It’s time for the yearly spate of letters to the Reporter objecting to the proliferating political campaign signs. In my seven years on the Island, residents have made some excellent points in their letters-to-the-editor, protesting the signs on aesthetic, waste and even moral grounds. Alas, I can only recall one such letter last year, from a very bright Middle School girl.
Each fall, campaign signs sprout up like dandelions. But this year, election time has made an early appearance. With the exception of Bob Bersos, signs of the other three candidates for Position 3 on the City Council are already posted in dense clusters throughout the Island and Town Center.
Creating a healthy and sustainable community requires that we all share our limited resources — including our roads and trails. As a key part of the City Council’s sustainability initiative, the Council will be reviewing the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan at a study session on Aug. 6 and we want your input.
The 2007 election season has become too long, but the topics remain crucial and complex. Even though we may already be weary from the presidential races, we must turn our attention to the political campaigns in our own backyard. Nothing less that the future character and perhaps the culture of Mercer Island is at stake. In the next few years, continuing Town Center development and changes to Interstate 90 will irrevocably shape the Island and its people for decades to come. And at the center of this will be our seven-member Mercer Island City Council.
On Aug. 21, voters will be asked to pick one of the four candidates running for Mercer Island City Council Pos. 3. The top two vote-getters will then run against each other in the general election on Nov. 6.
Nigel Avilez
Island Forum
Stowe Sprague
Island Forum
Councilman Sven Goldmanis should resign from the City Council. If he does not do so voluntarily, the City Council or a citizen should bring proceedings to remove him. Mr. Goldmanis flaunts the law. He failed to establish his Mercer Island residency and file a valid voter registration address for more than three years — a violation of the law. And there are other legal entanglements that make it plain Mr. Goldmanis has no business remaining on the City Council any longer.
Daniel Johnson
Island Forum
The Boys and Girls Club’s bid to build a teen facility and field house on school district land near the high school has reached a critical point. The School Board is poised to decide whether or not to grant a 50-year lease of school land to the non-profit organization.
As the PEAK project moves forward toward final approval and construction, a good deal of missinformation exists about the project. For the benefit of all, the record must be set straight.
Sustainable is a relatively new word in the vocabulary of environmental-speak. The shift in thinking is subtle but important. When considering sustainable agriculture, the benefits are obvious. Consumers are less interested in convenience and affordability and are looking for food that is healthy and locally grown. Marketers and suppliers of our food have begun to respond. But access to minimally processed and locally grown food remains limited.
Sally Garrett
Island Forum
