Renton Community Update

Fairwood residents for and against annexation want to know Renton's next move

2009-11-17T07:01:48Z

I continue to be neutral about Fairwood's future governance. This journal entry that I wrote over three years ago is still applicable today. My council colleagues have expressed neutrality as well.

The future governance of Fairwood is in the hands of Fairwood's residents.

There have been two annexation petitions submitted to the city of Renton for consideration, and we placed both of these petitions in abeyance until the Fairwood incorporation decision was voted on. One of these petitions is a "property petition" submitted by property owners holding much of the central business district in Fairwood (called the Red Mill petition), and the other petition is from a percentage of registered voters and calls for a vote by the overall Fairwood Community to consider annexation of the entire community (approximately 25,000 people) to Renton.

We are going to act slowly and openly as we lay out next steps for consideration of any annexation of Fairwood property.

Next Monday the Mayor will present the council with his recommendation for how to proceed with these two petitions. We will then most likely refer this recommendation into a future Committee of the Whole meeting, to be reviewed probably in early December. Residents of Fairwood and Renton will have a chance to review the Mayor's recommendation, watch the council deliberate on it, and make their comments during the audience comment portions of City Council Meetings. They can also send us written comments on the Mayor's proposal after it is unveiled on Monday night, if not earlier.

Among the issues the Mayor and staff are considering is how to handle the two petitions in a way that is as fair as possible, makes the most sense to the most people, and minimizes the strain on the Fairwood Community after they have just weathered a divisive campaign season.

We will have a process and expected election schedule defined by the end of December, but any election would likely not occur until late in 2010. This would give Fairwood residents a break, and allow time for all the pros and cons of annexation to be determined and reviewed by the community.

We'll know more next week.

And of course I'm maintaining neutrality. I encourage you again to read my earlier blog on this if you have not read it already Here is the link again.

Here is a sample of pro and con letters on this topic:

-------------------------------------------
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 3:02:40 PM
To: Council
Subject: The next step
Monday, November 9, 2009

Dear City of Renton leadership,

As a resident of the community of Woodside, east of Fairwood just off Petrovitsky, we have just endured the second attempt of a few folks living in Fairwood to make us all into the City of Fairwood. The effort has failed. I'm sure they have some sort of contingency plan to delay any efforts to annex the area into the City of Renton. But I would encourage you to begin as soon as possible the work necessary to bring us into the Renton by annexation. We all spoke loudly with our votes, so now let's get going. Please reply with an overview of your plans on this subject. Thank you.

Respectfully,

Almost a Resident
City of Renton

___________________________________________________________________

Posted by Letters Editor

A hearty “No thanks” from a Fairwood resident

Once again The Times offers an opinion in ignorance, this time about the Renton and Fairwood issue [“Renton and Fairwood: It’s time to get hitched,” Opinion, editorial, Nov. 11].

Regardless of the fact that studies performed by finance experts have suggested Fairwood is feasible, The Times offers Renton as some proverbial paradise. As Renton knows all too well, and as the studies showed, Fairwood is a tax exporter and thus we have more than ample funds to provide and improve our basic services.

However, becoming a new city is a scary thing, and voters apparently desire the seemingly easy path of annexation rather than the best long-term path of incorporation.

The Landing was cited as evidence of a transformed Renton, while the editorial failed to mention the high vacancy rates there, and Renton’s $8 million budget deficit.

So how will Fairwood’s services improve? Sadly, the editorial simply overlooks the reality of our situation — not a surprise, as we’re far-flung from Seattle.

Renton is salivating at the prospect of acquiring Fairwood, solely for the tax surplus we generate. Fairwood will become another forgotten, rundown Renton neighborhood while the city mismanages our tax surplus on failed projects.

— Tom Edwards, Fairwood

__________________________________

And Here is a Renton Reporter article with further background on this topic.

Renton's Fish Gallary is being restored to its former glory! Re-named Sierra Fish and Pets

2009-11-14T20:49:51Z

1972-2004 owners of "The Fish Gallery" bring in new merchandise as they rebuild the store at Renton Village.

Renton's wonderful locally-owned pet store, situated at Renton Village near Uwajimaya, is being restored to its former glory. The Renton location was once the flagship store for their local "Fish Gallery" pet supply chain, and the owners intend to restore the Renton location to its previous prominence.

Kim and Bruce, who owned the store from 1972 to 2004 and built it into a fixture for South King County animal lovers, have recently repurchased the store after it had fallen on hard times. They will be assisted by their son Jonas, who grew up in the family business, and has been helping them manage their other stores in Issaquah and Kent.

The store will be called Sierra Fish and Pets, and will have the wide-range of animals and supplies that Renton Fish Gallery was always known for. As one of their customers for 25 years, I can tell you that this store has a definite niche in our local economy. Compared to Petco or Petsmart, I suspect they will have a significantly wider range of fish and other animals for sale, as well as a highly varied selection of supplies for caring for these animals. In some ways, Sierra Pet (formally Fish Gallery) will be to Petsmart what McLendon's is to Lowe's Hardware... a strong local competitor emphasizing a great selection and local ownership. As an animal friendly community, there is plenty of market for pets and supplies in our city.

The store has been open for a week now under the new (and former) owners, and I strongly encourage you to stop in, say hello to them, and check out their selection of saltwater fish and other animals. The store was pretty busy when Andy, Susie and I stopped in this morning, as customers shopped merchandise while it was being unpackaged and stocked for the first time. Here are a couple photos.

Maple Valley Highway closed due to accident

2009-11-12T00:18:03Z

Maple Valley Highway closed due to an accident. Read the story HERE

Seattle Times Editorial--- Renton and Fairwood: Ahead of the Curve Together

2009-11-11T06:10:22Z

The Seattle Times published an editorial following up on the Fairwood incorporation election.Here is the link.

Renton area State Senator Fred Jarrett will become King County's number two executive.

2009-11-11T00:07:25Z

I'm delighter to hear that Fred Jarrett had been tapped to be to be the top deputy for King County Executive-elect Dow Constantine. Mr. Jarrett has excellent ideas for wrangling the budget into line. As an added bonus, he is intimately familiar with much of the Renton Community as he has most recently served as our 41st District Senator (his home is on Mercer Island).

Click here for the story

After 30 years, Renton's Value Village will be closing down next week

2009-11-09T05:33:52Z

Value Village in Renton will be closinng its doors next weekend. The Picaroon has run a thorough article about the closure that you can find by clicking HERE.

I'll be very sorry to see this store close it's doors. I've always felt they did an excellent job of managing the store and it's "previously-owned" merchandise for sale-- a very high quality second-hand store. And I was surprised to hear of this business closure. I would have thought that they might have weathered the bad financial climate better than others because of the nature of the store and their extremely low prices. But times are really tough for local business.

My best wishes to all of the staff at Value Village, and my thanks to each and every one of them for running a great business for 30 years.

Renton elected officials confused by Judith White, lobbyist for Leisure Estates and senior issues

2009-11-07T20:33:06Z

An email made its way around cyberspace two weeks before the election which left those of us in Renton elected offices scratching our heads.

In the email, the MHOA activist who organizes Leisure Estate's candidates forums made it clear that she wants a change on Renton City Council, the Renton School Board, and the Renton Hospital Board.

This came as a surprise to many of us on council, who have worked hard over the years to provide all the support and security to Leisure Estates that the law will allow.

Here is a quick list of items I remember working through the years. I'm sure there were more:

(1) We created a new zoning category, and rezoned Leisure Estates and the adjacent Sunnydale Mobile Home Park to be zoned "Manufactured Home Park" to preclude the property from being redeveloped by the owner for another purpose.

(2) We've advocated for the residents of the parks regarding water sub-metering and other changes the property owners were trying to impose.

(3) We responded to complaints from their neighborhood about two derelict houses on Union Ave, which we purchased and tore down, and ultimately turned into Heritage Park...one of the only new parks in Renton in the last 15 years.

(4) We've given more general support to mobile home owners, such as advocating in Olympia for improved/lengthened notice of impending park sales, and relocation assistance in the event that an owner tries to sell a park.

(5) We worked hard to help the residents of Wonderland Estates successfully keep their park intact, first attempting to work an emergency annexation, and then lobbying Renton Housing Authority, and ultimately King County Housing Authority to purchase the park to save it.

(6) We've made it a budget priority to maintain the fastest emergency aid and police response times possible-- placing fast delivery of medical aid and police service above all else in Renton.

(7) My council colleague (and most-recent Campaign Manager) Don Persson and I headed up an effort two years ago to establish a Utility Tax Rebate, which rebates the approximately $100 dollars per year in taxes that low-income seniors pay on their utilities. We did this after hearing concerns from Leisure Estates residents and other seniors on shared water accounts that they were not able to take advantage of our reduced water rates offered to low-income seniors. Low income senior rate payers now get a check each year signed by the mayor.

(8) My first big vote on Renton City Council was over a mobile home community issue. I cast the lone vote against rezoning a mobile home park on Lake Washington Blvd into a multi-family apartment zone. (The six members who voted to rezone the park into apartments are all retired from public office in Renton).

Two years ago Judith White attempted to keep Denis Law from being elected Mayor even though he had also supported Leisure Estates and was trying to improve emergency response times. Ms. White wrote a letter to the paper at the time, saying Denis was getting his support from developers-- an unfair charge which much more accurately described the candidate Judith White was backing. (Denis Law, a newspaper and magazine publisher, got his biggest contributions from police officers and fire fighters, and received almost all the rest of it from involved citizens).

In this month's campaign, Ms. White advocated that we replace Rich Zwicker with Jim Flynn (a view out-of-sync with 62 percent of Renton voters), and she advocated writing in her own name on the ballot instead of voting for me-- an obvious statement of her dislike for me that served no purpose other than making me ( Renton's longest serving council member and current city council president) feel like I don't really care to talk to her if I don't have to.

But local races were not the only place where her email showed she was out of sync with the people she claimed to be representing. She also seemed to be working at odds with another organization she lobbies for, the Washington State Senior Citizen’s Lobby. This organization was working hard with AARP and other senior's groups to defeat I-1033, while Judith White, a member of the Board for the Senior Citizens Lobby, was using her email lists to encourage voters to SUPPORT this measure.

Ms. White is of course entitled to support whoever she wants for any public office. But by sending an email with her political choices to her Leisure Estates mailing list (and perhaps others in MHOA) she risks giving the impression that these are official Leisure Estate positions. In so doing, she not only runs the risk of irritating city councilmembers, but she has potentially gotten Leisure Estates off to an awkward start with King County Executive elect Dow Constantine, recently re-elected school board member Pam Teal, and Port Commissioner Rob Holland as well.

I have enjoyed my friendship and community work with the residents of Renton's mobile home communities, and I will continue to work for Leisure Estates in spite of Judith White's complaints about us. However, those of us in local Renton elected offices would appreciate it if Leisure Estates could find a spokesperson and lobbyist who is more collaborative and consistent in her positions.
________________________________________________________
Email from Judith White:

Dear Candidates and Public Officials:

The Leisure Estates Community will host its Annual Candidates Forum in the Clubhouse, 201 Union Ave. S. E., Renton, 98059, on September 15th, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. ....

Come and get to know us, we are a very active Senior Community.

Your contact for this event is Judith E. White, and I can be reached at JudithEWhite@msn.com or via phone at xxx-xxxx.

Information for you:

...Judith White serves as State Secretary for AMHO-Association of Manufactured Home Owners, Active in MHOA-Manufactured Home Owners of America, Washington State Senior Lobby-Board, and the Legislative Action Team for the Manufactured/Mobile Home Community.
_________________________________________________________________________

From: JudithEWhite@msn.com
Sent: 10/16/2009 8:50:33 A.M. Pacific Standard Time
Subj: Judith's Political Pic's

I have been asked by several who I am voting for: So Here goes. If you don't like my selections, delete, but please VOTE! Also check our Kirby Wilbur's Pic's.

King Co. Executive: Susan Hutchinson
Sheriff Sue Rahr
King Co. Assessor: Lloyd Hara
King County Council #3: Kathy Lambert
King County Council #5: Julia Patterson
King County Council # 8: Regan Dunn-Our Representative
Port Commissioner Position 3: David Doud
Port Commissioner Position 4: Tom Albro
Initiative 1033: YES
Referendum Measure 71: (When you vote on this Bill you are voting to Approve or Reject the bill passed by the Legislature) I am rejecting this Bill!
City of Renton:
Position # 1: Write in-Judith White-
Position # 2, Jim Flynn
Position # 6, Terri Briere
Municipal Court Judge: Terry L. Jurado
School Board #5: Jim Grossnickle - a PHD in Math and Science, could really make a difference!
Hospital Board: Dr. Aaron Heide

It is time for Change on the Renton City Council, the School Board and the Hospital.

_________________________________
Excerpt from the Website for "NO on I-1033"

Endorsements for NO on I-1033

The coalition against I-1033 is made up of over 210 businesses, health care advocates, environmental organizations, labor unions and teachers. Our numbers are growing every day – join us!

AARP Washington
AFSCME 307 County Employees
AFSCME, Co & City Employees, Council 2
AFSCME, Local 120
AFSCME Local 270 Prosecutor’s Association
Aerospace Machinists Industrial District Lodge 751
Aging Services
Alliance of People with Disabilities
Alliance for Retired Americans
Alzheimer's Association, Western and Central Washington Chapter
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 843
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1015
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American Federation of Teachers Washington, AFL-CIO
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
American Rivers
APA Labor Alliance Seattle Chapter
API Women and Safety Center
ARC of King County
ARC of Kitsap & Jefferson Counties
ARC of Snohomish County
ARC of Spokane
ARC of Washington State
Asian Counseling and Referral Services
Asian Pacific Directors Coalition
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Against Tobacco
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of King County
Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation
Association of Washington School Principals
Associated General Contractors of Washington
Auburn Education Association
Audubon Washington
Benton County Democrats
Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce
Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce
Carpenters Local 1715
Cascade Bicycle Club
Cascade Land Conservancy
Center for Human Services
Center for Justice
Central Washington Progress
Childhaven
Children's Alliance
Church Council of Greater Seattle
Clark County Democratic Central Committee
Clark Skamania Klickitat Central Labor Council
Climate Solutions
Community Frameworks
Community Health Network of Washington
Community Health Care
Community to Community
Conservation Northwest
CWA Local 7901
Denise Louie Education Center
Disability Pride
Disability Rights Washington
Downtown Seattle Association
Earth Ministry
Eastern Washington Votes
El Centro de la Raza
ElderHealth
Everett Area Chamber of Commerce
Foundation for Early Learning
Fuse Washington
Futurewise
Graphic Communications Conference Local 767M
Greater Seattle Business Association
Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce
Greater Spokane, Inc
Group Health Cooperative
Hamilton International Middle School PTSA Board
HealthPoint
Health Work Force Institute
Healthy Washington Coalition
Heart of America Northwest
Identity Clark County
Inland Empire Residential Resources
Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 46
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 483
International Community Health Services
International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers Local 17
International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local #5
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5
Island County Democrats
Issaquah High School PTSA
Jefferson County Democrats
Joseph & Associates, PS Certified Public Accountants
Kent Chamber of Commerce
Kent Youth and Family Services
King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
King County Corrections Guild
King County Democrats
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
Korean Women's Association
Laborers Local 335
Laborers Local 440
Laborers Local 1239
Latino Political Action Committee of Washington
League of Education Voters
League of Women Voters of Washington
Legal Voice
Lifelong AIDS Alliance
Lutheran Community Services Northwest
Lutheran Public Policy Office
Mainstream Republicans
Marine Engineers Beneficial Association Union District 1
Microsoft
Minority Executive Directors Coalition
Municipal League of King County
NBBJ
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) Seattle Chapter
NE. Washington N. Idaho Building and Construction Trades Council
Northwest Health Law Advocates
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Northwest Progressive Institute
One America
Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
Parsons Brinckerhoff
People for Puget Sound
Pierce County Building and Trades Council
Pierce County Democrats
Pierce County Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 726
Pioneer PTA
Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington
PROVAIL
Providence Health & Services
Public School Employees of Washington
Puget Sound Sage
Raising Our APA Representation
Redmond Junior High PTSA
Renton Chamber of Commerce
Resident Councils of Washington
Retired Public Employees Coalition, Subchapter 3
Retired Public Employees Council of Washington
Sahngnoksoo
Seattle Audubon Society
Seattle Council PTSA
Seattle Gay News
Seattle Human Services Coalition
SEIU 775 NW
SEIU 925
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Local 6
SHARE
Shoreline Education Association
Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter
Skagit County Democrats
Snohomish County Democratic Central Committee
Snohomish County Labor Council
Snohomish County Young Democrats
Snoqualmie Valley PTSA Council
Southern Snohomish Chamber of Commerce
South King Council of Human Services
Spokane County Democrats
Spokane Regional Labor Council
Statewide Poverty Action Network
Stevens County Democratic Party
Suburban Cities Association
Superintendents Advocating for and Valuing Education
Surfrider Foundation
Tacoma Education Association
Tacoma Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 31
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce
Tahoma Audubon Society
Teamsters, Local 839
The Lands Council
The Nature Conservancy of Washington
Thurston County Democrats
Transportation Choices Coalition
Trust for Public Lands
UA Local 32 Plumbers and Pipefitters
UFCW 1439
UNITE Here, Local 8
United Auto Workers, Local 4121
UFCW 21
Vancouver Area Chamber of Commerce
Vancouver Audubon
Vancouver Education Association
Vancouver Firefighters, IAFF Local 452
Vancouver Police Officers Guild
VOICES
Voters for Affordable Housing
Vulcan, Inc
Washington ACORN
Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers
Washington Association of School Administrators Board of Directors
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
Washington Association for the Education of Young Children
Washington Association of Churches
Washington Bus
Washington CAN
Washington Conservation Voters
Washington Education Association
Washington Education Association Retired
Washington Environmental Council
Washington Federation of State Employees
Washington Fire Chiefs
Washington Home Care Coalition
Washington Low Income Housing Association
Washington Machinists Council
Washington Realtors
Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation
Washington Roundtable
Washington Stand for Children
Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans
Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Washington State Coalition for the Homeless
Washington State Council of Firefighters
Washington State Democrats
Washington State Elder Care Alliance
Washington State Hospital Association
Washington State Labor Council
Washington State Nurses Association
Washington State PTA
Washington State Public Health Association
Washington State Senior Citizen’s Lobby
Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network
Washington Toxics Coalition
Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition
WashPIRG
Whatcom County Democrats
Yakima County Democrats
1st Legislative District Democrats
2nd Legislative District Democrats
4th Legislative District Democrats
5th legislative District Democrats
11th Legislative District Democrats
14th Legislative District Democrats
15th Legislative District Democrats
17th Legislative District Democrats
18th Legislative District Democrats
20th Legislative District Democrats
21st Legislative District Democrats
22nd Legislative District Democrats
23rd Legislative District Democrats
25th Legislative District Democrats
26th Legislative District Democrats
30th Legislative District Democrats
31st Legislative District Democrats
32nd Legislative District Democrats
33rd Legislative District Democrats
34th Legislative District Democrats
36th Legislative District Democrats
37th Legislative District Democrats
38th Legislative District Democrats
41st Legislative District Democrats
42nd Legislative District Democrats
43rd Legislative District Democrats
45th Legislative District Democrats
46th Legislative District Democrats
47th Legislative District Democrats
48th Legislative District Democrats
49th Legislative District Democrats

http://no1033.com/index.php?page=display&id=87

_________________________

And this item shows AMHO's support to Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, which also supported the No on I-1033 campaign (while Judith White recommended her mailing list vote "YES")

http://www.wamho.org/newsletters/AMHONewsletter200903.pdf

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS ADVOCACY DAY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
More than a hundred sixty members of AMHO from around the state converged on Olympia on Tuesday February 24 for Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day. The annual event is sponsored by The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA) and its supporters and seeks to impress upon lawmakers the many, many housing issues facing our state, not the least including manufactured housing communities, mobile parks, preservation. The event was attended by an estimated more than five hundred people from numerous housing advocacy organizations.

Chance of flooding in Renton drops way down thanks to Army Corp repairs at Howard Hanson Dam

2009-11-06T01:40:17Z

We received really great news today about the flood risk in the Green River Valley. Instead of a 1 in 4 chance of flooding, the Army Corp now predicts only a 1 in 25 chance of flooding. This is thanks to some significant repairs they just completed on the dam.

The risk of serious flooding in Renton is even reduced further than this. We were previously predicting about a 1-in-10 chance of bad flooding in Renton, so now we can say the odds are closer to 1-in-60 or so. This is still a concern, but way, way better.

Here is the story of the Army Corp announcement on King5.com.

City recieving complaints about photo-enforcement program; council and mayor are studying issues

2009-11-05T02:16:48Z

Here is a response from our Mayor to a letter we all received yesterday about our photo-enforcement program. Other citizens have expressed similar concerns, and we are studying the issues raised.

As a reminder, the community was split about whether installation of these cameras was a good idea. There had been many requests to do something meaningful to improve safety in the school zones. People on both sides of this issue that spoke to council, and even left comments on some of my earlier blogs. You can find those by clicking here . I think it is important that people feel the cameras perform fairly, and that there is are clear expectations for the drivers.

Summer school issues have probably been our biggest complaint, when no kids can be seen anywhere but the cameras are still in force. This complaint is closely followed by another frequent complaint in which drivers feel certain the flashing light was off at the time they got their ticket. I have a theory regarding this second complaint. I think because we use a single flashing light, on...off...on...off, that it is possible for a safe driver to make a visual sweep when the light is in it's off-pulse, and not dwell on it long enough to notice that it is flashing. Drivers may be traveling 30 feet per second, which means that they can not afford to stare at the light for more than a half second or so when entering a danger zone. In the summer time at noon, the LED lights may not be easily perceived by peripheral vision, so unfortunately you need to look at them.

If we as a community decide to implement any more of these cameras, I will ask for dual lights, where a pair of lights blink alternately top and bottom. A dual light could be recognized as being illuminated immediately, without a half-second delay. I'll also look into whether it would be worthwhile to retrofit our existing lights with this improvement.

Here is the most recent email exchange on this topic:

__________________________

Dear Shannon,

Thank you for writing this well-thought out message concerning our photo enforcement program. As you might imagine, we have received a number of complaints since the program was initiated, primarily from those cited in school zones.

I have been working with our police department to explore ways to reduce the confusion about when the 20 MPH applies. As you have experienced, children do not need to be present to trigger a violation, but the lights must be flashing. The electronic system associated with these cameras are connected directly to the light system, which means if the lights are not on, the cameras won’t function. That aside, there has been confusion as to when the speed limit applies, especially during the summer when many motorists are unaware that summer school is in session. It’s been my opinion that we should consider not enforcing the speed limit with the cameras during the summer, which is still under debate. Your idea of enforcing a 20 MPH limit all the time in school zones is worthy of including in our discussions as we explore ways to reduce confusion.

It’s important to know that citations from these cameras are similar to parking violations are do not impact your insurance. If however, you receive a citation from a police officer in a school zone, the cost of the ticket is double the normal fine and this can have a significant impact with your insurance plan.

You offer some excellent points that I’ll include in future discussions involving our photo enforcement program. Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

Sincerely,

Denis Law
Mayor, City of Renton
1055 S. Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057
425 430-6500
rentonwa.gov

_____________________________________________

From: Shannon Aldrich Payne
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 1:03 PM
To: Greg Taylor; Marcie Palmer; Randy Corman; Denis Law; Rich Zwicker; Don Persson; Terri Briere; King Parker
Subject: Traffic Camera Enforcement

Greetings,

As many of you know, I’m a fan and promoter of the City of Renton. Since warily moving to Renton in 2003 (kicking and screaming, “I’m a 206 girl!), I have developed great pride in being a resident of Renton. So much so, in fact, I’m in the process of opening a business here that represents a long-term commitment to this community. And in that process, I’ve found even more to love about Renton- which I will be communicating in more detail at another time.

Right now, I just want to let you know that, while I comprehend the benefit they might bring, I do not believe the traffic camera enforcement program, as it is currently operated, is fair or just, and it does not contribute to a positive attachment to Renton. Frankly, it feels a bit like extortion, and an underhanded way for the city to raise funds.

I’m about to write my second check, because of this program. In this case, it was for speeding in the McKnight school zone- at 9:30AM, July 15th, THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER!! No yellow lights were flashing, no children were present, school was not even in session!

The first time I received such a ticket, it was at 8:00AM (5 minutes after the bell rings for class), no children were present (as indicated in photos that were used as evidence against me), and the yellow lights stopped flashing as I approached. My rate of speed was 26 miles per hour- 4 miles under the posted 30mph.

Yet, to appeal these citations, I’d have to take time out of my schedule to go to court, and I’ve already heard from others that the magistrate never reduces below $74, even if there is no evidence that the offense was committed, other than photos of the vehicle moving through the area and a statement from a police officer that all equipment was working properly.

It is my sense that if these are working properly, than the purpose of the program is a “gotcha”. It is extortion, because the city has the ability to damage credit, create problems with insurance, or even ultimately have drivers licenses suspended, if residents don’t pay for these citations, that are frequently made under false pretenses. In both of my cases, I was minding the posted speed limit (30 mph), because the rules that were posted for the 20mph speed limit were not in effect (no lights blinking, no children present).

Fortunately for me, I can afford the $74 without great hardship. I feel a bit of anger and frustration writing these checks (obviously), but I’m appeased by of all the great services that the City of Renton provides for residents here, and figuring that this extortion will at least be going to a good cause.

It does concern me, however, that others who might not be as financially privileged could end up in a situation of dire hardship because of this program, and by no fault of their own. So many families in our community are living on the edge, and $74 (or originally $150, before I sent my explanation by mail) could make the difference for someone having a phone or electricity for the month and potentially going deeper into a tough situation for the lack thereof.

I’d like to ask that the City Council reconsider the traffic camera program. If you are going to continue with it, I’d recommend changing the speed limits in school zones to be permanently 20mph and/or allowing residents to appeal by mail to have offenses reviewed and the citation dropped if it is found, as in my cases, that the time stamp does not correlate to the time period during which the lights flash and students are present. It does not seem to be in the spirit of this city to have the current situation continue, and frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone filed a lawsuit against the city that would ultimately cause a greater financial consequence and administrative burden than the proceeds from these tickets would be worth. I wouldn’t want that for the city.

Thank you,

Shannon Aldrich Payne

For those interested in the reopening plan for Shattuck, here is a great Q&A email exchange

2009-11-05T02:03:45Z

My thanks to David Moylan for his excellent questions. His Q and A session with our Public Works Department regarding the re-opening of Shattuck Avenue (which was closed by the railroad work in downtown Renton) will be of general interest:

(The email chain starts at the bottom)

You are very welcome. Let us know if you have any concerns with our approach or sign placement as we move forward with this.

Sincerely,

Gregg Zimmerman, P.E.
Public Works Administrator
City of Renton
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 430-7311
Fax: (425) 430-7241
E-mail: gzimmerman@rentonwa.gov ***Note new e-mail address***

-----Original Message-----
From: David Moylan
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 8:27 AM
To: Gregg A. Zimmerman; Peter Hahn; Marcie Palmer
Cc: Alexander Pietsch; Bob M Hanson; Derek Akesson; Jay B Covington; Randy Corman
Subject: RE: Question on Shattuck bridge

Mr. Zimmerman,

Thank you very much for your prompt response to this matter. I am
confident that amicable accommodation of the circumstances from all
sides will result in much smoother operations for all during this
construction period.

Best Regards,

~dbm

David B. Moylan
VP, Projects & Technology
Member, LLC

J&J Communications, LLC
" Providing Exceptional Quality -
On time, First time, Every time"

-----Original Message-----
From: Gregg A. Zimmerman [mailto:Gzimmerman@Rentonwa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 4:18 PM
To: David M; Peter Hahn; Marcie Palmer
Cc: Alexander Pietsch; Bob M Hanson; Derek Akesson; Jay B Covington;
Randy Corman
Subject: RE: Question on Shattuck bridge

Dear Mr. Moylan:

The Transportation staff is coordinating the creation and placement of
the requested signs and will be in touch with you shortly.

Sincerely,

Gregg Zimmerman, P.E.
Public Works Administrator
City of Renton
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 430-7311
Fax: (425) 430-7241
E-mail: gzimmerman@rentonwa.gov ***Note new e-mail address***

-----Original Message-----
From: David M [mailto:DavidM@jjcomminc.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 1:35 PM
To: Peter Hahn; Marcie Palmer
Cc: Alexander Pietsch; Bob M Hanson; Derek Akesson; Gregg A. Zimmerman;
Jay B Covington; Randy Corman
Subject: RE: Question on Shattuck bridge

Mr. Hahn,

The construction on Shattuck Ave. is well underway at this point, and my
business is truly feeling the impact. Unfortunately, the closure of the
street has prevented clients, parcel delivery (we have missed multiple
time-sensitive deliveries due to inaccessibility of delivery trucks to
our location), and even employees from being able to gain access to our
place of business.

I would, on behalf of my business and the other two businesses adjacent
to me (Quality Woodworking and Emerald Dental Arts), request that the
City take action to reflect the fact that businesses are open during
road construction, and provide signage indicating detour routing to our
businesses for the duration of the construction process.

I applaud the City moving forward with this civic improvement project,
and am anxious for the reopening of Shattuck Ave. to traffic under the
BN trestle. In the interim, however, I would ask that you work with us
to ensure that we can continue to generate the commerce that contributes
to making these projects possible.

Best Regards,

~dbm

David B. Moylan
VP, Projects & Technology
Member, LLC

J&J Communications, LLC
" Providing Exceptional Quality -
On time, First time, Every time"

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Hahn [mailto:PHahn@ci.renton.wa.us]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 11:22 AM
To: Marcie Palmer; David M
Cc: Alexander Pietsch; Robert Hanson; Derek Akesson; Gregg Zimmerman;
Jay Covington; Randy Corman
Subject: RE: Question on Shattuck bridge

Mr. Moylan,

I am glad to hear that you read the city's web page. AND the Shattuck
Ave. project update on the web was recently changed from what you had
seen in July 2007. In fact, the Council Transportation Committee
(mssrs. Corman, Persson, Zwicker) at its August 21 meeting had requested
that (a) a sign be erected - the one you observed; and (b) the web page
be updated.

We appreciate your patience and especially your understanding.

Peter

Peter Hahn
Deputy Administrator
Public Works Department
City of Renton

From: David Moylan

To all involved,

Thank you very much for your attention to my inquiry.

A City of Renton municipal truck was just out in front of my business
posting a sign indicating that the BNSF underpass on Shattuck Ave. S.
will reopen in the Fall of 2009. I must admit that I am impressed with
the swift response. Thank you.

I was just curious as the last I had read anything about the
construction update on Shattuck Ave. was in the July 2007 Renton Now
CityNews Newsletter
http://rentonwa.gov/uploadedFiles/City_News/AJLS/RentonNow%20July%2007%20II.PDF indicating that the project would be ongoing from August
(2007) through December (2007).

Now, to paraphrase Paul Harvey, I understand "...the rest of the story."

Best Regards,

~dbm

David B. Moylan
VP, Projects & Technology
J&J Communications, LLC
" Providing Exceptional Quality -
On time, First time, Every time"

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Hahn [mailto:PHahn@ci.renton.wa.us]
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:33 AM
To: Marcie Palmer; David M
Cc: Alexander Pietsch; Robert Hanson; Derek Akesson; Gregg Zimmerman;
Jay Covington; Randy Corman
Subject: Question on Shattuck bridge

Dear Mr. Moylan,

Thank you for your inquiry.

As you noted, the railroad bridge construction is completed. However,
the railroad (BNSF) has imposed a particular requirement for a special
kind of barrier called a "sacrificial beam". We cannot allow traffic to
cross this RR without the beam in place. AND we cannot construct this
complicated structure until after a stormwater line is installed. The
storm line design is being done now with construction scheduled for
2009. Then the sacrificial beam will be installed.

The above is the very short version. If you wish to have more details
feel free to call either Derek Akesson at 430 7242 or Bob Hanson at 430
7223.

Peter

Peter Hahn
Deputy Administrator
Public Works Department
City of Renton
1055 S. Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
425-430-7242
fax: 430-7376
phahn@ci.renton.wa.us

>>> Marcie Palmer 9/24/2008 10:04 AM >>>
Mr. Moylan-
Thank you for your inquiry. I am copying our Transportation Staff as
well as Council Transportation Chair Randy Corman. Staff will get back
with you soon regarding the details on Shattuck Ave.

Best regards,

Marcie

From: David B. Moylan
I am a business owner in the City of Renton, and have been wondering
when the roadblocks on either side of the train overpass on Shattuck
Ave. will be removed. All construction in that area was completed some
months ago, and still it remains closed to traffic.

I am confident that doing so would not only relieve some of the volume
on Rainier Ave., but it would make access to and from my place of
business MUCH easier.

Thanks in advance for your attention to this matter.

Best Regards,

David B. Moylan
Co-Owner
J&J Communications, LLC

This email request originated from the following link:
https://rentonwa.gov/government/default.aspx?id=3212

The Picaroon Reminds us all to dine locally-- several local restaurants have closed recently

2009-11-05T01:50:28Z

The Picaroon shares the latest news about the downtown restaurant situation:

"Here is the local restaurant news from Renton - Fin and Bone, Billy McHales and Calico Cheesecake/Lure Cafe/Tapestry Saloon closed all within the last few days. SOooo - here is the plan, people of Renton.... Read the whole article at "the Picaroon"

Election results are in! It's Rich Zwicker for City Council and Pam Teal for Renton School Board!

2009-11-04T06:10:59Z

Pam Teal and Rich Zwicker hug after the announcement that both officials decisively won election to their positions on Renton School Board and Renton City Council.

The mood was festive at Liberty Cafe tonight, as two hard-working appointed local officials each won election for the first time.

Both Rich Zwicker and Pam Teal had been appointed to their respective positions on Renton City Council and Renton School District Board of Directors. Rich was appointed to fill a vacancy after Dan Clawson resigned, and Pam was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Marcie Maxwell won a position in the State Legislature.

Evidently, voters agreed that these two were the right people for the job. As of this writing, the results are Rich Zwicker has 61.89 percent of the vote for city council, and Pam Teal has 55.49 of the vote for School Director. Rich prevailed over Jim Flynn, and Pam beat Jim Grossnickle.

These are decisive margins, and extremely unlikely to change. About 25% of registered voter's ballots were tabulated in these returns, and it is likely that about 50% of voters will return their ballots. The second half of the expected ballots would have to completely reverse for the election results to change, with is a statistical impossibility.

Both of these excellent public servants had my enthusiastic endorsement, so I'm in a very good mood tonight. I'll enjoy working side by side with Rich Zwicker for at least four more years.

All of the other Renton Council and School Board positions were unopposed. Al Talley was re-elected for another term on School Board, and Terri Briere and I were each returned for another term to Renton City Council.

Here are some additional photos from tonight's party.

Zwicker Campaign Manager Ed Prince checks election results while Councilman Rich Zwicker and Mayor Law stand by

Poggi Bonsi & c’est la Vie enter into creative partnership with new stores at The Landing in Renton

2009-11-01T05:45:40Z

Some award-winning local retailers will be opening new shops at the Landing. Here is the announcement.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

2009-10-31T18:05:05Z

Last night was a perfect night for Halloween parties...a stormy Friday night, the night before Halloween.

We had a costume party with many of our Homeschooling friends (many of who we have met through the Renton School District's HOME program).

A few of my favorite costumes were Fred and Daphne from Scooby Doo (our friends Jon and Gina Brichoux), tourists traveling with a gnome ( City of Renton Planner Erika Conkling and her family), and Nintendo's Mario and Princess Daisy (My son Andy and his girlfriend Amy Mitchell)

Here are some of the photos. Happy Halloween Renton!

I love this picture of my brother's 1970's-era band; members included editor of "Wild Things"

2009-10-30T03:16:15Z

"Where the Wild Things Are" editor Jim Haygood (second from left), with my brother Roger (second from right); also shown are friends/musicians Mark Eneidi (far left), and John Adams (far right)

Kids...keep nurturing your film-making skills!

After watching Renton's Curvee Awards Tuesday night (for the 48 hour film frenzy), I thought it would be fun to share this high school photo of Jim Haygood, the editor of Hollywood's new Blockbuster "Where the Wild Things Are". I grew up with Jim around, as he was a close friend of my older brother Roger. My brother Roger is standing next to Jim, holding the mandolin in the picture. (My brother is not THE Roger Corman of B-Movie fame, but he IS a highly talented musician and software designer currently living in Santa Rosa California). I remember all the band members pictured above making a movie about their construction of a tree-house in a giant Eucalyptus tree, which Jim filmed and edited as a high-school humanities project.

Jim seemed to always have a movie camera, or a still camera, or a guitar with him while we were growing up in Livermore California. In addition to this funky jug band and other folk/rock bands, he also performed on guitar with his sister and brothers in church services when we were growing up. He followed his passion, and now has become one of the industry's great editors.

Here is a recent industry article about him. And here are some of the films he has worked on as listed in the IMDB data base.

Renton police ask for your help in identifying this suspect

2009-10-29T23:54:16Z

Commander Paul Cline 425-430-7597 October 29, 2009

Renton Police Department
Media Release

The Renton Police Department is investigating two separate Armed Robberies that occurred at “Simply Espresso” located at 401 Airport Way N in the City of Renton.

1st Incident: October 1, 2009 at 11:48 a.m. Suspect approached on foot and ordered a drink. When given his drink he implied a weapon in his pocket and demanded money from the register. After receiving the money the suspect fled on foot. The suspect was described as a W/M, early 30s, 6’0 / thin build with Brown mid-length hair. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, zip-up fleece like sweatshirt with a Puma logo, a black hat and sunglasses.

2nd Incident: October 20, 10:44 a.m. Suspect approached the Simply Espresso stand on foot, displayed a handgun and demanded all the money in the register. After receiving the money he fled on foot. The suspect was described as a W/M 30-35, 6’0 / thin build, unshaven with reddish facial hair and having collar length dark brown hair. He was wearing a green CAMO coat over a grey hoody, a black baseball cap, and dark sunglasses.

The second Robbery was captured on video and still photos from that video are attached to this Press Release.

The Renton Police Department is asking assistance in identifying the suspect in these photos. Anyone who believes they can identify the suspect or has any other information about these Robberies is asked to call 9-1-1 or the Renton Police Department at (425) 430-7500. If you see this suspect or know who this suspect is DO NOT attempt to contact him as he is considered Armed and Dangerous.

Commander Paul Cline
Patrol Operations Division
Renton Police Department

Councilwoman Marcie Palmer encourages Renton voters to return Rich Zwicker to City Council

2009-10-29T06:38:53Z

Rich Zwicker, a tireless Renton volunteer, presents an "Honorable Mention" Curvee Award last night.

Letter to the Editor
Rich Zwicker

In January of 2008, 12 Renton residents applied to fill a vacant Council seat. After interviewing each candidate and reviewing their submitted information, the City Council enthusiastically appointed Rich Zwicker. 20 months later, we have an experienced Council Member in Rich, who has proven to be an outstanding addition to the Renton City Council.

Rich joined the Council as we transitioned to a new Administration with a new mayor and newly elected Council Members (Greg Taylor and King Parker). Rich immediately jumped in with his full attention, time and intellect. He engrossed himself in the study of all key issues, so he would be thoroughly prepared for every meeting. He dedicated the time to get to know the city staff and participated in activities such as Fire Ops 101 and police ride-alongs in an effort to learn as much as possible. He consistently asked the hard questions and listened to all the information before making decisions.

What I appreciate most about Rich is his sincere desire to serve the Renton community. A lifelong resident of Renton, Rich has deep passion for our community. He is a fixture at community events, and enjoys few things more than meeting and visiting with community members at the Farmer’s Market, neighborhood picnics, and every special event that comes along. In my opinion, it is so important that elected officials stay connected to the people they serve or they lose touch with “reality”. Rich is active in so many areas in our city, I know he will always be accessible and open to everyone.

Please join me in retaining Rich on Council. He has earned your vote!

Marcie Palmer
Council Member

Curvee Award Ceremony

2009-10-29T03:39:37Z

The Fairwood Community News did a great job of covering the Curvy Award Ceremony last night...for the winners in the Renton 48 hour Film Frenzy.

You can read the complete story here.

Here are a couple of Gary Palmer's photos from the event.

Councilwoman Marcie Palmer presents a Curvee award for second place student division.

The amazing EriAm Sisters energize the Performing Arts Center with three excellent musical numbers

The films from the event will be available in the coming days at rentonreporter.com

The nation's first Hooters bowling alley opens in Renton

2009-10-28T05:57:57Z

Hooters Communication Director Kendahl Damico (center) and two Hooters servers greet visitors on the opening day celebration at the Renton Hooters.

The Renton Reporter first broke the story about six months ago. Investors would be reopening the Cascade Lanes bowling alley and attached diner/casino/lounge as a Hooters-branded Restaurant, Bowling Alley and Casino. The idea was welcomed by many who were looking for new life in the Cascade Shopping Center, and the idea was questioned by others who wondered if this was the right location for Hooters and others who object to the Hooters brand in general.

The Renton council and mayor had no say either way in this decision, which was a bit of a relief politically. The property use did not change from the previous use, and the property already carries the correct zoning for the Hooters proposal. Furthermore, the building itself had a four-decade history of service as a restaurant/lounge/bowling alley.

I had personally dined at the Lake Union Hooters with my wife and another couple, and it was far less salacious than I would have believed from all the hype and the Hooters logo. The Hooters waitresses are dressed in athletic shoes, shorts, and tank tops. They reminded us far more of cheerleaders than of burlesque performers. They occasionally joined together to perform a cheer, even getting customers to do "the wave", following a big sports play on the big screen.

Still, I wondered whether the location would be visible enough for Hooters customer base and whether the neighborhood would be satisfied with it. On the positive side, I knew that the Cascade Shopping Center desperately needed some serious investment if it was to break out of it's slide toward reduced occupancy, possible abandonment, and public nuisance status.

They did a great job renovating the restaurant/bowling alley complex and putting on a ribbon-cutting celebration. They invested well over one million dollars in their renovations, including a beautiful remodel of everything, an all-new kitchen, and state-of-the art fire protection systems that even use two $30,000 lasers to sense smoke anywhere over the bowling lanes. The non-smoking establishment has come a long way from the smoke-filled lounge of past decades. The Hooters complex provides jobs for 125 people, and is expected to bring approximately 3000 people per week to the Cascade Shopping Center.

Cutting the ribbon. I had the honor as Council President. (Picture by Cathy Corman)

(Picture by Cathy Corman)

You can read more on this story in this Renton Reporter article by Dean Radford.

We had a fun time at Seattle "Steam Con" this weekend

2009-10-25T22:25:32Z

My youngest son Danny (far left) posed with friends and inlaws at Steam Con on Saturday

The Seattle area experienced it's first "Steam Con" this weekend, Friday through Sunday at the Marriott.

The Steam Con convention celebrates a sub-genre of Science Fiction that focuses on steam powered vehicles and contraptions contemplated before wide-spread use of electricity; Jules Verne is the author that best comes to mind.

The style, gadgets and clothing that go with this genre are now often referred to as "Steam Punk," and typically look like upscale 1800's attire usually from Victorian England. This wikipedia article provides a good summary of the design and fantasy that go with this type of sci fi.

Our family has been identifying steam punk more frequently lately, in part because of its recent popularity here in the US, and in part because of its long popularity in Japan. Japanese Anime incorporates steam punk so often that they even have a series named for the topic.

Steamboy, a great example of the sci fi "steam punk" genre

And below is a frame from one of Japan's most famous feature-length animated movies of all time, "Howls Moving Castle", from Miyazaki's studio Ghibli-- Japan's eqivalent to our Walt Disney.

In fact, steam punk is so popular in Japan that Disneyland even incorporated steam punk themes into large sections of Tokyo Disney Sea, the Disney Tokyo theme park that is unique to Japan.

Below are a couple of snap shots from Tokyo Disney Sea last year, with the Jules Verne "Steam Punk" theme very evident.

So, after explaining the genre, here are my photos from the "Steam Con" this weekend at the Sea Tac Marriot.

Danny gets his 19th century flight gear put together at our house before leaving for the convention

Kaylie, my son-in-law's sister, created a very elaborate costume complete with a unique brass/copper steam punk muzzle loading rifle.

The hotel bar was overrun by costumed gadget-wielding characters from Victorian England

Now that floods may be coming to your neighborhood, the state's decided to let you keep your run-off

2009-10-25T17:33:21Z

I was glad the state finally did the right thing, and decided it was okay for home-owners to keep and reuse the rainwater run-off from their buildings and other impermeable structures. Here is the article on the topic. Up until now you were essentially a scoff-law if you were collecting water from your downspout in a rain-barrel. Now you are good to go. So save that water to irrigate your garden during the next dry spell... now one's gonna arrest you for it.

New Access Wellness Center provides a range of holistic health services

2009-10-25T17:22:47Z

On Wednesday I had the honor to cut the ribbon at the opening of the Access Wellness Center on Lind Avenue across from IKEA.

The modern, impeccably-clean and attractively decorated center takes a holistic approach to health in a format that is a cross between am upscale medical clinic and a beauty spa.

They make all their services and prices available on their website at AccessWellnessCenter.com

In addition to providing a range of health services to Renton-area clients, the center has also created 13 excellent new jobs in our city.

Access Wellness Center is a welcome addition to the City of Renton, and I wish them great success.

Zillow.com does not quite have the schools right

2009-10-25T16:59:37Z

I just surfed over to Zillow to see how the internet site feels that local real estate valuations are holding up, and I discovered they are having some troubles identifying schools.

When I checked my duplex in the Renton highlands I was a little surprised that they implied that Hillcrest Special Sevices Center was the elementary school. But it was the high school that really caught my eye. Zillow reports that the high school for this part of Renton Highlands is the Griffin Home, which is actually a juvenile halfway house located on Lake Washington Boulevard! (The Griffin Home has been most recently in the news as the point of escape for the "Camano Island Serial Burglar" described in this story here .)

Here is the Zillow page:

I'm sad to hear that Uptown Glassworks is at risk for going out of business

2009-10-25T15:40:07Z

The Renton Reporter recently posted this story about Renton's Uptown Glassworks potentially going out of business. This would be a big loss for our city, as the unique glass art studio and retail shop is a big draw to our downtown and has introduced countless new students to the world of glass blowing. It has helped anchor our downtown for nearly two decades and has become one of my favorite spots to purchase gifts for far-away friends when I want to send something made in Washington.

I hope someone with a hundred thousand dollars in upfront costs and a couple years of operating reserve can step forward to purchase this business to keep it open. Whoever buys it for $100,000 will be inheriting a large loyal customer base and a nearly twenty-year excellent reputation.

In the above photo, a delegation from our sister city of Nishiwaki Japan gets a glass-blowing demonstration (and ever participates a little) at Uptown Glassworks

Falling asleep on airplanes

2009-10-25T15:38:48Z

The Seattle Times ran this story today about pilots taking naps in the airplane flight deck. I'm wondering how they find it so easy to fall asleep when--as hard as I try-- I can never seem to fall asleep on an airplane?