Start letterboxing and celebrate National Trails Day on June 3
Celebrate the trails of Pioneer Park while hunting for hints and clues from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Pick up your letterbox clue book from the Community and Event Center, Luther Burbank Park administrative office or the south Starbucks before you start hunting.
This free activity is geared toward all ages, and sponsored by Bark Avenue.
Turn in your clue book by Oct. 31 to be recognized for your accomplishment at a Letterbox celebration in November. Visit the city’s letterboxing webpage at www.mercergov.org/page.asp?NavID=3027 to learn more.
City manager posts I-90 update
The city sent a mailer over the weekend to every Mercer Island household containing information about the upcoming changes to Interstate 90 ramps, and the June 3 closure of the center roadway.
Since City Manger Julie Underwood wrote her introductory letter for the mailer, there have been a number of new developments to report, according to the city’s newsletter.
On May 22, the city and Sound Transit representatives met to try to negotiate a solution, “however, the gap for a settlement was too wide to bridge,” Underwood wrote, noting that it “appears that the window of opportunity is closing and all future discussion likely moves to the courts.”
On May 23, the city received notice from the Federal Highway Administration reiterating its opposition to future Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) access to westbound I-90 at the Island Crest Way on-ramp.
At 10 a.m. on June 1, King County Superior Court Judge Beth Andrus will hear the city’s motion for preliminary injunction, requesting her to enjoin the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) from closing the I-90 center roadway and Sound Transit from commencing light rail construction there.
The city’s appeals of prior court rulings in other related aspects of its I-90 litigation will be heard by the state Supreme Court on June 1 via a conference call.
“This is to determine if the Supreme Court will take direct review of the city’s appeal; it is not a hearing on the merits,” Underwood wrote.
To learn more about recent negotiations and litigation history, visit www.mercergov.org/Rail-FAQ.
Join the city’s emergency alert service
Last year, the city joined a new emergency alerting system in partnership with King County, using a vendor that serves hundreds of other cities nationwide (Code Red). The city recently used it to notify approximately 150 homes of a small water utility incident.
ALERT King County allows Mercer Island residents to receive important information about major emergencies via telephone, text and email based on their Island address. Registration is free and confidential.
The service will not be used for extremely minor events, only major incidents or emergencies such as earthquakes, very damaging winter storms, large landslides and boil-water advisories.
If you don’t have a landline telephone, it is important that you register your cellphone number, or the city has no way of calling or texting you in major emergencies.
41st District legislators to speak at June 1 chamber meeting
The Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce’s June luncheon will feature state Sen. Lisa Wellman, Rep. Judy Clibborn and Rep. Tana Senn. All three are Democrats who live on the Island.
Gov. Jay Inslee ordered the Legislature into a second special session on May 23 to produce a budget that fully funds education. To bring in more money for schools and satisfy the 2012 McCleary decision, Democrats favor looking at a capital gains tax and B&O tax reduction, while Republicans are supporting a statewide property tax increase.
The meeting will be from noon to 1 p.m. on June 1 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. For more, call the Chamber at 206-232-3404, or email info@mercerislandchamberofcommerce.org.
