 Spring forward into the latest City news with the This Week in Kirkland Podcast. Check it out.
The Kirkland City Council met on March 5, 2024, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
- The Council recently reviewed and discussed the results of the community survey about a community pool at their Council Retreat last Friday, March 1. Based on that prior discussion, the Council – as part of the March 5 meeting - directed the City Manager to return to the March 19 Council meeting with a resolution for Council consideration. The resolution, if adopted by the Council, would formally conclude exploration of a 2024 community pool ballot measure and would outline other next steps. You can review the survey results and other feedback on the City’s website at kirklandwa.gov/parksballot
- Council authorized the issuance of Limited Tax General Obligation Bonds for fire station renovations and Transportation Benefit District safety projects for students, families, and workers. Issuing bonds is like taking out a loan, and it lets the City get to work making our community safer.
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Council amended the Kirkland Municipal Code related to purchasing. This change will help streamline and make more transparent the City’s purchasing processes.
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Council received an update on the 2024 Legislative Session.
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Council received an update on the progress of the Urban Forest Six-Year Work Plan.
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The Mayor proclaimed March 2024 as Women’s History Month in Kirkland. To read more, visit the City’s website.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council will also hold a Study Session starting at 5:30 p.m., where they discussed:
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An update on the Cascade Water Alliance water supply negotiations.
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A first briefing on the Guiding Principles and Housing Element Policy as part of the 2044 Comprehensive Plan update.
How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact on 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 March 19, 2024.
Stay in the know: you can also get a preview of what’s coming up at Council in the coming weeks and months by checking out the City Council Agenda Calendar. Please note: this calendar is subject to frequent change and does not constitute legal notice.
Organized retail theft has been a concern for businesses in Kirkland and around the Puget Sound region for some time. Tackling these crimes continues to be a priority of the Kirkland Police Department. Kirkland officers, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, recently arrested three people believed to be part of an organized retail theft ring responsible for stealing $80,000 in merchandise from retailers in Kirkland and the greater Seattle area over the last several months.
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If you had the chance to save someone’s life using CPR, would you know how? If not, now’s your chance to learn. The Kirkland Fire Department is again partnering with the Medic One Foundation to provide the next free CPR class for the community.
The second CPR class in Kirkland will be on Monday, March 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. The class will be at Kirkland Fire Station 22 in the Central Houghton Neighborhood, in the multi-purpose room.
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Reminder: set your clocks and gadgets ahead by one hour for Daylight Saving Time, before you go to bed on Saturday night, March 9! Kirkland Fire Department also encourages community members to test their smoke alarms and change batteries, if needed. Why? Because roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
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Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
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Test all smoke alarms at least once a month.
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If there is a fire, a closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and flames.
Be safe springing forward!
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Looking for a hands-on training to prepare your household and neighborhood to respond to a disaster? Check out the next training for our Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) to develop your skills and knowledge of how to respond if a disaster occurs.
Learn skills like fire suppression, disaster first aid, search and rescue techniques, assisting professional responders, responding to suspected terrorist incidents, reducing survivor stress, and preparing individuals and communities for emergencies.
Class Dates: April 25, 27, 30, May 2 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Drill: May 4 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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If you love being outside, making connections with people, learning new skills, and making a difference in your community, Kirkland’s Parks and Community Service jobs may be a great fit for you.
The City of Kirkland Parks and Community Services Department hosts a job fair on Saturday, March 30, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the North Kirkland Community Center, located at 12421 103rd Ave NE in Kirkland.
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Save the Date for Spring/Summer 2024 Recreation Registration!
Prepare for Spring/Summer 2024 recreation program registration by updating or creating your account now. Did you move? New phone number? Want to add new family members to your account? Visit kirklandparks.net and click on the Account tab in the upper left-hand corner of the page. You can also call us at 425-587-3336.
And don't forget to mark these registration dates on your calendars:
• Kirkland resident registration for camps and non-swim programs opens March 19, 2024 at 7 a.m.
• Kirkland resident registration for swimming, pool rentals and all aquatic programs opens March 20, 2024 at 7 a.m.
• Registration for all non-residents opens March 21, 2024 at 8 a.m.
Camp Blaze is a free, weeklong summer camp that introduces teenage girls ages 16-19 to a career in firefighting. Female firefighters from Kirkland Fire Department have participated in this unique camp for more than 20 years. The vision of Camp Blaze is to empower, inspire, and support strong women leaders.
Camp Blaze is now accepting applications through March 31! Let the young women in your life know about this great opportunity to learn about the Fire Service:
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Leadership and Team-building
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Live fire training and Vehicle extrication
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Breathing apparatus and handling a fire hose
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Aerial ladder climbing and Rappelling
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Search and rescue and CPR & First aid
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Interviewing and Self defense
Camp will be held at the Washington State Patrol Fire Training Academy in North Bend from July 27, 2024 to August 3, 2024.
There is no cost to campers to attend Camp Blaze, except the cost of transportation to/from the Seattle area. All meals and lodging provided.
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For adult women in King County interested in Fire Service: Join Kirkland Fire Department, King County EMS (Emergency Medical Services), Shoreline Fire and a dozen other King County agencies for a weekend of hands-on Fire and EMS activities - it’s your opportunity to explore a career in the Fire or EMS service! The weekend will include interactive activities, discussion panels, live demos, and networking with EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), Firefighters, and Paramedics from around our region.
Workshop: April 20 and 21, 2024, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days
Host: Shoreline Fire Department
Must be 18+ to apply, King County residency preferred
Every vehicle recall is serious and affects your safety. That's why it’s important to check if your vehicle has an open recall, and get it fixed immediately for free.
In 2023, there were 1,000 recalls for vehicles, car seats, tires, RVs and other equipment affecting more than 34 million vehicles in the U.S. - yet millions of recalls go unrepaired every year.
It’s Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, and it’s no coincidence that it’s the week leading up to Daylight Saving Time – when you change your clocks and check your smoke alarms twice a year, it’s also a good time to check for vehicle safety recalls with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Identity theft is a threat all year round, but during tax season, I-D thieves will get more elaborate by impersonating the IRS, tax preparers or other financial institutions to steal your information or file fake tax returns to collect your refund.
A reminder from Kirkland Police to protect your financial information:
Be alert to fake communications posing as legit tax organizations, including the IRS:
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Phishing - emails sent by scammer to lure victims with a phony tax refunds or scare them with fake criminal charges for tax fraud.
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Smishing - a text message similar to phishing that uses language like, "Your account has been put on hold" with a bogus link to restore your account.
Be aware of these tax scam signs:
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Getting a tax transcript in the mail from the IRS that you did not order.
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Getting an unrequested Employer Identification Number.
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Getting W-2's from an unknown employer.
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Receiving a notice or an email from a tax prep company that:
- Confirms access to an existing online account.
- Disabled an existing online account.
- Confirms a new online account.
- IRS demanding cryptocurrency for tax payments
The IRS generally contacts people through regular mail, so taxpayers should not be getting unexpected emails, texts or social media regarding a bill or tax refund. The IRS does not accept, and will never demand, cryptocurrency for tax payments.
Never respond to tax-related phishing or smishing or click on a URL link. Instead, report the scam by sending the email or a copy of the text as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov.
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Furnace getting old? Don’t wait for an emergency to upgrade. With bigger incentives than ever, 2024 can be the year you upgrade to a heat pump. Save up to $8,000 when you make the switch to a fully electric, highly efficient heat pump. Visit www.energysmarteastside.org/make-the-switch to get started. |
Lake Street Pedestrian Scramble
Puget Sound Energy continues five weeks of utility relocations this week in the Kirkland Avenue and Lake Street intersection ahead of the pedestrian scramble construction.
Additional Construction Projects
Find out about additional construction projects here.
Business Pitch Competition – Live Pitch Finale
Location: Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave
Hear our local businesses pitch ideas at a chance to win money!
The Live Pitch will be judged by a panel of three judges in a competition for the grand prize awards. All contestants will be required to give their pitch in-person. Judging Criteria for Live Pitch: Winners of the competition will be announced following the live pitch event. There will be one $5,000 winner in each category: People’s Choice, Start-Up, and Expansion.
For more information, and to register, visit the event page.
Join us to Make Kirkland’s Parks Better Together
Show your love for Kirkland's parks by volunteering with the Kirkland Parks Beautification Program. Team up with Parks Management staff to help with weeding, planting, mulching, and more as we make our parks even better together. There are four events scheduled for March.
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Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Mark Twain Park [register]
- Wednesday, March 20, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Heritage Park [register]
- Thursday, March 21, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Fisk Family Park [register]
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What the heck is “land-use”? And what is the Growth Management Act? Get answers to your planning questions with our Short Course to Local Planning!
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