Right choice on Klahanie Park
April 13, 2010
The City Council did well to reject a proposal to take over Klahanie Park for just a few years. The issue is a complex one. We appreciate the need to keep the park open.
We understand the reluctance of people in Klahanie to hand it over to Sammamish, where they would have no real way of holding the park’s new management accountable. That would be unfair to them. Read more
Sammamish Forum April 14
April 13, 2010
Mark Cross nails it
In an article in the previous Sammamish Review presenting the issues of T-Mobile towers in Sammamish, Mark Cross hit on a subject that needs far more exposure.
Thank you Cross for highlighting the externalization of costs by T-Mobile. Briefly, cost externalizing is a socio-economical term describing how a business maximizes profits by off-loading indirect costs and forcing negative effects to a third party.
In this case, T-Mobile is attempting to gain greater cell phone coverage with the placement of towers in locations that would detract from the appearance of residential neighborhoods. T-Mobile should be required to internalize this cost, perhaps by placing more towers in locations that would minimize the effect on our population. This is Cross’ position.
We have seen very clear examples of cost externalization recently on Wall Street where the consumer paid for their risky practices. During the past decades, coal fired power plants were forced to clean their emissions to reduce the amount of acid rain that was falling downwind in New England.
They internalized the cost by paying for equipment and reduced the cost and negative effects on the environment, and the people within it. On the other side of the coin, Microsoft has spent millions of dollars building highway infrastructure to reduce traffic problems. They recognize that their growing employee population would have negative impact on commuters otherwise.
Hence the monetary cost of these improvements directly affects the company’s balance sheet. Those using highway 520, including Microsoft employees, save time and fuel as a result.
I encourage the City Council and staff to move as much of the cost of doing business in Sammamish onto the books of the companies themselves.
While it may result in their lower profitability, or an increase in prices to their direct consumers, it frees the rest of us from the burdens that the otherwise externalized costs would impose.
Michael J. O’Connell
Sammamish
Look to your own habits
Rather than review her own driving habits, a recent writer blames everyone else on the road. I would like to remind her of several traffic laws in Washington state.
“Keep right, except to pass,” “Slower traffic keep right” and “when there are five or more vehicles behind you, pull over and let them pass.”
Perhaps she should review her driving habits and get in sync with the real world. The alternative is to stay off the roads for everyone else’s safety.
Michael T. Barr
Sammamish
Public meetings April 14
April 13, 2010
April 14
The Issaquah School Board will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. at the district Administration Building, 565 NW Holly St. in Issaquah.
April 15
The Northeast Sammamish Sewer & Water District Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting at 3 p.m. 3600 Sahalee Way N.E.
April 19
- The Lake Washington School Board will hold a work session at 5 p.m. followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. at the Resource Center, 16250 N.E. 74th St., Redmond Town Center.
- The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District Board of Directors meets at 3 p.m. at 1510 228th Avenue S.E.
April 20
The Sammamish City Council holds its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
April 21
The Sammamish Youth Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
April 22
The Northeast Sammamish Sewer and Water District will meet at 3 p.m. at 3600 Sahalee Way N.E.
New animal services may have small impact on Sammamish
April 13, 2010
If all goes well for Sammamish, animal control and sheltering services would only cost the city about $6,000 per year.
That’s what would happen if some 30 cities in King County participated in a new plan announced by King County April 8. Read more
Farming sprouts up in cities across Puget Sound
April 13, 2010
Where did your breakfast this morning come from?
Residential permit activity up in Sammamish
April 13, 2010
After a construction drought in 2009, people are moving forward with plans to build new single-family homes in Sammamish.
Darci Donovan, the city’s permit center manager, said single family residential building permits are increasing.
Eastlake student 1 of 5 scholarship winners in state
April 13, 2010
Austen Samkange, a senior at Eastlake High School, recently received a $2,500 National Achievement scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, according to a Lake Washington School District press release April 7. Read more
Sammamish No. 2 for best schools for your housing buck
April 13, 2010
Sammamish is the second best city in the United States when it comes to school quality for your home value, according to Forbes Magazine and GreatSchools, an independent organization. Read more
Dog-walking event will help autistic children
April 13, 2010
Until he was 4, Zach Rapada was like any other child. Then, after running a mild fever, he suddenly collapsed and went into a coma.
Upon awaking, Zach could no longer speak. After many doctor and therapist visits, he received a dual diagnosis of mitochondrial disease and autism. While research is still ongoing to see if the two diseases are linked, the Sammamish family knew they had to get help for their son, said his mother, Amy Rapada.
Although Zach’s mitochondrial disease is neurodegenerative, therapy for his autism helps him maintain what skills he has, Amy Rapada said. Read more
Return of the abacus: calculator, eat your heart out
April 13, 2010
Hena Matthias, a sixth-grader at Rachel Carson Elementary School, was reluctant to sign up for a special math tutor outside of school in February. She was struggling a little with math in general and needed a boost to find that confidence others had at school.
Read more
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