On April 29th, we celebrated our seventh annual ARAS African Bike Drive by collecting 700 bikes plus parts bound for Africa.

Thank you to those who transported the pre-collected bikes to City Hall, our 84 volunteers who helped to prep and load the bikes for shipment, to those who held bike drives for us and of course to all those who donated so their bikes will have a second life.

Mary Trask

ARAS Community Service Director

Everyone wants to help the environment

I take issue with the recent article in the Sammamish Review “Planners, citizens study proposed regs.”

I am thankful that the author is reminding Sammamish citizens that this process is ongoing by writing the article but, in my opinion, the participants have been incorrectly characterized.

It is mentioned that, “Most of the public are property owners who have had development plans stymied by the city’s current regulations.”

On the contrary, I find that there is a fairly even mix of those asking the commission to preserve environmental protection and those who want to preserve their property rights.

Many of those asking to preserve protections for the environment are themselves living in critical areas that require buffers.

At tonight’s meeting (May 17), except for the developer and lawyer for a proposed development, the majority of speakers were for preserving what we have left of the environment.

I agree with the author that the rubber will meet the road when the issue of the landslide hazard, erosion hazard areas comes up as a topic.

The meetings to address those topics will be from 6-9 p.m. June 14 and June 28 at City Hall.

I would encourage anyone concerned with building on steep slopes to come to those meetings, they even have coffee and cookies provided.

Barbara Raabe

Sammamish

Thanks you schools foundations donors

The Lake Washington Schools Foundation raises funds to support academic excellence and success for all students in the Lake Washington School District. The Foundation does this through funding Equal Access to Educational Opportunities, Quality Teaching and Leadership, and Future Ready Skills.

Within these priorities, programs are funded that fulfill needs of students, schools and the district.

These needs include the LINKS Mentoring program that matches caring adults with students who need one-on-one mentoring, help with homework or developing social skills.

School needs can be met with our Reaching for Success grants that provide funds to assist schools in meeting their state-mandated (but unfunded) continuous improvement process plan.

The district benefits from foundation funding through district-wide grants like providing scholarships for summer school to low-income students who are academically at-risk.

To date the foundation has provided nearly $1 million in programs to benefit students throughout the district.

The foundation vision is that each student in the Lake Washington School District will receive an education that ensures future success.

Foundation programs strive to accomplish this vision and are in alignment with the school district’s vision of Every Student Future Ready – prepared for college, prepared for the global workplace, prepared for personal success.

Community support sustains this vision.

Please join us, along with your local community members and businesses, for our seventh annual “A Legacy for Learning” benefit luncheon May 23 at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland.

Our presentation team will include Tony Ventrella as the keynote speaker, Andy Wappler with the “Call to Action”, and returning again this year, Monica Hart as the emcee.

Thanks to our sponsors, the lunch is complimentary so all donations support programs. For more information and to register visit www.lwsf.org.

We are fortunate to live in a community that values and supports excellent education.

Thank you to the thousands who have supported the foundation the past seven years.

Your generosity is appreciated and we look forward to increasing the impact that community makes on education.

Please consider making a donation if you are unable to attend the luncheon. Community support makes a difference.

Terri Blier,

President

Lake Washington Schools Foundation

A pickup truck is almost the only vehicle where you will find a bumper.

A pickup truck is almost the only vehicle where you will find headlights and tail lights positioned where cars in parking lots can’t smash them.

Cars with no bumpers and lights on the outside corners of fenders are stupid.

President Eisenhower was right when he called fins on cars a dumping of ridiculous design on the American public.

Last month, pickup trucks were the best selling vehicles in the U.S.

Tony Emmanuel

Sammamish

Thank you Issaquah district

On behalf of the Issaquah School Board, I would like to extend our thanks to the community for its overwhelming support of the construction and maintenance bond. With an approval rating of over 70 percent, the community has made a clear statement that we value education. We are amazed and humbled by this outpouring of community support.

We also wish to credit the efforts of our district staff and the bond feasibility committee for their efforts in forming a bond package that rebuilds our three oldest schools, expands capacity for four others, and funds critical maintenance and repairs in an bidding environment where we get the biggest bang for our buck.

Finally, we want to thank everyone that worked to pass this bond, including our teachers, 24 PTAs, three high school booster clubs, three chambers of commerce and most especially the leadership of the Volunteers for Issaquah Schools. Literally hundreds of community volunteers dedicated their time in the past year to passing this bond.

As many neighboring districts have discovered, passing a school bond measure in this economic climate can be challenging. Since last week, many districts throughout the state have been contacting us, wanting to know our “secret.” Well, our secret is simple: It’s a community commitment to education that drives parents and community leaders to speak out for investing in the success of our children and grandchildren, and to take extraordinary measures to ensure we provide them with new opportunities for success. We are truly blessed. Thank you.

Chad Magendanz, president

Issaquah School Board

I read your article about the goats in the Sammamish Review the other day. I am happy to see that the city will bring livestock in to do some landscaping. Although I don’t live near the locations where the animals will be used this summer, I like the idea that the price for their services is great, the animals can do a better job keeping vegetation levels down, and they are quieter than a lawnmower. I hope the goat-mowing program goes very well.

Nobu Shearon

Sammamish

Chamber chose

a bad day

I would like to register my dismay that the Sammamish Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Women in Business Conference on a Wednesday, which is an early dismissal day for our schools.

It seems to me that some mothers with school-aged children would like to attend the conference, me included, but the childcare I would need to arrange for my four small children makes it unappealing. On top of the registration fee, I will have to pay out over $100 for someone to watch my children.

I am a mother and a person who also happens to run a business quite successfully within the hours of a school day. Wednesdays are my day to work between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., leaving the afternoon for me to spend with my children, who are aged between 6 months and 8 years old. Is it possible that they could have chosen another day of the week to hold this conference, when the school day ends at 3 p.m.? I, for one, would have been more than happy to organize a couple of hours of childcare, rather than the four that I would have to organize now. It’s not worth it.

This letter is a tip of the hat to all the moms out there running businesses from their homes during the hours our children are at school. We deserve to be recognized. Our organizational skills are second to none. That is something everyone at the conference on Wednesday, May 9 could learn.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, this group of women needs to be acknowledged for the amazing people they are, not just to their children and families, but to all of us in this community.

Without them, we would not be even considering the kind of conference being hosted by the chamber. They could have thought of that before picking the day.

Leta Hamilton

Sammamish

It’s the commissioners, actually

A recent letter writer Kim Doyle blames the Republicans for the rate increase, please give me a break, only a liberal Democrat would say that.

It wasn’t either political party, but the clueless commissioners that serve on the water district. I’m a Republican and I to am disgusted with this increase. I’m 65 years old, and I also would like to have a surplus, so if I might get a chance to retire in this tax happy state. And to make the statement that all Republicans are for the wealthy is ridiculous. What, are their no rich Democrats? I don’t think so. So, let’s put the real blame where it belongs, at the feet of the commissioners. And the last time I checked, this state is about as liberal as it gets.

Fred Caponigro

Sammamish

Do the right thing

Recently, I came upon an accident on 228th Avenue. Traffic was snarled, cars weren’t moving and I wondered what the problem was up ahead. That’s when I realized a pedestrian was down in the middle of the street and I pulled into a vacant parking lot to see if I could help.

As I approached the scene, I recognized the woman dialing her phone as a friend of mine. She helped the young man who’d been hit and I tried to assist the very distraught driver.

I tell you this not to praise my friend and me, but for the mutual concern that we both had for the citizens of Sammamish as we talked later that day. You see, she had been the third car back at the red light. The two cars in front of her clearly had a better eyewitness view of the accident.

However, as she rushed to the aid of this young man, she realized that she was alone. She was the only one to put her hazards on, jump out of her car to assist the young man and dial 911. The cars in front of her just went on. She was completely amazed at the lack of regard for human life.

I know we all lead very busy lives, rushing to and fro, but no meeting, appointment, practice or job is more important than a human life. I want to give those front drivers the benefit of the doubt, but find it hard to believe that they couldn’t have witnessed this accident. I was disappointed that morning. I like to think that if any of us saw anyone laying face down, in the middle of 228th, that we’d have the conscience to do the right thing and help.

I have loved living in Sammamish for the past 10 years and will keep the faith that we can do better next time as a city. Do the right thing and remember what’s really important in life… human life.

What will you do next time?

Melissa Croshaw

Sammamish

A huge, huge thank you to the Issaquah School District voters for resoundingly passing the construction and maintenance bond last week!

It makes me extremely proud to serve in a community that values education and the future of its children so much — you are unparalleled in this state and nation.

Because of you, we will be able to meet our critical construction and repair needs for the next eight years, ensuring students are learning in safe, high-quality schools equipped for 21st-century learning.

My commitment is to be the best steward possible for these dollars, completing projects on time and on — or under — budget, protecting our top credit rating, and remaining transparent throughout the construction process (look for a web page soon that will track our progress).

My sincerest appreciation also goes to Volunteers for Issaquah Schools. These volunteer community members — hundreds of them! — dedicated themselves to spreading information about the bond measure so voters could make an informed choice.

For some, it was a full time job; for others, they gave one or two hours when they could, honking and waving or simply placing a bus magnet on their vehicle. Regardless, each and every one of them made a tremendous difference!

Steve Rasmussen

The writer is superintendent of the Issaquah School District

Leave it down for now

The barricade on the street at the 20000 block of Northeast 42nd Street was damaged in a traffic accident April 17 and has been removed. The street is now open for public use.

The city is planning to spend money to immediately replace this barricade even though it will most likely be removed in the near future. Evaluation of the barricade at this location is one of the highest priorities on the city list of barricades that may be removed.

The city should leave the street open until a final decision is made about whether the city should remove or retain the barricade.

The expense of replacing the barricade then removing the barricade later this year or next year would be a waste of precious resources by the city.

The original purpose and justification supporting installation of the barricade was that the risk of cut through traffic from Sahalee Way Northeast would be high until state Route 202 improvements were complete.

The stated purpose of the barricade no longer is valid. The state Route 202 improvements have been completed for several years. If the city decides to permanently keep the street connection open, it can use the funds that would have repaired the old barricade toward traffic improvements that residents desire in this neighborhood.

The City Council and staff can evaluate the merits of barricading the street with the street connection “open” just a well as with the street “closed”.

The city should save the taxpayers some money and not order the barricade replaced until after the barricade evaluation process is completed on the Northeast 42nd Street location.

Greg Reynolds

Sammamish

Leave the well-behaved dogs alone

I read with interest, the letter from Ms. Natiello regarding her many encounters with “attacking dogs, unruly dogs, and threatening dogs”, from which one would conclude that she was continually in areas of wild, rabid dogs.

Unfortunately, there are owners who think they have a well trained dog, but cannot give a command and have their dog obey immediately without breaking. Training the owner to properly train the dog is the difficulty.

The leash laws are clear: A dog on a leash in some areas is required, while other areas “under control” by the owner is acceptable. Under “control” means, the dog will obey the command the owner gives, immediately.

I had a Sammamish Trail experience, where I was walking my two dogs, off leash, on e-collars, but brought them to heel when a father, mother and daughter approached on bikes.

The father began screaming at me for having my dogs off-leash, kicking his foot out repeatedly toward the dogs who were some 20 feet away, regarding him with curiosity – they did not break the heel command in spite of his actions – they had never seen a human act in this way before.

We were quite astonished! The mother and daughter looked at the ground, clearly embarrassed. The dogs are well-trained and master hunters, but if they had thought he was being aggressive towards me, they might have barked at him.

All dog owners could examine their training standards and clean up after their dogs. Others could examine their actions, motivation and agenda for their desire to have them removed from open spaces, walkways, trails.

Dogs provide an important function in our lives as therapy dogs, bomb and drug sniffing, security, police work, medical alert, cancer detection, and search and rescue, herding, and there are countless stories of dogs protecting children.

Volunteer Police are unnecessary. Dog owners are capable of acting responsibly. People can mend from being a victim and having fear or disgust for dogs. Dogs have assisted humans for centuries and are quite simply invaluable. It is the humans that need to examine their actions and commitment, whether it be to raise a properly trained dog, or to examine their fears being respectful to all.

Barbara Hawley

Sammamish

On reading your editorial and Mr. Tom Shull’s letter (on water rate increases), I feel I agree with both of you totally.

I am writing to support both of your articles and feel grateful that some people are saying the right things in the face of injustice and arbitrary increase of rates.

Thank you both from the bottom of my heart.

The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District has increased its rates tremendously since 2007, and now it is even talking about flattening its rate structure so that we who always have conserved water by using as little as we can will suffer. We are seniors and retirees and this is going to hurt us most.

This is truly unfair and outrageous. Can it reconsider its decision to implement this increase?

Cynthia Wong

Sammamish

Economics, not slogans

I would love (actually I dare) for John Berg to produce a 2008 letter he wrote about President Bush’s handling of high gas prices ($4.39 in July in Seattle).

Incidentally, the U.S. production of oil was at a 10 year low in 2008 and imports were at 57 percent. These are easy facts to find and verify.

The Associated Press reports in March that an analysis of 36 years of Energy Information Administration data shows “no statistical correlation” between domestic oil production and gas prices.

Oil is a global commodity and U.S. production has only a tiny influence on supply.

Factors far beyond the control of a nation or a president dictate the price of gasoline.

Global demand, especially in India and China, has greatly influenced oil prices. Oil speculation has perhaps had the biggest impact on gasoline.

An ABC News report cites Bart Chilton, a current commissioner with the CFTC, who believes Wall Street speculators are adding several hundred dollars to the gasoline budget of Americans each year.

Chilton includes interesting facts on how much oil speculation increases average consumer spending.

Even conservative establishments such as The Cato Institute and the Wall Street Journal disagree with Berg’s beliefs, both citing a lack of responsibility on President Obama’s part for rising prices.

Mr. Berg is correct on the decrease of oil production on federal lands (although production is up 1 percent over the past five years).

But overall production is at its highest since 2003 with the U.S. imports now at 45 percent. This has not impacted prices in the least so why would more drilling work?

Congress can do something about oil speculation but they have not though several Democrats have offered up bills. A vote to keep all production from the Keystone Pipeline in the U.S. was defeated by Republicans (and even some Democrats) in a March vote.

Presidential candidate Gingrich claims he will get the price a gas down to $2.50 if elected, a claim several times over debunked.

Drill, baby, drill just simply doesn’t have the impact Mr. Berg wishes it did.

Byron Stargel

Sammamish

In the Review’s article “Water Bills Going Up” (March 28, 2012), about the rate increases from the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, I was shocked to read that “the district has increased water rates by between 7 and 12 percent every year since 2007.” After a lengthy discussion with a member of the water district staff and reviewing the information that was used in the March 19 meeting, which is posted on the District’s website, I am still shocked. I do not understand how the district can justify consistently high rate increases for the past five years. These increases are significantly higher than inflation as measured in the Federal government’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). In fact, in 2009 the CPI was negative, but water rates went up 7 percent!

I was told one reason the district needed to increase costs was for “repair and replacement” of the water system components. I would hope that planning for repair and replacement costs has always been a part of the district’s budget, and that those costs have been budgeted at realistic levels.

Another piece of news I find distressing is the adjustment in the water usage rates that reduces rates for higher usage. With the new rates, lower volume users will see an increase in their water bill while higher volume users will pay slightly less. This directly contradicts the message the water district and other utilities have been telling us for years – conserve, conserve, conserve. This appears to be a change in policy by the management and commissioners of the water district and is in my opinion, clearly wrong.

The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District is a nonprofit utility intended to serve the residents of Sammamish. I feel that our best interests are not being served. I have expressed my concerns to the water district and if you share my concerns, I encourage you to do the same.

Tom Shull

Sammamish

New principal is on track

Lake Washington’s newest STEM school is experiencing construction delays. This presents a big (temporary) headache, but it is certainly not the fault of STEM school Principal Cindy Duenas.

She has been working hard up to now to prepare a challenging curriculum, assembling a top-notch teaching team, and admitting students for the Fall 2012. I want to express my thanks to her. One day we will all look back to this construction delay and we will certainly laugh.

I am a parent of an incoming ninth grader, and my family is looking forward to the promise that the STEM school education represents. A big thank you for Principal Duenas’s hard work up to this point is in order.

Katja May

Sammamish

Students favor Issaquah School District bond

I am an 11th grade student at Skyline High School, and, on behalf of my peers, I urge and implore you to vote for the Issaquah School District’s capital bond. You have doubtlessly heard about the virtues of the capital bond from various respected figures in the community, ranging from city council members to state legislators.

However, they are not affected by the capital bond as my peers and I are. Seventeen thousand of my peers are relying on your vote to improve the conditions of our schools, to maximize our potential, and to make our educational experience the best it can be. It may seem that making costly improvements to stadiums is a silly waste of money that could be spent on other things, but athletics is exceptionally important to my peers, builds character, and brings in extra revenue and press to the school district.

It may seem that rebuilding Clark Elementary, Issaquah Middle School, and Sunny Hills Elementary is a waste of our money when there are cheaper alternatives, but fixing the problems with those schools now will prevent us from having to take a costlier path to fix the problems later. There are no losers when you vote yes.

It may seem that the capital bond is not the right option, but that is not the truth and will never be the truth. I have been a part of the bond process from nearly the very beginning, having served on the Capital Bond Feasibility and Development Committee during my sophomore year, and I understand the importance of having this bond passed.

It is my hope that you, too, will understand that the bond should be passed. When you get your ballots in the mail, vote yes for the capital bond and support my peers and I in our struggle to achieve our full potential, compete in a global economy, and be the best that we can be.

Joshua Schaier

Issaquah

To writer Larry Davison who asked “whose happiness will be denied” in the debate of same sex marriage, the answer is quite simple. Those attempting to suppress others their equal rights will be the ones that must yield.??

The writer needs to ask himself why he finds his “happiness” in denying others their happiness. That is truly the crux of this debate, not these distractions of slippery slopes and other distortions. Why does he need to deny a same sex couples marriage to be happy?

Michael T. Barr

Sammamish

Chapin deserves it

Following my reading of the passage written by Katja May, I was somewhat confused and slightly peeved trying to muster up the proper words to demonstrate how much Officer Stan Chapin meant to me, as well as the students and community of Sammamish.

After some time, I came to this conclusion: Firstly, there are infinite positive remarks one could exclaim about Chapin. He was an officer who, at the very least, deserves a street named in his honor. While traffic management decisions affect many and are appreciated, their significance falls short in comparison to the impact Chapin’s life of public service brought to those who had the honor of knowing him.

He was able to make every single person he came in contact with feel important. He took the time to serve not only as a police officer keeping us safe, but as a friend and confidant – someone we all knew we could turn to for anything no matter what the issue was, what background we came from or how closely we knew him. As a senior at Eastlake, the silence in the hallways after hearing of his passing will haunt me for a long time, but the coming together afterward to honor Chapin I will honor forever.

In fact, I have never been more proud to say I am an Eastlake Wolf. In May’s article, the question was raised, “Why does a person have to die to be recognized?” Well, Chapin was recognized all throughout his life; we just did not realize how much of an impact he made until he was no longer with us. He is one of the few people I have ever met that I could define as a legend. His accomplishments were and are exceptional and far more important than the formation of a traffic circle. For that alone, he deserves to have 233rd Avenue named after him. After all, Eastlake is home of the Wolves and nobody had a more monumental part in this pack than the man behind the glasses.

Amber Cuozzo

Sammamish

Legal services should be bid out

I read the article in the Sammamish Review regarding the legal services contract and the 3.2 percent raise. I also watched the City Council session when several of the city staff and council members defended their position on approving the raise.

I don’t know the quality of Mr. Disend’s legal services, so won’t disparage him in the least. The problem I have is the defense the city of Sammamish put on to justify his raise. The main arguments are:

Mr. Disend’s contract has had little or no raise in the past three years so by averaging the percentage, it was a very small raise at a yearly rate. And legal fees for Sammamish are low compared to other cities.

My response to the first argument is just because people are asked to accept little or no raise in difficult financial times doesn’t mean that it needs to be ‘made up’ to them later. I, for one, am not expecting a big raise when the financially tight times are over.

Our Mayor himself said that he has been asked to take a pay cut and I don’t think he has an expectation that it will ‘be made up’ to him later. Also, in a recent letter to the editor, it states cost of living increases are a bad precedent in government contracts. Is Mr. Disend a city employee or a contractor with the city?

With regards to the second point, all the comparable cities cited are very different from Sammamish. Our need for legal services should be nominal simply due to the fact that Sammamish is made up of two retail strip malls and then mostly neighborhoods, parks and schools.

Issaquah, for instance, has more administrative support to run their city with a much larger pool of office space, retail and downtown area. I don’t think comparing cities is an accurate comparison nor does it justify the spending. It’s either a justified expenditure or it’s not.

Mari Short

Sammamish

Stop the solicitors

As the City prepares to enact new regulations for door-to-door solicitors, I encourage citizens to let their council members know their opinions. At the March 6 meeting, it was decided to postpone the decision so that members would have time to hear from citizens. We need to respond so our elected officials know we welcome the chance to have our voices heard before they act.

How do you feel about commercial salespeople coming to your door uninvited and unknown to you? Does a time limit of 9 to 5 make you safer – in the winter it is dark before 5? Charging these people a $30 fee does nothing to stop a first time offender bent on burglary.

Police files here and across the country are filled with such examples. Since the right to private property is recognized as a fundamental right in both the U.S. and Washington State constitutions, shouldn’t it be at least equally protected as ‘commercial’ speech?

If it is reasonable to set time and day of the week limits on such speech, why is it not also reasonable and legal to say that the sign a property owner must place conspicuously can be determined by the city to be “Solicitors Welcome” rather than “No Solicitors”?

There are court decisions in other states which have come down on both sides of the speech/property rights debate. We live in a state that strongly recognizes private property rights. I urge you to let your voice be heard.

Mary Jo Kahler

Sammamish

I am responding to the letter about off-leash dogs at Southeast Eighth Street Park. First, only one of the 10 off-leash signs were about off-leash dogs running along the fence line that was by my home which is 10 feet from the park trail.

The other nine signs were a temporary field study to see if educating people about protecting this pristine park would prompt them to leash their dogs.

I have lived by this property for about 25 years. It is a wondrous oasis of wildlife of all kinds. It’s springtime and there will be ground nesting birds, fledgling owls and young mammals in the park as well as migrating salamander.

I wanted a viable solution to protect the wildlife and wetlands that exist in the park since there is no off-leash dog enforcement.

I was prompted to try this after watching deer being chased, dogs running through the wetlands, digging up migrating salamanders in the meadow and watching a Mountain Beaver die after being attacked by an off-leash dog. The dog was good natured but did what comes naturally and the owner felt horrible.

Nine of the 10 signs had pictures of the wildlife that can be found at the park with the words “We Love Dogs”…”but”…”dogs orphan wildlife, dogs trample wetlands, dogs chase wildlife, dogs trample killdeer nests”.

I love and own dogs but I am not naive enough to think that they would not chase wildlife and run through the wetland areas trampling plants and amphibian eggs.

As for my barking dogs…they are in their yard, they are not used to 30 or more people a day walking on a park trail that is 10 feet from my house.

The signs were temporary and are now removed. It is not my property to protect but maybe people will think twice before unleashing their dogs in areas where wildlife and wetlands are abundant.

Kate Poaster

Sammamish

Let’s say “thank you” to the living

Bravo to Jasmin Luqman for her March 7 letter in the Sammamish Forum titled, “Chapin deserves it.” I wish more adults expressed themselves in such a thoughtful, tactful and respectful way.

Officer Stan Chapin deserves to have a street named after him. He was a shining example to our entire youth population of how to be an upstanding citizen and human being.

Don Gerend has worked tirelessly to serve the community. I say thank you to both of these men.

To Katja May, who wrote a Feb. 29 letter in the Sammamish Forum titled, “Another deserving name,” yes, a person should not have to die before they are recognized for their public service. Wouldn’t saying “thank you” to these people while they are alive and well go a lot farther in letting someone know that they deserve recognition for what they do?

I wonder how many people took the time to thank Chapin for what he did.

How many people take the time to thank our firefighters, our EMTs, our soldiers, our teachers/school administrators, our community leaders, our religious leaders, etc. on a daily basis for what they do for us?

What would our community begin to look like if we did this simple act on a daily basis to someone who enriches our life?

I recently sent an email to my son’s Eastlake counselor to thank her, and what she wrote me back completely shocked me. She said it was the first time in years that a parent had thanked her for what she does.

Let’s start a revolution of saying “thank you” and honoring those in our community who do mostly “thank-less” jobs by telling them daily how much we appreciate their service, while they are still alive and well.

Tina Cooper

Sammamish

They’re both right

Having read with interest the article on the city’s bill for legal services, I felt it was important to point out that both sides of the discussion were correct. But the city’s contracting process is not.

Personally, I believe the points made by City Manager Ben Yazici and others make sense.

Historical knowledge and personal experience are important points in City Attorney Bruce Disend’s favor. And it also makes sense, all other things equal, to keep the payments in Sammamish as was pointed out.

But City Councilman Ramiro Valderrama is also correct. A cost of living increase is bad precedent for any city contract. The city’s legal services should be put out for bid annually. That doesn’t necessarily mean the council has to consider price alone and approve lowball bids.

Disend’s unique qualifications should be considered and counted in his favor, and could very well justify a premium. But Valderrama is correct that cost of living pay increases should not be part of the city’s contracting policies and procedures, and I applaud him for his diligence.

Ken Smith

Sammamish

More off-leash parks needed
While walking my dog (on leash) through Southeast Eighth Street Park today, I noticed some signs someone had put up throughout the park. These signs pointed out why people should not let their dogs off leash in the park. The majority of the signs were about off-leash dogs running the fence lines and bothering neighbors. Ironically a dog in one of the yards bordering the park was the one running the fence line.
This brought something to my attention though. We live in an area that is suppose to be more liberal and cares about the environment. Yet we do not care enough to make sure our dogs have a good park to go to, run, and be off leash. Sammamish has one off-leash dog park that pales in comparison to all the other dog parks in surrounding cities. Just take a look at some of the surrounding dog parks. Marymoor attracts residents from far and wide, because Redmond chose to invest in its citizens. Yet, we choose to have our citizens drive further than necessary to exercise their dogs.
Even if you are not an “animal person,” can you deny that dogs are a part of our families? We need another dog park in Sammamish more along the lines of Marymoor in Redmond. A park like Southeast Eighth Street would be ideal in some ways (it is quite similar to Marymoor on a smaller scale), however I realize there are some restrictions to “developing” this park. So we need to start looking for a location that allows something to be done about this.
Sammamish has some of the best schools, the best neighborhoods, great parks for families, and is a great city to live in. Let’s make it an even better city.
Michele Pryor
Sammamish

Rights versus desires
As I read the author(s) opine, this week, regarding their desire for same sex marriage, I note differing interpretations in citing the founding documents to support a right to same sex marriage.
Mr. O’Connell referenced “Pursuit of Happiness“ arguing that the “Founding Documents” support same sex marriage.
The Declaration did say “Pursuit of Happiness“ but the meaning of “Happiness,” was also defined as property, at the time, so there is debate as to the meaning of Happiness.
There is no, defined, historical president in the Declaration that protects same sex marriage any more than there is for polygamy. If one’s pursuit of happiness is to deny same sex marriage and the other’s is to allow same sex marriage whose “Happiness” will be denied under the founding documents. Or where will one’s “Happiness” start and end.
The point is that all desires are not protected under the founding documents or there would be no limit to that slippery slope. How about the pursuit of happiness of those that demand polygamy or other desires born of love, why would they not be covered under the arguments tendered by the “church of the same sex faithful.“
My pursuit of happiness is denied by the limit of 350 words by this fair publication so I will limit my response to only one more of the distortions of the same sex prophets.
Patricia Martin, in defending the religious bigotry displayed in O’Connell’s attack on the Mormon Church for its stance on same sex marriage, cites “Separation of church and state,” to defend the same sex agenda.
I presume the intent was to reference the “Establishment Clause“ meaning the government may not “establish” a religion on the people, but the people are free to establish, and voice, a religion.
That freedom includes a right to dissent when it comes to same sex marriage just as it grants a right to support same sex marriage.
Larry Davison
Sammamish

Last week the local press reported a proposal to name a stretch of 233rd Avenue after Officer Stan Chapin, deceased, but there is an even more deserving person after whom this long-awaited traffic circle ought to be named.

Our former mayor and active Councilman Don Gerend, who was instrumental in bringing this access to Eastlake about. I have worked with him for many, many years on this issue, and while I know we all mourn the passing of Chapin, Gerend had more to do with this traffic circle than any other person in public service.

Why does a person have to die to be recognized. Fortunately, Gerend is alive and well and surely deserves recognition in his lifetime.

Let us honor Don Gerend with this road.

Katja May

Sammamish

Keep church out of state

Churches have all the right in the world to have their opinion regarding just about anything, including marriage.

On the other hand, in this country we have a separation of church and state. Therefore the church would have to keep their opinion behind their church door.

When the church starts mingling with the affairs of the state they stop being a church and become a political party. They should be treated as such and lose all their rights and privileges, including tax exemptions.

What difference does it make to the church if two men or two women want to get married. If the church does not believe in same sex marriage, then they have the privilege not to perform a religious ceremony uniting the couple. Simple!

The law has passed, now those backward-minded people want to change the law and impose their will upon same sex (not necessarily homosexual) couples.

What do you think the Supreme Court would say if I start a petition to ban the Mormon religion? How about banning the Catholic Church? Oh let us not forget the Muslims, Hindus, the Pentecostals etc.

Leave those people who want to marry their loved one alone. If you think they will burn in hell, that is their business. In my opinion it is the priests, mullahs, rabbis and religious extremists who are going to burn, not the people at whom they point their holy fingers.

Harry Saiyan

Sammamish

A belated thank you

During the unusually warm weather a couple of weeks ago, I took my young children to Pine Lake Park for the afternoon. After the snow, ice and wind storms that we’ve experienced this winter season, the park was certainly in need of some care and maintenance.

That afternoon, there was a group of about 10 people, all ages, raking and picking up the large tree branches and various debris left by the recent storms in the area. I asked one of the individuals if they were with a particular group, and was told it was just a group of city volunteers.

I would like to say thank you to those individuals, and any others who have helped our beautiful Pine Lake Park recover a bit from the harsh winter. I am happy and proud to live in an area where we not only have so many great parks, but a community of volunteers that help keep them enjoyable for everyone.

Cynthia Lorrain

Sammamish

Teach students CPR

Together heart disease and stroke take more lives in the state of Washington than any other cause of death. In October 2009, at 38 years old, I suffered sudden cardiac arrest. I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time and received immediate medical care. I now live with a pacemaker and continue to educate myself about heart disease.

Heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined every single year. I volunteer and advocate for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women cause. That’s why I traveled to Olympia Feb. 13 for the American Heart Association’s Heart Disease Education Day. I went to speak to our District 5 Reps. Jay Rodne and Glenn Anderson.

It is my hope that they will support House Bill 2294. This bill requires CPR to be taught in our state’s high schools as a graduation requirement. Students can receive CPR training in less than 20 minutes and at little or no cost to the school. Effective CPR can double or even triple a victim’s chance of survival.

As a mother, it makes my heart happy to think of a whole generation of high school graduates with the tools and knowledge to save my life and the lives of the more than 325,000 people who die in our country of sudden cardiac arrest every year.

Cardiovascular diseases may be the leading killer in Washington but through their actions, lawmakers have the power to improve the health of our families and children, and to help more patients become survivors of heart disease and stroke.

Dawn McCutcheon

Sammamish