Yes, it is possible to condense an insufferable 3-hour city council meeting into an entertaining 5-minute read. Come join the discussion as we peel back the curtain on what's REALLY going on in Maple Valley.
This week’s meeting was fairly routine, with only one WTF moment. Let’s get to it!
* CH-CH-CHECK IT OUT
Last week, Councilor Johnson pulled out check number 19197 for further review. It was supposed to go to the real estate advisor, for services rendered in consulting for the city’s new City Hall. There might have been some concern over the amount ($77,500) due to a discrepancy in the contract. Sounds like we needed a contract consultant too.
Anyway, the City Manager gave his summary of the issue, and it passed through without any discussion or comments from the council. Even Councilor Johnson stayed quiet, so somebody must’ve filled her in sometime during the week. Pass 6-0, but Johnson stayed silent during the voice vote. Still counts, though.
* D-HOLE ORDINANCE, SUB-AREA PLAN
The pressure is on to get an ordinance passed tonight, prior to the deadlines in the agreement with King County. Councilor Barnes starts off with a written statement, stating that he’ll vote no unless option #2 is modified to a “reasonable compromise”.
Councilor Weaver offers to discuss some changes, and Councilor Johnson says she’ll consider changes if the City Attorney says it’s OK. That’s 3 possible swing votes, so the CA says they should probably discuss changes in Executive Session, due to “potential litigation”.
Ugh. This whole process started in the fall of 2008, and the Planning Commission recommended a plan nearly a year ago. We’ve been discussing this crap during months of planning, public reviews, public hearings, state reviews, etc. The staff guy in charge has been asking for questions every week for the past month, without ANYONE taking him up on it. But now, we’re going to discuss changing the ordinance 5 minutes before a vote on the matter? WTF?!?
This is such an early planning stage, and we’re not restricting the land to R-6, or R-12, or whatever tonight. There are going to be many more layers of planning and development stages that we haven’t even discussed yet. Yarrow Bay doesn’t have anything submitted for what they’d like to do, and if you’ve ever seen what the Brandt property folks are going through to get a zoning change, you’ll know that this city won’t move quickly.
* SHINY NEW COMMITTEE PEOPLE
We got some new folks to serve on the Economic Development Committee and the Planning Commission. I don’t know who any of them are, but maybe you do. You can view the whole list on the city’s website at http://www.maplevalleywa.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=1976
* YOU BREAK IT, YOU BUY IT
There were a couple of documents to review regarding the roundabout project on Witte Road (next to the library and community center). Nobody wanted to talk about the documents, but did want to talk about the guy who lives on the corner. The plan is to move the power and cable lines from the utility poles, and bury them in the ground instead.
Well, this guy is apparently going to have to pay to hook himself back up to the power and cable once the utility people finish tearing it up (no free hookups). Several councilors are uncomfortable with him having to pay to hook up (that’s what she said), and may consider setting aside some of the construction funds to pay for it.
* CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
(1) The Empty Seat
The city has received 13 applications for the vacant council position. Interviews will take place on Feb 9th and Feb 11th, but we weren’t told where. Should be open to the public, though. Somebody asked me if I had applied, and I said no way; I don’t want to be forced to show up to this every week.
(2) Black Diamond’s Gonna Clog Up Our Roads
MV staff reviewed BD’s “environmental impact studies” and the impact is going to be a whole lot more cars on our roads than they’re telling us. Declaring the study “inadequate”, they’re going to comment at BD’s public hearings so we can establish legal standing, and maybe lodge official appeals. 6000 new homes are planned…
* FTGOTO
(1) The Olympia contingent met with 8 or 9 legislators, and got to wave our agenda in their faces for several hours. Over 300 elected officials showed up for this municipal cattle call, and nearly all of the state people were crying poormouth. After reading about the few billion dollar shortfall in the papers, it seems consistent.
(2) Councilor Allison reported on the Public Safety Committee, and says MV citizens have lots of kudos for the police department.
(3) Councilor Johnson got another solicitor, this one for a tree service. Maybe she should move to Katesridge, where the land was clear-cut before they put crappy trees back in to meet the city’s minimum tree count. The only tree service we need is some actual dirt for the trees to grow in (Quadrant didn’t think that was necessary, and it wasn’t in the requirements). That didn’t come off as bitter, did it?
(4) The Fountain Court senior living center is having a $10-donation Spaghetti Feed, and a Pancake Breakfast on another day. I couldn’t hear the actual dates, and it’s not on their website, but you could probably call them to ask about it: (425) 432-3352
(5) Councilor Weaver would like to see the committee reports in print rather than just given verbally during FTGOTO time. Make it so!
(6) Mayor and Deputy Mayor met with Sergio Flores. He sounds like a high-end jeans designer, but he’s actually Senator Patty Murray’s King County liaison. He’s going to come out soon, and we’ll give him the standard Lodge-City Hall tour.
I think it would be fun if we could have a random parade every time we get a dignitary. Just sound the air raid sirens, and everyone knows to show up on Witte Road in the next 30 minutes. We’ll have another group gather by a grandstand near the Lodge, and pretend to be completely enraptured by the dignitary, clapping and cheering every sentence. “Wow, these people really love me!” Maybe a VIP reception afterwards, with the youth symphony or high school jazz band.
We’ll need a cool parade vehicle for them to ride in, and maybe dry-erase signs to change the name every time, but these are minor issues. We can make the dignitaries feel special for an hour, and watch the millions of funding dollars just roll right in…..
See you next week!
Ryan Ryals Ryan Ryals is a carbon-based life form who has been spotted in the Maple Valley area for the past 11 years. He found access to a computer, and has been stirring up trouble for the establishment ever since. If you need to get your hands around his throat, he usually shows up at Maple Valley city council meetings Monday nights at the Tahoma Central Services building (shares a parking lot with Rock Creek Elementary).
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