OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bevlue Parks and Community Services Board Meeting - November 20, 2025

City Council — Thursday, November 20, 2025
BodyBellevue, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, November 20, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:59:19

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good evening and welcome to the November Parks and Community Services Board meeting.

0:05

Um Michelle Valveretti cannot attend the meeting tonight, and Paul Clark will be attending remotely.

0:10

We are at quorum, and so this meeting is now called to order.

0:14

Is there a motion?

0:15

Um excuse me, please put your sign down.

0:21

Is there a motion to approve tonight's agenda?

0:25

I so move.

0:26

A second.

0:28

Second.

0:29

All right, let's vote.

0:30

All in favor to approve tonight's agenda, say aye.

0:34

All right.

0:35

Any opposed, say no.

0:39

All right.

0:40

The agenda is approved unanimously.

0:42

Next up is the approval of minutes from the Parks Board October 2025 regular meeting.

0:47

Is there a motion to approve the October 2025 meeting minutes?

0:52

I so moved.

0:53

Is there a second?

0:55

I second.

0:56

Thank you.

0:57

Let's uh take it to a vote.

0:59

All in favor to approve the October 2025 meeting minutes, um, say aye.

1:05

Any opposed, say no.

1:10

The minutes are unanimously approved.

1:13

Thank you.

1:14

Next up is oral communications.

1:16

The Parks and Community Services Board values community input and looks forward to hearing from you during its meeting.

1:22

Please be aware that in compliance with Washington State campaign laws regarding the use of public facilities during an election.

1:28

No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate for an election, which includes your own campaign.

1:35

Any speaker who begins discussing topics of this nature will be asked to stop.

1:40

There are rules adopted by the city council limiting the topics about what the which the public may speak during our meetings.

1:46

Under ordinance 6752, the public may only speak during public comment about subject matters that are related to the related to City of Bellevue government and are within the power and duties of the Parks and Community Services Board.

2:01

Following the board's bylaws, the total time allowed for oral communication shall not exceed 30 minutes.

2:07

Each speaker will be allowed to speak one time for up to three minutes.

2:10

We will follow the order in which individuals signed up.

2:13

If you do not get a chance to speak this evening, you are always invited to email your comments to us at Parkboard at Bellbuaw.gov.

2:20

Now we'll turn it over to Ryan, who will read names from the online and in-person sign-in sheets.

2:26

Thank you, Chair.

2:27

We have two registered speakers this evening.

2:31

First is Jaden Jung.

2:33

You're welcome to come on up.

2:45

Hello.

2:47

My name is Jaden Jung.

2:48

I'm a SCAM member of Troop 600 with the rank of star.

2:53

This past summer I worked as an intern in the well-kept summer program with the City of Bove Parks and Community Services.

3:01

During my internship, I helped remove invasive plant species in several Bellevue parks, including Ardmore Park, Wilburton Hill Park, and Kelsey Creek.

3:11

I also helped build part of the hiking trail at Ardmore Park.

3:15

While I was working, I noticed how common invasive species like English ivy and nausea's weed are still in our parks.

3:23

I'm here today to share a couple of ideas for how we can continue fighting the spread of these invasive species.

3:30

First, we should increase community involvement by educating more people and expanding the well-kept program so more young students can participate.

3:41

And how we can do that is by creating more online educational content for kids using social media and making it easier to sign up for volunteer events at Belvia Parks.

3:54

Second, we should improve how we monitor and report invasive species so we can track progress and focus our removal efforts where they're needed the most.

4:05

And we can do this by offering simple online reporting tools and adding signs and parks to help people identify and report invasive invasive plants.

4:16

In conclusion, we already know what we need to do to slow the spread of invasive species.

4:23

But to make real progress, we need more people, especially young people to get involved.

4:30

With the help of our entire community, we can keep Bellevue's parks healthy and beautiful.

4:36

Thank you.

4:37

Thank you so much.

4:47

Yeah, yeah, you thank you so much.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████58%
Public Engagement███████████14%
Community Engagement█████████11%
Procedural███████9%
Youth Programs██3%
Personnel Matters█1%
Environmental Protection█1%
Mental Health Awareness█1%
Arts And Culture█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Bellevue Parks and Community Services Board Meeting - November 20, 2025

The Parks and Community Services Board convened on November 20, 2025, with a quorum present to approve the agenda and minutes, hear public comments, and discuss director reports, program updates, and policy changes. A notable highlight of the meeting was Director Michael Shia Azaki's announcement of his retirement, effective at the end of January 2026. The board also reviewed significant updates on community center programming, levy project status, and proposed bylaw amendments regarding term limits and public comment protocols.

Consent Calendar

  • Agenda Approval: The November 2025 agenda was unanimously approved without discussion.
  • Minutes Approval: The minutes from the October 2025 regular meeting were unanimously approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jaden Jung (SCAM Member, Troop 600): Expressed strong support for expanding the "Well-Kept" intern program and community involvement in invasive species removal. Proposed positions included: creating online educational content for youth via social media, improving volunteer sign-up accessibility, and implementing online reporting tools with signage to help residents identify and report invasive species like English ivy and oxalis weed.
  • Alex Zimmerman: Expressed deep frustration and opposition regarding his repeated inability to speak at board meetings over the last two years. He claimed he was prevented from speaking due to alleged "trespass" orders by Mayor Robinson and a consultant, despite having a misdemeanor case dismissed. He argued that the board was incorrectly citing campaign rules to silence him regarding election-related grievances and expressed concern that his public statement regarding election results was cut significantly. He stated he has been "fired" from his role as public defender seven times and criticized the legal proceedings as a "criminal conspiracy prejudgment." Board Chair Klima warned that Zimmerman's comments violated campaign laws and topic restrictions, leading to the exclusion of his second attempt to speak.

Discussion Items

  • Director's Report (Michael Shia Azaki):

    • Announced the hiring of Wyatt Thompson as the new Planning and Development Manager, replacing Pam Fairman.
    • Congratulated the Eastgate Neighborhood Park team (Cameron Parker, Zaryan Smith, Chair Klima) on the City Council's approval of the park name "Eastgate Commons." Director Azaki noted the Council spoke positively about the design and public engagement process.
    • Announced Retirement: Director Azaki stated he will retire at the end of January 2026, after 36 years in the parks field (including 36 years in Bellevue) and 400+ projects. He expressed that the work is about building community and praised the staff's dedication.
    • Shared that he still plans to hike on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

  • Board Communications:

    • Eric: Shared experiences planting a tree at Arboretum Harbor and attending Arbor Day (171 volunteers planted trees at Lewis Creek Park). Expressed concern about noise disruption in neighborhoods from youth events.
    • Steve: Reflected on "Gumbo Night," noting the high level of passion and dedication among Bellevue youth to their community and schools. Expressed support for the educational system and city support systems.
    • Eileen: Highlighted the need for long-term, supported project outcomes from youth programs (like Youth Link). Shared an observation of "outdoor library" concepts in South Korea where mobile carts allow public reading in open spaces. Expressed interest in seeing more joint efforts to highlight student success stories.
    • Elizabeth: Noted that students at Gumbo Night were concerned with park maintenance reporting and the lack of composting/recycling awareness. Expressed concern about the littering of allegedly compostable materials (like dog poop bags and orange peels) and suggested better signage.
    • Paul: Discussed youth mental health challenges, specifically related to technological hyperconnectivity and the competitive school environment. Shared observations of improved leash compliance at Ashwood Park and noted a high community demand for new trails. Congratulated Director Azaki and noted the value of "Crossroads" programs.
    • Caitlin (Board Member): Updated on the Eastgate Council meeting, confirming the "Eastgate Commons" name and design concept were well-received. Mentioned a potential ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2028-2029.

  • Crossroads Community Center Overview (Ugo Cuellar):

    • Presented a detailed report on programs including the spray park, dog off-leash areas, games room, pickleball, self-defense, and the only park-staff preschool.
    • Highlighted new programs such as "Girls Who Write," "Rainbow Elder Play and Connect," "Indoor Kite Flying" (described as a popular activity taught specially by instructors), and the upcoming "Winterfest" event.
    • Discussed partnerships with Youth ESI Services, Transcend United, and dance groups (Hawaiian and Aztec).
    • Questions: Board members asked about the mechanics of indoor kite flying, outreach strategies for the adjacent Crossroads Mall, and the process for evaluating new partnerships that might displace popular programs (like pickleball) due to limited space.

  • 2022 Parks and Open Space Levy Update (Betsy Anderson & Cameron Parker):

    • Reviewed the 2022 Levy structure (20 cents/1000 assessed value, split between 75% development and 25% maintenance).
    • Provided status updates on projects across eight focus areas, including the Bellevue Airfield Park Master Plan, Ashwood Park Master Plan, and the retrofitting of 32 courts for pickleball.
    • Announced a new levy reporting strategy including a logo, illustrated progress reports, an interactive map, and enhanced social media content to increase transparency.
    • Discussion: Board members discussed the Vasa Upland acquisition (conservation/trails), the prioritization methodology for emerging sports, and the potential for permanent signage acknowledging levy funding. Paul raised the issue that the "emerging sports" category is broad and flexible.

  • Bylaw Amendments (Cameron Parker):

    • Proposed two main changes to align with City Council directives:
      1. Term Limits: Clarifying that members serve two four-year terms (maximum 8 years). If a member wishes to serve again after two terms, a two-year pause is required before reappointment. Service in an unexpired term counts as a full term only if it exceeds two years.
      2. Exclusion Rules: Changing the length of exclusion for public comment violators from 60 days to 180 calendar days. Appeals of these exclusions will be handled by the City Council, not the Board.
    • The board noted the need to coordinate these changes with the Civil Service Commission's six-year state-mandated terms.

Key Outcomes

  • Director Retirement: Director Michael Shia Azaki confirmed his departure is effective January 31, 2026.
  • Park Naming: The City Council has officially named the new park "Eastgate Commons."
  • Bylaw Amendments: The board agreed to consider the proposed bylaw changes (term limits and exclusion rules) for a formal vote at the January 2026 meeting.
  • Levy Strategy: Staff committed to rolling out the new levy reporting materials (logo, map, reports) beginning in winter 2025.
  • Meeting Scheduling: The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 21, 2026. The February 18, 2026, meeting was noted as potentially conflicting with school breaks, and availability will be checked.
  • Public Comment Enforcement: The Board Clerk and Chair documented warnings given to a speaker for violating city campaign laws and subject matter restrictions during his second attempt to speak.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the November Parks and Community Services Board meeting. Um Michelle Valveretti cannot attend the meeting tonight, and Paul Clark will be attending remotely. We are at quorum, and so this meeting is now called to order. Is there a motion? Um excuse me, please put your sign down. Is there a motion to approve tonight's agenda? I so move. A second. Second. All right, let's vote. All in favor to approve tonight's agenda, say aye. All right. Any opposed, say no. All right. The agenda is approved unanimously. Next up is the approval of minutes from the Parks Board October 2025 regular meeting. Is there a motion to approve the October 2025 meeting minutes? I so moved. Is there a second? I second. Thank you. Let's uh take it to a vote. All in favor to approve the October 2025 meeting minutes, um, say aye. Any opposed, say no. The minutes are unanimously approved. Thank you. Next up is oral communications. The Parks and Community Services Board values community input and looks forward to hearing from you during its meeting. Please be aware that in compliance with Washington State campaign laws regarding the use of public facilities during an election. No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate for an election, which includes your own campaign. Any speaker who begins discussing topics of this nature will be asked to stop. There are rules adopted by the city council limiting the topics about what the which the public may speak during our meetings. Under ordinance 6752, the public may only speak during public comment about subject matters that are related to the related to City of Bellevue government and are within the power and duties of the Parks and Community Services Board. Following the board's bylaws, the total time allowed for oral communication shall not exceed 30 minutes. Each speaker will be allowed to speak one time for up to three minutes. We will follow the order in which individuals signed up. If you do not get a chance to speak this evening, you are always invited to email your comments to us at Parkboard at Bellbuaw.gov. Now we'll turn it over to Ryan, who will read names from the online and in-person sign-in sheets. Thank you, Chair. We have two registered speakers this evening. First is Jaden Jung. You're welcome to come on up. Hello. My name is Jaden Jung. I'm a SCAM member of Troop 600 with the rank of star. This past summer I worked as an intern in the well-kept summer program with the City of Bove Parks and Community Services. During my internship, I helped remove invasive plant species in several Bellevue parks, including Ardmore Park, Wilburton Hill Park, and Kelsey Creek. I also helped build part of the hiking trail at Ardmore Park. While I was working, I noticed how common invasive species like English ivy and nausea's weed are still in our parks. I'm here today to share a couple of ideas for how we can continue fighting the spread of these invasive species.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com