Council meetings are not always about budgets, infrastructure, motions and amendments. Sometimes, they're about honoring community members for extraordinary accomplishments, recognizing staff for their hard work, and welcoming public art that reflects reverence for the City's vibrant history.  

Thanks to everyone who attended and gave comment during last night's City Council meeting, which took place via the Zoom videoconferencing platform in alignment with current public health recommendations and guidelines.

The public is always welcome at Council meetings, which are a great way to have your voice heard while gaining a better understanding of how your City government operates. The public comment period, identified as "Items from the Audience" on the Council agenda, is your chance to address the Council directly, with both compliments and concerns. We appreciate the community members who spoke last night and exercised their option to educate our Council on the things that are important to them. 

For more information about Council meetings, including the Zoom link and instructions for providing public comment, please visit the City website. To view this council meeting or any past council meeting, go to Watch Council Meetings on the City’s website.

Proclamation Acknowledging the One-Year Anniversary of the COVID Outbreak in Kirkland

On behalf of Mayor Penny Sweet, Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold read a proclamation acknowledging the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 outbreak that emerged in Kirkland on February 29, 2020 and highlighting the actions taken by the City and the community for relief, recovery and resilience. 

Resolution Approving the Nomination of Wes Carpenter for Kirkland’s Plaza of Champions

The City Council unanimously passed a Resolution inducting fourth generation Kirkland resident Wes Carpenter into the Kirkland Plaza of Champions for his exceptional contributions and service to both to the Kirkland community and the United States Army. The Plaza of Champions was initiated in 1988 to honor and recognize those groups and individuals in the greater Kirkland area who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in their chosen field and have, through that achievement, contributed in a significant way to our community. Honorees are inducted with a public ceremony and have a bronze plaque installed in their honor at the Plaza of Champions near Marina Park.

Several of Wes Carpenter's family and friends gave public comment in support of the nomination. Wes Carpenter was twice awarded significant medals by the United States Army for his courageous and selfless service as a soldier in the Vietnam War, is a lifelong Kirkland resident and a great community advocate. Wes Carpenter's formal induction ceremony at the Plaza will take place later in the year when it is safe to do so. For more about Wes Carpenter and his service in the U.S. Army, check out our Facebook page.  

Public Art for Juanita Beach Bathhouse

The City Council approved "Now and Then," by UrbanRock Design of Los Angeles, California, as the selected art concept for the Juanita Beach Bathhouse Project. "Now and Then" has been reviewed and recommended by City staff, the Cultural Arts Commission, and the Park Board. The two elements of "Now and Then" include a seating element that represents the area’s timber-rich landscape, and metal image disks that translate historic photos of the site’s past. The benches are slated for an area between the existing oak tree and the new playground, and the image disks will be installed on the dock. 

The art installation is scheduled for spring. 

Image: A cardboard mockup to show what the images will look like and their approximate position on the dock railing. 

The next City Council meeting takes place Tuesday, March 16. For more information on the Kirkland City Council, please visit our website. 

In police work, timing is everything, as is the ability to smoothly adapt to dynamic, rapidly evolving situations that can come out of nowhere. Kirkland Police Officer and Washington Air National Guard Airman Chris Plourd recently had the chance to demonstrate his knack for both.

While some might consider a sudden deployment during one of their final phases of field training as less than optimal, Officer Plourd took it in stride in mid-January, when he was given 24 hours to report to Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane. His unit, the 141st Air Refueling Wing, was being activated to serve in Washington D.C. for the Presidential Inauguration on Wednesday, January 20, and it needed to mobilize quickly. He received the call on January 13, was on base by January 14, and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base – located in Maryland and the home of Air Force One – on Friday, January 15.

Plourd’s mission in D.C. was to support the Virginia State Police by guarding closures at the bridges leading into the capital.

To read the full story, please visit our Facebook page. 

Office Plourd, thank you for your service both to our community and to our country.

Are you interested in the way natural resources are managed in King County?

King Conservation District (KCD) is holding an election for Position 3 on its Board of Supervisors. A total of eight candidates are vying for the position so this is a great opportunity to use your vote to help shape the way future decisions are made. As of yesterday, (Monday, March 1) online ballots are available to eligible voters via the King Conservation District website at: https://kingcd.org/.

Online voting is open through 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Voters may return ballots electronically through the online ballot access system or print and mail ballots to King County Elections.

Ballots must be postmarked March 23, 2021, and received by March 26, 2021, to be counted.

King Conservation District is a special purpose district committed to helping people engage in stewardship and conservation of natural resources. KCD assists people with forestry management, streamside and shoreline restoration, farm conservation planning, and other environmental efforts. KCD is an independent, non-regulatory public agency funded primarily by a per-parcel assessment fee.

The all-volunteer, five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing KCD operations, budget, and setting policy. Voters elect three supervisors and the Washington State Conservation Commission appoints two supervisors. Supervisors serve three-year terms.

The King Conservation District election primarily relies on electronic ballot access, with alternative options for printing and mailing in ballots. King County Elections will tabulate all ballots and report all results. For more information about the election, candidates, and a vacant appointed position, please visit: www.kingcd.org/elections.

When your vaccination phase arrives and you secure an appointment, King County Metro Transit and their transit partners offer a number of transportation options to get you there.

Take the bus, or a combination of mobility options, to sites throughout the county. Metro’s trip planning experts are available to help you plan your customized trip from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday at 206-553-3000. For more information on your transit options, visit Public Health - Seattle & King County's "Take Transit to Take Your Shot" blog post on the Public Health Insider blog. 

To determine your eligibility, use the www.FindYourPhaseWA.org tool. For more about getting vaccinated in King County, visit the Public Health - Seattle & King County vaccination information page. 

Village at Totem Lake

The contractor for The Village at Totem Lake is closing northbound 120th Avenue Northeast from Totem Lake Way to Northeast 128th Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until March 17. At that point, CenterCal will close the southbound lanes to complete concrete crosswalks the length of the road. A detour route is posted.

Northeast 132nd Street

Drivers commuting along Northeast 132nd Street, between 100th and 97th avenues northeast should expect minor delays this week while Kirkland’s Fire Station 24 contractor installs a stormwater drainage line, as part of the Fire Station 24 construction.

Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/firestation24

North Rose Hill/South Rose Hill

Drivers should expect construction this week on Northeast 75th Street and at 124th Avenue Northeast’s intersection with Northeast 112th Street while Kirkland’s Neighborhood Greenways contractor closes lanes to establish a variety of traffic-calming features.

Rodarte Construction is building a raised intersection at Northeast 75th Street’s intersection with 120th Avenue Northeast and rapid flashing beacons at Northeast 112th Street and 124th Avenue Northeast. Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/greenways

Totem Lake

Interwest Construction is shifting traffic this week along Willows Road, between 139th and 141st avenues northeast.

The Kirkland contractor is building a multi-use trail along Willows Road that will help people who are riding bicycles or walking to connect to the Sammamish River Trail and the Redmond Central Connector.

Visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/WillowsConnection

Totem Lake Gateway

Kirkland’s Totem Lake Gateway contractor is closing one of Totem Lake Boulevard’s two northbound lanes between Northeast 124th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast.

Marshbank Construction will keep the curbside lane and the sidewalk closed from 7 a.m.to 4 p.m. until March 5.

After suspending work in November while it awaited the manufacture of handrails, Marshbank is now resuming work to install those handrails along the northeast side of the 11-foot sidewalk it built along Totem Lake Boulevard.

Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakegateway

Cross Kirkland Corridor

Kirkland’s Totem Lake Park renovation contractor has closed a short section of the Cross Kirkland Corridor until June while its crews build the boardwalk that will connect the corridor to Totem Lake Park.

Wyser Construction has closed the Cross Kirkland Corridor between Totem Lake Boulevard and 128th Lane Northeast. The contractor is detouring people who are walking or bicycling on the trail onto 128th Lane Northeast.

Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakepark