City gets greener
February 17, 2010
By J.B. Wogan
The City Council supported green policy measures with two votes at its Feb. 2 meeting.
The council voted 6-0 in favor of accepting $87,859 for its recycling program, with Councilwoman Michele Petitti absent. The city received grant money from King County and the state Department of Ecology to promote recycling and the management of local hazardous waste.
The city contracts out to Seattle-based Olympic Environmental Resources to oversee three residential recycling collection events, one business recycling collection event and a distribution program of rain barrels and compost bins. No city funds are involved in running the city’s recycling efforts.
The council also approved a $25,000 contract with O’Brien & Company, also of Seattle, to develop a local sustainability strategy, funded by a federal stimulus grant.
The consultant will assist in publishing a strategy with goals and benchmarks. The strategy would focus on ways to make Sammamish sustainable in terms of its natural environment and economy, according to a report from the Community Development Department.
While the council voted 6-0 in favor of the contract, the approval came with caveats. Councilman Tom Odell questioned whether the city really needed to contract out for sustainability planning.
“I’m wondering what the consultant will do that cannot be done in house or perhaps with the help of citizens,” he said.
Councilman John Curley voiced a concern about using federal stimulus dollars for anything. He said he didn’t like the idea of spending money today that would create debt for his children in the future.
Councilman John James asked that the city use a competitive bidding process for any similar contracts in the future. He said he thought the city might be able to save some money by using that approach.
Councilwoman Nancy Whitten said she supported the effort because it helped Sammamish get away from an oil-based economy. Councilman Mark Cross added that sustainability planning would be an opportunity to take a broad view of the patchwork of environmentally-friendly civic initiatives, from managing rainwater drainage to promoting walkability to minimizing energy consumption.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
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