Coming Up at Council

The Kirkland City Council’s next “virtual” meeting takes place Tuesday, March 16. The meeting uses video conferencing technology provided by Zoom in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery 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 March 16, 2021 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:

Sound Transit Capital Program Realignment and I-405 Stride Bus Rapid Transit Update
At the Study Session, the City Council will receive an update from Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation regarding the Sound Transit capital projects realignment process, I-405 Stride Bus Rapid Transit, and the NE 85th Street interchange and in-line station.

Proclamations
There are two proclamations scheduled for the March 16 council meeting. One of the proclamations is for Women’s History Month. The origins of Women’s History Month date back to 1909 with “National Women’s Day,” which took place in New York City. By proclaiming the month of March 2021 as Women’s History Month in Kirkland, all community members are invited to celebrate and reflect on the countless contributions of women to our region, our nation and the world. The other proclamation is for National Safe Place Week which takes place the week of March 21 through March 27, 2021. National Safe Place is a nationwide youth outreach and prevention program implemented in communities across the United States to create a network of locations equipped to serve youth ages 12 through 17, providing immediate help, crisis intervention, safety and emergency shelter and connections to ongoing supportive services.

Council Meeting Topics
Regular business items include:

• An interlocal agreement with the City of Redmond regarding the Proctor Willows private development
• The fifth 2021 State legislative update
• The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Proposition 1 implementation plan
• 2021-2022 City Council goals and City work program

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.

Kirkland Mayor Penny Sweet's State of the City virtual address was hosted by the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce on Monday, March 1. This year, a short video was produced in lieu of the Mayor's traditional State of the City address, normally done in the form of a speech.

This video was created by City staff and the Kirkland City Council to commemorate the City's transformation from the epicenter of COVID-19 to the epicenter of resilience. This video takes you on a 35-minute journey of 2020 and is a great way to learn more about key City projects, initiatives and efforts.

If you are interested in learning more, please join Mayor Penny Sweet and City Manager Kurt Triplett on Wednesday, March 10, from 7 to 8 p.m. for a question and answer session about the State of the City. This event is hosted by the Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods. Zoom information can be found on the City event calendar on our website.

Thank you for watching!

Resource Center Open to All Members of the Community!

Today, March 10, 2021, the City of Kirkland launched a new problem-solving court to assist, rather than incarcerate, those who have been convicted of nonviolent crimes and who meet other criteria such as having no violent felony convictions in the past five years. Modeled after similar courts located across the nation, such as Redmond, Spokane, New York, San Diego and Atlanta, Kirkland’s Community Court takes a compassionate approach to dealing with crimes that are often committed due to life circumstances such as mental illness or poverty.

In addition to the Community Court, the affiliated Community Resource Center provides access to services related to healthcare and insurance, DSHS access and applications, education, job training, behavioral health, substance use disorders, housing, food, clothing, library services, transportation, civil legal matters, dispute resolution, and mediation. Currently operating virtually (via Zoom and phone), the Community Resource Center is open Wednesdays between 2:00- 4:00 p.m. during which time volunteer moderators/navigators are available to connect people to the services they need. The Community Resource Center is provided in collaboration with King County District Court and is available to all members of the public in addition to Community Court participants.

Read the full news release here.

More information about the Community Court and the Community Resource Center can be found at https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Municipal-Court/Court-Services/Kirkland-Community-Court

The Ismaili Community Engaged in Responsible Volunteering (I-CERV) is partnering with the cities of Kirkland, Bothell and Bellevue, the Lake Washington, Bellevue and Northshore school districts, Nourishing Networks, YMCA Bellevue and Northshore, and the Kirkland Boys & Girls Club to coordinate a spring food and essentials drive to help our neighbors in need.

This event takes place 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Kirkland (12505 115th Ave NE, WA 98034). The Ismaili Jamatkhana is in Totem Lake west of the Kirkland Justice Center and near Jasper's Off-Leash Dog Park.

This event will be contactless with COVID-19 health and safety protocols in place. This is a safe, fun and uplifting way to donate to those in need! Donors simply drive-through the collection area, pop their trunks, and let the volunteers do the unloading and hauling. Event organizers ask that donors please wear facial coverings while on site.

We hope to see you there!

Startup425’s spring 2021 Foundations series begins 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 16, with “Small Business Planning with the Lean Canvas.” This free online series features six classes aimed at helping entrepreneurs transform ideas into viable businesses. Foundations is provided by Startup425, the King County Library System and SCORE Greater Seattle, a nonprofit dedicated to business mentorship. The classes are held weekly, covering a variety of topics, each presented by local specialists and experts. Participants will exit the series with the skills and tools necessary to start or grow a business, including information on developing business plans and strategies, pitching to financial partners, marketing a product or service, and building a support system of peers and mentors.

For more about the Foundations series, please visit the Startup425 website. Register for the March 16 workshop the Startup 425 Eventbrite.

Totem Lake
Willows Road Northeast remains closed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. this week until March 12 at its hairpin corner. The nightly road-closures allow Interwest Construction to safely remove rails from the Eastrail—formerly known as the Eastside Rail Corridor—where Willows Road Northeast becomes 139th Avenue Northeast. Interwest will also be using the night closures to remove rails at Northeast 124th Street.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/willowsconnection

Cross Kirkland Corridor
A short section of the Cross Kirkland Corridor remains closed until June while Kirkland’s Totem Lake Park renovation contractor builds 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 will detour people who are walking or bicycling on the trail onto 128th Lane Northeast.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakepark

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 along various sections of Northeast 75th Street and 128th Avenue Northeast while Kirkland’s Neighborhood Greenways contractor closes lanes to establish a variety of traffic-calming features.
Among other improvements, 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

The Village at Totem Lake
The contractor for The Village at Totem Lake is closing southbound 120th Avenue Northeast from Totem Lake Way to Northeast 128th Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until March 24.