Written by We’re doing all we can to prevent flooding in Renton this winter. Click here to see the story
This is the EXACT reason we don’t want to send Renton inmates to Yakima anymore
We need to count our blessings that it was not a Renton inmate who was barbarically killed while in the custody of the Yamkima County Jail yesterday. It could have been.
There is no excuse for this kind of violence to be allowed in any jails, period. The press release below is not clear on whether this man was even convicted…it only says he was arrested for domestic violence. But even if one assumed he’s guilty, then this man had a debt to pay but not with his life; and now this inmate’s relatives will grieve for him the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, the rest of us need to ask ourselves how we could EVER expect someone in jail for domestic violence to become reformed in such a violent climate…95% of those incarcerated will be released at some point. It looks like Yakima was training him to get tougher, meaner, and more threatening.
Psychologists know that we can not subject inmates to extreme violence in jail, and then turn them loose in our cities and expect them to behave like model citizens. Furthermore, you can not let the jail system kill someone’s brother, son, or daughter, and not expect to get resentment, lawsuits and other fallout from their law-abiding relatives on the outside.
Our Renton jailers have been concerned about conditions in Yakima for the last couple years, and we have quit sending inmates there. We are currently in a legal battle with Yakima County because they want us to send our inmates back.
I must see REAL REFORM in Yakima before I ever consider voting to put inmates back there.
Seattle Sidewalk Price Tag: two million dollars per mile
Sidewalks are costing up to two million dollars per mile in Seattle. This is a daunting pricetag, and we are seeing sidewalk prices heading this direction in Renton as well. The reason for this is that new ADA provisions, along with stormwater, curbing, and other road design requirements prevent us from simply using the old four-inch-thick-slab-of-concrete-at-grade mentality. Each sidewalk now has to be architecturally designed and engineered to meet the latest standards. This truley is for the public benefit, and really helps those who are mobility challenged; I support this improved design, but boy is it ever expensive. I hope we can find ways to slow these cost increases, or even reverse them (maybe?), in the future.
ready for the next pour…:-)
When I was a kid, I remember when I and a group of school classmates were informed by a city engineer that new freeways cost over one-million dollars per mile! “No way” we all said, in disbelief that a freeway could cost so much. Who would have guessed we would be paying twice this amount for a sidewalk in 2007!
More about development, privacy, and impacts to existing homes
I received the note below as a comment on my Bamboo Gardens blog, and I thought it was worth a blog of its own. Clearly, we need to protect existing homes from the impacts of development however we reasonably can. I’m about to experience this again first hand (I’ve been through it before when the condo’s were built behind me). I would like to do more to help others in this situation. Tighter enforcement of the noise ordinance would be a good start (and I’ll work on this), but I would love to get everyone’s ideas for ways to better protect existing homeowners.
______________________________________________
Dear Randy
I just watched my neighbor spend 4,000 dollars to gain back some privacy from the new development next door. It looks great, but it will be years before it provides any real privacy because of the new homes size and height. While the city gorges itself on new development and continues to clear cut, it’s not easy to watch. The big surprise will be when the heavy machinery and construction begins, having a contractor start using a nail gun at 6:00am and continue until 8:00pm is no easy task. Things will get worse when they continue to do it on Saturday. Hoping they will leave you alone Sunday. As far as I am concerned the city could do a much better job about enforcing construction start and stop times. I have lost my privacy and I too have to make a decision. Do I spend $4,000 or move.
RW
Link to Renton City Collection Program
Here is the link to the garbage collection pilot program, along with my continuing encouragement that the mayor’s office add this link to our city home page.
You can see from the maps whether you are affected by this pilot program or not (You also would have been advised by mail, and you will recieve new garbage cans if you are affected). If you are affected, you can use this page as a resource for calendars and information. If you are not directly affected, then your garbage service will continue as it always has, but you may still find it interesting to read through this and give the city feedback on whether any of the proposed pilot changes sound good or bad to you.
Click here for information on the Renton Collection Pilot Program
Click here to see the latest request from citizens asking us to make this link availble
Less than one month….
…until Cathy and I celebrate our 25th anniversary!
Here’s my beautiful bride opening a present on her last birthday. In addition to years of love and companionship, she has given me five wonderful children…two girls and three boys. We like to quip that two of a kind plus three of a kind make a full house; but that has not stopped our family from adding to the vivacity of our home by hosting exchange students, extended family, friends, and a menagerie of animals through the years. So many blessings.
(Cathy and and my youngest daughter Susie are in the beach town of Mendicino, California attending a wedding right now, so the boys and I are bach-ing it for a while. I’m missing them today, which prompted me to write this.)
Let’s not let our own red-tape stop Renton from having a beautiful five-star hotel
Michael Christ’s Seco Development has already built these beautiful apartments on the lakefront at Southport.
While we have very publicly been working on the Seahawks Headquarters, the Landing, and an ill-fated Sonics proposal, a key piece of Renton’s renaissance has been quietly shaping up on the shore of Lake Washington next to the airplane factory. Michael Christ has opened up shoreline to the public that was inaccessible for decades, and he is building world-class office space, shopping, dining, and housing. He built a commercial-sized dock to establish lake cruises, and a venue for weddings, concerts, and outdoor movies (the first movie is tonight).
He also has plans for a hotel, and has the capital, know-how, and determination to put in a four or even a five-star hotel right here in Renton! (…think Four Seasons). Such a hotel, when completed with the office park, housing and retail he plans, will rival the Landing in terms of the cost of the development. And it will put our city in a new league in terms of entertaining, and hosting visitors….in short, a dream for our visitor’s bureau and Chamber of Commerce.
Unfortunately, our own processes and inadvertent zoning changes have made the approval journey unreasonably complicated, a classic red-tape problem.
But this is one of the main reasons we employ an Economic Development staff, and I am confident they can work through this quickly. If possible, I would like to see any holdups in front of council in a matter of days, so that we can get them in front of the public, resolve any open questions, and take action soon–before the opportunity goes away. His proposed improvements to the hotel appear to be within the 10% change allowed by the code…but even if they exceed 10% , we should fast-track our review of this project. Unlike many of our other mega-projects in work, Mr. Christ has not been asking for taxpayer assistance. He also sets an extraordinarily high standard for quality.
So if you see Mr. Christ around town, encourage him not to lose heart, and tell him how you feel about his investment and hard work. And think about asking him how to book a reservation for your visiting friends from out of town…this will be an extremely popoular place to stay with its proximity to the Landing, the lake, Seatac airport, and Coulon Park walking trails.
Here are some emails on the topic, that can be found in the official public record:
To: ‘Alexander Pietsch’; Daniel Clawson; Denis Law; Don Persson; Kathy
Keolker; Marcie Palmer; Randy Corman; Terri Briere; Antonette Nelson
Cc: April Alexander; Bonnie Walton; Jay Covington; Julia Medzegian;
Marty Wine; Neil Watts; Peter Hahn; Suzanne Dale Estey
Subject: RE: RE: Meeting
It just sounds so red-tapish….
I’m just venting, but we worked like heck to get Harvest Partners to put
in a hotel at the Landing (which they said the market won’t support),
and spent $30,000,000 in taxpayer money trying to make the Landing all
it can be. Then we battled Westfield, and practically declared war on
Australia in the process in order to get the type of construction we
wanted. Then we spent $30,000 on a study to try to sell an Arena, and
we told the public that we could handle basketball games without traffic
problems….not to mention we were talking some untold millions of
dollars of Renton contribution if the arena went forward.
Now, when Michael Christ steps forward to build a 5-star hotel, I hope
we don’t spook him more than necessary with process issues and “risks”
from appeals. It’s right to work through the process, but let’s be
careful not to discourage him. He seems to be the only builder that is
willing to build our vision for this area without asking for millions of
dollars from the taxpayers to get it done.
Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox now. 🙂
Thanks,
Randy
—–Original Message—–
From: Alexander Pietsch [mailto:Apietsch@ci.renton.wa.us]
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 1:05 PM
To: Daniel Clawson; Denis Law; Don Persson; Kathy Keolker; Marcie
Palmer; Randy Corman; Terri Briere; Antonette Nelson
Cc: April Alexander; Bonnie Walton; Jay Covington; Julia Medzegian;
Marty Wine; Neil Watts; Peter Hahn; Suzanne Dale Estey
Subject: Fwd: RE: Meeting
Councilmembers…
I know several of you have had conversations in recent months with
Michael Christ. He is very excited about moving forward with his planned
development at Southport and has expressed an interest in expanding the
scope of his original plans to a 350 room hotel (130 units more than
previously planned) and 1+ million square feet of office (he is
currently permitted for 750,000 sf).
We, too, are very excited about seeing this project built. Neil and I
have been talking with Michael recently about how to move his expansion
plans forward. Unfortunately, it may not be as easy as Michael would
like. Below is an e-mail from Neil to Michael outlining Southport’s
current entitlements.
If he would like to increase the project’s scope beyond these
entitlements, he will need to go through a new environmental review
process. This isn’t the end of the world, and could be completed in a
few months. But, it does open his project up to possible appeal, and as
we all know too well, that is a risk.
I wanted to let you know about the situation, as he may approach you
about it.
Staff continues to be extremely supportive of Michael’s efforts to build
Southport (at either scale), and we will continue to work with him to
ensure that he can proceed to construction in accordance with City and
State processes and regulations.
Please contact me or Neil if you have any questions.
Alex Pietsch
Administrator
Dept. of Economic Development,
Neighborhoods & Strategic Planning
City of Renton
425.430.6592 voice
425.430.7300 fax
http://rentonwa.gov
>>> Neil Watts 8/15/2007 5:19:19 PM >>>
Michael
I have been reviewing the documents and different options for the
Southport site. If we are to proceed under the approved April 2000
Level 2 site plan, and the limitations of the planned action, I do not
think any of the proposed alternatives, including the described max
allowed will work without additional SEPA review. Yich!
Running rough trip generation numbers, I think we would be able to
proceed with the following size project:
383 apartment units
22,919 sq.ft. retail
13,000 sq.ft. restaurant
353 room hotel
720,205 sq.ft office
This project size is probably the maximum that will comply with the
planned action and the approved Level 2 site plan. It appears that the
project approved in the Level 2 site plan is the maximum permitted, and
cannot be furthered increased without new SEPA review.
We will still need to complete a Level 1 site plan review for the hotel.
A modification will be required to the Level 1 site plan already
approved for the office building.
The planned action lists various maximum limits, and only specific
limits include discussion about a maximum 10% change. The other limits,
including the listed traffic generation limits do not include the
additional 10% change. Page 4 of the approved planned action (Ord.
4804) lists maximum limits for AM peak, PM peak and daily total trips.
We cannot go beyond those numbers without additional SEPA review. This
would include a new traffic study, with current conditions. I believe
that the project scope I have listed is near or at these trip generation
maximums. I welcome a more detailed traffic analysis based on trip
generation formulas and reasonable assumptions for pass-by trips and
internal trips.
Please also note that the Level 2 site plan, the planned action EIS and
the code requirements of the COR 3 zone limit height to 10 stories, not
to exceed 125 feet in height.
I think it is possible to retain the existing vested entitlements to
this property while exploring additional approvals for a larger project
scope. We will need a updated traffic study, a supplemental EIS, a new
planned action and a new master plan approval for this larger project
entitlement. We would also be operating under the new UC-N zoning,
rather than the old COR zoning. This expanded option is more
challenging, and we should discuss further when I return from Spokane.
Neil Watts, Director
Development Services Division
City of Renton
1055 S. Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057-3232
(425) 430-7218 = phone
(425) 430-7300 = fax
nwatts@ci.renton.wa.us
Photos: Leisure Estates Candidates Forum
The campaign season has really arrived! The first official candidate’s forum was held at the Leisure Estates neighborhood clubhouse on Tuesday night.
I had a conflict, so I was unable to attend the forum. But the issues of shared concern to these residents in the past have been zoning of mobile home parks, mobile home-owner’s rights, city utility fees and taxes, and police and fire response. Many residents are life-long Renton citizens with vast knowledge of Renton’s history, and they have well-thought out ideas for our city’s future.
Here are a few pictures from the forum, provided by Gary Palmer. (Click to enlarge)
P.S. This neighborhood received local television coverage earlier this year when some creep stole their new community defibrillator, and a generous company in Bothell gave them a new one You can read that story here
All the candidates
Greg Taylor
Denis Law
Kathy Keolker
Big meeting coming up; Council may take a position on 17 billion dollar roads and transit plan
Renton voters, along with others in the Puget Sound region, will have an important decision to make this November regarding whether to approve a seventeen billion dollar roads and transit package.
If approved, the package will add new lanes and off-ramps to several sections of local freeways, and extend the light rail across I-90 through Bellevue and into Redmond.
Renton City Council will be holding a pro-and-con forum regarding this Roads and Transit plan at our council meeting this coming Monday, Aug 20. The council will likely follow the forum with a discussion about whether Renton City Council should recommend to our citizens to vote one way or the other on this plan.
This is a big opportunity to improve our transportation system on the one hand, but such a huge spending measure on the other, that I feel our recommendation is quite a serious matter (even though the final decision rests with the voters).
At this time I am leaning in favor of recommending approval of this plan, but I would really like to hear from as many Renton voters as possible before we vote on this issue.
Since this subject will be new to many of you, I have attached some links below to several pro and con statements, along with a high level summary of the road projects that will be completed in the Renton area if you ultimately approve this bond measure in November
Supporters’ Website:
Opponents’ of Light Rail Websites:
The Sierra Club is also opposed to the package. Their position can be found at:
Here’s a short list of the Renton “Roads & Transit” projects that are in the draft resolution:
The Roads & Transit’s plan includes projects to:Â
— expand Interstate 405 (I-405) between Renton and Bellevue by two lanes in each direction
— construct a new I-405/SR 169 flyover ramp, provide a direct High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) to HOV connection between SR 167 and I-405
— eliminate chokepoints on SR 167
— construct a new HOV direct access ramp at North 8th Street and
— build the Express Bus North 8th Street parking garage
Please, if you can take the time, take a look at some of these links, and let me know your thoughts on this issue. Do you think I should recommend approval, or disapproval, and why do you think so? I can’t promise you I’ll vote the way you wish, but I will sure take your suggestions seriously, ask about any concerns you raise, and give your inputs due consideration.
So please comment!
Thanks!!!
Randy Corman
My Dad
As I was recently exchanging emails with one of Jesse Tanner’s daughters, I developed the notion to share this brief essay written by my sister Brenda about my own dear father. It was published in one of the Chicken Soup series of books….it’s a quick read, so I hope you will check it out!
Click here to read the short essay about my Dad.
My sister Brenda, now and as the princess at age 7.
Too much drama
“I’ve been waiting for Clay Bennett to flip us all off and tell us to go jump in the lake,” Prentice said.
My thoughts… “Really Senator? Is this what we should expect from Clay Bennett?”
I do not share Senator Margarita Prentice’s view that it is reasonable, even figuratively, for Clay Bennett to flip off the State of Washington. Okay… so the House and Senate would not put a hurried and incomplete Sonics arena proposal ahead of schools, mental health, justice, and other state priorities in the last legislative session…does that make it acceptable or effective to flip them off?
I know arenas are really cool, and it would have been great for Renton to get an influx of three-hundred million dollars of state money pumped into our community. But even so, Renton citizens are simply not the sore-losers that Senator Prentice’s language suggests.
Instead of flipping off the state legislature, it would be more appropriate for Clay Bennett, if he is serious about a new Seattle-area Sonics arena, to hold meetings with key members of the House and Senate to see what these elected officials would need in a revised proposal. He could also make good use of the months prior to the next legilative session communicating with other cities and potential private-sector sponsors. It’s not like the team is getting evicted or anything…they have several years left on their Key Arena lease. Clay Bennett could even patch things up with the city of Seattle if he put his mind to it. The Sonics and Storm fans, who have supported basketball for decades, deserve a good faith effort in this department…not more school-yard talk.
If Margarita Prentice is right, and Clay Bennett now refuses to initiate productive diologue with Washington’s elected officials, then I will positively conclude that it was never Mr. Bennett’s intention to keep the team in the region; and it would follow that Renton was snookered out of the tens of thousands of dollars we spent evaluating the areana proposal.
I’m proud of the fact that Renton has a desirable piece of property, large enough for an NBA arena and convention center, with the proper zoning in place. This says a lot about our city’s opportunity. But we don’t have tens of millions of public dollars to help pay for a regional sports facility, nor can we afford to start alienating the state house and senate with talk about extended middle fingers.
Here is an excerpt from today’s Seattle Time Story:
The state Legislature rejected Bennett’s proposal for a $500 million Renton arena this spring.
State Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, a vocal supporter of that effort, said lawmakers treated team owners “shabbily” by refusing to seriously consider the Renton plan. Some lawmakers also have criticized McClendon and another Sonics partner, Tom Ward, for making large contributions to an anti-gay-marriage group.
Prentice said she doesn’t blame McClendon for his latest comments.
“I’ve been waiting for Clay Bennett to flip us all off and tell us to go jump in the lake,” Prentice said.
Seattle PI: Sonics owners were never planning on keeping the team in this region
While I am sorry to see our region lose the Sonics, it was obvious from the logic, statements, and body language that the team’s new owners were posturing to move the Sonics to Oklahoma all along. Very few of us were unable to figure this out.
At least the owners are finally coming clean with this information.
The only thing that could keep the Sonics in Seattle now is a new local owner. I think this is very unlikely, but not out of the question with all the wealth in our area.
It’s too bad we spent so much tax money in Renton in a doomed quest to keep them here. Several of us would have slowed down the spending a bit if we could have.
For the history of the Renton debate, see my other blogs on this topic by clicking on my “Sonics” tag below.
Saturday’s picnic
Click on the pictures to enlarge!
New portrait of Marcie Palmer
New picture of Marcie Palmer, taken by her husband Gary. Marcie is running for reelection to city council.
Click on the picture to enlarge it!
Mayor had been told the rules about calling for the question…
Monday was not the first time that the mayor wrongly shut down a council discussion, over my protests, when a single councilmember “called for the question”. The last time this happened, I knew she was mistaken and I said that on the record; but I did not stand up until the attorney opened the rulebook the way I did on Monday night.
However, the public record shows that an astute and articulate Renton citizen clearly warned the mayor in writing that she violated Roberts Rules of Order the previous time she did this. I don’t know why she thought she could get away with it again.
From: Brett Kappenman [mailto:bkappenman@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 2:22 PM
To: mayor@rentonwa.gov
Cc: tbriere@rentonwa.gov
Subject: Call the Question
Kathy:
I wanted to point out that the proper parliamentary procedure may not have been followed at Monday night’s Council meeting. I’m specifically referring to the “Call the Question” motion made by Terri. Calling for the question is usually in the form of a motion and requires a second in almost all circumstances. If the City of Renton’s parliamentary procedure does not require a second and therefore does not require a super-majority I would like to see a copy of the official rules for conducting meetings as they deviate from my understanding of what standard Robert’s Rules requires.
If memory serves me correctly Terri did ask to be recognized, but you believed that a second was not required. While I understand why you may have felt she was correct (due to what I’ve outlined below), I would like some clarity on this issue.
Sincerely,
Brett Kappenman
(206) 612-5600
———————–
Here is the official take on the subject from the Robert’s Rules web site:
http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html
(Emphasis added below)
Question 11:
Must debate on a motion stop immediately as soon as any member calls the question?
Answer:
It is a fairly common misconception that, after debate has continued for some time, if any member shouts out “Question!” or “I call the question!”, debate must immediately cease and the chair must put the pending question to a vote. This is simply not the case. Any member who wishes to force an end to debate must first obtain the floor by being duly recognized to speak by the chair, and must then move the Previous Question. Such a motion must be seconded, and then adopted by a two-thirds vote, or by unanimous consent. It is not in order to interrupt a speaker with cries of “Question” or “Call the Question,” and even if no one is speaking, it is still necessary to seek recognition. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 193-94; see also p 35-37 of RONR In Brief.]
And further references on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert’s_Rules_of_Order
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_the_question
Previous question
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Call the question)
Jump to: navigation, search
In parliamentary procedure, previous question, calling for the question, calling the question, putting the question is a motion to end debate and bring the main motion to a vote. It is usually invoked by a member saying, “I call [for] the question.” Under many rules of order, when a call for the question is made, a two-thirds supermajority is required to end debate.
In legislative bodies, this concept is frequently referred to as cloture.
I might also add that in instances when a specific question regarding parliamentary procedure is asked, the city attorney should be able to answer those questions as I believe he is the acting parliamentarian.
Attached Message
From: “Brett Kappenman” <bkappenman@hotmail.com> [ Save Address ]
To: <mayor@rentonwa.gov>
Cc: <tbriere@rentonwa.gov>
Subject: RE: Call the Question
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 15:55:50 +0000
Kathy or Terri:
I still would like an answer to my question.
Brett
From: Brett Kappenman [mailto:bkappenman@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 2:22 PM
To: mayor@rentonwa.gov
Cc: tbriere@rentonwa.gov
Subject: Call the Question
Kathy:
I wanted to point out that the proper parliamentary procedure may not have been followed at Monday night’s Council meeting. I’m specifically referring to the “Call the Question” motion made by Terri. Calling for the question is usually in the form of a motion and requires a second in almost all circumstances. If the City of Renton’s parliamentary procedure does not require a second and therefore does not require a super-majority I would like to see a copy of the official rules for conducting meetings as they deviate from my understanding of what standard Robert’s Rules requires.
If memory serves me correctly Terri did ask to be recognized, but you believed that a second was not required. While I understand why you may have felt she was correct (due to what I’ve outlined below), I would like some clarity on this issue.
Sincerely,
Brett Kappenman
(206) 612-5600
———————–
Here is the official take on the subject from the Robert’s Rules web site:
http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html
(Emphasis added below)
Question 11:
Must debate on a motion stop immediately as soon as any member calls the question?
Answer:
It is a fairly common misconception that, after debate has continued for some time, if any member shouts out “Question!” or “I call the question!”, debate must immediately cease and the chair must put the pending question to a vote. This is simply not the case. Any member who wishes to force an end to debate must first obtain the floor by being duly recognized to speak by the chair, and must then move the Previous Question. Such a motion must be seconded, and then adopted by a two-thirds vote, or by unanimous consent. It is not in order to interrupt a speaker with cries of “Question” or “Call the Question,” and even if no one is speaking, it is still necessary to seek recognition. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 193-94; see also p 35-37 of RONR In Brief.]
And further references on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert’s_Rules_of_Order
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_the_question
Previous question
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Call the question)
Jump to: navigation, search
In parliamentary procedure, previous question, calling for the question, calling the question, putting the question is a motion to end debate and bring the main motion to a vote. It is usually invoked by a member saying, “I call [for] the question.” Under many rules of order, when a call for the question is made, a two-thirds supermajority is required to end debate.
In legislative bodies, this concept is frequently referred to as cloture.
I might also add that in instances when a specific question regarding parliamentary procedure is asked, the city attorney should be able to answer those questions as I believe he is the acting parliamentarian.
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