The Kirkland City Council’s next “virtual” meeting takes place Tuesday, June 1. The meeting uses video conferencing technology provided by Zoom. 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 May 4 meeting will be available on the City website prior to the meeting at: Kirkland City Council agendas.

More ways to watch! Kirkland City Council meetings are now streamed live on City of Kirkland YouTube and Facebook in addition to the live stream on the City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.

Here are a few highlights from the upcoming meeting:

Study Session: Public Development Authorities and New Tools to Create Workforce Housing in Kirkland

For many years, a key project in the City Work Program has been the creation of affordable housing. In 2018 the City Council adopted the Housing Strategy Plan, which identifies strategies to ensure that Kirkland has a diverse range of housing types to accommodate all economic segments of the community. At the June 1 Study Session, the City Council will receive a briefing on Public Development Authorities (PDAs), including the function and intended projects of the Community Roots Housing PDA, and discuss potentially inviting the Community Roots Housing PDA into Kirkland to create workforce housing.

Also at the Study Session, the City Council will review and provide feedback on the Park Board and Human Services Commission Work Plans.

Proclamations

Pride Month: The month of June is celebrated as Pride Month, to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that occurred following a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay club, on June 28, 1969 in New York City. The event became a tipping point for members of the LGBTQIA+ community in response to police harassment, sparking a civil rights movement within the LGBTQIA+ community. In commemoration of the historic event, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies unite to celebrate the history of Pride and commit to continuing the fight for human rights. This proclamation affirms the dignity of Kirkland residents, employees, and visitors who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual. (LGBTQIA+).

National Gun Violence Awareness Day: Friday, June 4th is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, also known as Wear Orange. Wear Orange was started in 2015 to commemorate Hadiya Pendleton, a high school student from the south side of Chicago who marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week after the inauguration, Hadiya was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Orange was her favorite color and since then, orange has been the defining color of the gun violence prevention movement. For more information about National Gun Violence Awareness Day, see www.wearorange.org. Information about the City of Kirkland Gun Safety and Community Safety initiatives can be found on the City’s website.

Business Items Include:

• Art donation for Juanita Beach Park
• Park impact fee policy discussion
• Potential relocation of Snyder-Moody House
• 132nd Square Park development project contract award
• Budget adjustment for the Totem Lake Boulevard/120th Avenue NE preservation project

The full agenda and details will be available on the Kirkland City Council agendas page. 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. Please see www.kirklandwa.gov/council for more information on how to provide spoken comments. Written comments can be submitted to CityCouncil@kirklandwa.gov. For additional questions, please call the City Clerk’s Office at (425) 587-3190. 

Join Startup425 and Greater Seattle SCORE 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1 for the first of a five-workshop series meant to take your entrepreneurial aspirations from dream to reality.

If your mission is to become your own boss, this workshop is a bold step forward and a fantastic opportunity to practice intention. In this class, you’ll draft a unique value statement for your product or service in an interactive, supportive environment alongside other entrepreneurs. As part of the workshop, participants will receive real-time feedback from a SCORE small business mentor to help them finesse their value statements. Next, you’ll practice the “Lean Canvas” model to create the basic framework for your business plan! You will leave this class with tangible assets that you can use as you move towards implementing your small business dreams.

Why wait? Sign up today! Small Business Essentials workshops are available for $50 each workshop. Please visit: https://www.startup425.org/programs/essentials/ to sign up.