Housing requires creative policies
July 14, 2009
This is the second installment of a three-part series that examines affordable housing in the proposed Town Center.
By J.B. Wogan
Ray Dellecker’s day job is doing marketing for a small European software company, but in his spare time, he’s trying to change the composition of home ownership across east King County.
A resident of the Crest neighborhood, Dellecker would love to see less expensive housing in Sammamish because it would mean the city’s workforce could also live here. As a board member of Habitat for Humanity of east King County, he’s doing his best to make sure that happens.
“Sammamish is sort of behind in terms of affordable ownership housing,” Dellecker said. When Dellecker talks about affordable housing, he envisions homes that clerks at the local gas stations and cashiers at the local grocery stores could afford, homes within the financial reach of local school teachers.
“They have to commute. Many of them come in from 20 miles east of here. The cost of gasoline is a problem, transportation is a problem, it’s just a huge issue,” he said.
If Dellecker and others at Habitat for Humanity had their way, the city of Sammamish would have policies encouraging developers to build homes within the reach of a household making as high as $40,000 a year. The city’s policy abides by a definition of affordable housing that would benefit households making as high as $67,000.
Housing in Sammamish remains outside many people’s price range, with the mean sales price for 2009 being $617,000, according to the King County Department of Assessments.
Those who do live in the city, on average, have a combined household salary in the six figures: the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the median household family income in 2007 was $129,335 per year.
But policy makers in the city’s Community Development Department think they can make affordable housing in Sammamish a reality.
The city’s expert on affordable housing is Arthur Sullivan, program manager at A Regional Coalition of Housing, who helps steer affordable housing policies for cities across the Eastside. Part of Sullivan’s job involves crafting ways to create permanent and rental housing at prices low- and moderate-income homeowners can afford in cities like Sammamish.
The Town Center Master Plan, adopted in June 2008, requires that 10 percent of all residential units in Town Center be affordable.
The city is now developing strategies to entice developers and property owners to go beyond the 10 percent minimum, although nothing official has been approved.
With Sullivan’s help, the Planning Commission is hashing out details of how the city would meet or exceed its own mandate for the Town Center — creating more than the required 200 housing units for low- and moderate-income homeowners.
Michael Matthias, project manager for the Town Center, said the Planning Commission is considering the idea of an incentive system designed to motivate developers to include more than the required amount of affordable housing. One possibility would be a two-for-one deal where developers would agree to build an affordable apartment or house and in exchange, they could exceed normal density limits and build two market-rate apartments or homes. Matthias said the actual rate of exchange would depend on current market conditions.
The city could also provide benefits in the permitting process, where affordable units would require a faster and less onerous set of permit requirements.
Community Development Director Kamuron Gurol said parking spots might be another leverage point. Developers who build inexpensive units might be able to avoid building the normal required number of parking spots.
Gurol said spots in a parking garage can cost $30,000 while a parking lot parking space can cost between $5,000-$10,000.
The end result might be a Town Center with less expensive housing, less parking and more public transportation, Gurol said.
“We’re not eliminating the car, but we’re putting it in balance with other forms of transportation,” Gurol said. “Over parking is something that we want to really avoid.”
Alex Kimball, an architect working on a property in the Town Center, said he believes affordable housing can happen in Sammamish and he’s encouraged by the commission’s work so far.
“They’re edging on some really great thoughts,” Kimball said. But he cautioned that the city’s affordable housing policy should not give too many bonuses for the sake of less expensive housing. In a worst-case scenario, developers could exploit the affordable housing policy to add more density than the community at-large would want.
“It can’t just be for developers. It’s got to be to make a better place,” Kimball said.
One property owner has an opposing fear, claiming the city should offer more to developers for the sake of making affordable housing achievable.
“It has to be doable. They’re asking too much from developers and developers have other places to go,” said John Galvin. Galvin referenced the commission’s goal of having 400 affordable housing units in the Town Center. He called it “housing that won’t be sold.”
The big problem, according to Galvin, is that affordable housing units need to be accompanied by more public transit and more social services. At the moment, not enough people would want to live in affordable units in Sammamish, making those units a waste of money, he said.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
This is the second installment of a three-part series that examines affordable housing in the proposed Town Center.
Ray Dellecker’s day job is doing marketing for a small European software company, but in his spare time, he’s trying to change the composition of home ownership across east King County.
A resident of the Crest neighborhood, Dellecker would love to see less expensive housing in Sammamish because it would mean the city’s workforce could also live here. As a board member of Habitat for Humanity of east King County, he’s doing his best to make sure that happens.
Cecilia Velazquaz paints the side of a Habitat for Humanity house in a community outside the city of Snoqualmie, one of 50 built in the area. This was Velazquaz’s first day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Photo by Adam Eschbach
City reveals plan for new park
July 14, 2009
The city is scheduled to roll out its plan for a 3,000-foot-long park along East Lake Sammamish Parkway at 6:30 p.m. July 15 at City Hall.
Project Manager Anjali Myer said the city’s consultant, the Berger Partnership, was still finishing up its design the week before the meeting. The city has held two public meetings about the Sammamish Landing Park.
The city does not have a funding plan for implementing the park’s design. The city had hoped to use $3 million of the $19 million parks bond, which failed in November 2008, to pay for construction beginning in 2011. Planning for the design will cost about $200,000, according to Myer.
The first 30 minutes of the meeting will be an informal mingling where residents can view materials and ask city staff questions about the design. At 7 p.m., a formal presentation is scheduled to begin.
For more information about the meeting or the park’s design, contact Anjali Myer at 425-295-0581 or amyer@ci.sammamish.wa.us.
The city is scheduled to roll out its plan for a 3,000-foot-long park along East Lake Sammamish Parkway at 6:30 p.m. July 15 at City Hall.
Project Manager Anjali Myer said the city’s consultant, the Berger Partnership, was still finishing up its design the week before the meeting. The city has held two public meetings about the Sammamish Landing Park.
The city does not have a funding plan for implementing the park’s design. The city had hoped to use $3 million of the $19 million parks bond, which failed in November 2008, to pay for construction beginning in 2011. Planning for the design will cost about $200,000, according to Myer.
The first 30 minutes of the meeting will be an informal mingling where residents can view materials and ask city staff questions about the design. At 7 p.m., a formal presentation is scheduled to begin.
For more information about the meeting or the park’s design, contact Anjali Myer at 425-295-0581 or amyer@ci.sammamish.wa.us.
Chamber to host an evening of wine and jazz for adults
July 14, 2009
By Lauren McLaughlin
In celebration of the city’s 10th birthday, the Sammamish Chamber of Commerce is hosting Sammamish Nights — an evening of wine tasting and jazz — from 6-10 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Sammamish Commons.
Sammamish Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deborah Sogge said there are many family friendly events hosted by the city, but some residents wanted an adult venue. Therefore, this one will be a 21-and-older event.
“The whole idea was just to have a fun event outdoors to let people relax and enjoy the wine and good music,” Sogge said.
The daytime activities — intended to be more family-friendly — include a parade, a free birthday cake and live entertainment. The city will also bury a time capsule containing a timeline of the city’s first 10 years, including pictures and documents, and the winning submissions for the art, essay and deci-centennial math contests, as well as essay submissions from community members.
Jane Souza, owner of Jane’s Events! and Chamber of Commerce member, agreed that the Sammamish Nights adult-only theme was unique.
“Sammamish has never done something like this before,” Souza said. “It’s just so different. We decided it was time to do something for the older group.”
Sammamish Nights will consist of wine, food and the smooth jazz of Darren Motamedy and his band.
“It’s an honor in itself to perform for the anniversary,” Motamedy said. “The nice thing about smooth jazz is that it goes great with good food and wine.”
Sammamish resident Jana Williams has already purchased tickets for the event.
“I know some people who are going and I think it’ll be a lot of fun,” Williams said. “I’m looking forward to the food and the friends.”
“People are already buying tickets, some as far away as south Seattle,” Sogge said.
In addition to the music, the event also will have tents for local restaurants and for wine tasting. All proceeds from the wine will go to the Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma brain cancer research.
Tickets for the event are $35 and include admittance to the concert and five free wine tastings. Anyone who buys tickets before July 22 will receive a $10 discount. Find tickets online at www.sammamishchamber.org.
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story visit www.sammamishreview.com.
In celebration of the city’s 10th birthday, the Sammamish Chamber of Commerce is hosting Sammamish Nights — an evening of wine tasting and jazz — from 6-10 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Sammamish Commons.
Sammamish Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deborah Sogge said there are many family friendly events hosted by the city, but some residents wanted an adult venue. Therefore, this one will be a 21-and-older event. Read more
Planning Commission rejects digital signs
July 14, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Being on summer break didn’t stop Liz Sirjani from expressing outrage about the latest news on digital reader boards: the Planning Commission voted against having them in Sammamish.
“I just can’t believe that they don’t know what we go through to change that sign.
“They’re wasting this opportunity,” said Sirjani, an Eastlake High School teacher. “I’m very, very sad.”
The commission voted 5-2 on July 2 that the city should not permit changing message signs. Commissioner Mahbubul Islam and Commission Chair Tom Vance voted to allow the signs. Commissioners Stan Bump, Scott Hamilton, Richard Amidei, Jan Klier and Erica Tiliacos voted against the signs.
The current code allows buildings in commercial or office zones to have electronically-controlled signs that contain advertising messages, as long as they change at intervals of three minutes or greater.
Sirjani, who coordinates the letter-by-letter replacement of her school’s manual reader board, has advocated for more than a year that the city change its code. She said she and her students have to waste instructional time — sometimes an hour or more — updating the board.
The board’s messages call attention to student accolades, school theatre productions and athletic events.
What Sirjani had envisioned was an electronic reader board that could be updated remotely in a matter of minutes. Both Redmond and Lake Washington high schools, which are in the same school district as Eastlake but outside of Sammamish city limits, have digital reader boards.
Tiliacos said she voted against changing the sign code because she thinks it’s a matter best examined next year, after the commission is finished laying out the development regulations for the Town Center.
Tiliacos said she was concerned about the current code, too, because it allowed reader boards for every property zoned as commercial or office.
Vance voted against leaving the code as it is.
He said he wanted to recommend a change that would have given Eastlake a reader board.
The commission did have the option to vote for such an amendment July 2.
“This at least gave the city a starting point to discuss those other issues that we couldn’t get to,” Vance said, referring to the legal stickiness of allowing digital reader boards for some, but not others.
The commission’s vote isn’t the final word on the matter — the City Council could choose to ignore the commission’s recommendation altogether.
Evan Maxim, senior planner for the city, said he expected the issue to come up at a council meeting in late July or early September.
The council hasn’t studied the issue formally, but some of its members are already forming opinions about digital reader boards.
“I generally don’t like them. I can see why they’re more convenient for schools. I just don’t want to have them everywhere,” City Councilman Mark Cross said.
Cross added that he was against signs with scrolling letters.
Deputy Mayor Jack Barry said he was disappointed with the message conveyed by the commission’s vote, especially since digital reader boards are common at other schools in other cities.
In terms of the proliferation argument — that if Eastlake had a digital reader board, dozens of others would sprout up along 228th Avenue — he said it wasn’t realistic.
“I don’t know of a Rotary Club that has a reader board,” he said.
Mayor Don Gerend also voiced some support for the notion of giving the schools digital reader boards.
“I do not think we should outlaw them completely in the city,” Gerend said. “I think reader boards can be done aesthetically pleasing, as long as they’re not flashing or sequencing.”
Gerend added that he personally sympathizes with advocates who want to digitize the current school reader boards.
“I look at those old sign boards that they have up there and I think it would be an improvement,” he said.
Both Gerend and Cross said they were waiting to hear the legal opinion of City Attorney Bruce Disend regarding the legality of allowing digital reader boards at the local schools, but not at churches or headquarters of local nonprofits.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Being on summer break didn’t stop Liz Sirjani from expressing outrage about the latest news on digital reader boards: the Planning Commission voted against having them in Sammamish.
“I just can’t believe that they don’t know what we go through to change that sign.
“They’re wasting this opportunity,” said Sirjani, an Eastlake High School teacher. “I’m very, very sad.” Read more
King County urges feds to protect kokanee salmon
July 14, 2009
By Warren Kagarise
Conservationists seeking to protect threatened Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon received a boost last week from King County leaders.
The King County Council called on federal officials June 29 to list kokanee salmon under the Endangered Species Act. Local and state environmental groups had previously urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the salmon species.
“It’s significant in so much as the County Council unanimously supports the motion,” said Joanna Buehler, president of Save Lake Sammamish. Buehler said the County Council’s motion underscores the need for U.S. Fish and Wildlife to take action. “The actions are being taken now at the local level. Particularly, King County has been a good friend to the kokanee.”
The motion passed by the County Council also recommends for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to follow through with a proposed breeding program to help the kokanee.
Experts disagree on exactly how many Lake Sammamish kokanee remain. Trout Unlimited’s estimates are fewer than 100, while Buehler said she thinks it’s more than 100. Both agree that the number is dwindling. Attempts to introduce other varieties of kokanee into the lake have been unsuccessful.
“If these kokanee in Lake Sammamish go away, there will be no kokanee in Lake Sammamish,” said Mark Taylor, Washington Council president of Trout Unlimited.
Taylor said he expects a decision regarding the kokanee from federal officials as early as next year. He credited county officials for encouraging federal officials to protect the salmon. He noted how the effort to protect the kokanee had attracted support from several quarters.
The County Council’s motion commended the cities of Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond and Bellevue for their conservation efforts.
Lake Sammamish kokanee are similar to sockeye salmon, but kokanee are smaller and live in landlocked bodies of water. The species lives in Lake Sammamish and spawns in nearby streams.
Taylor said 20 million to 40 million non-native kokanee had been introduced to Lake Sammamish since the 1980s — but the introduced fish did not survive. Taylor said scientists are unsure why, though speculation ranges from specific water conditions to a virus present in the lake to which Lake Sammamish kokanee are immune.
“Only natives will live in the lake, as far as we know,” Taylor said.
Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery Executive Director Gestin Suttle said it was important for county leaders to add their voices to the issue.
“I think the council’s position will help build a chorus in favor of action for this vulnerable species,” Suttle wrote in an e-mail.
Lake Sammamish kokanee were once a staple for the Snoqualmie Tribe. Kokanee once numbered in the thousands and the species supported a subsistence fishery for the Snoqualmie.
County officials noted the importance of the kokanee to the lake ecosystem.
“With the kokanee population hovering at the brink of extinction, this is a matter for urgent and immediate action,” Councilman Larry Phillips said in a news release. “The kokanee play a historic role in the Lake Sammamish ecosystem, and we must protect the small number that remain and take actions that will allow the species to survive.”
Officials attribute the decline of kokanee in the lake to habitat loss. The study recommends a hatchery program be implemented as soon as possible in order to protect the remaining fish.
“Proper protection of the Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon needs to begin immediately,” Council Vice Chairwoman Jane Hague said in the release. “It is critical that the federal and state governments recognize their importance to our region and act now to prevent their extinction.”
Reporter Warren Kagarise can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Conservationists seeking to protect threatened Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon received a boost last week from King County leaders.
The King County Council called on federal officials June 29 to list kokanee salmon under the Endangered Species Act. Local and state environmental groups had previously urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the salmon species. Read more
Commission approves SE 20th Street sewer line
July 14, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Bill Vincent is about to have a public sewer line in front of his house, and he isn’t happy about it.
After two public meetings, the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District Commission voted 3-1 July 6 to approve a $2.4 million mile-long sewer project on Southeast 20th Street.
Vincent said the public process was a big disappointment.
“I don’t know why they even had a public meeting when they already had made up their minds,” Vincent said. “I don’t think the democratic process really worked in this case.”
The city is adding bike lanes and a sidewalk to the same road, plus repaving it, and urged the water and sewer district to coordinate its plans for a sewer line at the same time.
Residents like Vincent — who live along Southeast 20th Street and either don’t want a sewer line or don’t want to bear the brunt of the cost — say they’re being victimized by government bureaucracies.
Officials at the water and sewer district point out that it could save about $500,000 by doing the project now, rather than ripping up the road and installing the sewer line after the city finishes its project.
“I’m so happy that the board was split over, this because I was split over this,” said the commission’s president, Mary Shustov. “Where I come from, this is the customer’s district. If people don’t want the sewer, we take that very strongly.”
Still, Shustov said that between a promising bidding climate and the city’s willingness to pay for the paving, not to mention about 30 percent support from the street’s residents, the timing was right.
But Commissioner Bob Brady, the sole dissenter in the vote, said public testimony led him to believe the project shouldn’t go forward.
“We’re gambling with money that eventually growth would pay its own way. I didn’t see that gamble working,” he said.
Mayor Don Gerend said he was delighted that the commission voted to move forward with the project.
“It makes sense for long-range planning. People don’t have to hook up now. Ultimately, we need sewer there,” Gerend said, referring to the county’s growth management plan, which identifies Sammamish as an urban growth area and requires sewer infrastructure in such an area.
“I recognize that it’s costly, but it’s only going to get more costly,” Gerend said.
The district held public meetings at its headquarters June 30 and July 6 to see if local residents, once apprised of the situation, would support the project. The district’s two traditional funding models for sewer projects require 50-60 percent of the residents on the street to say they would pay for the sewer hook up. But just 21 of 74, or 28 percent, of Southeast 20th Street residents have committed to the sewer line, according to Ron Little, the district’s general manager.
“It was really a tough one,” Little said. “We’re real optimistic that once it’s in, some people will sign up for it.”
That logic isn’t good enough for Vincent, a retired contract engineer who lives on a pie-shaped lot on the west end of Southeast 20th Street. He said he stands to pay more than his fair share of the sewer line cost, because the district charges part of the cost by measuring a resident’s frontage along Southeast 20th Street. So, even if he has the same size lot as a neighbor, he could pay more.
Little said he thinks the inequity in Vincent’s case will be resolved after the project is finished.
“We’ll probably make an adjustment to his property,” Little said. “He got harder hit than the other two.”
Little said construction along Southeast 20th Street could begin by the end of July. To find out more about the project, go to http://www.sammplat.wa.org/SE20thSewer.html.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Bill Vincent is about to have a public sewer line in front of his house, and he isn’t happy about it.
After two public meetings, the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District Commission voted 3-1 July 6 to approve a $2.4 million mile-long sewer project on Southeast 20th Street.
Vincent said the public process was a big disappointment. Read more
Local volunteers play key role in cleaning roads
July 14, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Any time you see a blue sign along a Sammamish road that reads “Adopt-A-Road Litter Control,” it means that someone is volunteering time and energy to keep the city’s streets clean.
In Sammamish, 24 organizations have signed up for King County’s Adopt-A-Road program, including religious organizations, nonprofits, homeowners associations and real estate agencies, among others. In the county as a whole, 233 sponsors have adopted roads. The program dates back to 1991.
Teresa Lin, 17, said the program opened her eyes to what people sometimes leave on the sides of the road.
Lin is a member of the Sammamish Youth Board, a volunteer group of students who work with city staff.
“What I was actually surprised to find, in areas on the side of the road that had a lot of water in them, there were some beer bottles floating in that area,” Lin said.
In her four years with the board, Lin has participated in clean up projects twice, she said.
Organizations can make requests for specific roads to clean up, though the county does have a list of available roads that are safe for pedestrian workers, according to Margo Christianson, a spokeswoman for the county’s Adopt-A-Road program. The program requires that the volunteer groups pick up litter along a two-mile stretch twice a year for two years. After the first cleanup, the organization gets a sign posted saying that they have adopted the road.
The county equips groups with orange vests, hard hats, road work warning signs and orange cones so that volunteers are safe while they pick up the trash. A county maintenance crew comes by and takes away the trash bags at the end of the day, Christianson said.
Pine Lake Co-op Preschool picks up litter along a winding road that begins at Southeast 32nd Street and ends at Southeast 29th Street, between 212th Avenue and 228th Avenue.
“We have a lot of parents who drive along that road,” preschool teacher Kim Hagens said. “We thought it would be a good thing to do for the community.”
The specific people involved in the clean up effort rotates each year, but a new slate of dedicated parents visit the road every time, Hagens said.
The Seattle International Randonneurs, a long-distance bicycling club, adopted part of East Lake Sammamish Parkway, from Northeast 28th Place to Louis Thompson Road.
“We chose East Lake Sammamish Parkway for our Adopt-A-Road project because of its popularity amongst cyclists, its visibility to motorists, and its fairly central location for our membership,” wrote Amy Pieper, a member of the club.
Pieper said the group has maintained their portion of the parkway since October 2007 and they combine each fall club meeting with a well-attended road cleanup. She added that she proposed getting involved with the Adopt-A-Road program as a way to give back to a community through which her club often cycled.
For some sponsors, volunteer projects like picking up litter is just par for the course.
“We’re a service club and it just seemed like a good way to serve the community,” said Doug Eglington, vice president of the club.
The Sammamish Kiwanis Club has adopted Sahalee Way Northeast, from Northeast 37th Way to Sahalee Drive East, and 228th Avenue, from Southeast 24th Street to Issaquah-Pine Lake Road.
Eglington noted that the signs are in good locations for advertising, too.
“It gave us exposure on both ends of the city,” he said.
Not every organization that has adopted a road has been diligent in picking up the litter. Both the Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church and the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church have lost the church members who organized the clean ups, and so the effort has temporarily halted.
Christianson said the county does try to keep data on who cleans up the roads and how often, although it’s largely a task performed by summer interns.
To learn more about the Adopt-A-Road program, go to http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/kcdot/Roads/Environment/AdoptARoad.aspx or call 206-296-6590.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
Any time you see a blue sign along a Sammamish road that reads “Adopt-A-Road Litter Control,” it means that someone is volunteering time and energy to keep the city’s streets clean.
In Sammamish, 24 organizations have signed up for King County’s Adopt-A-Road program, including religious organizations, nonprofits, homeowners associations and real estate agencies, among others. In the county as a whole, 233 sponsors have adopted roads. The program dates back to 1991.
Teresa Lin, 17, said the program opened her eyes to what people sometimes leave on the sides of the road. Read more
Include a visit to the doctor in your travel plans
July 14, 2009
By David Hayes
Whether you’re taking a vacation south of the border, are being sent overseas to work in a developing economy or are heading to a Third-World country to do God’s work, make sure you include Michelle Vierra in your plans.
Vierra is the head of Travel Medicine at the University of Washington Medicine Issaquah Clinic.
She said when planning a trip, one of the first things you should do is set up an appointment with a health care provider, either your regular doctor or a travel medicine specialist.
Stop by Vierra’s office, tell her where you’re going and with two clicks of a mouse button, she can pull up on her computer screen everything you need to know about your destination regarding your health.
There are four basic areas of information Vierra shares with her clients, between 50 and 70 people per week:
u Food and water precautions — “The standard is boil it, peel it, cook it or forget it,” she said.
u Insect precautions — On top of which to avoid and what to do if bitten, Vierra said even what you wear is a factor. “Khaki attracts less than pink or blue, and keep in mind what fragrance you’re wearing, such as perfumes or cologne,” she said.
u Rabies — Few people know that as many as 40,000 people a year die of rabies in India. “We Americans, without a second thought, pet strange dogs, when people in India know you shouldn’t do that,” Vierra said, pointing out that most dogs in developing countries do get shots for rabies.
u Traffic accidents — The No. 1 hazard to tourists or anyone new to many developing countries are traffic accidents. “Places like Brazil consider red lights as merely a suggestion,” she said. “They do not stop for pedestrians.”
Once past the generalities, Vierra pinpoints shots for each country that are requirements, recommended and routine.
For example, if you’re going to the Congo in Africa, then yellow fever inoculation is required.
A shot to protect against Hepatitis A, tetanus or diphtheria are recommended in many travel destinations. And a routine shot is something taken regularly, such as against the flu.
Vierra then gets specific for each person, going over his or her medical history and how it may be affected in a particular country, including diabetes, insulin and needles, heart disease or even recent cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy.
One thing Vierra said to keep in mind is when to plan a visit to her office or your primary health care provider.
“Some countries, for example, require a yellow fever vaccination 10 days prior to leaving the U.S.,” she said. “You’re given a yellow certificate that proves you’ve gotten the shot, and some places won’t even let you on the plane unless you show that card.”
Obviously, you want to schedule your visit as early as possible before leaving the country. But all is not lost if you forget.
“I’ve had people come see me the day before they leave,” Vierra said. “But depending upon the vaccination, an immunity can build up even if you were immediately exposed to the virus.”
Additionally, the sooner you get shots that can have side effects, the more likely they’ll have subsided before you travel, she said.
Because Vierra is so busy and is at the clinic only three days a week, a second doctor, Seema Diddee, now sees just those heading to India.
These days, that includes a growing number of Microsoft employees going there to work.
Anyone can come in to get a consultation at the travel clinic, regardless whether they’re regular UW Medicine patients.
“Under 18, you must be seen with your parents,” she added. “I do see a lot of kids traveling, especially on church missions.”
Reach Reporter David Hayes at 392-6434, ext. 237, or dhayes@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.Sammamish Review.com.
Whether you’re taking a vacation south of the border, are being sent overseas to work in a developing economy or are heading to a Third-World country to do God’s work, make sure you include Michelle Vierra in your plans.
Vierra is the head of Travel Medicine at the University of Washington Medicine Issaquah Clinic. Read more
City Council approves contracts
July 14, 2009
The City Council approved four contracts at its June 16 meeting, amounting to $395,352 in spending.
HW Lochner, a design consultant heavily involved with planning for the 244th Avenue road connection, has been hired back as an on-call consultant during construction. The $129,185 contract puts the overall cost of the road connection at $11.3 million, but that’s still well within the $15.5 million the City Council budgeted for the project.
The council also agreed to hire Custom Electric and Controls to install an emergency AM radio system in the city for $141,367. The Fife-based company bid for the project at $129,367, though the city has included $12,000 in contingency fees in the contract.
The council also approved a $100,000 contract with David Evans and Associates, a civil engineering firm that analyzes traffic patterns in the city, projects traffic capacity in the future and makes recommendations on how to relieve traffic problems. This is a continuation of work the firm has completed in the past. A report to the council said the new traffic models produced by David Evans and Associates would guide engineering decisions relating to special neighborhood studies, the new Town Center and the removal of barricades.
Lastly, the council approved a $24,800 contract with Bellevue-based engineering company Kleinfelder to determine the best method of stormwater control at a new project site. The city is building an Operations and Maintenance facility off 244th Avenue, north of Rachel Carson Elementary School. Kleinfelder will determine what system will best suit the soils at the site.
The City Council approved four contracts at its June 16 meeting, amounting to $395,352 in spending.
HW Lochner, a design consultant heavily involved with planning for the 244th Avenue road connection, has been hired back as an on-call consultant during construction. The $129,185 contract puts the overall cost of the road connection at $11.3 million, but that’s still well within the $15.5 million the City Council budgeted for the project.
The council also agreed to hire Custom Electric and Controls to install an emergency AM radio system in the city for $141,367. The Fife-based company bid for the project at $129,367, though the city has included $12,000 in contingency fees in the contract.
The council also approved a $100,000 contract with David Evans and Associates, a civil engineering firm that analyzes traffic patterns in the city, projects traffic capacity in the future and makes recommendations on how to relieve traffic problems. This is a continuation of work the firm has completed in the past. A report to the council said the new traffic models produced by David Evans and Associates would guide engineering decisions relating to special neighborhood studies, the new Town Center and the removal of barricades.
Lastly, the council approved a $24,800 contract with Bellevue-based engineering company Kleinfelder to determine the best method of stormwater control at a new project site. The city is building an Operations and Maintenance facility off 244th Avenue, north of Rachel Carson Elementary School. Kleinfelder will determine what system will best suit the soils at the site.
Fundraiser to help injured athlete
July 14, 2009
By Lauren McLaughlin
“May 7, after completing his last final at WSU, Cory was driving home to Redmond when he nodded off and rolled his truck outside of Ritzville,” begins the story of Eastlake graduate and former high-school athletic star Cory Mackay’s accident on his CaringBridge Web site.
According to the site, Mackay’s back was fractured in two places, forcing him to undergo surgery to fuse the broken vertebrae together. The accident, medical expenses and subsequent modifications to make his house more wheelchair accessible during his rehabilitation have added up to a large bill.
The Cory Mackay Fund was started to find a way to cover the expenses.
And it’s not just his family that is getting involved in the fundraising. Some of Mackay’s friends and former classmates will help raise money from 12-4 p.m. July 19 at Gina Mary Hair Design, 240 Gilman Blvd. Suite 4, Issaquah.
Gina Mary Hair Design will donate all proceeds from haircuts to the Cory Mackay Fundraiser during that time.
Gina Bahhage, of Gina Mary Hair Design, came up with the idea for the fundraiser.
“When I heard about Cory’s accident, I realized they were going to need help,” Bahhage said. “Right now, we have a bunch of different avenues we’re reaching people through. We’re sending emails to my clients, and the fundraiser and the Mackay family have started facebook pages. We’ve had a really big response.”
Receptionist Danielle Brunner said everyone is really excited for the fundraiser.
“A couple of the stylists went to Eastlake and everyone kind of heard about Cory’s accident,” Brunner said. “Everyone just wanted to help out.”
Brunner, who is also a friend of Mackay, said she first heard about the accident when she was at school.
“It was kind of a huge shock,” Brunner said. “I couldn’t go see him until he was already at home. I’m glad to be able to do something to help now.”
Mary Scudder, of Gina Mary Hair Design, said she believes there will be a large turn out for the fundraiser.
“We have over 200 RSVPs for haircuts, and there’s a car wash, too,” Scudder said.
Haircuts are not the only part of the fundraiser. There will also be an auction and a carwash.
The whole community is getting involved in the fundraiser, Bahhage said.
“There’s a lot of involvement locally and statewide. His sister is trying to get signed WSU helmets and jerseys to auction off at the fundraiser,” Bahhage said. “We’re also planning to sell Livestrong type bracelets.”
Eastlake High School cheerleaders, both current and former, will also conduct a car wash in the Gina Mary parking lot for the fundraiser.
Mary said she was happy that the community was really coming together to support the fundraiser.
“It’s nice when all different groups come together — Eastlake, Issaquah, Skyline. All the rivals are coming together to help,” Scudder said. “It makes me feel great that the community is helping out this young kid.”
Kristin Mackay, Cory’s sister, said her family is very appreciative of all the support from the community.
“You just don’t realize how many nice people there are out there until something like this happens,” Mackay said. “I’m excited for Cory to see everyone (at the fundraiser). I think it’ll help motivate him.”
This is not the only time Bahhage and Scudder plan to hold this fundraiser.
“We plan on actually making this an annual event,” Bahhage said.
To make donations to the Cory Mackay Fund, you can mail donations to “CORY MACKAY FUND” P.O. Box 814, Redmond, Wa, 98073-0814; or make donations to the “CORY MACKAY FUND” at any US Bank Branch.
For more information on Cory Mackay visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/corymackay/
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story visit www.sammamishreview.com
“May 7, after completing his last final at WSU, Cory was driving home to Redmond when he nodded off and rolled his truck outside of Ritzville,” begins the story of Eastlake graduate and former high-school athletic star Cory Mackay’s accident on his CaringBridge Web site.
According to the site, Mackay’s back was fractured in two places, forcing him to undergo surgery to fuse the broken vertebrae together. The accident, medical expenses and subsequent modifications to make his house more wheelchair accessible during his rehabilitation have added up to a large bill.
The Cory Mackay Fund was started to find a way to cover the expenses. Read more
