Upper Bear Creek UAC Meeting Notes

Date:  April 26, 2011
Subject:
Time: 7:30 – 9:20 PM
Location:  Woodinville Water District Offices
Board Attendees: Mary Filkins, Rich Lund, Jerry Hicks, Kevin Coughlin, Nancy Stafford
County Attendees: Bong Santo Domingo, Kathy Lambert
Community Attendees: Jaunita Verschuyl, Guy Baltzelle, Terry Lavender, Shelly & Grant
                                      Noftle, Lori Claudon, Megan DeSantis, Joanna Hamed, Steve Baily,
                                      Carol & Ken Kawafune, Tom Bangasser, Murtry Srinvas, Maxine
                                      Keesling.  Don Mann, Reporter from Woodinville Weekly

King Council member, for the 3rd District, Kathy Lambert was welcomed.  She saw many familiar faces in the room!   Lambert began by telling us about “redistricting” within the county as a result of the 2010 census showing a 27% increase of population in her district.  *Redistricting results will be discussed at several public meetings in May, the nearest being held on the 11th at Robert Frost El. school Commons Room, 11801 NE 140th  in Kirkland.
She touched briefly on the Roads Dept planned “Willows Rd Extension” that has been discarded and moved into an in depth explanation of the monetary restraints and demands of the *King County Budget process. 
At 8:10, she came to the County Council disposition of the UAC’s.  The plan is to divide the county into sections, gather all organized groups into units in each section and have them lead by a county appointed organizer, establishing goals for the year (accountability) and thus “establish local government” throughout all parts of the county.  The discussion that followed was lively with many people in attendance expressing support for the current ability for quick action through UAC's while expressing concern about the county's proposal of how local government will work without the UACs.   She heard questions about the ability of the councilperson's office to handle problems in the local communities of her large area.  Kathy has 43% of the unincorporated population portion of King County in her District.

A number of Upper Bear Creek residents have questions about the proposed 5.5 mile natural gas pipeline to be installed in the Tolt Pipeline corridor adjacent to the water pipeline there.  Lambert's response to those concerns was "it's not a county issue” but she did take an action item to check into whether the County is involved in assisting our citizens with these concerns.

*See Kathy Lamberts website for details. 

Meeting adourned at 9;20.  Our thanks to Woodinville Water District for opening and closing the meeting area for us.  Next public UBCC forum May 24, 2011.