UPDATED: Abandoned, rural city parks give sun, soil, and greenspace to "grow local"

SAMMAMISH VALLEY PARK, 32 acres
Open Space and Natural areas
near 60 Acres

UPDATED OPINION:  It looks like it won't be too long before the City approves "backyard chickens" and their coops for single family homes. We should know by this Tuesday, December 6. 

All you need, is your coop 'n run setback 5-15 feet from your neighbor, registration with the city, and a standard-sized lot with 1-6 housing units/acre.  "Sustainable Redmond," and the county will educate you on raising 'em.  Of course, it would be neighborly to notify the folks next door of your new addition and perhaps, hand over an egg or two.

Backyard chickens, like pea patches and community gardens, are about "sustainability."  Many are growing
our veggies "close to home" and with backyard chickens we can now "grow our own local protein" for a more balanced meal!  It's the cool thing to do and "Green," too.  Boo yah!

"Sustainable" pea patches have sprung up by veggie growers suffering from  inadequate sun to grow veggies on their property.  Juel Park and Marymoor Park have patches you can rent for cheap. 

ARTHUR JOHNSON PARK, 15 acres
Natural areas and Open space
South of Union Rd./ West of 196th AV, NE






Opinion By BobYoder
Juel photo by Yoder
Johnson and Sammamish photos courtesy
of City of Redmond website.

Arthur Johnson Park & Sammamish
Valley Park are undeveloped and offer potential for patches.

Backyard egg-layers have their own needs -  to run and peck. It's probably only a matter of time before apartment dwellers, certain HOA members, and neighbors governed by covenants, will ask for space to raise their hens. In addition, 5-15 foot setbacks may not pencil out. A neighbor may just say "No".

Community chicken coops would be a solution for
inadequate 'pecking space,' just as
today's community patches substitute for lack of sun and good soil at home. Juel Park, Sammamish Valley Park, and Arthur Johnson Park could offer needed public 'greenspace' for raising community poultry.

 These parks were once rural, abandoned farms.  A pig shed still sits in Juel Park near the sunflower field.  Councilmember Hank Myers said last night, that active parklands are needed in south Redmond.  Renting coops and pea patches would be a source of revenue.

JUEL PARK, 38.3 acres
This sunflower garden is fallow; potential for Community Coop
Community Garden  in foreground
Open Space, Community Garden, Trail, Frisbee Golf
NE 116th and Avondale

http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2011/11/redmond-city-council-agree-on-chicken.html?showComment=1321399192796



City Council to take action on "Backyard Chickens" Dec. 6, Public invited to attend or speak.

"backyard chicken coop and run"

On this Tuesday evening, December 6, 7:30PM, at City Hall, the Redmond City Council will vote on the 2010-2011 update to the Comprehensive Plan and associated amendments to small animal husbandry (chicken) codes. 

TO TAKE ACTION:
YOU HAVE A 4-MINUTE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT ANY ISSUE YOU CHOOSE, including Animal Husbandry and chickens.  SIGN-IN AT THE FRONT DOOR.
 
Speak at the city council meeting or sit-in on December 6th, Tuesday evening, 7:30pm. City Hall  (next to the library)  Read More >>

LETTER: Area businesses fighting city stormwater regulations designed to protect drinking water

By chance, last Sunday, from 12 midnight to nearly 1 am on Ch 75, I watched the Nov 22 meeting of the City Council on the topic of "Stormwater Infiltration Assessments" - a topic I knew nothing about and had never heard of before.

It seems that city staff have become concerned about surface water leakage from our stormwater runoff system, into the groundwater aquifer layer where we get our drinking water. So they want to have mostly SE Redmond industrial businesses spend big bucks (through a new permitting process) to treat their stormwater runoff before it gets carried away into the runoff system.  According to business leaders, the overall cost could amount to $4-8 million

The affected businesses (known as "TAG") are fighting this and hired an outside expert to put forth a case arguing against a serious runoff pollution problem.

I found it quite interesting, and most of the councilmembers wanted to know more about potential dangers. They mostly struck me as smart, reasonable persons.

Today I learned of the existence of the Washington Stormwater Center (http://www.wastormwatercenter.org/  Evidently it was mandated last year by the state legislature.. A press release said that the Boeing Corp. very recently donated $85K to the Center, to help it aid small businesses in complying with new state stormwater permitting requirements.

I guess this stormwater runoff issue is a whole lot more serious and complicated than I thought!
 
By John Reinke
Education Hill, Redmond.

What's behind the Puget Sound's ER building boom? | LocalHealthGuide

What's behind the Puget Sound's ER building boom? -- Seattle Times Seattle/LocalHealthGuide:

"What’s behind the ER building boom?" — Seattle Times
LocalHealthGuide November 27, 2011

Hospitals in the Puget Sound region are in the midst of an emergency room building boom, and in today’s Seattle Times health reporter Carol Ostrom explains the economics–and controversy's–behind the construction.

“Hospital-industry leaders say they’re doing what patients want and what makes good business sense,” Ostrom writes, but critics say the free-standing emergency rooms are “cash cows for hospitals, strategically built in affluent areas to lure busy, well-insured patients and collect fat reimbursements."

Hospitals say the new ERs will streamline care and help reduce costs, but Ostrom points to research that suggests the opposite:

Read "Seattle Times" reporter Carol Ostrom's article here >>

Last year, the "Center for Studying Health System Change," a national research group, noted concerns that increased competition around Seattle could increase overall costs. It found hospitals invading one another’s turf with free-standing ERs and vying to provide big-ticket specialty procedures in cardiac, cancer and orthopedic care.
--Seattle/LocalHealthGuide

Read all RNB stories on Redmond's free-standing Emergency Rooms (ER) here!  
B.Y.

LETTER: What are the School Board's requirements for their superintendent?

LETTER:  Does the Lake Washington School District have a list of the minimum requirements for the next superintendent?

The LWSD website listed the results of the survey and how people ranked the importance of instruction, operations management and management style;  but those were just opinions of the survey respondents based on predetermined survey questions.

What are the exact REQUIREMENTS that the superintendent candidate must meet in order to be considered for the position?

We need to know what the school board is really looking for so that we'll know if they're truly looking for the best candidate or have simply already decided on someone from within the district and are just pretending to conduct an internal search.

--By a Reader's comment to RNB story:  LW School District board looking for "internal" superintendent candidates.

UPDATED: Costs of the "The Redmond Central Connector" linear park and open space.

You may have seen the BNSF railroad rails stripped from their beds along Redmond Town Center this summer. Soon thereafter, a large stormwater trunk line was buried under the rail bed.  Next will be an expensive one mile linear trail and initial 10 acre downtown park installation.  The costs? 

In 2010, the City purchased four miles of former BNSF Railroad right-of-way in Redmond for $10 million.   In 2011, the City identified a phased approach to building a regional trail and linear park called the "Redmond Central Connector Master Plan."

Phase I of the Connector is a 1.1 mile regional trail from the junction of of East lake Sammamish Trail/Bear Creek Trail to the Sammamish River Trail. In addition, initial development of 10 acres of park space in the heart of Downtown Redmond is planned.

On June 21, 2011, City council approved the following expenditures for Phase I of the Central Connector:

• $395,000. LEGAL: *Stoel Rives, JD. for acquisition, easement agreements with King Cty, Sound Transit and Puget Sound Energy; DOT Surface Transportation Board meeting, possible BNSF Corridor litigation claims.
• $870,000 PROJECT MANAGEMENT, LANDSCAPE DESIGN: The Berger Partnership. (Includes $119,600 contingency)
• $90,000: CITY ADMINISTRATION: City of Redmond
• $115,000, John Flemming for Artistic Services (approved 12/2011)
• `$2.5 million for 1.1 mile of the four mile, $10 million corridor acquisition. [purchased earlier]
• _____________ cost of 10 acres open space (Downtown Park).  est.  $20 -30 million.

$3,855,000:  COSTS OF PHASE I, not including (1) open space land acquisition or other expenses.

The cost of 10 acres of downtown park space is significant, but unknown at this time.  I'll update this post, or another, when the figure's available.  Acquisitions and demolition of the Brown office building, Redmond Bicycle Shop, Quesnos, and small shops will be expensive.  Nonprofit  "Realize Redmond" is charged with raising downtown parkland funds.  Does anyone want to estimate the final cost for this "Master Plan" project?

(1)  "The Redmond Central Connector is on the former BNSF rail corridor that the City purchased for multiple city infrastructure projects including the nearly complete downtown stormwater trunk line, NE 161st Ave NE extension (complete), NE 164th Ave Extension (construction planned in 2012), and a future Avondale Way Extension.  The purchase price for the [four mile] corridor in 2010 was $10M."

Read about the project, see the consultant renditions here.
http://www.bergerpartnership.com/redmond-central-connector-moves-into-phase-1/

*Ref: AM NO. 11-128 (C.12)
Salvaging the Rails of the Redmond Central Connector, By Berger Consultants.
Central Connector City Site.
(1) Carolyn Hope, Senior Park Planner and Project Manager

By Bob Yoder
Updated, 12/15/2011

Eastside Symphony performs traditional free Holiday Performance, features LWSD teacher Linda Vogt

Eastside Sympony's Holiday Celebration

Sunday, December 4, 2011, 3:00 p.m.

The Eastside Sympony's holiday performance will be held at the Redmond Performing Arts Center, Redmond High School, 1772 NE 104th Street, Redmond, WA.

Linda Vogt- concertmaster Teaches for LWSD Our traditional FREE holiday concert. Haydn: Trumpet Concerto (1st mvt), Mark Baker, trumpet Monti: Czardas, Linda Vogt, violin; concertmaster Tchaikovsky: Excerpts from The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty Anderson: The Typewriter Anderson: Festival of Carols (sing-along) Anderson: Sleigh Ride (with Santa) About Linda Vogt:    In addition to teaching for the LWSD Plateau Orchestra Program and teaching privately, Linda performs with several quartets, freelances, and plays in a contemporary rock/folk group with her husband, Bob. They are the proud parents of two sons, Ryan (23) who is currently attending college while serving in the Marine Corps, and Chris (17) who is a senior at Eastlake High School, and an Issaquah police explorer with hopes of becoming a police officer. For more informtation, contact:  Valentina Giovannetti, (206) 334-2055  valentinagio@comcast.net

Ross Hunter proposes billion dollar levy changes to K-12 funding

K-12 Funding Proposal – Local Levy Swap

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Ross Hunter

"I’m stepping outside my role as Ways and Means chairman to put out a personal proposal for comment. The idea described below is a big one, moving around about a billion dollars in property taxes that are used for the support of public schools."  Read More >>

###

Excerpts from Ross's proposal: 

• "would no longer need “levy equalization”;  hundreds of millions that we use to correct for the fact that some districts don’t have the property base to collect similar amounts of levies. These districts will be better served by increased state funding and less reliance on levies."

• "we should make local school levies more reliable, since they are likely to be a significant part of school funding well into the future. Instead of voting to renew levies every 4 years we should amend the constitution to allow voters to approve levies that would stay in place until the district wants to increase them." 

Comments?  Comment here or on Ross's blog. 

LETTER: Lake Washington Institute of Technology relies on international students.

LETTER:  In the face of higher education budget cut decisions due out of Olympia before the end of the month, this is an ideal opportunity to highlight the value of our higher education institutions not only to residents, but also our economic partners abroad. Our schools rely on a balance of international students.

Three percent of Lake Washington Institute of Technology's (LWIT) students are international students, who each pay three times the resident tuition.  Five international students provide the funding to add an additional class to our programs that can serve 25 students, and for every $1 in tuition an international student pays, they contribute $7 to the local economy in room, board, travel, expenses, entertainment, etc. What’s more, these international partnerships allow us to send faculty abroad (thus saving a job) when budget cuts dictate elimination of faculty positions at the school.

--By Jen Boyer, Communications Specialist, LWIT

Armed Key Bank robber gobbles up money

Armed Key Bank robber gobbles up money

                                                        
Redmond, WA –Key Bank on the 15100 block of NE 24th Street was robbed shortly after 10:40 a.m. this morning.

The suspect was wearing a dark colored ski mask and carrying a semi-automatic handgun.  He jumped the counter and stole an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing eastbound on foot.  There were no injuries.  
Read More >>

Evergreen Hospital Board approves 2012 Budget; refunds taxpayers $476,799.

Evergreen Hospital Commissioners
at 2010 Redmond ER Medical Center plaza ground-breaking

UPDATED:  The Evergreen Hospital District #2, Board of Commissioners approved the 2012 budget and levies during a Special Public Meeting and Hearing on 7:00AM, November 11, 2011.  Superintendent Bob Malte submitted the budget for approval.  As a citizen-journalist, I attended and spoke at the Hearing. 

READ MORE about the tax increase and capital bond refund to taxpayers >>

UPDATED: Letters: Delaying impact fees is a bad deal, except for builders.

LETTERS:  I recall that in the late-70s, early-80s, interest rates rose to nearly 20% and nobody could afford to buy a house. Entire housing developments that had been built were moth-balled for 6 or 7 years because there were no buyers. (Example: Forest Rim in Issaquah) From 1978-1983, inflation caused prices of most commodities to double and triple. The price of a pound of hamburger went from $.69 to $1.49 in less than a year.

If builders are allowed to postpone their impact fees for many years, will the impact fees be indexed to inflation? The price of building roads, sidewalks, sewers, parks and schools will continue to increase, while the impact fee will be set when the builder first applies for the permit. The school impact fee for a single family residence today is about $3,000. If a building permit is issued today, and the house isn’t completed and sold until 9 years from now when school impact fees have increased to, say, $15,000 per house, will the builder be required to pay $3,000 or $15,000? Allowing builders to pay impact fees when the house finally sells sounds like a bad deal for everyone, except the builders.
--By RNB Reader, 11/22
--submitted to RNB by comment under "Council considering impact fees to time of closing."

UPDATED:

from the desk of Councilmember John Stilin, Ombudsman for the month of November, 2011.

"....The scenario your letter writer [above] presented may be the case in Issaquah.  But here in Redmond impact fee amounts are calculated on the day the fee is paid, not the date the permit is issued.   If impact fees increase after a house is built and the fees have not been paid, the builder will need to pay the higher fee.  So in some cases, it might behoove the builder to pay the fee early to avoid a fee increase..."
  --Councilmember John Stilin, 11/22

"Fall Run," By Reinke



JOHN REINKE / Fall Run

Taken on the meandering sidewalk that goes past La Petite Academy, a short distance from the Tully's Bella Bottega.  The sidewalk continues opposite the Redmond Library.  J.R.

Redmond Firefirghers Union - Santa's Christmas Tour

Santa’s Christmas Tour - 2011

Redmond, WA – The Redmond Firefighters Union - Local 2829, IAFF, will be assisting Santa Claus again this year as he makes his tour through our Redmond Community sharing Christmas cheer and holiday joy. Santa will be transported in the Union’s antique Fire Truck with his very colorful helper, Buddy. Once again, the volunteers on the truck will be accepting non-perishable food donations and unwrapped toys for Hopelink. The Firefighters Union will also match cash donations, up to $500.00, for Hopelink. Please join us, out on your street or driveway as we pass through your neighborhood, and consider a donation for those in need this season.

Below is Santa’s intended schedule; however he reserves the right to reschedule due to inclement weather.

Dec 4 (Sun): Grasslawn East - east of 148th
Dec 5 (Mon): Redmond Ridge
Dec 6 (Tue): Viewpoint South - Station 12 area
Dec 7 (Wed): Viewpoint North - Station 12 area
Dec 8 (Thu): Village at Overlake Station
Dec 9 (Fri): Grasslawn West - west of 148th
Dec 10 (Sat): Rose Hill South
Dec 12 (Mon): Union Hill
Dec 13 (Tue): SE Redmond - behind Station 16
Dec 14 (Wed): East Education Hill
Dec 15 (Thu): West Education Hill
Dec 16 (Fri PM): Central Education Hill
Dec 17 (Sat PM): North Education Hill
Dec 18 (Sun): Make Up
Dec 19 (Mon): Make Up
On behalf of your Redmond Firefighters we wish you a safe and Happy Holiday Season.

UPDATED ON JANUARY 12: LW School District Board considering internal candidates for superintendent.

Pres. Jackie Pendergrass
and school board to decide.

Lake Washington School Board outlines next step for superintendent search

Opinion Updated 1/25:  The School Board will introduce their preferred candidate, Traci Pierce, to the community during "Meet and Greets" (M&G) this January.   Parents and the community are invited to give input to Board members.  Send your feedback to the Board by February 22 at board@lwsd.org and if you have your own preferred candidate let them and your neighbors know!   I like Traci a lot, but prefer Principal Jane Todd, Redmond High for her known community Leadership skills.  

UPDATED OPINION:  At their December 5 meeting the Lake Washington School Board will decide if they want to put forward an internal candidate for Superintendent. 

According to the Administration in a press release,  "the district is in the middle of a major initiative - changing its grade configuration - which will affect every school in the district."   Grade reconfiguration - along with growth pains from the new Stem School, RHS wing, and EHS wing and other immediate challenges - could benefit from "consistent leadership" of an internal candidate.  "Knowledge and experience of these ongoing challenges also favor the consideration of internal candidates," says the Administration.

The Board will evaluate all candidates based on criteria gathered from the online survey ("read more") and interviews with staff and community members.  If they can't decide on an internal candidate, they'll look outside.
 
Do you think an internal candidate is appropriate considering what we're facing for the next few years?  Is an interim Superintendent  an option?   A couple of names that come to mind are Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Services, Dr.Traci Pierce, and Redmond High Principal Jane Todd.  Do you have any recommendations or favorites?   I think Deputy Superintendent Janine Fogard is most effective staying where she is, as Chief Operating Officer.  She knows the district "plumbing" better than anyone.  Ms. Fogard, as Director of Finance, has an excellent business services finance team led by Barbara Posthumus.  Read More>>

Redmond Chamber announces a new Vision, Mission. Participates in "Redmond One" economic development association

Greater Redmond
Chamber of Commerce
16210 NE 80th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
425.885.4014
Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vision

The Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce exists to retain, expand and recruit new business; promote community involvement, connect Eastside businesses, and advocate for a vibrant business community.

Mission
Our mission is to help the Redmond business community prosper through advocacy, networking and collaborative community involvement.

"Redmond Chamber votes unanimously to participate in the creation of  "One Redmond",  By Chair Tom Martin, Evergreen Healthcare.  Newsletter article.

Join the Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce (GRCC), grow your business, enhance the business community.  November Newsletter

•Contribute to the Redmond community.
•Expand your network.
•Build your business.
•Influence government decisions

•Get Involved - Your business will benefit!

UPDATED: Evergreen Hospital District Board of Commissioners to hold Public Hearing on Redistricting Plan

Laurene Burton
Administrative Director
Public Records Officer

"Notice is hereby given that the Board of Commissioners of King County Public Hospital District No. 2 will, on December 6, 2011, at 6:45 p.m., hold a Public Hearing on the Redistricting Plan for Internal Commissioner Districts (“Plan”) based on the 2010 federal decennial census."

If you can't make the Hearing the Board may accept comments for the record by email to Laurene Burton, lhburton@evergreenhealthcare.org. 

According to Evergreen Hospital attorney Mr. Fitzgerald and Administrative Director Laurene Burton, if the "Plan" is approved, the following "votes" will be redistributed based on 2010 federal census: 19,000 votes will be redistributed from Comm. Kempf’s district. 10,000 will be redistributed to Comm. DeYoung’s district and 9,000 will be redistributed to Comm. Hirt’s district.

Two Evergreen Hospital commissioners terms will end in 2013.  Ms. Jeanette Greenfield (member at large) Seat #5 and Ms. Rebecca Hirt (Kirkland/Kenmore) Seat #2.  If you are planning to run for one of these offices contact lhburton@evergreenhealthcare.org for information.  To challenge Ms. Hirt you must reside in the Kenmore/Kirkland District #2.  There are no residency requirements for Seat #5.   Read More >>

City Council considers defering "impact fees" to time of closing

Off -site capital inmprovements are paid by builders as "impact fees"

Local lending institutions are tightening up on builder's and it's hurting our local economic recovery according to city council consensus in their last public meeting.   It's especially difficult for builders to get loans covering their "soft costs" like impact fees.  Impact fees pay for sidewalks and other off-site capital improvements.   Master Builder spokesman, David Hoffman told council that impact fees average $15,000 for new single family homes, causing a serious cash flow problem for builders.  Read More >>

Have you ever called your state Education Ombudsman for help?

In my three years of covering LWSD school board meetings I watched, with anguish,  five Hearings for parents with children, disciplined for alleged cheating.  The Washington State Education Ombudsman's resources might have made all the difference for some of these families.  [Print this page]  B.Y.

Washington State Office of the Education Ombudsman

OEO Website:  "The Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO) resolves complaints, disputes, and problems between families and elementary and secondary public schools in all areas that affect student learning.  Read More >>

Redmond suspect arrested in alleged ATM skimming at south Everett bank.

Suspect arrested in alleged ATM skimming at south Everett bank

By Rikki King, Herald Writer

EVERETT -- Police here have arrested a man suspected of stealing $185,000 in ATM skimming operations in three states. The latest case involved stealing bank card information from more than 70 people in south Everett.  Read More >>

UPDATED: Over 30 "Supporters of Midwifery at Evergreen" demonstrate, address Board of Commissioners.

Some great news to share:   On Friday, January 6th, two representatives of the group attended a meeting at Evergreen Hospital with members of their administration and staff. During the meeting it was learned that steps are already being taken on the part of Evergreen.... more to come!  Read their Facebook Page, below for all the news and details!

"Support Midwifery at Evergreen" demonstrators/FACEBOOK

Recently, three of Evergreen's five contracted midwives (not hospital employees) were let go.  Regional supporters of midwifery organized, sending letters to the Administration and circulating a website and Facebook Page.  Kay Taylor, Evergreen's Communication and Marketing Director responded favorably to the activists, writing:

"We are evaluating whether we could provide 24-hour midwifery care again in the future. While we are working diligently, the process may not be completed until the end of January."

But this didn't stop their planned demonstration.  Over 30 women, men and children demonstrated outside of Evergreen Hospital yesterday afternoon.  They peacefully carried home-made signs telling Evergreen to bring full service midwifery care back to Evergreen.   About 13 attended the 6:30PM Board of Commissioners meeting (including Minutes) where two midwifery advocates addressed the Board.  Read More >>

Redmond's Grass Lawn Park wins regional award.

Redmond's Grass Lawn Park wins regional award for "the best playground in Puget Sound."

Grass Lawn Park won the Golden Teddy Award as "the best playground in the Puget Sound region", according to results from a reader poll in Seattle-based ParentMap Magazine.  Mayor Marchione made the announcement at the beginning of last night's council meeting.  The ParentMap website also recognized the SecondStory Repertory on their "Best of Seattle" list.  Read More >>

City expects to alter Bear Creek channel this summer



Aerial View of Redmond Town Center, Bear Creek and SR520 - before widening
Historic Bear Creek 100-year Flood Plain in blue (Macy's is red box)



In 2008 WSDOT decided to widen SR520 from 4 lanes to 8 lanes.  The widening occurred in 2009 on the northside of SR520 towards Bear Creek.  The impact to Bear Creek and Redmond Town Center's flood plain was significant enough to warrant realigning (relocating) the creek away from the widening project. 

Earlier, Councilmembers Richard Cole, Kim Allen, and Nancy McCormick traveled to Olympia to request funding to relocate the Creek.  State Finance Chair Ross Hunter allocated $8 Million towards the project.  The City Department of Natural Resources and WRIA (watershed agency) funded another $2 Million.  The project has been held up by the Army Corps of Engineers. 

Yesterday, Roger Dane, Redmond Natural Resources wrote:

"The City continues coordination with the Army Corps in order to secure permit approvals. We believe the agency and their partners are working towards approval, and at this point we expect to be under construction in summer 2012."

Bear Creek is a protected  "Shoreline of the State."   Chinook, a federally-protected Endangered Species live and spawn in it's channels and backwaters.  According to local experts, the salmon run was poor this year.  If you have any questions or suggestions for the city, contact Roger Dane at rdane@redmond.gov.  Word has it the funding is contracted for 5-years before it expires.

The aerial flood plain photo is courtesy of Susan Wilkins, a citizen-geologist.  Sue published  the photo in  her "OPINION: THE SR520 EXPANSION BETWEEN THE SAMMAMISH RIVER BRIDGE AND REDMOND WAY - From 4 lanes in 1992 to 8 lanes in 2008. But at what cost? "

UPDATED - Point - Counterpoint on support of midwifery at Evergreen

Neil Anderson, C.O.O.
Evergreen Healthcare

from the desk of Neil Anderson, C.O.O. Evergreen Hospital  (Neil's letter was sent to those who wrote letters to the Administration in support 24/7 midwifery at Evergreen.)

Thank you for contacting us about your concerns regarding the change in midwifery services available through physicians on the medical staff at Evergreen. I/We appreciate hearing from those we serve.

We, too, appreciate the services the midwives associated with The Center for Women’s Health provide our patients and families. All midwifery services offered at Evergreen have in the past been provided by a private-practice group and recently, this practice made a decision to evaluate their midwifery staffing model. This resulted in the reduction of the number of midwives in their group from five to two.  Read More >>

City of Redmond passes 2010 Annual State Accountability Audit with flying colors.

2010 State Audit of City of Redmond, WA. - Report on Accountability

FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE:  "We appreciate the opportunity to work in cooperation with your City to promote accountability, integrity and openness in government. The State Auditor’s Office takes seriously our role to advocate for government accountability and transparency and to promote positive change."

Results: "In the areas we examined, the City’s internal controls were adequate to safeguard public assets. The City also complied with state laws and regulations and its own policies and procedures in the areas we examined."  

Audit History: "We audit the City annually. The past six audits of the City reported two findings. The 2006 audit reported a weakness in internal controls over financial reporting. The 2007 audit reported a weakness involving compliance with state bid laws. Both issues [occured the Mayor Rosemarie Ives Administration and] have been resolved."  Read More >>