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august 27, 2015
eview R sammamish www.sammamishreview.com
City officials, candidates butt heads over future road projects
Old-fashioned family fun
By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com
By Greg Farrar
SLIDESHOW See more photos from the Aug. 22 Sammamish Days and Nights events at www.sammamishreview.com.
Colten Schearer, 7, of Sammamish, enjoys the free animal balloons made for him by a vendor during Sammamish Days at the Commons Plaza Aug. 22, as his grandmother Betsy Schearer (right) helps him take part in the crafts, music and performances. The annual event for families and their children, featuring bouncy toys, face painting and food, is put on by the Parks and Recreation Department with the sponsorship of local businesses each year to commemorate the city’s incorporation.
Lake Sammamish State Park to include new playground in 2016 Community contributions needed A new all-inclusive destination playground will be built in Lake Sammamish State Park in 2016. Playground designers say it will be the best in the state. In June, the Washington State Legislature approved $750,000 for the playground in its 2016-17 Capital Budget. However, the public is expected to raise the remainder of the $1 million cost. “While we anticipate corporations and foundations to contribute, we are also counting on lots of children and families to participate in fundraising,” said Debbie Berto, coordinator of the campaign led by the Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park. She said that children may
As election season heats up, so does the question of whether or not Sammamish would need to take out capital improvement bonds to complete the promised rehabilitation of roads in the Klahanie annexation area. An article in the city’s August newsletter seems to suggest that bonds are not needed to pay for the reconstruction of IssaquahPine Lake and Issaquah-Fall City roads. The “Mayor’s Message,” penned by Sammamish Mayor Tom Vance, echoes that sentiment. Some observers have cried foul, most notably Councilman Ramiro Valderrama-Aramayo and council candidate Tom Hornish, arguing that Vance and the city administration are playing politics with the newsletter and the Sammamish transportation budget.
Contributed
An artist’s rendering of the new all-inclusive playground at Lake Sammamish State Park, which will be built in 2016.
raise, or hosting their own poker nights or potlucks. A private donor has agreed See PLAYGROUND, Page 3
Hornish is Vance’s council opponent in the November election. “Wouldn’t I love to have a platform to mail out to potential voters at tax payers’ expense,” Hornish said, referring to the city’s newsletter. While most cities sell municipal bonds to pay for major capital improvements, at present, Sammamish has almost no debt. The city has been able to fund major projects such as the coming $33.8 million Sammamish Community and Aquatic Center from its reserves and cash on hand. The two roads targeted for improvements will become part of Sammamish when Klahanie and some surrounding neighborhoods are formally annexed to the city Jan. 1, 2016. In the past, City Manager Ben Yazici said Sammamish See ROADS, Page 3
Sammamish teen killed in car crash By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com
want to have lemonade stands and backyard carnivals to raise money, or have penny drives at school. Parents can join in by matching what the children
Prep football returns, page 10
Detectives from the King County Sheriff’s Office still are investigating a fatal traffic accident that happened at 10:17 p.m. Aug. 12 on East Beaver Lake Drive Southeast in Sammamish. The county coroner’s office identified the victim as Joseph Brown, 18, of Sammamish. The accident involved a 2013 Ford Mustang driven by an 18-year-old Sammamish man, according to Det. Jason Stanley, a media relations officer with the King County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office did not
name the driver of the Mustang, presumed to have been Brown. “According to witnesses, they thought that the vehicle was operating well in excess of the speed limit,” Stanley said in an email. The Mustang collided with See CRASH, Page 2 Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
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