Swedish to offer free landscape seminars
March 12, 2013
With the fast approach of spring, Sustainable Landscape Seminars wants to help extend nature to the yards of Issaquah.
Presented by the Cascade Water Alliance and the Saving Water Partnership, three half-hour seminars will be held March 20 to help those interested in environmentally responsible landscaping. At no cost to the participants, the three instructions sessions will take place in the second floor conference center at Swedish/Issaquah.
City Council turns to veteran for vacancy
February 5, 2013
Joe Forkner (left) is welcomed back to the dais for another City Council stint by Eileen Barber on Jan. 29. By Greg Farrar
Joe Forkner returned to the City Council on Jan. 29 after a divided council appointed the former councilman, onetime city employee and longtime community leader to a vacant seat.
Forkner, a councilman in separate stints during the early and mid-2000s, did not fade from public life after departing from the council in 2007. The engineering technician and draftsman served as a member of numerous municipal boards and commissions in recent years, and spearheaded the initial plan to redevelop the business district along Interstate 90.
The depth of experience led the council to appoint Forkner, 59, to occupy the seat left after former Councilman Mark Mullet resigned to serve in the state Senate.
Fred Butler enters race for Issaquah mayor
January 22, 2013
Fred Butler, a City Council stalwart for 13 years and a voice in important debates about the future of Issaquah, entered the race for mayor Jan. 17.
Fred Butler
The contest could hinge on the vision for the decades ahead, as city leaders seek to position Issaquah for redevelopment and attract more jobs to the community.
Butler, 72, served on the council at major junctures in recent history, as members debated the defunct Southeast Bypass road link, how to preserve forested Park Pointe on Tiger Mountain and, late last year, a 30-year redevelopment blueprint called the Central Issaquah Plan.
“We are in the process of evolving from a small town to a small city, moving from suburban to urban,” he said in a Jan 17 interview. “Because I’ve been involved in a lot of the planning and the development of the urban villages and the Central Issaquah Plan, I believe I’m in a pretty good position to help implement the direction that we are going in.”
Fred Butler launches campaign for Issaquah mayor
January 17, 2013
NEW — 6 p.m. Jan. 17, 2013
Fred Butler, a City Council stalwart for 13 years and a voice in important debates about the future of Issaquah, entered the race for mayor Thursday.
Fred Butler
The contest could hinge on the vision for the decades ahead, as city leaders seek to position Issaquah for redevelopment and attract more jobs to the community.
Butler, 72, served on the council at major junctures in recent history, as members debated the defunct Southeast Bypass road link, how to preserve forested Park Pointe on Tiger Mountain, and late last year, a 30-year redevelopment blueprint called the Central Issaquah Plan.
City Council approves pact to transform gravel quarry to urban village
December 25, 2012
The gravel quarry carved into the hillside below the Issaquah Highlands is poised to transform into businesses and homes in the next 30 years, after the City Council approved a landmark development agreement to reshape the area.
The landowner and quarry operator, Issaquah-based Lakeside Industries Inc., proposed the pact last year for about 120 acres on both sides of Highlands Drive Northeast. The council approved the development agreement Dec. 17, despite concerns about building height, traffic congestion and contamination in the Lower Issaquah Valley Aquifer, a key drinking water source for the city.
“There was a lot of push and pull, a lot of compromise, and I think it’s an agreement that both is good for my family and is also good for the city of Issaquah, and that we will live to see a development on this site that enhances the city,” Lakeside Industries CEO Tim Lee said before the unanimous council decision.
City, Cascade Water Alliance mail toilet leak detection kits
March 13, 2012
National Fix A Leak Week runs until March 18 and to mark the occasion the Cascade Water Alliance and Issaquah municipal government mailed toilet leak detection kits to homes in Issaquah and elsewhere.
The average home can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water each year due to running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks. The results: wasted water and pricier water bills.
“According to the U.S. EPA, household leaks from toilets, faucets and showerheads waste 1 trillion gallons of water each year nationwide,” said Issaquah Councilman Fred Butler, a Cascade Water Alliance Board member. “This drives up utility operating costs and places unnecessary strain on water and wastewater infrastructure. Finding and fixing leaking toilets is a great way to conserve our valuable water resources.”
Mailers should start to reach almost 100,000 homes throughout the Eastside and South King County in the days ahead. The kits include dye strips and simple instructions to check toilets for leaks.
The regional alliance includes the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, Issaquah and Bellevue, plus other Eastside and South King County cities and water districts.
Stop toilet leaks — and conserve water — during Fix a Leak Week
March 8, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. March 8, 2012
National Fix A Leak Week starts Monday and to mark the occasion, Cascade Water Alliance and Issaquah municipal government mailed toilet leak detection kits to homes in Issaquah and elsewhere.
The average home can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water each year due to running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks. The results: wasted water and pricier water bills.
“According to the U.S. EPA, household leaks from toilets, faucets and showerheads waste 1 trillion gallons of water each year nationwide,” said Issaquah Councilman Fred Butler, a Cascade Water Alliance Board member. “This drives up utility operating costs and places unnecessary strain on water and wastewater infrastructure. Finding and fixing leaking toilets is a great way to conserve our valuable water resources.”
Water conservation is priority at zHome, WaterSense honoree
March 6, 2012
The carbon-neutral zHome townhouses in the Issaquah Highlands receive most attention for steps to reduce energy use.
Councilman Fred Butler joins Cascade Water Alliance board
March 6, 2012
Fred Butler
Cascade Water Alliance leaders chose longtime Issaquah Councilman Fred Butler as a board member on the regional group Feb. 22.
The organization also elected Redmond Mayor John Marchione as chairman, Covington Water District Commissioner David Knight as vice chairman and Tukwila Mayor Jim Haggerton as secretary-treasurer.
Issaquah Councilwoman Stacy Goodman serves as the city’s alternate representative to the board.
The regional Cascade Water Alliance includes the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, Issaquah and Bellevue, plus other Eastside and South King County cities and water districts. The agency serves about 400,000 residents and 22,000 businesses.
The members own, operate and maintain individual water distribution systems. The alliance operates the Bellevue-Issaquah Pipeline, a 24-inch transmission line in operation since 2006.
Cascade Water Alliance outlines long-term regional water supply
January 3, 2012
Cascade Water Alliance leaders outlined a plan Dec. 30 to secure water for Issaquah and the region in the decades ahead.
The nonprofit organization purchases water from Seattle Public Utilities, but the water bought from the utility is due to start declining in 2024 as the Cascade Water Alliance switches to other sources. Then, in 2030, officials plan to start drawing water as needed from Lake Tapps in Pierce County.
The information is contained in the transmission and supply plan — a document outlining the water systems in alliance member jurisdictions and plans for the future. Residents can also weigh in, as the plan is open for public comment until Jan. 31.
The regional alliance includes the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, Issaquah and Bellevue, plus other Eastside and South King County cities and water districts. The agency serves about 400,000 residents and 22,000 businesses.
