A Call For Action To Test Industrial District For Toxic Chemicals

Filthy stormwater treatment pond at All Wood Recycling 60 feet
from salmon-bearing Evans Creek. B. Yoder/2006

The Following is Dr. David Morton's public comment to the Planning Commission for Items from the Audience.  David Morton, PhD is a Redmond resident who regularly speaks at government meetings about ways to improve our environment.  

I’d like to discuss a critical land use issue that affects Redmond's drinking water aquifer, and may cause PFAS contamination in Wells 1 and 2. PFAS is a man-made toxic chemical that never breaks down.  

Last week, I testified before City Council about PFOS levels exceeding EPA's 4 ppt standard in these wells. Tonight, I want to focus on the land use aspect of this problem—specifically, the Evans Creek Relocation Project and the DTG Recycle site, formerly All Wood Recycling.

The DTG site sits within Redmond’s Critical Aquifer Recharge Area I (where groundwater contamination can reach municipal supply wells in under five years. In August 2013, a massive fire at All Wood Recycling required multi-day firefighting efforts. (See here, here, here, and here.) A former Redmond Natural Resources Manager informed the City Council that firefighting foam was used to extinguish that blaze and that about 1900 fish in Evans Creek were killed. *

The concern is straightforward: the foam likely contained PFAS, and those "forever chemicals" may have infiltrated Redmond’s aquifer. Bob Yoder's research suggests additional historic contamination sources at this industrial site—oil spills into Evans Creek, failing detention ponds, and septic systems that may have channeled PFAS-contaminated water underground.

Here's the land use policy problem: the Evans Creek Relocation Project will disturb soil on the DTG property. When the Department of Ecology sampled soil there in 2022, they did not test for PFAS. This is a significant gap in the environmental review process, especially given the site's MTCA contaminated cleanup status and location in Redmond’s CARA I (see the image below).

Since the Planning Commission advises the Mayor and City Council on land use policies, I urge you to recommend that the City require PFAS testing at the DTG site before any ground disturbance occurs. Identifying and remediating contamination sources is essential to prevent ongoing pollution of Redmond's drinking water.

With a 2029 EPA compliance deadline and costs for treatment of Wells 1 & 2 potentially in the tens of millions, Redmond cannot afford to overlook potential contamination sources in its CARAs. Sound land use policy demands testing before digging.

I ask that you advise Council to strengthen Redmond’s critical area protections by requiring PFAS assessment before approving projects in CARA zones, particularly on properties with known environmental violations or firefighting foam use.

* See the archived video of the Aug. 27, 2013, City Council Study Session beginning at 1:30:12. The comments about the fish kill and the firefighting foam use begin at 1:31:47.

-- David Morton, PhD, 2/11/2026

The Story Of Redmond's Well Water Contamination

     

Industrial district abused stormwater run-off pond 70 feet from Evans Creek
Photo, Bob Yoder / 2006

Devices to filter toxic PFAS from well water may be purchased online.

Forty percent of Redmond drinking water comes from five wells, the remainder from surface waters like the Tolt River. At a recent Council meeting, the Director of Public Works Aaron Bert, announced Wells 1 & 2 in Anderson Park were contaminated with a man-made chemical called PFAS, coined a "forever chemical." It doesn't break down and can compromise immunity, lead to cancer, affect pregnancy and other health problems if consumed over a long period of time.

Council hired Hazon consultant ($284,000) to plan a pre-design of filtering infrastructure for Wells 1 & 2. Bert says the estimated cost will be $25-$30 million with projected completion by 2029.

Bert's scientist said in a February 11 year council meeting they know the source was "historic." but do not know where. Extensive community research concludes the source is likely from fire foam used in 2013 to extinguish a huge debris fire in the neglected SE Redmond industrial district. Jon Spangler, the Redmond Natural Resource manager saw fire foam floating in nearby Evans Creek and 1900 dead fish. Fire Captain John Stockman remembers fire foam was used.

Fire foam is highly concentrated with PFAS; and according to "aquifer hydrology" the contaminated water reached our Education Hill water supply at Wells 1 & 2 by 2018, in the very least. We ordered a "reverse osmosis" water filter from an online merchant and are VERY happy with the clarity and smooth taste of our water; and knowing it's PFAS free!

-- Bob Yoder

2/11/2026

UPDATED 2/7/26: Sandwich Boards Are Proliferating

 

TWO (not one) "Massage," "Head Spa" and a "Handyman" sandwich board signs are "tented" on 85th St. near 166th Ave. NE.  Across the street are two others.  They are  distracting drivers and proliferating almost daily.  If this keeps up, our city will be tacky and visually polluted, yet small businesses need to advertise -- maybe not this way.  

According to Code Enforcement Officer Rob Lewis, the city attorney is working on a sign code amendment.  "We want to ensure the city is clean and presentable but also must ensure we're not infringing of constitutional free Speech rights while doing so."  

A good start in the amendment process would be limiting the businesses to one sign on a street and give fines to those who don't.    

Our right to free Speech is violated during elections when only candidates may post their signs.  During elections, almost always ugly signs from one or two business are staked everywhere.  

 

 Above, seven sandwich board signs are massed on one short block of 85th Street and they wrap around the corner. In "bunches" they are unsightly, distracting, and unfitting for our City.

Bob Yoder, opinion / photographs 2/5/2026 

Christine Tennyson Himes Obituary

 

  "Bridges of Redmond -- Christine Himes -- Public Servant for the Common Good."

 November 11,2021

Christine Tennyson Himes (Chris) Obituary

WA - Christine Himes passed away peacefully in her home in Monroe, Washington on

December 30, 2025. She was born on April 6, 1929 in Washington DC. She was

married to Jack Himes for 46 years. As long-time Eastside residents they raised five 

children. She is survived by Craig and wife Barbara, Valerie and husband Ron Bennett,

Donna and husband Dave Bender, Carole and husband Brian Strong; 13 grandchildren

and 18 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter Darlene; 

and her brother Georg B. Tennyson.

Christine was an active volunteer for local schools, church and community 

events. She served on the Redmond City Council from 1975-1977 and later

served as the first full-time woman mayor from 1980-1984. She is known for 

balancing growth and encouraging business while preserving open space

and creating and preserving 19 parks and a trail system in Redmond. 

She continued to be involved through the Redmond Historical Society where she 

served as President for six years.

A Celebration of Life will be held on February 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM 

at the Monroe Community Senior Center, 276 Sky River Pkwy, Monroe, WA 98272

Remembrances may be sent to:

Redmond Historical Society -redmondhistoricalsociety.org

Service Dogs for Veterans Bellingham, WA paveusa.org

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Christine, 

please visit our Tree Store.

Published on February 1, 2026

I have fond memories of chatting and giving hugs to Chris💕 at Redmond Historical

Society meetings.  May she rest in peace.  - Bob Yoder

Facts Behind the 2026 LWSD Levy Ballot

LWSD Levy Committee campaign sign

Currently, 16% of the Lake Washington School District budget is funded by two levies that can be renewed (replaced) every four years by the vote of the people. The levies up for renewal are: Educational and Operations (EP&O) and Capital Technology and Facilities.  In late 2025, the board approved an "Excess Levy" also known as "Levy Lid Lift) to fund: 

• the loss of federal funding 5%. (total funding is currently $1.3M)
• the new sales tax on services
• salary step increases
• increased compensation
• 8% inflation growth 

The election is February 10th, 2026 and the ballots have already been mailed out. 

Reported by Bob Yoder

1/29/2026 

Source:  LWSD website

UPDATED 1/28/26: Redmond's Water Supply Wells Contaminated

Forty - five percent of our clean potable water is supplied by five water supply wells; and they are compromised.   Very recent sampling efforts have detected "PFAS" contaminating Anderson Park's two water supply wells (#1 and #2.)  PFAS - are found in paint, cleansers, fire extinguisher foam, other man-made chemicals and *historic spills.  Public Works Director Aaron Bert said in a staff report, "the City doesn't know the source."  

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalyl subs) are a group of soluble human-made chemicals that can adversely affect human health and the environment.   Higher cholesterol, blood pressure problems during pregnancy. lower birth weights and increased risk of some cancers may occur over an extended period of time.

The sooner the city reaches out to the community to reassure us the better. The estimated cost of mitigation is $25 - $30 million.  On February 3, 4:30 PM in City Hall, Council's consultant will explain how to remove and replace these "forever chemicals."  You are invited or LIVE stream on Comcast Channel 21.   

 HISTORY

2006 photo of the district's stormwater treatment pond
connected to Evans Creek / Bob Yoder

Southeast Redmond's industrial district was historically the city "dump site" with abused 50-foot creek buffers and untreated stormwater *spilling into nearby Evans Creek.  (It's been somewhat environmentally rehabilitated.) In 2013, a massive debris fire started in the district at All Wood Recycling - located in the infiltration zone where potable water is drawn from the aquifer.  It took days and volumes of water with *PFAS-laced fire foam to extinguish it. In my opinion, the industrial site is the source.  

Evans Creek runs through Redmond's Industrial District
 and over a shallow aquifer 

Special thanks to Dr. David Morton for his contributions and collaboration on this source-finding adventure.  

-- Bob Yoder, 1/26/2026, updated 1/28/2026

   Education Hill, Redmond

UPDATED: Sanya Parsi Appointed Redmond City Councilmember

 

Front row l-r:  Angie Neuvacamina, Menka Soni, Sayna Parsi, Vanessa Kritzer

Back row l-r: Vivek Prakriya, Melissa Stuart, Jessica Forsythe

Stuart is President, replacing Kritzer -  Neuvacamina V.P. replacing Forsythe

Prakriya is 20-years old

Sayna Parsi was appointed by Council to finish Osman Salahuddin's term; who was elected State Legislature, District 48th. Sanya's term ends in two years. 

Saina Parsi — Identified in the interviews as having experience on the Parks and Trails Commission, private-sector program work and community organizing; she emphasized environmental stewardship, inclusive community outreach and using planning documents such as Redmond 2050 to guide decisions. 

Council Roles and Responsibilities: 

• Legislative Branch
• Provides to the Mayor direction on policy goals and objectives for long-term vision based on community values and needs
• Adopts the budget, sets fees, accepts grants, and oversees financial and performance measures
• Adopts codes, zoning, and standards in city law and regulations
• Approves contracts, real estate transactions, claim settlements, and interlocal agreements
• Approves pay ranges and union contracts
• Advises Mayor to support staff implementation of policies
• Represents the majority position of the Council to the public

Source:  redmond.gov

Photo:   Chip Cornwell, City of Redmond

Overlake Growth In Redmond

Photo/ Bob Yoder

There's lots of interest in our downtown growth but don't forget Overlake.  The population in Overlake will one day surpass our downtown. Here's an eastern view of the "Seritage" 14-acre construction project on 148 Ave. across from the mega Fred Meyer store. The Red Robin is no longer. 😒  That ridge of evergreens will soon "vanish.".  There's talk of 15-30-story towers in Overlake. Thank heavens for our neighborhood parks & trails! (

"Redmond is growing faster than many of us imagine, especially in the Overlake Urban Center.  A 14-acre Urban Village coined "Seritage"  will transform  Sears Plaza into office space, a hotel,  residential, commercial, retail and a large park.  High rise buildings are probable.  

·       The buildings could reach over 9 stories and will include both commercial space, hotel and residential units. 

·         When built, the project will generate over 13,000 vehicular trips a day. Currently planned, the developer-funded road improvements are minimal, in fact the traffic study states traffic will improve when the project is completed! The cities of Redmond and Bellevue will bear the burden of road improvements as part of their infrastructure plans.

·         There will be 2,300 parking stalls (vs. around 1,000 today). 

·         There is an already approved project next door (KCC Limited Edition) that will result in 885 homes, 173,000 square feet of office, 28,000 square feet of retail, an 80-room hotel. Adding this new, larger project to the area will certainly multiply the impacts of this development.

If any of the design assumptions on the project are not correct, the traffic gridlock in the area will intensify." 

-- Eugene Zakhareyev, 11/2017

   Redmond resident and property owner

   Past city council candidate 

   edited by Yoder, 1/12/26

As if Seritage is not enough, read about the Overlake East Master Plan: 

https://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-redevelopment-of-sears-plaza-is.html

-- Bob Yoder, 1/12/26

Redmond Fire Department Recruitment Video 2021

Excellent video!  Even more so, is John Oftebro's article: "Fire! Fire! Fire! History and Evolution of the Redmond Fire Department.” (from which this video came.)  John is the President of the Redmond Historical Society and his article can be found in their recent newsletter.  

-- Yoder, 1/7/26

UPDATED OPINION: The Fabric Of Our City Is Tattered

Middle and low income residents, the fabric of our city, are getting priced out of the community.  We are losing our base of volunteers and nonprofit members.  8-years ago living in Redmond was affordable.  Not today.  In a large way, of course our problem is inflation,  Home values in Redmond approximate $1.4M, twice pre-pandemic levels. Rent is increasing every year.

But, it's not just a problem of affordable housing. We have to cope with expenses we've never had:    

State Retail Tax.  $10 tax/ on every $100 retail goods purchased

8% Utility price increase this year with no end in sight owing to AI data center power needs.

Hospital:  Historic Levy Lid-lift, 50 cents / $1000 value (~$440/year on my property)  

LWSD:  Two proposed Levy-lid lifts:  Feb. 19th.  Capital increase ($44) and Programs increase ($180) on a $1.5M property.

Other segments of King County property taxes are increasing.

Sound Transit ~ $1,000/year

Proposed C.O.R. Parks and Safety Lid-lifts in 2026 or 2027. 

City staff are allowed up to 2-3 remote work days per week. The Parks Director lives in Kenmore, a Deputy in Duval, and another Deputy in Mill Creek. The cost of living in all these cities is less than Redmond.  Please set a compensation policy for remote meetings that encourages living in Redmond.   

Council members are responsible for developing and overseeing the budget so in light of the financial pain we feel, they must keep the staff compensation at the forefront in their deliberations and throttle it's growth. 

Compensation constitutes the majority of city operations and pulling a lever to slow its growth has never been more crucial. So far, it doesn't look good:  

196 new hires in 2025

Proposed 2026 Executive Pay Plan  Council decision on January 6th.  

Proposed 2026 Non Union Pay Plan  Council decision on January 6th.  

2026 Executive Organizational Chart  (new) 

Examples of Executive and Non Union employee salaries and bonuses.

-- Bob Yoder, 1/3/2026

Puget Sound Journal Honors EvergreenHealth CEO Ettore Palazzo

 

EvergreenHealth CEO Dr. Ettore Palazzo on right/ credit Anthony Bolante, PSBJ

Last night, Puget Sound Business Journal (PSB) hosted a private Power 100 reception to honor the Puget Sound's most influential people who are making news, getting things done behind the scenes, or using their wealth and power for the betterment of their communities. These honorees, including Dr. Palazzo, were brought together for a celebratory evening to applaud their accomplishments and connect with other impactful businesspeople in the region.

Thank you to our sponsors for helping us recognize incredible leaders:
• Founding Sponsor: Bank of America
• Presenting Sponsor: Arnold & Porter
• Platinum Sponsor: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
• Signature Sponsor: Alaska Airlines
• Cocktail Sponsor: Washington State University
• Bronze Sponsors: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound & Laird Norton Wetherby

-- December, 2025

Redmond Historical Society Newsletter, Quarterly Edition

 

 Board Member Volunteers --BIOS

REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER  

Quarter 1, Vol 28, No 1

Highlights:

President’s Notebook: "Fire! Fire! Fire! History and Evolution of the Redmond Fire Department” by John Oftebro

Society Honors Legacy of Chinese Americans in Redmond

"Mom Phones Doctor Way" by Tom Hansen, Lifetime Member

"Redmond Historical Society Ice Cream Social & Membership Meeting"

January 10, 2 PM Happy Valley Range

by V.P. Laura Lee Bennett

Willomoor Farm: Clise Period, 1908-1915

 by Tom Hitzroth