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 The Kirkland City Council met on January 2, 2024, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
The Council welcomed its newest member, Councilmember John Tymczyszyn, who, alongside returning Councilmembers Kelli Curtis and Amy Falcone, were ceremonially sworn in by Kirkland Municipal Court Judge John Olson. All three Councilmembers were elected in November 2023.
The Council selected Kelli Curtis as its next Mayor and Jay Arnold to continue serving as Deputy Mayor. Read more below.
The Council approved the 2023-2028 Update to the Transportation Improvement Program, a State-mandated planning document for the development of transportation facilities within the City.
The Council reviewed an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Kirkland and the City of Redmond to co-locate Redmond’s Advanced Life Support Unit (paramedics) at new Fire Station 27 in Totem Lake when completed.
Proclamations Issued January 2, 2024 – The Mayor proclaimed January 15, 2024, as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in Kirkland. To read more, visit the City’s website.
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How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact on the City of Kirkland Facebook page and the City YouTube channel, in addition to the livestream on the City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.
To watch the Council discussions on the specific agenda items outlined above, visit the City’s website. The full agenda packet with information on each item is located on the City’s website.
The next City Council meeting is on January 16, 2024.
During its January 2, 2024, Council meeting, the Kirkland City Council selected Councilmember Kelli Curtis to serve as mayor and Councilmember Jay Arnold to serve as deputy mayor.
Mayor Curtis was appointed to the Council in February 2019 and elected to her first term in November 2019. She was re-elected to her second term in 2023. Mayor Curtis has lived in Kirkland for almost 30 years.
“I'm truly honored to be selected by my fellow colleagues to lead this city as Mayor,” said Mayor Kelli Curtis. “I’m excited about the future of Kirkland and the opportunity to continue the incredible progress we’ve made on our Council Goals and City Work Plans. I look forward to serving this dedicated, hardworking council and this wonderful city to the best of my ability.”
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The City of Kirkland will host a farewell celebration for former Councilmember Toby Nixon on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at Heritage Hall, 203 Market St in Kirkland. All community members are invited to this free event. Doors open at 6 p.m.
“Toby has been such a dedicated Councilmember over the last twelve years,” said Mayor Kelli Curtis. “He’s meant a lot to so many community members and has made such an impact on transparency in government and public safety in Kirkland, among many other accomplishments. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.”
Read more.
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Kirkland’s former Mayor and councilmember Penny Sweet, Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold, Interim Public Works Director Truc Dever, and the City’s solid waste team had the opportunity to tour Waste Management’s upgraded state-of-the-art Cascade Recycling Center. WM recently undertook a substantial remodel and upgrade of this facility to improve recycling sorting and outcomes. The Cascade Recycling Center is where City of Kirkland’s recycling goes to be sorted after being collected from residents and businesses. It was Kirkland’s first chance to see how the facility functions after many upgrades. The results are greater efficiency, less material disposed as residue at landfills, and more recyclables available for new products.
Last month, Kirkland’s Public Works and Fire Departments responded alongside King County Sheriff’s Marine Rescue and Department of Ecology to an oil spill on Lake Washington at Marina Park. The response was fast and successful with most of the sheen cleaned up in a couple of hours.
Thank you to the community member who reported the spill so resources could be deployed. It takes all of us to help keep our lakes and streams clean!
The source of the spill could not be confirmed, but it seems to have been a leaking diesel vehicle that washed into a storm drain and washed out of an outfall into the lake. It’s a good reminder to let only Rain Down the Drain.
To report spills, pollution, and flooding, call our 24/7 hotline at 425-587-3900.
Kirkland is your “Gateway to Wellness” and 2024 is the year to embark on your journey to health and enduring happiness! Discover all that our fair city has to offer, with local businesses and curated content to help our community explore, relax, and rejuvenate their mind, body, and spirit. Check out www.ShopLocalKirkland.com for inspiration.
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If you are looking to take down your Christmas tree, WM has an easy way to dispose of your unflocked, undecorated Christmas trees up to 6 feet tall. Simply place them beside your cart at no cost during the first two weeks of January to be collected by WM for composting. Taller trees should be cut down to 4-foot segments. Put out trees next to your cart on your regular service day during the weeks of January 1 or 8, 2024.
Not quite ready to take your tree down? After the first two weeks of January, trees should be cut into 3-foot segments and put fully inside your yard waste cart.
WM collects Christmas trees from apartments and condos too! Pickups are made twice a week during the weeks of January 1 and 8. Place your Christmas tree next to your apartment or condo garbage dumpster or collection area.
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Northeast 132nd Street Interchange (WSDOT Project)
I-405 NB closure planned: All Northbound lanes of I-405 between NE 124th St and NE 160th St will be closed overnight from 11:59 p.m. Jan 13 to 6 a.m. Jan 14.
Detour route will be posted on site.
Northeast 85th Street Interchange (WSDOT Project)
Mark your calendars, folks: NE 85th St between NE 120th Ave and NE 114th Ave WILL BE CLOSED in both directions all weekend from 11 p.m. Jan 26 to 4 a.m. Jan 29.
Another full weekend closure of the same area will be from 11 p.m. on Feb 2 to 4 a.m. on Feb 5.
These are temporary closures that will change the on and off ramps to I-405 from 85th St. The street will re-open after each of these two weekend closures.
With a big project like a new interchange, there’s a lot of steps along the way. These upcoming closures in late Jan and early Feb allow the crews to change the on and off ramps from the current “clover leaf” design to a diamond design. This process will involve demolishing two bridges, installing temporary signals, and remarking pavement.
After these closures, drivers will be entering and exiting I-405 differently and will be travelling through 85th St differently. Use caution and attention travelling through the area.
This work is part of the I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Bus Rapid Transit Station Construction Project. The new interchange will be a big improvement on what’s currently there. Once finished, the interchange area will include a middle transit level and offer more reliable transportation options for everyone in Kirkland – no matter how you get around.
There will be a few detour options for this phase of the project, depending on where you’re going. For through traffic along NE 85th St, you can use NE 87th St to 6th St to 120th Ave NE. For accessing I-405, as well as additional detour options for passing over I-405, travel to NE 68th St/ NE 70th Pl to the South, or NE 116th St to the North. Detour signs will be posted along the way.
Expect travel delays and plan for increased travel times. To stay up to date on travel conditions, check out the WSDOT Real Time Travel Map.
Where to get more information
Stay up to date on this project and sign up for the newsletter.
MLK Jr. Day of Service
Volunteer with the Green Kirkland Partnership for a day of habitat stewardship on MLK Jr. Day on Monday January 15, 2024 in Kirkland Parks.
Volunteers are needed to help restore critical habitat by removing invasive plants such as blackberry or ivy, planting native plants, and pitching-in with mulching and weeding. With your help, your parks will have healthy and thriving natural areas for years to come!
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Edith Moulton Park - Monday, January 15 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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South Norway Hill Park - Monday, January 15 from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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Rose Hill Meadows Park - Monday, January 15 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Blood Drive
Location: Kirkland City Hall, 123 5th Ave, Peter Kirk Room
Winter weather leaves Bloodworks with one thought: are we prepared to meet local blood needs? Through any weather, patients in our community depend on transfusions to survive cancer, traumas, and bleeding disorders. You can help our community be ready for whatever the weather brings, by making a blood donation appointment for the City of Kirkland Blood Drive taking place in the Peter Kirk Room at City Hall, January 18 & 19. Start to finish, you can save a life in just an hour, and there will be cookies waiting for you when you are done! Please arrive with your photo ID, and make sure you are well hydrated, and have eaten a hearty meal or snack.
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Get a sneak peak of what to expect at the upcoming Feb 3 Lunar New Year celebration. Check out last year’s event:
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