Sammamish Forum Oct. 21
October 20, 2009
By Administrator
Kudos to schools
I am so proud of our school district for not observing Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus was not the first human being to discover America. He was not even the first European to do so. He was a cruel man, personally responsible for the deaths and enslavement of thousands.
I hope that someday soon we will, as a nation, do away with this holiday and the undeserved attention that it gives to Christopher Columbus.
Linda Yee
Sammamish
Vote to approve R-71
Our founding fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Those asking us to reject Referendum 71, would exclude the pursuit of happiness to a segment of our society by not allowing them to have the same financial security, support, protections and benefits guaranteed when two people make a lifetime commitment to each other with state recognition of their partnership. Domestic partnerships are not marriage. Domestic partnerships are not a stepping-stone for gay marriage. Our Supreme Court has already ruled against gay marriage, so these claims are pure nonsense.
Vote “Approve” on Referendum 71 and demonstrate that Washington state is the home of reasoned people who respect our rights, freedoms, the rule of law and the separation of church and state.
Michael T. Barr
Sammamish
Vote for Tiliacos
Erica Tiliacos has volunteered on city land use and environmental committees for more than six years. Her opponent, John James spent a few months on one city committee.
Erica has received only a fraction of her contributions from sources outside the city, while James has put in thousands of his own money and the vast majority of the rest has come from outside the city, including real estate interests. Who is James going to represent if he is elected to City Council?
Erica has the knowledge and experience to knowledgeably represent the people of Sammamish, she is the obvious choice for City Council.
Lori McIntosh
Sammamish
Vote for Odell
On Nov. 3, as we enter our second decade, Sammamish citizens have a real choice for Position 7. While candidate Jack Barry has contributed much to our community over the years, it is time for a positive change. That change is Tom Odell. I have known Tom and his family for the 20 years they have lived in Sammamish and know they are a family of integrity. Odell is focused, analytical, and above all, fair. He does not say one thing and do another.
Tom Odell has stated that a civic center with an aquatic facility is exactly what Sammamish families and kids need. On the other hand, his ‘family friendly’ opponent, Jack Barry, stated that a civic center is ‘wishful thinking’ (Sammamish Review Sept. 30, 2009). He also voted against the skate park and actively opposed the Sammamish Trail, two of the most popular family/kid activities in our city.
Tom Odell has been against the East Lake Sammamish Parkway project from the beginning and continually urged the council to cancel this project. Most citizens with whom he has spoken feel the same. On the other hand, his opponent initially said ‘let’s get on with it’ and supported the entire project during open discussions on the project. Now he claims that he has always only supported two small parts of the project.
Tom Odell has consistently emphasized that this project does not add additional traffic capacity and is not a good use of our road construction funds irrespective of where the dollars come from. Odell has never been in favor of a four-lane highway as his opponent insinuated in the Oct. 7 candidate forum.
As the ballots arrive in the mail, I hope that our citizens will take time to get the facts straight. We need a fresh leader who listens, won’t backtrack when citizens react and refuses to take contributions from special interests. It is time for a positive change on the Sammamish council in Position 7. Please join me in voting for Tom Odell.
John Knie
Sammamish
Fresh faces needed
In a letter to the Review, I wrote about a political clique that controls City Hall. “We need to break this group’s political strangle hold on our city. The intention is not to deny them a voice but to allow other people a voice.”
Letters to the Review from Planning Commissioner Scott Hamilton and Nicholas Tiliacos, husband of a planning commissioner, illustrate my point.
If one does not support this political clique you are ignored. If you present factual arguments that challenge their political agenda, you’ll be accused of “deliberate distortions, misrepresentations, and attacks on the PC’s own integrity.” (Hamilton e-mail).
My letters to the Review concerned political change, not the Town Center. I addressed Sammamish’s failing economy, the teen center, unsound planning, superficial thinking, and political patronage.
Hamilton won’t allow me to disagree. Tiliacos faults me for protecting my property rights. Has Sammamish become an authoritarian, communist state?
Actually, Tiliacos gets it wrong. After seven years and an expenditure of $2 million on planning, there has been no zoning change in the Town Center. Nothing has been accomplished and anyone with a home in the Town Center has been deprived of their property rights for ten years.
The proposed base zoning of R-18 is not Town Center zoning. With fees, 50 percent open space, 10 percent affordable housing, structured parking and restrictive ordinances the proposed plan is an economic dead end for landowners and developers. A $2 million unworkable plan, and commissioners listen to no one.
Commissioner Hamilton makes my point. In an e-mail (public record) he wrote: “I believe that someone from PC, past and present, must appear at every council meeting to defend our work and correct the record. This can be a tag-team effort so no one is burdened with the sole responsibility, or a couple of people could appear at each meeting and tag-team speak to the council after Galvin and others make their presentations, to refute anything they say as needed.”
Electing two planning commissioners to the City Council leaves government in the hands of a political clique. I want to see broader citizen representation.
John Galvin
Sammamish
Vote for Tom Vance
I have been honored to be able to serve Sammamish citizens for these past six years and before that for three years on the Planning Advisory Board. I am not running for re-election again but am especially interested in who will take my seat. John Curley and Tom Vance are running.
Tom Vance is my neighbor and I have known him for many years. But, as some friends have told me, that alone is not a good enough reason to vote for someone. I agree.
I don’t know much about John Curley and wanted to learn more. From observing candidate forums, I see someone who is a very polished and entertaining public speaker. He says he has no experience but his main point is that he will talk to people and listen. I tried on several occasions to set up a meeting with him. I proposed a date, but he was busy. I proposed another date, but he never answered my e-mail. That made me wonder if he really would talk to people and listen. I was dismayed to read in the Sammamish Review that the reason he gave for no involvement in Sammamish may not have been entirely forthcoming. I want my elected officials to be straight with me.
What I know about Tom Vance is that he is very smart and has taken the time to learn about and understand the issues. Some of these issues are dry and complex, yet they are important to our citizens. Public meetings are the tip of the iceberg for being a good councilmember. There is a lot of hard work that is out of the spotlight. I have seen Tom do that hard work on the Parks Bond Advisory Committee and on the Planning Commission. I have observed Tom to be accessible and one who is a straight shooter.
I would still like to meet John Curley and hope he continues to be interested in Sammamish after the campaign, but I believe that Tom Vance has the skills and track record to be the best councilmember.
Lee Fellinge
The writer is a member of the Sammamish City Council
Reader boards
are good
As residents of the area since 1985, there have been a lot of issues covered in editorial columns that we did not agree with. Your comments in opposition to the city of Sammamish approving digital signs at the schools could not be ignored. Your references to visual and light pollution were off base – they are not asking for neon.
Many community members not involved with schools on a day-to-day basis have an interest in local school activities. Many times we look to the media for information, but we know there is a limit to the possible coverage of the activities at our local schools; the local papers are not enough to help keep the community informed.
Schools and their activities are at the core of a community, and reaching those interested people who want to support the students, teachers, and administration who are not linked in is key.
Whether it is covering academic or athletic activities and results, promoting the current drama production, or reminding parents about important meetings, the citizens of Sammamish like to know what is happening. This type of signage could even inform in an emergency and as part of our city’s disaster preparedness.
This technology is now found in surrounding communities and should be allowed at all of our Sammamish area schools rather than the outdated and limited signs that are now being used. Public information signage should fall under a different code than commercial businesses, who are currently allowed to have these types of signs. Perhaps fire stations and City Hall should also have the ability to utilize this technology.
I urge the city of Sammamish to show their support for the local schools by removing any further roadblocks and allowing this new technology to be utilized as soon as possible.
Pam Thorsen
Sammamish
EFR works hard
When I picked up this week’s Sammamish Review and saw the front-page story about the city considering leaving EFR, I wished that Ben Yazici and the City Council could have witnessed the incredible response to the terrible tragedy that occurred at Beaver Lake last night (Oct. 14).
I’m quite sure that if they had seen the tremendous response, the speed, the professionalism and the equipment, that if anyone in their family needed rescue or assistance they would choose EFR. My heart goes out to the family for their tragic loss. My heart and brain go to all of the people involved in the attempted rescue.
Janis Seil
Sammamish
Kudos to schools
I am so proud of our school district for not observing Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus was not the first human being to discover America. He was not even the first European to do so. He was a cruel man, personally responsible for the deaths and enslavement of thousands.
I hope that someday soon we will, as a nation, do away with this holiday and the undeserved attention that it gives to Christopher Columbus.
Linda Yee
Sammamish
Vote to approve R-71
Our founding fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Those asking us to reject Referendum 71, would exclude the pursuit of happiness to a segment of our society by not allowing them to have the same financial security, support, protections and benefits guaranteed when two people make a lifetime commitment to each other with state recognition of their partnership. Domestic partnerships are not marriage. Domestic partnerships are not a stepping-stone for gay marriage. Our Supreme Court has already ruled against gay marriage, so these claims are pure nonsense.
Vote “Approve” on Referendum 71 and demonstrate that Washington state is the home of reasoned people who respect our rights, freedoms, the rule of law and the separation of church and state.
Michael T. Barr
Sammamish
Vote for Tiliacos
Erica Tiliacos has volunteered on city land use and environmental committees for more than six years. Her opponent, John James spent a few months on one city committee.
Erica has received only a fraction of her contributions from sources outside the city, while James has put in thousands of his own money and the vast majority of the rest has come from outside the city, including real estate interests. Who is James going to represent if he is elected to City Council?
Erica has the knowledge and experience to knowledgeably represent the people of Sammamish, she is the obvious choice for City Council.
Lori McIntosh
Sammamish
Vote for Odell
On Nov. 3, as we enter our second decade, Sammamish citizens have a real choice for Position 7. While candidate Jack Barry has contributed much to our community over the years, it is time for a positive change. That change is Tom Odell. I have known Tom and his family for the 20 years they have lived in Sammamish and know they are a family of integrity. Odell is focused, analytical, and above all, fair. He does not say one thing and do another.
Tom Odell has stated that a civic center with an aquatic facility is exactly what Sammamish families and kids need. On the other hand, his ‘family friendly’ opponent, Jack Barry, stated that a civic center is ‘wishful thinking’ (Sammamish Review Sept. 30, 2009). He also voted against the skate park and actively opposed the Sammamish Trail, two of the most popular family/kid activities in our city.
Tom Odell has been against the East Lake Sammamish Parkway project from the beginning and continually urged the council to cancel this project. Most citizens with whom he has spoken feel the same. On the other hand, his opponent initially said ‘let’s get on with it’ and supported the entire project during open discussions on the project. Now he claims that he has always only supported two small parts of the project.
Tom Odell has consistently emphasized that this project does not add additional traffic capacity and is not a good use of our road construction funds irrespective of where the dollars come from. Odell has never been in favor of a four-lane highway as his opponent insinuated in the Oct. 7 candidate forum.
As the ballots arrive in the mail, I hope that our citizens will take time to get the facts straight. We need a fresh leader who listens, won’t backtrack when citizens react and refuses to take contributions from special interests. It is time for a positive change on the Sammamish council in Position 7. Please join me in voting for Tom Odell.
John Knie
Sammamish
Fresh faces needed
In a letter to the Review, I wrote about a political clique that controls City Hall. “We need to break this group’s political strangle hold on our city. The intention is not to deny them a voice but to allow other people a voice.”
Letters to the Review from Planning Commissioner Scott Hamilton and Nicholas Tiliacos, husband of a planning commissioner, illustrate my point.
If one does not support this political clique you are ignored. If you present factual arguments that challenge their political agenda, you’ll be accused of “deliberate distortions, misrepresentations, and attacks on the PC’s own integrity.” (Hamilton e-mail).
My letters to the Review concerned political change, not the Town Center. I addressed Sammamish’s failing economy, the teen center, unsound planning, superficial thinking, and political patronage.
Hamilton won’t allow me to disagree. Tiliacos faults me for protecting my property rights. Has Sammamish become an authoritarian, communist state?
Actually, Tiliacos gets it wrong. After seven years and an expenditure of $2 million on planning, there has been no zoning change in the Town Center. Nothing has been accomplished and anyone with a home in the Town Center has been deprived of their property rights for ten years.
The proposed base zoning of R-18 is not Town Center zoning. With fees, 50 percent open space, 10 percent affordable housing, structured parking and restrictive ordinances the proposed plan is an economic dead end for landowners and developers. A $2 million unworkable plan, and commissioners listen to no one.
Commissioner Hamilton makes my point. In an e-mail (public record) he wrote: “I believe that someone from PC, past and present, must appear at every council meeting to defend our work and correct the record. This can be a tag-team effort so no one is burdened with the sole responsibility, or a couple of people could appear at each meeting and tag-team speak to the council after Galvin and others make their presentations, to refute anything they say as needed.”
Electing two planning commissioners to the City Council leaves government in the hands of a political clique. I want to see broader citizen representation.
John Galvin
Sammamish
Vote for Tom Vance
I have been honored to be able to serve Sammamish citizens for these past six years and before that for three years on the Planning Advisory Board. I am not running for re-election again but am especially interested in who will take my seat. John Curley and Tom Vance are running.
Tom Vance is my neighbor and I have known him for many years. But, as some friends have told me, that alone is not a good enough reason to vote for someone. I agree.
I don’t know much about John Curley and wanted to learn more. From observing candidate forums, I see someone who is a very polished and entertaining public speaker. He says he has no experience but his main point is that he will talk to people and listen. I tried on several occasions to set up a meeting with him. I proposed a date, but he was busy. I proposed another date, but he never answered my e-mail. That made me wonder if he really would talk to people and listen. I was dismayed to read in the Sammamish Review that the reason he gave for no involvement in Sammamish may not have been entirely forthcoming. I want my elected officials to be straight with me.
What I know about Tom Vance is that he is very smart and has taken the time to learn about and understand the issues. Some of these issues are dry and complex, yet they are important to our citizens. Public meetings are the tip of the iceberg for being a good councilmember. There is a lot of hard work that is out of the spotlight. I have seen Tom do that hard work on the Parks Bond Advisory Committee and on the Planning Commission. I have observed Tom to be accessible and one who is a straight shooter.
I would still like to meet John Curley and hope he continues to be interested in Sammamish after the campaign, but I believe that Tom Vance has the skills and track record to be the best councilmember.
Lee Fellinge
The writer is a member of the Sammamish City Council
Other Stories of Interest: Election 2009
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
