Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting Summary - August 3, 2023
Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting - August 3, 2023
The Kirkland City Council met on August 3, 2023, according to the provided timestamp, though the official agenda and minutes list the meeting as Wednesday, August 2, 2023. Mayor Penny Sweet presided. All councilmembers were present except Jon Pascal, who was excused by a 6-0 vote. The meeting included a moment of silence for fallen Fire Battalion Chief Bill Hoover and his wife Kristy, public comments, a special presentation, a unanimous consent calendar, and three legislative request memo decisions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (6-0) the consent calendar, including minutes of July 18, 2023; an audit of accounts with payroll of $5,772,479.16 and bills of $5,972,476.58; and acceptance of various financial wires and checks.
- Awarded a construction contract for the Bioretention, Water Quality Treatment, and Storage at 126th Avenue NE project to Northwest Cascade, Inc., of Puyallup, WA, for $146,176.00, plus an additional $50,000 from Surface Water Capital Reserves.
- Authorized the City Manager to award the Houghton Village PCC Remodel Project to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder within the approved $800,000 budget.
- Ratified the 2023-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement with Teamsters Local Union No. 763.
- Authorized a one-time $500 retention bonus for Management and Confidential employees.
- Approved selecting six artists/sculptures for the 2023-2025 Park Lane Outdoor Gallery exhibit.
- Adopted Resolution R-5997 approving the 2022 Parks and Community Services Annual Report.
- Acknowledged the 2023 First Quarter Fire Department Dashboard, the Semi-Annual Public Records Performance Report, the IT Stabilization Implementation Update, the June 2023 Sales Tax Report, the June 2023 Financial Dashboard, and the Procurement Report.
- Acknowledged a Transportation Commission resignation and approved the draft response.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Paul Morris spoke in support of public access defibrillators (AEDs) at sports stadiums, citing the Woodinville sports stadium model, and urged the Fire Chief to extend PulsePoint Verified Responder invitations to CPR-trained community members. He expressed gratitude to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for their engagement.
- Alex Tsimerman made disruptive remarks about political and international topics; Mayor Sweet ruled him out of order for using the podium for an improper purpose and cut off his time. No other public speakers were present.
Special Presentations
- Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWIT) President Dr. Amy Morrison presented an update. She thanked the City for its pandemic partnership, noting that LWIT was “campus zero” during COVID-19. She highlighted new programs, DEI coursework, a planned 50,000-square-foot Center for Design, a new early learning center, and solar panel installations. Total construction investments exceed $45 million. She invited the Council to upcoming groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings.
Discussion Items
- Codes of Ethics and Conduct Acknowledgements: Assistant City Attorney Darcey Eilers presented options to create separate acknowledgement forms for Councilmembers and board/commission members. Councilmembers discussed concerns raised by some commissioners about language and annual requirements. A motion passed 6-0 to direct staff to prepare separate acknowledgements and consider any necessary code updates. A second motion passed 6-0 to collect acknowledgements once per term.
- Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Parks: Parks Deputy Director John Lloyd presented four options for deploying AEDs at active recreation sites. Councilmembers supported beginning research in November, folding in a checkout program and a pilot at 132nd Square Park, and considering long-term budget impacts. A motion passed 6-0 to proceed with analysis and start with a pilot AED at 132nd Square Park.
- Electric Micro-Mobility on Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC): Public Works Director Julie Underwood presented options to allow electric foot scooters, unicycles, and similar devices. Councilmembers emphasized the need for speed enforcement, education, and a comprehensive approach beyond the CKC, including connection to Eastrail and citywide policies. A motion passed 6-0 to evaluate expanding allowed electric micro-mobility devices within current ROW and Transportation Master Plan processes.
Key Outcomes
- Council approved all three legislative request memoranda motions unanimously (6-0):
- Directed staff to prepare separate ethics/conduct acknowledgement forms for Council and board/commission members, collected once per term.
- Directed staff to analyze AED deployments, starting with a pilot at 132nd Square Park.
- Directed staff to evaluate electric micro-mobility expansion as part of ongoing transportation planning processes.
- Council received reports from regional and committee representatives, including National Night Out successes, Sound Transit testimony, Eastrail activities, and the Totem Lake Connector opening.
- City Manager Kurt Triplett reported on the park ballot explanatory statement review, the upcoming Camp United We Stand tent city at Kirkland Congregational Church, and the ARCH strategic planning timeline.
- The meeting was adjourned at 8:39 p.m. (local time).
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. I'd like to call to order the city council meeting of August 2nd, 2023. Tonight's meeting is a hybrid meeting. Community members are welcome to join us either in person or remotely through Zoom or by telephone. Clerk, will you please call the roll? Councilmember Nixon. Here. Councilmember Black. Here. Council Member Curtis. Here. Councilmember Falcon. Here. Deputy Mayor Arnold. Here. Mayor Sweet. Here. Councilmember John Pascal is not with able to join us this evening. I needed a motion to excuse him from this meeting. So moved. Move by Council Member Black, second by Council Member Nixon. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries. Before we begin tonight's meeting, I'd like to read a statement regarding the tragic passing of Kirkland Fire Department's training battalion chief Bill Hoover and his wife Christie on July 21st while traveling out of state. Words cannot describe the depth of sorrow we are all feeling about the loss of Bill and Crestie. Bill was a member of the Kirkland Fire family for 31 years. He was a beloved colleague, mentor, and leader whose legacy will endure. During his time with KFD, Bill was recognized with many awards as highlights of his outstanding career. Yet Bill was much more than a firefighter, a battalion chief, and a cherished colleague. His priority was always to support, to train, to keep healthy his brothers and sisters in the fire service, showing the depth of his kind and compassionate heart and exemplified the values we hold dear in the city of Kirkland to work hard, to work together, to show initiative and care. Bill will be remembered for his dedication to the fire service, to our sense of community and to family. Bill and Christie were longtime Kirkland community members. They were married at Marina Park and raised their family here for many years. Bill and Christie's presence in our community and in the Puget Sound region will truly be missed. Family, friends, first responders, city employees, and the community are all invited to remember and honor the lives of Bill and Christie. More information and ways to honor Bill and his family will be posted on the city's website. Now please join me in a moment of silence in honor and to honor and remember Bill and Christie Hoover. Thank you. Okay, this takes us to item number four in our agenda, communications and the items from the audience. This is the time in our meeting when we normally hear from the public on matters that are not quasi judicial or scheduled for a public hearing, of which there are none scheduled this evening. Please limit your remarks to three minutes, and the council will receive up to three comments on each side of every issue. If you are present either in person or virtually and would like to address the council during this items from the audience period, please sign up using the online public comment instruction link or in person using the posted QR code. For those participating by phone, please dial star nine to be recognized to speak. Community members will be called in order in which they signed up. Items from the audience is an important part of our business meeting, and we ask that everyone be treated with kindness and respect. We ask that you please not clap or applaud after a speaker or express your disagreement with a speaker. We want everyone in Kirkland to feel welcome, expressing their viewpoints regardless of content.
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