Supreme Court hears arguments in special education suit spearheaded by Issaquah
June 29, 2010
State Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments June 22 from state and school district officials regarding how special education is funded statewide.
Spearheaded in part by Issaquah School District officials in 2004, the 12-member School Districts’ Alliance for Adequate Funding of Special Education lawsuit calls into question how special education is funded.
Specifically, district officials say the state’s funding system for special education is unconstitutional and inadequate, leaving them to fund a large portion of special-education programs with local taxpayer dollars. They argue that under the state’s constitution, state officials should fully fund all special-education programs.
A verdict by the Supreme Court won’t likely be returned for nine months to a year, district officials said.
City delays right of way decision until July
June 29, 2010
City Council members delayed a decision on a section of right of way near East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast until July 6.
The council held a hearing about the 229th Avenue Southeast right of way June 7. Members decided to extend the hearing in order to ensure the city had taken ample steps to contact adjacent landowners. The council held the initial hearing in May.
The right of way runs near the Boeing building behind The Home Depot. City Transportation Manager Gary Costa said the city had difficulty contacting the property manager for the Boeing complex.
King County required the developer to dedicate right of way for 229th Avenue Southeast in case the county or city someday decided extend the street from south of Issaquah-Fall City Road to connect to Southeast Black Nugget Road. In order to accommodate such a link, the county called for a 60-foot earthen embankment alongside the right of way.
Issaquah annexed the area a decade ago, but the city has no interest in developing the right of way into a road link. Under state law, officials must first contact adjacent landowners and hold a public hearing before relinquishing the right of way.
Prepare for Independence Day travel delays
June 29, 2010
Road crews will take a break for Independence Day weekend, but drivers across Washington should prepare for added travel times during the holiday weekend.
Work at most state Department of Transportation construction projects in the state will move off highways from noon July 2 until the morning of July 6. But drivers should still prepare for shifted lanes, detours and reduced speed limits near worksites.
Check the transportation agency website, for the most-traveled — and delay-prone — routes: Interstate 90, Interstate 5 at the Canadian border, I-5 through Lewis County and U.S. Route 2.
Or call the 24-hour traveler information hotline, 511.
Expect longer-than-typical waits at ferry docks and Canadian border crossings most of the holiday weekend. Travel times should be much lighter June 30, and July 1 and 5.
City posts Park Pointe material online
June 29, 2010
The city has posted the latest documents related to the plan to preserve the Park Pointe property online for residents to review.
Find a proposed timeline for the planned transfer of development rights, proposed agreements and environmental reports here.
If city officials and landowners can pull off the proposed transfer, about 140 forested acres will be preserved — 102 acres at the Park Pointe site on lower Tiger Mountain and 43 acres adjacent to the Issaquah Highlands.
Before the land can be set aside for conservation, the City Council must sign off on bills to initiate the transfer of development rights and amend the agreement with highlands developer Port Blakely Communities to address the 43-acre site. The developer could be allowed to build 500 more residences in the highlands.
The process — proposed in 2008 — slowed as the previous Park Pointe owner declared bankruptcy, and a Seattle bank foreclosed on the property in March. City officials and Port Blakely executives hope to complete the proposed swap early next year.
EFR directs donation toward new equipment purchases
June 29, 2010
Eastside Fire & Rescue is directing a donation of more than $4,700 to an organization primarily dedicated to buying equipment for their own firefighters.
“The work they’re doing helps us meet the mission we are tasked with,” said Jeff Griffin, EFR deputy chief of operations.
The donation is more than three-quarters of the money private ambulance service American Medical Response will donate to local charities the board chooses. This year’s donations included $1,500 to Ryan’s Solution, a nonprofit run by an EFR firefighter aimed at ending teenage abuse of prescription medicine, and $4,739 to Eastside Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, a nonprofit support group for EFR firefighters.
The annual donation is part of EFR’s services agreement with AMR and can go to any nonprofit the board sees as worthy, provided they are a registered 501(c)3, according to EFR documents presented at the board of directors’ June 10 meeting. The volunteer association meets the requirement.
Brant Butte, AMR’s director of communications, said the company has not yet reviewed the board’s recommendation and will evaluate it when it hears from the board. In past years, the board has asked AMR to donate the money to area food banks.
Council supports effort to acquire space shuttle
June 29, 2010
King County Council members cleared a space shuttle for landing June 28.
The council offered support to a push by The Museum of Flight to acquire a decommissioned orbiter. The council approved the ceremonial measure a day before the museum broke ground on a facility to house a space exhibit and, maybe, a space shuttle.
Issaquah resident and former astronaut Bonnie Dunbar leads the effort to acquire the spacecraft for the Seattle museum.
NASA will retire the three orbiters by next year. Museums across the nation hope to net the shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour. The space agency has promised the shuttle Discovery to the Smithsonian Institution.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and state legislators offered support — and $3 million — to help land a shuttle for Washington.
Museum leaders touted the facility as a smart choice for a shuttle, because the museum sits amid a population center and adjacent to the type of airfield needed to deliver a shuttle. The museum also talked up the aerospace heritage inherent in the region. In addition, several astronauts hail from the Pacific Northwest, including Dunbar, a Washington native.
Know safety, laws about fireworks
June 29, 2010
A dummy hand is missing fingers after incorrectly lighting a Silver Salute, which is equal to the effects of 100 firecrackers. By Elizabeth DeVos
The Fourth of July is about enjoying the sun, if it decides to come out from behind the clouds, picnics and the exciting sounds and vast array of colors from lighting off fireworks.
In cities where fireworks are legal, stands opened this June 21. Although fireworks are illegal within the city limits of Issaquah, many people still ignite the dangerous explosives and quickly run away in order to watch the fiery display they put off.
“We want to remind residents of Washington to be safe,” said Karen Jones, deputy state fire marshal of the state fire marshal and data analysis. “Check the laws of your community as they change.”
According to the annual fireworks report put out by the Washington State Patrol, males ages 15-21 account for most fireworks-related injuries. In 2009, 200 firework related injuries were reported.
Hand and eye injuries are reported most, followed by head, face and ear injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.
“Plan ahead for mishaps,” said Special Agent Phillip Whitley, of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
It’s also important to understand which fireworks are legal in your area, he said.
Fireworks should be left unaltered and only used as directed by the warning label that’s required by federal law. An improvised, altered firework can lead to burns, amputation of limbs and even death. Read more
Plan to add electric-vehicle stations charges ahead
June 29, 2010
The city could change development rules to allow more electric-vehicle charging stations in Issaquah.
Council Land & Shore Committee members will discuss the proposed changes to the city Land Use Code on July 12. The full City Council will likely consider the electric-vehicle proposal by late summer.
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation into law last year to ease development of infrastructure to accommodate electric vehicles.
The legislation mandated certain cities, including Issaquah, to allow battery-charging stations, battery-exchange stations and other electric-vehicle infrastructure. The mandate requires development rules to be amended in Issaquah and cities along Interstate 90 and other major arteries.
The city Planning Policy Commission discussed proposed code changes June 17.
City Council OKs undercrossing pact
June 29, 2010
Despite some grumbling from members, the City Council approved a pact June 21 to help complete the Interstate 90 Undercrossing.
The city needed to secure right of way along 221st Place Southeast in order to complete paving and install a traffic signal where the road meets Southeast 62nd Street. The council approved a development agreement with property owners Doug and Linda Ebi for the right of way.
The council initially discussed the agreement June 7, but sent the proposal to committees for additional scrutiny after residents and council members raised environmental concerns about the pact.
Councilwoman Maureen McCarry said future development agreements should not be fashioned in the same way.
“I think that this is something that if we hadn’t had a signed agreement in front of us, we might have asked to look at it more closely,” Councilman Tola Marts said.
Crews started construction on the initial piece of the undercrossing last month. Construction should wrap by early fall.
Plans call for the completed roadway to run from the traffic signal at the post office along Northwest Gilman Boulevard, form a T-shaped intersection at Southeast 62nd Street, continue along 221st Place Southeast and then end at Southeast 56th Street.
King County honors Issaquah’s top recyclers
June 29, 2010
Efforts to recycle batteries, toner cartridges, cooking oil and construction materials earned Issaquah agencies and businesses kudos from the King County Solid Waste Division.
The county has recognized the Issaquah municipal government, the Issaquah School District and three Issaquah businesses — Pogacha, Rowley Properties and Timber Ridge at Talus — as Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction.
The city earned plaudits for providing compostable service ware, as well as food-waste and compost collection containers, at every employee event and meeting. Staffers also cut unnecessary printing and recycle toner cartridges.
The school food-service program replaced polystyrene food trays with compostable trays. In 14 schools, Green Teams coordinate food-scrap recycling. The district plans to expand the program to every school in the near future.
Pogacha started recycling cooking oil long before the practice became commonplace. The restaurant started composting food waste last year.
Rowley Properties recycles copper, steel, brass, gypsum wallboard and lumber from every construction project, in addition to cardboard, paper, plastic and aluminum.
Timber Ridge at Talus, a retirement community housed in a LEED-certified building, promotes recycling among employees and residents.
Including the Issaquah honorees, King County recognized 75 organizations for eco efforts.
