Election forums highlight candidate ideas
October 13, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
By J.B. Wogan
Dozens of people packed into Beaver Lake Lodge Oct. 5 to get their first look at the eight candidates running for Sammamish City Council.
Residents said it was a change from past candidate forums where a handful of people sat in empty rooms, if there was a candidate forum at all.
Two days later, about 70 residents saw the candidates again, this time at the Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church.
The first two forums highlighted candidates’ positions on the role of the council, barricades, improving the city’s financial picture and the city manager’s job performance.
Role of the council
One question asked by an anonymous audience member regarded what candidates thought should be a council member’s top priorities.
“One, you have to like people,” said John Curley, explaining his other priorities would be listening, acting and leading.
Tom Vance said council members must be prepared for their deliberations.
“You have to be willing to do the hard work to understand the issues. And that means spending the time,” he said.
Tom Odell said he wanted to “represent each and every one of you.” Don Gerend agreed: his first priority was to be an ombudsman for the people.
Gerend added that he also thought the council’s job was to instill common sense in the municipal code.
Michael Rutt talked about a respectful interaction between residents and the council.
“Number one would be to listen and then responding to what you hear,” Rutt said. “Often people are left with no answer.”
Jack Barry, Erica Tiliacos and John James all talked about being team players.
Barricades
When pinned down on what to do about barricades by Beaver Lake, most candidates gave variations on a theme.
Vance said it would require safety enhancements like sidewalks and bike lanes, both of which would cost money the city didn’t have in the next six years. He didn’t make an unequivocal statement for removing barricades near Beaver Lake, but then again, neither did most candidates.
“No barricade comes down until safety is place,” Curley said.
Gerend said some road connections, like the future minor arterial on 244th Avenue or the opening of 248th Avenue Southeast to the public, were necessary. In every connection decision, safety would be a major consideration, he said.
Rutt said he was against removing the Beaver Lake barricades, as did Odell.
Later, a woman asked the candidates if they were for or against connectivity, a similar question, which drew similar responses from the candidates.
Tiliacos said she supported connectivity in general.
“If we were to have a large disaster where we need to get people out, we need connectivity,” she said. Although she did not issue a blanket statement to remove barricades.
James didn’t state a position on connectivity, only that he understood that barricades were, in effect, cul-de-sacs and their removal might affect property values and neighborhood aesthetics.
Finances
Audience members at both forums asked about city finances, since current city projections show a point in the next six years where spending would outstrip revenues.
James said the City Council should consider taking a pay cut in order to save the city some money.
“There are no sacred cows when you can’t print money,” he said. Each council member makes about $10,200 per year, and the rotating mayoral position makes about $11,400 per year.
Curley suggested the city reduce its use of consultants.
“Why are we flying somebody from Florida to tell us what our streets are made of?” Curley asked, referring to the city’s $75,000 contract with a national firm that specializes in transportation that has two offices in Florida.
“We rely too heavily on experts,” Curley said.
Gerend said he would support raising taxes, but only if the community gave clear direction to do so. He said the two options available to the community would be to raise their property taxes or establish a utility tax in Sammamish.
Gerend also said the city needs to work to limit the rising costs of fire and police protection.
James and Rutt said the city should look to the Town Center as a source of new revenue.
Tiliacos was skeptical about the Town Center being the answer. She pointed out that the new streamline sales tax resulted in Sammamish benefiting from retail sales taking place off the plateau.
Barry echoed Tiliacos, referencing retail-rich Issaquah and their financial woes in spite of having robust retail.
Vance said he thought the first step was to create a better forecasting model that would show city revenues and expenses for six years into the future.
City Manager
One woman asked about the relationship between City Manager Ben Yazici and the City Council. Sammamish has a city manager form of government where the council hires and fires its executive, the city manager. The city manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city. Yazici has held the position since 2001.
“I think he’s in need of a little forced direction,” Odell said, but only after prefacing the criticism by saying he thought Yazici was doing a reasonably good job overall and a very good job in some areas.
“Yes, the manager is doing a fairly decent job. He’s keeping costs at bay,” Tiliacos said, but she added that she thought the staff could do a better job with public outreach. “We do need a manager that can deal with the community in a better way.”
“I have full confidence in him,” Gerend said. “I’m really pleased with the job he’s done.”
“I think what you’re asking is, who’s running the show?” Rutt said. “Ben is a good guy. With the right council, he will do the right things. I believe that in my heart.”
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.
Dozens of people packed into Beaver Lake Lodge Oct. 5 to get their first look at the eight candidates running for Sammamish City Council.
Residents said it was a change from past candidate forums where a handful of people sat in empty rooms, if there was a candidate forum at all.
Two days later, about 70 residents saw the candidates again, this time at the Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church.
The first two forums highlighted candidates’ positions on the role of the council, barricades, improving the city’s financial picture and the city manager’s job performance.
Role of the council
One question asked by an anonymous audience member regarded what candidates thought should be a council member’s top priorities.
“One, you have to like people,” said John Curley, explaining his other priorities would be listening, acting and leading.
Tom Vance said council members must be prepared for their deliberations.
“You have to be willing to do the hard work to understand the issues. And that means spending the time,” he said.
Tom Odell said he wanted to “represent each and every one of you.” Don Gerend agreed: his first priority was to be an ombudsman for the people.
Gerend added that he also thought the council’s job was to instill common sense in the municipal code.
Michael Rutt talked about a respectful interaction between residents and the council.
“Number one would be to listen and then responding to what you hear,” Rutt said. “Often people are left with no answer.”
Jack Barry, Erica Tiliacos and John James all talked about being team players.
Barricades
When pinned down on what to do about barricades by Beaver Lake, most candidates gave variations on a theme.
Vance said it would require safety enhancements like sidewalks and bike lanes, both of which would cost money the city didn’t have in the next six years. He didn’t make an unequivocal statement for removing barricades near Beaver Lake, but then again, neither did most candidates.
“No barricade comes down until safety is place,” Curley said.
Gerend said some road connections, like the future minor arterial on 244th Avenue or the opening of 248th Avenue Southeast to the public, were necessary. In every connection decision, safety would be a major consideration, he said.
Rutt said he was against removing the Beaver Lake barricades, as did Odell.
Later, a woman asked the candidates if they were for or against connectivity, a similar question, which drew similar responses from the candidates.
Tiliacos said she supported connectivity in general.
“If we were to have a large disaster where we need to get people out, we need connectivity,” she said. Although she did not issue a blanket statement to remove barricades.
James didn’t state a position on connectivity, only that he understood that barricades were, in effect, cul-de-sacs and their removal might affect property values and neighborhood aesthetics.
Finances
Audience members at both forums asked about city finances, since current city projections show a point in the next six years where spending would outstrip revenues.
James said the City Council should consider taking a pay cut in order to save the city some money.
“There are no sacred cows when you can’t print money,” he said. Each council member makes about $10,200 per year, and the rotating mayoral position makes about $11,400 per year.
Curley suggested the city reduce its use of consultants.
“Why are we flying somebody from Florida to tell us what our streets are made of?” Curley asked, referring to the city’s $75,000 contract with a national firm that specializes in transportation that has two offices in Florida.
“We rely too heavily on experts,” Curley said.
Gerend said he would support raising taxes, but only if the community gave clear direction to do so. He said the two options available to the community would be to raise their property taxes or establish a utility tax in Sammamish.
Gerend also said the city needs to work to limit the rising costs of fire and police protection.
James and Rutt said the city should look to the Town Center as a source of new revenue.
Tiliacos was skeptical about the Town Center being the answer. She pointed out that the new streamline sales tax resulted in Sammamish benefiting from retail sales taking place off the plateau.
Barry echoed Tiliacos, referencing retail-rich Issaquah and their financial woes in spite of having robust retail.
Vance said he thought the first step was to create a better forecasting model that would show city revenues and expenses for six years into the future.
City Manager
One woman asked about the relationship between City Manager Ben Yazici and the City Council. Sammamish has a city manager form of government where the council hires and fires its executive, the city manager. The city manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city. Yazici has held the position since 2001.
“I think he’s in need of a little forced direction,” Odell said, but only after prefacing the criticism by saying he thought Yazici was doing a reasonably good job overall and a very good job in some areas.
“Yes, the manager is doing a fairly decent job. He’s keeping costs at bay,” Tiliacos said, but she added that she thought the staff could do a better job with public outreach. “We do need a manager that can deal with the community in a better way.”
“I have full confidence in him,” Gerend said. “I’m really pleased with the job he’s done.”
“I think what you’re asking is, who’s running the show?” Rutt said. “Ben is a good guy. With the right council, he will do the right things. I believe that in my heart.”
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
Other Stories of Interest: Election 2009
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