The Kirkland City Council’s next “virtual” meeting takes place Tuesday, December 8. The meeting uses video conferencing technology provided by Zoom in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan to reopen Washington. The regular business meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. study session.

The agenda for the December 8 meeting will be available on the City website prior to the meeting at: Kirkland City Council agendas. The meeting can be viewed in real time via the live stream on the City website at: http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/council/Meetings/WatchCouncilMeetings.htm and is televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.

Here are a few highlights from the upcoming meeting:

Solid Waste Contract and Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station Siting

The study session at 5:30 p.m. will include a briefing on the status of the procurement of a new contract for garbage, recyclables and compostables collection. The City of Kirkland contracts with Waste Management (WMI) for the collection of residential and commercial solid waste and has done so continuously for over three decades.  The City Council will also receive a presentation from King County Solid Waste Division project managers on the status of the siting of the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station.

2021-2022 City Budget and 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Program

At the regular meeting that starts at 7:30 p.m., the City Council will consider adoption of the 2021-20222 Budget and the 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Program. The 2021-2022 Preliminary Budget, “Investing in a More Equitable, Safe and Resilient Kirkland,” was presented to the Kirkland City Council on October 27, 2020 and is available on the City’s website. Kirkland’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds the City's capital needs related to transportation, parks, technology, water, sewer and surface water over a six-year period.  The 2021-2026 CIP was originally presented to the City Council on June 16, 2020.  

Sustainability Master Plan

The City Council will consider adoption of the City’s first Sustainability Master Plan. The plan has been in development since January 2019 and is intended to identify best practices that allow Kirkland’s many sustainability strategies to be implemented and measured, along with other actions needed to achieve a livable and sustainable community. 

Also happening in the December 8 Council Meeting:

• The City Council will receive an update on COVID-19 including a CARES Act final report and the COVID-19 initial response after action report.
• The City Council will receive an update on Resolution R-5434 which is the City’s commitment to several actions related to examining and dismantling institutional and structural racism in Kirkland.

Council will accept live spoken commentary under 'Items from the Audience' or ‘Public Hearings’ at regular meetings via Zoom audio/video on a computer or telephone connection. The connection links are provided on each individual meeting agenda. Speakers are asked to limit their remarks to three minutes apiece, and no more than three speakers may address the Council on any one subject. However, if both proponents and opponents wish to speak, then up to three proponents and up to three opponents of the matter may address the Council. Zoom audience members will be alerted to ‘raise their hand’ virtually if they wish to address the Council at the appropriate time in the meeting. Written comments can be submitted to CityCouncil@kirklandwa.gov.

Please call (425) 587-3190 and leave a message before 5 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting with any questions; City Clerk's Office staff will endeavor to return your call. 

For more information about the Kirkland City Council, please visit the Council webpage.

A report culminating nearly two years of community engagement and policy analysis to bridge gaps in equity and inclusivity for People of Color, called the Welcoming Kirkland Initiative (WKI), has been completed and is available for review on the City of Kirkland website. The initiative was developed to address issues that were identified in a 2018 incident at a Menchie's in Totem Lake which highlighted concerns that People of Color in general, and Black people, in particular, have lived experiences of an unwelcoming and inequitable community in contrast to the City’s stated goal to be safe, inclusive and welcoming for all.

In response to the 2018 incident, the Kirkland Police Department immediately changed its protocol addressing “unwanted person” calls. The City also partnered with Leadership Eastside (LE) to reevaluate and make recommendations for policy and protocols, and to implement community learning about racism and equity. The WKI planning and workgroups included more than 20 diverse leaders, representing a variety of public needs including the Kirkland Assistant City Manager and Kirkland Police Chief. Community talks included topics such as Preparing to be Color Conscious and Color Brave, which brought nearly 100 attendees. The community talk series was cut short in March due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find the full news release at www.kirklandwa.gov/newsroom

On December 1, Puget Sound Energy announced that its Green Direct customers, including the City of Kirkland, are now receiving renewable energy from the largest western Washington wind project, Skookumchuck Wind Facility. This means that all facilities owned by the City of Kirkland such as buildings, lift stations, and park facilities are now powered by clean, renewable energy not derived from fossil fuels.

The Green Direct program is a ground-breaking initiative designed to provide PSE corporate and governmental customers the ability to purchase 100 percent of their energy from a dedicated, local, renewable energy resource, while providing them with a stable, cost efficient solution. By adding more renewables to the City of Kirkland’s portfolio, Green Direct also furthers the City’s deep decarbonization goals.

Find the full press release at www.kirklandwa.gov/newsroom.

This month King County Parks begins removing railroad rails to make way for 2.5 miles of new Eastrail that will connect Kirkland to Woodinville. This exciting new connection takes up where the Cross Kirkland Corridor – Kirkland’s 5.75-mile section of Eastrail – currently ends, at 132nd in Totem Lake, and continues to N.E. 145th in Woodinville near the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery. This new Eastrail section includes Kirkland’s Willows Road Regional Trail Connection, which is under construction now.

More information on the Willows Road connection is available on the Kirkland City website: www.kirklandwa.gov. Enter Willows Road Regional Trail Connection into the search bar for details about this project. Also, find an update below in our "Traffic Alerts" section of this newsletter. 

Rail removal takes place throughout December and January, with trail construction complete by the end of summer 2021. For questions about Eastrail, contact: eastrail@kingcounty.gov. For more information about Eastrail, visit the King County Eastrail webpage. 

Are your pipes winter-ready? Unprotected pipes can freeze, leaving you with no access to water. Even worse, they can crack or break, leaving you with potential flooding and costly repairs.

Make sure you insulate pipes and faucets in unheated spaces. Outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated garages, attics and crawl spaces are the most vulnerable in freezing weather.  Close crawl space vents and stuff insulation over the openings.

Visit the Northshore Utility District webpage (https://www.nud.net/how-do-i/winterizing-your-pipes) for more great tips on how to protect your pipes and keep them from freezing.