TBD passes

A resolution by the City Council to create a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) passed 6-1 at the Oct. 20 meeting, with Councilmember Mike Cero voting against it. The TBD’s first meeting will be on Nov. 17, when it will vote to implement a $20 car tab fee to pay for future vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian transportation projects.

“This fee will have zero impact on Islanders as (King) County’s $20 car tab fee ended in 2014,” Deputy Mayor Dan Grausz wrote in an email update.

The fee will generate $350,000 a year, which is needed for transportation projects for 2015-2020 and beyond, said Finance Director Chip Corder.

Substandard hydrants

Councilmember Debbie Bertlin said at the Oct. 20 meeting that she is concerned that 100 fire hydrants on the Island are substandard.

Fire Chief Steve Heitman said he wasn’t sure what was meant by that.

“It may be in relation to the fact that we have a number of two port hydrants in service on the Island, rather than the standard three port hydrant,” he said. “These have been a part of our water system for many years and are replaced as project budgets allow.”

Sculpture garden

The Arts Council is planning to revitalize the outdoor gallery, and is requesting that $2,000 from the city’s General Fund be dedicated to the project.

The money will be used to cover the cost of installing two new pieces of art per year. Funding for the outdoor gallery does not come from the 1% Fund, as it displays art pieces that are for sale, not public art.

The City Council talked about this on Oct. 20 and will continue to discuss it at a later date.

Metro service

The Metro cuts at the end of September cost Mercer Island about 75 percent of its service hours as several routes (202, 203, 205, 213) were cut and the 204 was curtailed.

Mayor Bruce Bassett said he had a productive meeting with King County Metro on Monday Oct. 20 to discuss transit alternatives. He said that many Islanders have asked for the 204 schedule to be spread out so it runs later in the evening.

“Metro is on a pretty constrained schedule in terms of making changes,” Bassett said, and the next round of changes will come in February.

“What is troubling to many of us is that all of the other Metro cuts for other cities that were scheduled starting next year have now been put on hold by the County Council,” Grausz wrote. “What we are now working on with Metro is to develop replacement service that will make economic sense and hopefully end up serving even more Islanders.”

Preventing burglaries

The Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) wants to remind residents of best practices that can minimize the likelihood of falling prey to thieves and burglars.

Although 2014 burglary rates remain comparable to recent years, there are many ways Islanders can discourage burglars even as the winter season brings longer, darker nights, such as installing lights by all exterior doors, always locking doors and windows and using a locking mailbox.

For an updated burglary prevention fact sheet, go to: http://www.mercergov.org/files/Residential_Burglary_Prevention_2014.pdf.