OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting - July 7, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, July 7, 2026
BodyKirkland, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 7, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:46:13

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

So moved.

0:00

Second.

0:01

And moved by Councilmember Pascal.

0:03

Second by Councilmember Arnold.

0:06

All of any discussion.

0:09

All those in favor, please say aye.

0:11

Aye.

0:12

Any opposed?

0:13

Motion carries 6-0.

0:15

Thank you, City Clerk.

0:16

Will you please call a roll?

0:17

Councilmember Arnold.

0:18

Here.

0:19

Councilmember Prem.

0:20

Here.

0:20

Councilmember Falcone.

0:22

Here.

0:22

Councilmember Pascal.

0:23

Here.

0:24

Deputy Mayor Black.

0:25

Here.

0:25

Mayor Curtis.

0:26

Here.

0:27

All right.

0:28

Our study session tonight is on two items.

0:30

First, we will hear an overview of corrections and related programs in Kirkland.

0:34

Second, the council will hear a parking pricing study.

0:37

We expect to reconvene our regular meeting at 7 30.

0:40

City manager.

0:41

All right.

0:42

So thank you.

0:43

Madam Mayor.

0:43

Deputy Mayor, members of the Council.

0:45

So this is our next to last presentation on our criminal justice review.

0:49

This is going to be focused on the Kirkland's corrections programs in the jail.

0:53

We have our police chief Mike St.

0:55

Jean is going to do the introductions and introduce his team.

0:58

We're looking for just council interest questions, feedback, and then as you saw in the memo, happy to invite any council members who want to tour of the jail facilities at any time.

1:07

We're happy to make that available too.

1:08

So with that, I'll go ahead and turn it over to Chief St.

1:11

Jean.

1:13

Thank you, City Manager.

1:14

Good evening, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, members of council.

1:17

We want to thank you for the opportunity tonight to share an inside look at the Kirkland jail, uh, celebrate the dedicated men and women that operate the jail, and uh highlight the unique programs and services that are offered to individuals within the jail.

1:31

With me tonight are administrative commander Melissa Petricor and Corrections Lieutenant Sean Stredwick.

1:37

Our wonderful jail navigator, Annette Cornell was excited to attend uh tonight, but unfortunately is not going to be able to be here.

1:44

So we will talk about her program and the great work that she's doing.

1:49

So our goal over the next half hour is to provide an overview of the City of Kirkland's jail and explain how the jail functions as part of Kirkland's broader criminal justice system.

2:00

We'll have 25 slides tonight, and um, if we could wait for questions till the end, I think that would probably work best.

2:07

Thank you.

2:13

So when most people think of a jail, they think of custody, security, and confinement.

2:18

Obviously, those components are essential, but they're only part of what the Kirkland jail does.

2:24

Tonight we'll walk you through how our care cycle begins on day one, how our staff integrate safety with dignity and treatment access, and how re-entry planning, not simply release, has become a cornerstone of our approach.

2:39

You'll also hear about the innovative programs and partnerships that make our facility unique and how these efforts support both accountability and long-term public safety.

2:52

Let's talk a little bit about our mission.

2:54

So our mission in the jail is not simply to hold people securely until their court date or their release date.

3:01

Our facility is really built around a broader mission to protect the community, to maintain a safe and secure operation, and to use the time we have with individuals to stabilize immediate needs, connect them with services, and reduce future risk.

3:19

When someone is in custody, our philosophy is that we have a brief but important opportunity to stabilize immediate needs, connect them to services, and prepare them to leave in a better position than when they arrived.

3:33

That is really the heart of tonight's presentation.

3:36

Public safety does not end when someone is booked into jail, and that people housed in our jail are not just merely numbers.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████████22%
Community Engagement████████████████16%
Parking Management█████████9%
Procedural████████8%
Transportation Safety████████8%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Parks and Recreation████4%
Economic Development████4%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting - July 7, 2026

The Kirkland City Council held a regular meeting on July 7, 2026, beginning with a study session at 5:30 PM on corrections programs and parking pricing, followed by the regular meeting at 7:30 PM. The Council approved numerous consent calendar items and several business items, including a land exchange, Kraken Iceplex lease amendment, and school zone beacons. Public comments covered topics such as church noise, e-bike safety, and code enforcement.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent calendar was approved 6-0, including: approval of minutes from June 9 and June 16, 2026; audit of accounts (payroll $9,545,254.52 and bills $9,529,176.81); claims for damages; award of bids for street preservation (slurry seal $434,000, overlay $1,629,750, 120th Ave NE rehab $3,566,981.55); adoption of Ordinance O-4940 (VertA telecommunications franchise), O-4942 (fire sprinkler exceptions for pending permits), O-4943 (code enforcement amendments); approval of Resolution R-5737 (Eastside Public Safety Communications Agency interlocal agreement); and other routine items including the May 2026 investment and sales tax reports.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jennifer Koukoumidis: Described disruptive noise from Pursuit Church, including bass and helicopter landings, and noted she has been working with city staff.
  • David Malcolm: Presented data showing e-bikes pose 2-4 times higher accident risk than conventional bikes; urged age restrictions and enforcement.
  • Charlette LeFevre (Director of Capitol Hill Pride): Expressed safety concerns about an upcoming Turning Point USA event at Pursuit Church, citing protest risks and urging proactive city planning.
  • Connie Chapin (Upper Highlands resident): Thanked city staff for resolving low water pressure issues (increased from 30 to 66 PSI) through a temporary booster station.
  • Susan Davis (North Rose Hill neighborhood lead): Raised noise and safety issues from Pursuit Church, including helicopter landings and planned counter-protests on July 24, 2026 for a Turning Point USA speaker; requested a safety plan.
  • Alex Tsimerman: Delivered a speech criticizing King County and immigration policies, calling for change. The Mayor noted the comments were hurtful and divisive but allowed free speech.
  • Erin Belmore: Alleged city misconduct regarding code enforcement and ADA issues affecting his property; claimed his equity was being stripped.
  • Chris Fox (attorney, longtime resident): Spoke in support of David Malcolm's e-bike comments, sharing a personal story of being hit by a car as a child and urging proactive e-bike safety measures.
  • Murray McKinney (Highlands resident): Thanked staff for water pressure fix; also echoed e-bike safety concerns and criticized a $4 million bike lane project.
  • Rev. Meredith Dodd (Lake Washington United Methodist Church): Advocated for the Safe Parking Program fiscal note, highlighting 15 years of service and upcoming lot repaving.
  • Christopher Wade (veteran, special needs father): Proposed a mural art installation at Lake Street South reflecting Kirkland activities.
  • Joe Kunzler (virtual): Criticized Alex Tsimerman's rhetoric and urged council members to stand up for themselves; also commented on the upcoming Turning Point event, hoping for respectful behavior.

Discussion Items

  • Study Session: Kirkland Corrections and Related Programs Overview: Police Chief St. Jean, Commander Petrichor, and Lieutenant Stredwick presented the jail's care cycle, including intake, medical services, medication-assisted treatment, and the Jail Navigator Program (140 participants, 117 with reentry plans in its first year). The Council discussed costs, recidivism tracking, and staffing.
  • Study Session: Parking Pricing Study: Transportation Planner Scrivner presented options to better manage parking supply. Options included raising fees at downtown lots (Option 1), charging at waterfront parks (Option 2), on-street parking (Option 3), and paid garage parking (Option 4). Council feedback supported moving forward with Options 1-3, with consideration of equity, enforcement, and Kirkland CARES program integration.
  • Kirkland Youth Bill of Rights (Business a): Postponed to July 21, 2026 meeting by unanimous 6-0 vote.
  • Safe Parking Program Fiscal Note (Business b): Approved 6-0 a $100,000 allocation to Lake Washington United Methodist Church for parking lot repaving, contingent on a written agreement requiring operation for at least three years.
  • Proposed Mark Twain Park Land Exchange (Business c): Approved Resolution R-5739 6-0, authorizing the City Manager to request King County Council approval for a land swap of a park panhandle for adjacent property, with a restrictive covenant on the Llamas property to ensure no net loss of parkland.
  • Kraken Iceplex and Community Center Lease Amendment (Business d): Approved Resolution R-5740 6-0, authorizing an amendment to allow early execution of the ground lease before building permit issuance to facilitate financing, while preserving city design review authority.
  • Kraken Iceplex Right-of-Way Dedication (Business e): Approved Ordinance O-4944 6-0, declaring the access road at the former Houghton Park and Ride as public right-of-way to enable future egress onto 116th Ave NE.
  • School Zone Flashing Beacons Update (Business f): Approved Option 1 (remote connectivity only at 8 automated safety camera locations, estimated $544,000 plus $39,000 every 10 years) 6-0, as recommended by staff.

Key Outcomes

  • All consent calendar and business items received unanimous 6-0 approval except the youth appointments (5-1).
  • The Safe Parking Program funding includes a clawback provision if the program ends early.
  • The Mark Twain Park land exchange requires final King County Council approval.
  • The Kraken Iceplex lease amendment allows closing before permits but maintains city approval over community center design.
  • The School Zone Beacons project will proceed with remote connectivity at camera locations only.
  • A proposed letter endorsing the federal HELPER Act was referred to the legislative workgroup for further analysis.
  • Youth members were appointed to boards: Ava Spainhower (Park Board) and Rhea Bobbarjung (Transportation Commission), each for a term ending March 31, 2028, by a 5-1 vote (Councilmember Falcone dissenting).
  • The Council will enter closed session to discuss collective bargaining (RCW 42.30.140(4)) for 25 minutes.

Meeting Transcript

So moved. Second. And moved by Councilmember Pascal. Second by Councilmember Arnold. All of any discussion. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries 6-0. Thank you, City Clerk. Will you please call a roll? Councilmember Arnold. Here. Councilmember Prem. Here. Councilmember Falcone. Here. Councilmember Pascal. Here. Deputy Mayor Black. Here. Mayor Curtis. Here. All right. Our study session tonight is on two items. First, we will hear an overview of corrections and related programs in Kirkland. Second, the council will hear a parking pricing study. We expect to reconvene our regular meeting at 7 30. City manager. All right. So thank you. Madam Mayor. Deputy Mayor, members of the Council. So this is our next to last presentation on our criminal justice review. This is going to be focused on the Kirkland's corrections programs in the jail. We have our police chief Mike St. Jean is going to do the introductions and introduce his team. We're looking for just council interest questions, feedback, and then as you saw in the memo, happy to invite any council members who want to tour of the jail facilities at any time. We're happy to make that available too. So with that, I'll go ahead and turn it over to Chief St. Jean. Thank you, City Manager. Good evening, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, members of council. We want to thank you for the opportunity tonight to share an inside look at the Kirkland jail, uh, celebrate the dedicated men and women that operate the jail, and uh highlight the unique programs and services that are offered to individuals within the jail. With me tonight are administrative commander Melissa Petricor and Corrections Lieutenant Sean Stredwick. Our wonderful jail navigator, Annette Cornell was excited to attend uh tonight, but unfortunately is not going to be able to be here. So we will talk about her program and the great work that she's doing. So our goal over the next half hour is to provide an overview of the City of Kirkland's jail and explain how the jail functions as part of Kirkland's broader criminal justice system. We'll have 25 slides tonight, and um, if we could wait for questions till the end, I think that would probably work best. Thank you.

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