City of Redmond Television Is Packed With Community News

Redmond City TV (RCTV) is available on both Comcast (channel 21) and Ziply (channel 34) cable systems. You can also catch RCTV live online 24/7 or replay OnDemand programming from city video archives. 

At the top and/or bottom of the hour from 8 - 10 a.m. the following block of helpful and interesting programing is run continuously.  I highly recommend tuning in.  No commercials! ☝

• The Mayor’s monthly video “Our Stories, Redmond Connects”
• “Bird’s Eye View,” a poem by our previous poet laureate
• Homelessness and panhandling message from Tisza Rutherford, Redmond’s Homeless Outreach Administrator
• Heat pumps and Energy Smart Eastside
• Green Redmond
• Recycling Plastic Bags
• King County House Repair
• Connected by Water, How Redmond protects our water
• Meet Redmond’s new K9 Officer
• Redmond Senior & Community Center tour
• Licensing your pet in King County
• Being visible after dark
• The Together Center
• Redmond’s Stream Team
• King County Jury system

City Council and Planning Commission meetings are available on RCTV, as well.  They are also live streamed on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/CityofRedmond) and YouTube (www.YouTube.com/CityofRedmond). 

UPDATED: Mayor Angela Birney's Story / Pedestrian Safety / RCTV

I found Mayor Birney's Story on Pedestrian Safety while watching Redmond City Television (RCTV) on Comcast Channel 21.  

I'm amazed how RCTV programming has improved.  There's much more content.  Tune in at 9:00AM for a half hour of local news, grant opportunities, and tips.  

All of  Mayor Birney's 52 YouTube stories can be watched in a rolling sequence. 

posted by Bob Yoder, 10/11/2023

Glimpse Of Redmond Councilmembers In Action

l-r Melissa Stuart, David Carson, Jeralee Anderson, President Jessica Forsythe, Varisha Khan, V.P. Vanessa Kritzer, Steve Fields (remote.)           Staff have backs to the camera.

I'm going to periodically report on the important Council "Committee of the Whole" meetings.  It will give you a chance to watch and listen to our representatives and see them take action on the agenda.  Most of their work with staff gets done here.  This is a meeting  of the "Planning and Public Works Committee."

Click HERE to watch the tape of five councilmembers discussing Redmond's "signalization intersection project" with Kirkland ($2,218,035.)   Scroll the tape to find:  Stuart, 15:35m;  Forsythe 16:40m;  Carson 17:00m;  Stewart 21:00m;  Fields 22:00m;  Krtizer 23:15m. (Kahn did not participate.)    

Ms. Khan's term ends December 31, 2023.  She's participated in less than 75% - 85% of council meetings.  The Mayor would have her exact attendance records.  

-- Bob Yoder, Opinion, 10/9/2023

    Photo:  RCTV Comcast 21  

Council Notes: Scooters & Salaries

Council Meeting Notes:  

E-scooters and e-bikes pilot project discussed.  Seattle and Everett are the only cities in Puget Sound that have e-scooters.  Parking spaces will not be marked with paint owing to maintenance.  Several councilmembers complained about e-scooters as difficult to ride, blocking sidewalks and ADA intersections. At least 9 accidents were reported by the Fire Dept.  Most didn't want more than one vendor owing to multiple phone applications.  Lime is the present vendor; they will present to council in their next meeting.  September may be the month council decides on a permanent contract.  Email feedback to council at council@redmond.gov.

Council Salaries:  Councilmember Anderson started a 29 minute discussion about council salaries, recommending Ordinance 3116 be repealed or amended to allow council to set their own salaries for new members. They decided to have a private Executive Session to discuss the matter.  Councilmember Varisha Kahn made a rare comment agreeing to an Executive Session. For the most part, Ms. Kahn very rarely participates in any conversation at council meetings.  

The city pays each councilmember over $18,600/year, plus generous benefits. 

Watch council discuss council salaries at this video meeting:  1:01:38 - 1:30:19

-- posted by Bob Yoder, 7/27/2023,  Source:  RCTV and mayor memo

School Resource Officers Renamed "School Liaison Officers"

Internet 

At City Council's July 25, 2023 study session meeting, LWSD Safety Services Director, Scott Emory explained the district's re-naming of "School Resource Officer" to "School Liaison Officer."  He indicated the State of Washington Superintendent was behind the change.

In response to a question from CM Steve Fields, Emory explained the change was to mitigate police involvement with student discipline and miss behaviors; rather leave discipline up to district staff and administration.  

One Police Liaison Officer would still be assigned to each high school (and it's community of schools) but their only duty is law enforcement.  Police involvement in mental health would be only secondary to the administration and staff.  (Police Chief Lowe said one mental health officer is "embedded" in the department.) 

Councilmember David Carson agreed with the program but couldn't see why the title had to be re-named.  

-- Reported by Bob Yoder, 7/26/2023

Source:  RCTV, 7/25/2023

[North Shore SRO position:  https://www.nsd.org/get-involved/task-forces-committees/sro-task-force]

UPDATED`.4/17 Redmond 2022 Legislative Agenda

Nina Rivkin, Chief Policy Advisor for Redmond, retired receiving accolades from Mayor Birney, King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County councilmember Claudia Balducci.  They proclaimed "March 23, 2022 Nina Rivkin Day." Ms. Rivkin was a City executive for 20 years. Prior to Redmond whe worked for King County 13 years.  Linked in. 

CITY OF REDMOND 2022 STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 

(The City Council recommends the agenda, the Mayor adopts the agenda)

Top Priority Issues 

148th Bicycle and Pedestrian Overpass Funding: The City encourages the Legislature to adopt a transportation revenue package to invest in projects throughout the state. Within the package, Redmond requests $27 million to construct a bicycle and pedestrian overpass on 148th Avenue NE across SR 520 to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety. This project supports significant growth and investments in the region - including the Overlake Light Rail Station, the Microsoft Refresh project, and significant housing development including affordable units. Affordable.  State awarded $8 million.

Housing and Preventing Homelessness: Redmond developed a Housing Action Plan to identify actions needed to improve housing affordability. The City supports funding and local option tools to diversify the housing supply, including targeted investments at the lowest income level, as well as funding the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and the Housing Essential Needs (HEN) program. Funding Source: "Federal Infrastructure Package."

In response to challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Redmond supports policies, programs, and rental, mortgage, and utility assistance to ensure residents remain housed as the eviction moratoria ends. 

UPDADED: Police Chief Lowe Presents Levy Costs

Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe

Adjusted 5% for inflation over six years.

Police Chief Darrell Lowe submitted his 2022 Public Safety "ask" to Council at a 3/15 Committee meeting, as follows:  

• Mental Health Professional, *1 Full Time Employee (FTE,) $157,636 (includes services.)
• Police Personnel, 13 FTE, $2,143,603
• Police Support, 3FTE $369,047
• Body-Worn & In-Car Cameras, $934,910 / year for labor and other ongoing expenses. The equipment and maintenance agreement is already purchased.

The Chief's final, approved "ask" added 5 mental health professionals.

TOTAL ANNUAL POLICE LEVY "ASK" IS $3,600,000/ YEAR (35% of the proposed total levy.) The Fire component is ~ 33% of the levy.  Continuation of the 2007 Levy is ~ 30% of the levy.)

After questioning by Councilmember David Carson, Chief Lowe told Council the Body Worn Camera $934,910 expense is primarily for additional staff, all with ongoing yearly salaries. 

• Paralegal
• Deputy prosecutor
• Police Sergeant
• Records person
• IT / TIS person

The remnant is for licensing and storage.

Captain Brian Coats reported  the U.S. Department of Justice gave the City a $170,000 matching grant for body worn cameras. It's use is equipment, software and storage.

If passed, the total annual "Public Safety Levy" is: $10,392,872/year or ~ $28.33/month or ~ $340/year on a $1 million house.  Property taxes will be $0.34 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

-- Bob Yoder, 3/15/2022

    Source:  RCTV / Facebook Live / CCOW-Safety, 3/15/2022

Council's Viewing Public Is Unengaged

1/6/2021 Great news!  Our representatives are now using their cameras!  Check their Tuesday business meetings out on RCTV (Channel 21.)  New time:  7 p.m.  

With Covid-19 fatigue setting in, the public viewing Council meetings wants to see their members LIVE - not just circles on a screen. We want to engage but with council members shutting down their cameras they lose us. With present technology like ZOOM there's no excuse for this; and I think all the members are given computers with cameras.  

When I watched a meeting last night Mayor Birney was seldom LIVE.  I saw the Mayor a few times on a split screen with the city lawyer.  (I've never seen a staff member on camera.) 

It was a total turnoff  when the Mayor was speaking for a long time but you couldn't see her because the City camera was way, way far in the back. All you could see were empty red chairs with yellow tape. That was it -  I changed channels.   

Some of the council members are awesome about using their cameras: Jessica Forsythe,Vanessa Kritzer. Jeralee Anderson, V.P. use them every time. Thank you!  Steve Fields is never on. I can't recall Varisha Khan or Tanika Padhye on camera. David Carson was LIVE early on but not lately.

As much as I complain about these logistics the bottom line is our Council is doing an outstanding job! They often have split decisions- demonstrating healthy conversations and debate. They've put in long hours and many nights working on the budget.  I wish I had the stamina to follow them more closely.  

-- Bob Yoder, opinion. 12/11/20

Commissioners propose $1,234,000 to fund human services

According to a City Council 10/9 memo "Every other year, the City accepts proposals from human services agencies seeking grant funding in the next biennium. This past March, Redmond participated with 17 other King County cities, releasing a joint online funding application. This allowed organizations interested in requesting funding support from any of the participating cities to complete a single application. This year Redmond received applications from 91 programs, with requests for almost $2.2 million.

In 2016 Council approved the Mayor’s proposed budget to increase support to the human service fund from $13.25 to approximately $16.90 per capita. This resulted in tangible impacts and improved service delivery in our community. Adjusting for population and 3 percent inflation, the 2019-2020 human services per capita total is now expected to be about $1.21 million each year. Redmond also anticipates about $24,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to allocate to human services in 2019, bringing total available funds to about $1,234,000/year."

###

The Human Services commissioners recommended an additional $422,534 under "Option 1" to  fund some of the smaller non-profits and in response to community budget requests.  The Council left it up to the commissioners to vet the Option 1 requests.

The bulk of the funding was allocated to 12 non-profits, as follows:  Youth Eastside Services ($152,614) Friends of Youth ($138,227) Hopelink ($115,096) Congregations for the Homeless ($89,617) Sophia Way ($62,555) Health Point ($54,000) Lifewire - survivor advocacy ($50,570.) YMCA ($39,140) Chinese Information Center ($24,643) Catholic Community Services ($23,175) NAMI ($21,177.)

One of the commissioners noted Hopelink's large request even though they haven't added services from the prior biennium.  The same commissioner pointed to the $177,000 chamber video screen suggesting those funds could have been better spent in our community for human services.

The Council thanked the commissioners for their hard work and will vote on the requests at a later date. 

-- Bob Yoder

Sources:  Council Study Session memo, 10/9.  Joint meeting with Human Services Commission.
RCTV.

Mayor Marchione Responds to City of Everett's Initiative to Transfer Land for Mentally Ill Homeless

Below is an "Everett Herald" article announcing the transfer:

City votes to transfer land for homeless, mental ill housing

Everett Herald, Updated: Jan 4, 2018 - 11:34 AM 

EVERETT, Wash. - The Everett City Council voted to approve the plans for low-barrier housing and to transfer land to Catholic Housing Services.

The Everett Herald reports the Safe Streets housing project on Berkshire Drive is set to be a 65-unit complex with around-the-clock staffing primarily for the chronically homeless or those living with mental illness.

Tenants cannot have convictions for arson, sex crimes or producing methamphetamine.

About half the residents would be from Everett.

The construction budget is $10.5 million. Most of the costs are borne by Catholic Housing Services and funded by tax credits and grants, which the city helped secure.

Groundbreaking is planned for later this month.

Rendering of Everett's "Safe Street project"

Mayor Marchone's comment on the Everett Herald article:

"Thank you Bob. We are always interested in, and staff work to stay apprised of, what other jurisdictions are doing to address the challenge of homelessness.  That said, not every strategy is appropriate for every jurisdiction.  Everett is essentially the Seattle of Snohomish County, with both the largest population and greatest concentration of resources.

As one of many connected suburban cities, Redmond works closely with our Eastside neighbors to craft policies and strategies that will serve the sub-region as a whole.  In addition, Redmond has been very proactive in developing strategies focused on our local community. 

I appointed a Community Task Force on Homelessness in 2016 that developed a list of recommended action items.  A recent staff report to the City Council summarized the status of those action items which have been almost completely implemented.  

Two key strategies to emerge included the addition of a dedicated outreach specialist to work in partnership with the Redmond Police, and a new website to provide information about homelessness in general, and ways that individual community members can get involved.  I encourage you to check it out:  http://www.redmond.gov/Residents/homelessness

Our activities in 2018 will include an exploration of what we as a community should do to most effectively further this work.  We will make sure you are included when we reach out to the community on this topic.

Thanks again and Happy New Year."

John

John Marchione

Mayor │ City of Redmond

(: 425.556.2101 | *: mayor@redmond.gov | Redmond.gov

MS: 4NEX │ 15670 NE 85^th St │ Redmond, WA 98052

      

   NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE: This e-mail account is public domain. Any correspondence from or to this e-mail account is a public

   record. Accordingly, this e-mail, in whole or in part, may be subject to disclosure pursuant to RCW 42.56, regardless of any claim of

   confidentiality or privilege asserted by an external party.

Artest's rendering of the project:  

The Mayor approved my posting of his letter.

-----Original Message-----

From: Bob Yoder [redmondblog@gmail.com]
Received: Thursday, 04 Jan 2018, 10:55PM
To: Mayor (Internet) [Mayor@redmond.gov]
Subject: Homeless housing

Hi Mr. Mayor, 

I thought you'd be interested in what Everett is doing for their mentally ill homeless.  

http://www.kiro7.com/news/north-sound-news/city-votes-to-transfer-land-for-homeless-mental-ill-housing/676269846

Redmond City Television

Redmond City Television (aka RCTV) was created in 1996 as a convenient way for residents to view city council and planning commission meetings and issues, services and events within Redmond. 

RCTV is available on Comcast channel 21 and Frontier Channel 34 cable systems.

City Council meetings  are held in City Hall every Tuesday night at 7:30 pm. Council Committee meetings with staff are held at 4:30 the same day. This is a very good meeting to watch for the "inside information."  The public is invited to speak (4 minutes each) during their Regular meetings.  Watch all the meetings live on RCTV.  The meetings are replayed on cable on: 

• 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesdays
• 7:30 p.m. Thursdays
• 3 p.m. Saturdays
• 9 p.m. Sundays
• 12 p.m. Mondays
• 8 a.m. Tuesdays

Council and Planning Commission meetings are video-taped and archived with OnDemand programming. (click 2019 - City Council)

Planning Commission meetings are held in City Hall most Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm. and  replayed on Comcast 21: 

10am & 3pm Thursdays
12pm Fridays
3pm Sundays

If want to know what's happening in the city, RCTV is a must stop!  For questions about RCTV  and other Redmond services e-mail info@redmond.gov

B. Yoder

Council session on Community Centers

REDMOND, WA - Community members are encouraged to attend the City Council study session
 on April 11, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. in Redmond City Hall to listen to the final recommendations of the
Stakeholder Group for Redmond’s Community Center’s project, which are based on public feedback. 
This meeting will also be available on RCTV and streamed online.

Last October, the City initiated a public engagement effort to educate the community about challenges and opportunities facing Redmond’s Community Centers. After two months of outreach, the City sought the community’s opinions on the level of urgency to take action, priority amenities and locations, and funding options for community centers. Throughout the process, a stakeholder group convened to assist in the public engagement effort and summarize the data collected from the broader community into a set of recommendations for the commissions and City Council.

For questions and more information about this project, please visit www.redmondscommunitycenters.com or contact Lisa Maher, Communications & Marketing Manager, at lmaher@redmond.gov or 425-556-2427.

I spent a hellava lot of time giving them feedback so I have high expectations. BY

How does the City define "community centers," or do they?

I copied this from facebook.. My apologies for the font:

"I watch RCTV all the time. Months ago Council had frustrating study sessions to evaluate (vet) possible locations for "the Community Center." If I remember correctly, at that time they envisioned the Community Center "as a whole" -- aquatics, recreation, meeting and event spaces, visual and digital arts space, day care, performing arts, etc. I think the location decided upon was somewhere just west of City Hall within walking distance to light rail. If by miracle an aquatics/recreation center is sited in Marymoor, the re-defined "downtown community center" footprint might be smaller and less expensive. I'm a senior and definitely hope so. The buzz I've heard discussed lately is funding a downtown community center is top priority."

Bob Yoder,  opinion

We need more emphasis on Art in Redmond

Last night, my wife and I decided on a date night to enjoy some live music. We had to drive all the way to Snoqualmie to find it.  As a 36-year resident, and seeing Redmond's rocketing downtown growth, I find this appalling.  (Education Hill Facebook Groups lit up when I posted for discussion: "Is there any other place than Soulfood for us?")

The good news!  We got to listen to an old friend Clint McCune play his awesome vibe! His music inspired me to write this piece.  Clint was once Chairman of the Arts Commission, serving three terms, and now lives in Woodinville.  In 2008 he worked diligently to attract performing arts and recognize our culture through the arts. 

Redmond is a city of over 49,000 residents and all that we have for permanent, full time performing arts is Clint's old coffee shop that occasionally hosts musicians. This, after extensive downtown cultural corridor studies. Just last week on RCTV, Council Member John Stilin (he's played some base guitar with Clint) spoke of his frustration saying something to the effect that the city's not even on the performing arts and cultural center map.  

It seems little has changed since the days of Clint. Read this old Redmond Reporter article.  We have two outdoor "railroad art" installations, the Marymoor county park summer series and had two colorful "tree wraps" in Anderson Park. What else am I missing? Is there art on Cleveland Street? There's a lot of hum in the Downtown but where's our heart and soul now?  The Downtown Park?  The Historic Core?  Both?  

The city hosts a summer series, a poet laureate, an arts store and theater in RTC, and the valuable Historical Society office with memorabilia and speaker's programs (now threatened by redevelopment).  In the summer the city relies heavily on the County for outdoor music. In the winter, fall, and spring we hibernate.   

For the last seven years or so, the city's spent gobs of money and time with consultants developing art and culture "master plans" but what's there to show for it?  I've heard the Downtown Park will be a key place for outdoor art and culture.  What kind of art?  Will they hire the artist (Ed Carpenter) from Portland again? 
      
I'm sorry to sound so cynical.  And I know the city has a lot on their plate.  But how can we spark art?  Most of us aren't Arts Commission "committee types."   The Planning Commission's "Historic Core"  study is underway. This may be good opportunity to give input.  Will our soul reside in the historic core?  

I guess someone could start a "conversation" during the next Town Hall about why Arts isn't a priority. The Ed HIll Neighborhood Assoc. may even have some input. I think it's time the city stops analyzing their expensive, grandiose, bureaucratic art master plan and does something with it.  What do you think?  Please comment!

Bob Yoder, opinion

Listen to Clint's music 
Meet Shin Yu Pai, Redmond's current poet laureate
Graffiti art in "Edge Skate Park"

Review of the Mayor and Council's ViewPoint neighborhood Town Hall

I went to the last night's "Conversations" Town Hall featuring the Mayor and City Council. It was held in the ViewPoint neighborhood at Audubon Elementary. 

I arrived at 6PM for the "social" and had plenty of opportunities to visit with the council and mayor.   (I also found a long lost friend.)  I chatted with CM Hank Myers briefly and had a good talk with CM Angela Birney. She's thinking about holding a regular "Coffee Hour" in the city, just like CM Stilin and Myers do!

Erika Vandenbande, a Deputy City Administrator was there -- one of the few staff present.  During the social, she toured me around poster-boards showing what was going on in the city.  I told her how useful I've found the info@redmond.gov address for answering questions.

I sat next to Arne Tomac, a past Councilmember from years ago.  He was so excited about the Town Hall that he distributed flyers all over his neighborhood.  He said years ago, when he was in office there was no RCTV coverage so they relied on Town Forums.  Oh, has the news cycle changed!

The Mayor did a fantastic job running the meeting!  It was rewarding to see his personality, sense of humor and interest in our neighborhoods.  Same with the Council.  The Mayor did a great job engaging the residents with the Council.  Being so up close and personal with our elected was a treasure.

It looked like about 40-50 residents attended.  Some of the topics covered:  Lots of discussion on traffic, bus lines and mass transit.  How the city works with the school district and Microsoft. The Downtown Park, Microsoft's funding of city transportation projects. Improving Idlewood parking and the failed parks levy. Water seepage into homes from broken city water pipes. A camera near the schools.  The homeless problem.  The pervasiveness of heroin use....and on.

After the Q&A, council and neighbors spontaneously broke up into small groups.  To me, this signaled a very successful meeting.  I've been wanting these neighborhood meetings for years.  In fact, I campaigned for Steve Fields just on this one issue.  Mayor Marchione listens very well and proved last night he really cares about our neighborhoods. I hope to shake his hand during the May 23rd Town Hall.

Bob Yoder

UPDATED: Mayor, Council to hold Town Hall in April

Mayor and Council to hold a Town Hall at Audubon Elementary on Thursday, April 28.. Reception at 6:00. Town Hall Meeting 6:30 to 7:30.

Bring questions about the city and your neighborhood.

For details or to confirm email mayorcouncil@redmond.gov

Bob Yoder

Source:  RCTV and City Communications Director

Thousands of truckloads of soils to be relocated from and to the Downtown Park this summer

Jon Spanger, staff in the Ives and Marchione Administration, non-nonchalantly reported in last night's Council Study Session some alarming news about the development of the Downtown Park.

The park land is loaded with peat.  The peat has to be removed and replaced with dirt for stabilization.  15,000 yards -- a thousand truckloads -- must be removed. Probably another thousand truckloads will be needed to bring in replacement dirt.

The work is scheduled for 2-3 months this summer.  To make matters worse, the city will be working on the Cleveland--Redmond Way couplet conversion at the same time.  The Administration plans to hold several public meetings about it all.

Bob Yoder

Source:  RCTV Channel 21

UPDATED: Musings on the Elected's and Public's participation in affairs of our city

I  try to watch every Council meeting, will occasionally critique the Elected on my blog and send links of these posts by email to mayorcouncil@redmond.gov so they know "I'm not talking behind their back"; but most of all they can hopefully learn from what I've observed. Councilman Hank Myers labels me a gadfly because I have been doing this for years.  He values the gadfly role and on several occasions has thanked me.  Hank recently told me he reads my blog; I have a good relationship with him. Recently Councilmember Kim Allen thanked me on Facebook for being "a facilitator over all the years."  I value my relationship with Hank and Kim.  .

Other than Councilmembers John Stilin, David Carson, Hank and Kim I can't recall any other Councilmember giving me feedback on this blog. Though, once a long time ago President Hank Margeson told me he read it. The Mayor has appeared to ignore me over the many years I've been reporting.  He finally surfaced this week by email. Other than asking me for minor edits on a post, his email was less than encouraging to put it mildly. I think my main problem in communicating with John Marchione is he hates public scrutiny and only wants to hear constructive criticism behind closed doors. It's certainly not because I haven't emailed him on various issues over the years. My impression is the Mayor is too busy with regional and downtown matters to listen to the residential community. Some of his supporters say John always responds to emails. This has not been the case for me.      .

Our elected persistently ask (if not beg) the public for participation and feedback on the affairs of the city.  Marchione said in the mayoral debate he tries to reach out to the community with televised Council and Commissioner meetings, the Focus magazine, the city website and visits to the elementary schools.  John should be giving even more attention to the neighborhoods, especially with "the town turned upside down" from rapid development. He is weak on Public Outreach and rarely listens to the residents and for that sole reason I'm voting for Fields. Otherwise, I think he's a good city administrator and leader.   I do appreciate the one or two times he held a coffee at the Senior Center long ago,

John Stilin holds a coffee at Soulfood every Tuesday at 3 pm. Mr. Stilin,, Ms. Allen are members of the "Education Hill of Redmond" Facebook Group and at times participate.  Mr Myers is working with Ms. Allen to hold Q&A "listening sessions" in the neighborhoods. Councilmember Tom Flynn recently wrote an excellent piece in the Redmond Reporter. Of course our elected are getting copious feedback from the community with this election. For this, we should thank Steve Fields.

As stated, I've chosen to participate in the affairs of the city with my blog.  Like 99% of my neighbors I find it intimidating and usually  non productive to go to City Hall Council Meetings and participate.  Most of my neighbors don't even know the meetings exist or are televised. If they did watch a Council meeting many would probably find them scripted, stale, boring and above the level of the people.

However, this week's Council meeting was a breakthrough moment especially for the Mayor--it appears he's listened.  I've never heard him participate so much at a business meeting -- nor the Council so active and skillful in inviting him into the conversation. The Ombudsman Report was lively and broad. The dais was humming.  I only pray this will not be a one-time event.  You can see for yourselves by tuning into Comcast RCTV channel 21 on Tuesday nights at 7:30 pm. Or watch the meeting online here.

Opinion by Bob Yoder

The Mayoral Debate is posted here on UTube. Watch it here!

For those who's schedules aren't flexible enough to watch the Mayoral debate on RCTV,  I'm providing the UTube  mayoral debate HERE

I've listened and I'm voting for Steve Fields.  Watch the debate and decide for yourselves.

For those of you who don't know, there is a convenient drive-through Ballot Drop Box at Redmond City Hall.  No stamps needed.

Bob Yoder

 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WTbndDpkpkI&feature=youtu.be

Communications and city branding under review by Redmond council

City branding and communications were brief but important discussions by Redmond city council at their last study session.  Jeri Rowe-Curtis, newer city Communication and Marketing Administrator was at the table explaining her programs.  More importantly, the city council broadcast a  loud and clear message of Redmond's identity when Council Vice President Hank Margeson proclaimed:

"Redmond ought to be known throughout the world as the tech center of the universe and we ought to be building on that legacy."

Hank left it up to others with expertise to build the brand advising "there should be a coordinated communications plan to have a message that's carried forward; it adds transparency and insures no hidden agendas." 

Councilmember Allen agreed and encouraged "an outreach to the "creative" community to do some branding."

Hank Myers referenced the Puget Sound Business Journal's recent article on seven new technology companies in the Sound with two locating in Redmond.   Jeri Rowe-Curtis said she's paying attention to this Journal.  Some of her recent work is to get more robust programming on RCTV and AM 1650 and a social media push, especially U-Tube.  She's doing lunch 'n learns with staff for emergency prep and screens incoming calls of select citizens to filter the city information and shape the message.   

Her branding message for the city is currently:

"Realize Redmond's future as a City with two vibrant urban centers in downtown and Overlake, improve connections to our neighborhoods, and provide high quality services in partnership with an engaged community." 

By Bob Yoder