Issaquahpress10115

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POWERFUL PATRIOTS

BARDAHL RIDES AGAIN

Girls swimmers drub Hazen — Page 9

Original crew celebrates 50th anniversary — Page 6

The IssaquahPress

Issaquah’s only locally owned newspaper

www.issaquahpress.com

Thursday, October 1, 2015

New development may be headed to Gilman

Issaquah Press group names new general manager Washington state, and I’m really excited to go to work for a well-respected, family-owned company. The Issaquah Press is a key part of the Eastside community — and I’m looking forward to making improvements to strengthen the paper and websites.” Horton said. “Charles brings a wonderful track record of community publishing and previous Northwest market experience, making him the ideal candidate to lead the Issaquah Press group,” said Sharon Prill, president and group publisher for the Seattle Times Affiliate News Group. Getting into newspapers “really was an accident,” Horton said. Originally, he wanted to be a stage actor. “I had no dreams of being on TV,” he added. “I just love the interaction with the audience. That was my dream.” See HORTON, Page 5

Eastside Fire & Rescue launches search for new chief By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com Eastside Fire & Rescue began advertising Sept. 21 for a replacement for Fire Chief Lee Soptich who will step down at the end of January after roughly 10 years Lee Soptich on the job. The EFR board of directors hired a California consultant company, The Mercer Group Inc., to help with the search, said Ingrid Anderson-Boyle, EFR human resources manager. According to a timetable provided by Anderson-Boyle, Mercer will advertise the position and

accept résumés until Oct. 19. The company plans to come up with about six to eight semifinalists, said Clark Wuzberger, a project manager for The Mercer Group. Mercer eventually will whittle down the candidate pool further and present the finalists to the EFR board for interviewing and follow-up the week of Nov. 30. The board hopes to name the new chief by the end of November, Wuzberger said. The new chief will earn $154,00 to $180,000 annually. Wuzberger said Mercer has begun advertising the position in trade publications, and on websites visited by safety professionals or public employees. After See EFR, Page 5

The city’s biggest annual bash and its signature event since 1970, Salmon Days, Issaquah’s yearly celebration of all things salmon, is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 3-4. The party is spread throughout downtown Issaquah and, of course, the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery. Complete with rides for all, the annual carnival starts a day early, from 3-11 p.m. Oct. 2 in front of Staples, 628 Front St. N. The Salmon Days festival starts with the Grande Parade at 10 a.m. Oct. 3. The paBy Greg Farrar rade steps off from the Issaquah Transit A man gives his daughter a look at chinook salmon Center then makes its way to 12th Avenue through the fish ladder viewing window at the Issaquah Northwest, up to Gilman Boulevard and Salmon Hatchery on Sept. 22. travels up Gilman to Front Street, ending at about Front and Northwest Dogwood Street. Salmon Days also features vendors of all types, food booths, entertainment on five stages and, of course, plenty of salmon. See more photos from #soFlip The Run with the Fishes 5K is Oct. 4. pinFun the returning salmon Register on the Salmon Days website, at www.issaquahpress.com. www.salmondays.org. Get all the details in the “ohfishal” Issaquah Salmon Days guide inside this week’s issue of The Issaquah Press.

SLIDESHOW

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AWNSO SP

Charles Horton III has been named the new general manager of The Issaquah Press newspaper group. He started in his new role Sept. 14. Horton reCharles Horton places former general manager Joe Heslet who left The Issaquah Press in May. Horton comes most recently from the Standard-Examiner, a daily community newspaper in Ogden, Utah where he served as a vice president and the publisher since 2013. Before that, Horton worked for nine years at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton, where he started as the circulation director. While at the Sun, Horton moved up through the organization to take on increasing responsibilities in interactive, advertising, and then eventually was named publisher and chief revenue officer. “We’re excited to get back to

CELEBRATING SALMON

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See PLANS, Page 5

By Greg Farrar

A chinook salmon attempts to make it up and over the weir at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery on Sept. 22.

FISH

Even as city officials consider how to jumpstart the long-discussed Central Issaquah Plan, one potential anchor project already may be in the works. While he offered very few details, Issaquah Economic Development Director Keith Niven told City Council members Sept. 21 he met recently with officials of the U.S. Postal Service about a possible development on land near the post office on Gilman Boulevard, in the area of Fourth Avenue Northwest. The project would consist of one floor of some sort of commercial space, with three floors of apartments above. Niven mentioned that configuration might mean construction of a nearby parking garage. Overall, he believes the project might well be one city officials want to take a look at if the developer’s concept moves forward. Including Fourth and Gil-

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By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com

man, the city’s Economic Vitality Commission recommended four locations as potential spots for anchor developments in the Central Issaquah Plan area. The commission tabbed Fourth and Gilman as it is one of the largest undeveloped areas in the Central Issaquah zone. Niven was before the council for approval of the four potential anchor project locations, stating “catalyst, demonstration project” might be a more appropriate term. The other three targeted locations are Gilman and Front Street, CenturyLink Yard and a proposed Interstate 90 and 12th Avenue Northwest crossing. The latter exists only on paper, but in past discussions of the Central Issaquah Plan, Niven said officials hope for a highway crossover at 12th Avenue or a nearby street. CenturyLink Yard covers four acres east of the Sound Transit garage and north of Tibbetts Valley Park. Communication giant CenturyLink owns the property and operates a field office there. Commission members indicated

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City Council promotes Central Issaquah Plan

City Council Position 4 Race heats up Bill Ramos touts experience in public, private sectors

Tim Flood’s traffic plan is front and center of campaign

DECISION

By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com

By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com

Hoping to replace incumbent Issaquah City Councilman Joshua Schaer, who chose not to run for re-election to his Position 4 seat, resident Bill Ramos is running in his first public election. It’s actually his second try for the council. Ramos threw his hat in the ring for an appointment to the council in 2014. He was one of several people vying for the council seat vacated when Fred Butler was elected mayor. Ramos said he doesn’t like to Bill Ramos sound as if he is bragging, but he also doesn’t shy away from pointing out that he has spent about 10 years around City Hall, serving on the Economic Vitality and Planning commissions. He currently chairs the Issaquah Human Services Commission. Ramos is a self-employed transportation consultant, running his own firm The Common Good Inc., something else he has touted on the campaign trail. The city is working on a $308 million traffic concurrency plan, touted as keeping pace with development in the city. A mix of grants and developer impact fees would fund some of the city’s concurrency plan, but Issaquah would

2015

Tim Flood admits his opponent is better known and has been able to grab some high-profile endorsements in the race for the Issaquah City Council Position 4 seat. But in the August primary, Flood noted, Ramos was not able to earn 50 percent of the vote. Besides noting his experience on three city commissions, Ramos also talks about his work as a private transportation consultant. Flood hardly seems intimidated, putting out his own original traffic Tim Flood plan, “Address the Mess.” The transportation package includes 36 projects targeted, Flood said, at the city’s trouble spots. The projects included are predominately from the Issaquah Transportation Improvement Plan and include funding for work on Front Street, state Route 900, Newport Way and several other major streets. Flood prices his plan at $153 million. The city’s transportation concurrency traffic plan tops out at $308 million. Developed by city staff and the current City Council, the concurrency plan is meant to ensure Issaquah’s infrastructure keeps pace with private and residential development. Flood said the city needs to take on current traffic problems, includ-

See RAMOS, Page 5

See FLOOD, Page 5

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