City budget: Bus service, maintenance to be delayed
December 15, 2009
Issaquah City Jail will add a corrections officer, but parks and road improvements will be scaled back in the 2010 budget headed to the City Council next week.
The plan reflects difficult decisions as the council sought to balance savings and services amid the recession. City residents will notice changes large — fewer traffic signal upgrades — and small — only two city newsletters will be mailed next year.
Mayor Ava Frisinger proposed a leaner budget for next year for a city with fewer employees and capital projects planned. After several tweaks, the City Council plans to adopt the $99 million budget Dec. 21.
City’s anti-pollution grant nears renewal
June 2, 2009
A city program to cut water pollution has prevented industrial chemicals, fryer grease and even the material dentists use to fill cavities from contaminating ground water. Read more
DOT: Plan ahead for July bridge shutdown
June 2, 2009
Transportation officials want drivers to plan ahead as the state readies to close the three lanes of the westbound Interstate 90 floating bridge next month. Read more
Board unveils sustainability recommendations for city
May 26, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. May 26, 2009
The Sustainability Sounding Board, a group of community leaders appointed by Mayor Ava Frisinger, recently unveiled its long-term vision for a sustainable Issaquah, as well as recommendations for how the community can begin to measure its progress toward that goal.
In late 2008, Frisinger created the board, which includes 16 citizens and representatives from social service organizations, businesses and the environmental community. The board members met four times to develop its final report for the mayor, which will be presented to the City Council during its Committee-of-the-Whole meeting tonight.
City to cut costs by $1.6 million
May 5, 2009
City of Issaquah officials will slash spending by $1.6 million as they work to patch a $1.5 million budget gap. Officials will defer buying some equipment and supplies, delay filling vacant positions and enact other measures to save money. City Finance Director Jim Blake said the city can avoid tapping into rainy day reserves to cover costs.
Blake presented the forecast at the April 28 Committee-of-the-Whole Council meeting. In February, City Council members asked for quarterly updates on city finances.
A construction slowdown and sluggish spending has contributed to the shortfall, said Blake. Key sources of dollars for the city — building permits and sales tax revenue — have dropped.
“Most of the revenues are doing very fine, coming up with meeting the budget or exceeding it,” Blake said. “The side we have to watch, again, is the permits side. The sales tax primarily is based on the sales tax on the construction side. It’s more or less all attributable to the permits coming in.”
Commuter traffic delays ahead
May 5, 2009
Interstate 90 lane closures begin
Transportation officials advised commuters to pack their patience during a busy construction season that includes two shutdowns on the Interstate 90 floating bridge. Read more
City could cap campaign donations
May 5, 2009
City Council candidates could be forced to dig deeper for donations if a new cap on campaign contributions is enacted. Read more
DOT will shut down I-90 express lanes tomorrow
May 3, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. May 3, 2009
Transportation officials advised commuters to pack their patience during a busy construction season that will include two shutdowns on the Interstate 90 floating bridge.
Express lanes on the bridge close tomorrow – and the shutdown will bring headaches for Eastside commuters, transportation officials said.
The lanes will be closed through May 23 while crews install a pair of new joints weighing 40 tons each. Existing joints began to crack and deteriorate soon after bridge opened in 1989.
Swedish Medical Center officials unveil hospital plans
February 3, 2009
Representatives from Swedish Medical Center have provided the City Council with a glimpse of their new 175-bed hospital and medical center in the Issaquah Highlands, a change from their previous plans.
The site will include three towers, each six to seven stories tall. The original artist’s rendition from five years ago depicted a single, five-story building. A rendering of the project is not yet available. Read more
McCarry, Butler elected to council leadership posts
January 12, 2009
Maureen McCurry
Fred Butler
City Councilwoman Maureen McCarry was elected council president by her peers at the council’s Jan. 5 meeting. Following her election, the council then selected City Councilman Fred Butler as deputy president.
“The president sets the policy, and reviews and approves the council agenda,” McCarry said.
She is also a member of the Council Land Use Committee, the Committee of the Whole Council and the board of directors of Eastside Fire & Rescue. Read more
