. During this conversion, drivers should be alert, aware of traffic rerouting, and ongoing work by private developers. The work already completed at the eleven intersections includes utility improvements, new traffic signals, lighting, paving and sidewalk improvements, the addition of plazas near Anderson Park and much more. Cleveland Street is now Redmond’s signature “main street” with wide sidewalks inviting pedestrians and encouraging outdoor dining while Redmond Way will carry the majority of traffic as the main arterial through Downtown. Bear Creek Parkway and SR520 offer options for drivers who choose to bypass Downtown and the Redmond Central Connector urban trail provides a beautiful and quieter choice for bicyclists and pedestrians. These options, paired with the previous street connections at 161st Avenue NE and 164th Avenue NE, complete the City’s planned transportation grid in Downtown Redmond. Ongoing construction by private developers on the north side of Redmond Way will continue. Developers investing in the City of Redmond will be building the second westbound lane of Redmond Way east of 164th Avenue, improving remaining sidewalks and parking areas as well as completing frontage improvements.  Source: Lisa Mayer,  redmond.gov I scoured the Council candidate websites to find their positions on traffic: Steve Fields, Position 2:  Byron Shutz, Position 2 Jeralee Anderson, Position 6 Jason Antonelli, Position 6  Tanika Padhye, Position 4  Eugene Zakhareev, Position 4 Bob Y.

UPDATED: "Ballotpedia"- Candidates Jinyoung Lee Englund and Manka Dhingra

Ballotpedia is an objective source of facts and news on the 45th District election and candidate

Jinyoung Lee Englund

https://ballotpedia.org/Jinyoung_Lee_Englund



Ballotpedia is also an objective source of facts and news for candidate
Manka Dhingra

 https://ballotpedia.org/Manka_Dhingra

UPDATED,6/19 Opinion: Vote for future-minded candidates

UPDATED:  Redmond City Council  is gripped by "The Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties."  50% of the spend in the City Council Primary thus far has been sourced by the Master Builders PAC...all of it spent on campaign mailers and services supporting two "City Hall" candidates. 

The "Master Builders PAC states "There are many timely issues that directly impact the homebuilding industry - critical areas regulations, design review guidelines, permitting processes....etc."  Of course these "timely issues" ultimately revolve around profit (that's okay) but sometimes at serious compromise to our city look and feel.

With the Master Builder's concerns for the "timely issue of design review standards" it's no wonder our downtown is built-out with inexpensively designed "row-house" apartment buildings fronting our signature Leary Way Gateway.  We'll be living with and seeing this wall of box buildings for the next 100 years.

We need to elect candidates who are independent of developer "timely issues" and to support those few sitting council members willing to sacrifice their standing with the development community to do the right thing.

Bob Yoder

I was inspired to write this post by Jason Antonelli Position 6 and Steve Fields Position 2.   Councilman Hank Myers wrote an excellent letter in the Redmond Reporter defining the candidates as "City Hall"  and "outsiders." which inspired me. 

Redmond Reporter: "Sounding off on last Issue's City Council Letter"

Redmond Reporter "Letter to the Editor"  July, 27, 2017

Phil Miller (Redmond Planning Commission) recently questioned why people without civic experience run for city council. His letter underscores key several issues facing Redmond voters.

First, why are we suddenly seeing so much interest in council races? The trend began three years ago with two levy increase proposals. The council was told victory was a lock. The council even reduced the cost by nearly half. Contrary to conventional political wisdom, Redmond voters soundly rejected both proposals. This year, for the first time in memory, all council positions on the ballot are contested. Each position has a “City Hall” candidate (Byron Schutz, Tanika Padhye and Roy Captain) and one or more “outside” candidates. Neither political party in the districts covering Redmond endorsed a City Hall candidate, another first. Anyone who thinks the levy elections and the current contests are flukes is missing the big picture.

Second, why do people without civic experience run? To get on a board or commission, you must be appointed by the mayor. With more than 30 years of government affairs and transportation experience, I applied four times and was rejected each time. If you represent an independent or contrary philosophy, it is unlikely you will be appointed to a board or commission. If I wanted to be involved in my community, I would have to get elected. David Carson, one of the most engaged and dedicated council members I know, was an outsider when he ran. John Marchione also ran for city council without having been appointed to a board or commission.

The most disappointing part of Mr. Miller’s letter was asserting reasons why all of Jason Antonelli’s ideas won’t work. The attitude is, “You have a new idea, I have complex reasons it won’t work.” In my experience, when the word “complex” is used as an explanation, it means, “you can’t possibly understand the issues, and even if you could, there isn’t much that can be done.” If you don’t like the current situation, accept it or move.

Why do people without experience run for office? Because they are told to stay out of the process. Told not to engage on boards if they aren’t an insider. Told to support tax increases and to trust that government will spend it well. As problems get more obvious and taxes increase, is it any wonder people have decided that the same old routine isn’t working for Redmond?

Hank Myers
Redmond City Council member

Sage for Schools, District 3

Cassandra Sage

for Lake Washington School District Director, District 3

Cassandra Sage has been active in the Lake Washington School District for the past 22 years as an involved parent and PTA board member.  She has four sons, two with special needs, and would like to ensure all our children receive a high-quality education.

“All kids deserve equitable access to high quality K-12 education.”

Nancy Bernard, who has served as Lake Washington School District Director for District 3 for the past 20 years and is not seeking re-election this year, has endorsed Cassandra to be her successor. She has also been endorsed by former Lake Washington School Director Jackie Pendergrass.

Cassandra feels the Lake Washington School District is doing a good job staying on top of technology in education, but would like to see more inclusion of special education students, more vocational education opportunities, and more assistance with college preparation for those going on to university studies.

--Excerpt from Cassandra's website