Mayor Ava Frisinger reflects on accomplishments
February 5, 2013
Mayor Ava Frisinger, a steady leader amid more than a decade of transformation, plans to retire after guiding Issaquah through a transition from small town to a boomtown in 16 years at City Hall.
Ava Frisinger
The announcement did not come as a surprise to other elected leaders or residents active in municipal government. Frisinger said in early 2009 she did not intend to run for a fifth term as mayor in 2013.
But the decision to include the announcement in a farewell State of the City address Feb. 4 enabled Frisinger to cast the annual speech as valedictory on accomplishments from the last decade and a half.
The mayor glanced back to 1998 — before officials opened a modern City Hall along East Sunset Way and as initial residents settled into the Issaquah Highlands, a then-novel urban village carved into the hillside above Interstate 90.
Mayor Ava Frisinger reflects on accomplishments
February 5, 2013
NEW — 6 a.m. Feb. 5, 2013
Mayor Ava Frisinger, a steady leader amid more than decade of transformation, plans to retire after guiding Issaquah through a transition from small town to a boomtown in 16 years at City Hall.
Ava Frisinger
The announcement did not come as a surprise to other elected leaders or residents active in municipal government. Frisinger said in early 2009 she did not intend to run for a fifth term as mayor in 2013.
But the decision to include the announcement in a farewell State of the City address Monday enabled Frisinger to cast the annual speech as valedictory on accomplishments from the last decade and a half.
The mayor glanced back to 1998 — before officials opened a modern City Hall along East Sunset Way and as initial residents settled into the Issaquah Highlands, a then-novel urban village carved into the hillside above Interstate 90.
City seeks applicants for advisory boards, commissions
January 29, 2013
City leaders need civic-minded citizens to offer advice on important issues as municipal board and commission members.
The city needs applicants for openings on 12 boards and commissions. The groups advise the City Council on issues related to the arts, cable TV, development, parks and, in more specialized realms, city cemetery operations and sister-city relationships.
Meanwhile, officials need regular and alternate members for the 12 existing commissions. The applicants for board and commission posts do not need to reside in Issaquah.
City seeks applicants for boards, commissions
January 23, 2013
NEW — 10 a.m. Jan. 23, 2013
City leaders need civic-minded citizens to offer advice on important issues as municipal board and commission members.
The city needs applicants for openings on 12 boards and commissions. The groups advise the City Council on issues related to the arts, cable TV, development, parks and, in more specialized realms, city cemetery operations and sister-city relationships.
Meanwhile, officials need regular and alternate members for the 12 existing commissions. The applicants for board and commission posts do not need to reside in Issaquah.
Applicants undergo interviews before Mayor Ava Frisinger recommends appointees to the council for confirmation. The council usually confirms appointees in April, and terms for appointees start in May.
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 receives clean audit from state
January 15, 2013
State auditors gave Issaquah officials solid marks in a routine accountability audit released Nov. 27.
Auditors examined municipal finances for 2011 and focused on primarily on billing, payroll, payments, procurement and public meeting minutes.
Per standard procedure, a team from the state Auditor’s Office did not examine every transaction, activity or area. Instead, auditors scrutinized fields representing the highest risk of noncompliance, misappropriation or misuse.
The audit team determined the city has adequate internal controls in place to safeguard public assets. The city also complied with state laws and regulations, as well as internal rules.
Mark Mullet reflects on City Council term
January 8, 2013
Mark Mullet claimed a historic first in January 2010.
Mark Mullet
The entrepreneur and former banking executive ran unopposed for a City Council seat in 2009 and won election as the first Issaquah Highlands resident to serve on the council.
The highlands added thousands of residents as construction escalated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the neighborhoods existed for more than a decade before a resident achieved citywide elected office.
In the years Mullet served on the council, members hired City Administrator Bob Harrison, oversaw a major staff reorganization at City Hall, approved a long-term redevelopment plan for the business district, inked development agreements with Lakeside Industries and Rowley Properties, and approved a retail plastic bag ban.
City Council seeks to fill vacancy left after Mark Mullet’s resignation
December 31, 2012
NEW — 2 p.m. Dec. 31, 2012
From the moment Mark Mullet declared victory in a state Senate race last month, other City Council members started planning for the process to fill Mullet’s seat on the dais once the Democrat departs for Olympia.
Mark Mullet
Now, as Mullet prepares to resign Jan. 8 to prepare for the legislative session, council members put out a call for applicants for the soon-to-open seat.
The city is accepting applications until Jan. 16. The council plans to interview applicants Jan. 22 and, after interviews, members could recess into a closed-door executive session to discuss candidates’ qualifications.
Under state law, the council can discuss candidates’ qualifications in a closed-door session, but interviews and the decision must occur in public meetings. The council is scheduled to vote on the appointment Jan. 29.
Prepare for Issaquah Community Center, pool closures
December 26, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Dec. 26, 2012
Prepare for closures at the Issaquah Community Center and the Julius Boehm Pool for the New Year’s holiday.
The community center is due to close for maintenance from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. Then, the center reopens for regular hours Jan. 2.
Meanwhile, the pool is scheduled to close at 3:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve and reopen at 6:30 a.m. Jan. 2.
In addition to the community center and pool, officials plan to close City Hall from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, and then reopen Jan. 2. Issaquah Municipal Court is open New Year’s Eve and then closed New Year’s Day.
