According to background information from the city, the purpose of the purchase “provides the City with the ability to secure the strategically located property to establish access to the CKC, while allowing time to determine the best long-term use of the site.” The backgrounder goes on to state: “Given the unique and strategic location of the parcels relative to the CKC and the potential for other public uses that may include affordable housing or a future transit stop along the CKC…”

City Council will vote Tuesday to give City Manager the authority to buy the properties. You will be able to get information then, but be aware at that point in time, it will be too late to stop the process once the vote has been taken. If you want to offer input before the vote, you need to get informed and send email BEFORE the meeting or show up at the meeting with your comments during the comment section. 

You can ask City Council to find answers to questions like: What is the City’s plan for the property? What happens to the current residents in the buildings? Can we afford this given that there are other City-wide projects like the Aquatics and Recreation Center (ARC) and the proposed North End Fire Station? How does this fit with planning the Central Houghton, Moss Bay, Lakeview, and Everest neighborhoods are going to do for the Houghton Business Center next year?

The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting can be found here: goo.gl/QjdECq 

The item on the agenda is 11. c)  backgrounder can be found here: goo.gl/zZJ26O 

Send email to Kirkland City Council here

I am a big fan of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). I went through CERT training about 10 years ago and it was some of the best training I have received.  It was informative and empowering. I went through the training because I was signed up to be the volunteer Emergency Preparation person at Lakeview Elementary (through the PTSA). While CERT training helped me in that role, it was more about being an asset to the community in the event of a catastrophic event and not becoming a liability.

The concept for CERT training grew out of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake in which untrained volunteers who were willing to undertake rescue and life saving steps in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake saved over 800 people. However, over 100 of these volunteer rescuers lost their lives because they did not have sufficient training to accomplish everything they were attempting.

California authorities, visiting Mexico City after the earthquake, saw the potential of having a core of trained volunteers who could respond (without direction) in natural or man-made disasters and save lives while government and other disaster response agencies mobilized an organized response. As of 1993, over 8,000 individuals and 225 teams had been trained in Southern California. The concept proved a great success in saving lives and preserving property following the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

In 1994 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) adopted the program and has started promoting the concept with standardized training nation-wide. FEMA still bases the program on volunteers, but by standardizing the training they feel they can insure a consistent level of training and performance nationwide. Standardized training allows volunteer emergency organizations and government officials from any jurisdiction to be familiar with capabilities and limitations and how to effectively communicate missions to CERT members/volunteers from other jurisdictions.

What is Kirkland CERT?
Kirkland's Community Emergency Response Team training is a FEMA-based curriculum designed to teach adults of all ages and abilities how to help themselves, their families, and their neighbors during a disaster when police, fire, and medical services are overwhelmed.

The City of Kirkland CERT Program hosts two CERT training courses a year, in the spring and fall. A training course consists of eight 3-hour classes, once a week for eight weeks.  Each course ends with a full-scale simulated disaster drill, complete with volunteer “victims”, during which CERTs practice their disaster response skills.

CERT Training teaches you to:

• Identify and reduce hazards at home and work
• Prepare your home, vehicles, and workplace with emergency supplies
• Understand fire behavior and put out small fires
• Conduct light search and rescue operations
• Apply basic medical and psychological techniques
• Assess and triage minor to life-threatening injuries
• Lift heavy objects off of trapped people safely
• Organize in teams using the Incident Command System

Find out more about Kirkland CERT at - http://www.kirklandcert.com/ 

2015 Officer Elections
A motion was passed to elect the following officers for 2015:

• Chair: Brian Staples
  
• Vice Chair: Lisa McConnell
  
• Secretary: Cathy Whiteside
  
• Treasure: Erika Somm
  

 
Talon Private Capital principals provided a presentation on the new Kirkland Parkplace
 Talon Private Capital has partnered with Prudential to redevelop Kirkland’s Parkplace. Talon has replaced Touchstone in the partnership with Prudential and is working on a plan for redeveloping Kirkland Parkplace. It will be smaller than what Touchstone had proposed several years ago. Hear what plans Talon has for the property.

• City Council is taking comments on 2/17
  
• QFC will remain operational the entire time
  
• There will be two underground parking areas 2 levels for retail and 2 levels for office space
  
• 650K sq ft will be office, 225K sq ft will be retail, and 300K sq ft will be multi-residential. This is an increase in residential with 10% affordable housing (1 & 2 bedroom studios for rent), up to 300 units
  
• 75K sq ft open space and 50K sq ft sidewalks, this includes a public plaza, QFC is 45-50K sq ft, currently ~25K sq ft.
  
• Health Club included
  
• 35K sq ft is movie theatre with 10 screens
  
• Looking to open up Central Way to pedestrian traffic and integrate egress to park
  
• There will be 4 office buildings
  
• Above the new QFC will be multi-family
  
• QFC will have 200+ stalls with 1/3 outside and the remainder in the underground garage
  
• Above the movie theatre will be office
  
• There is no height variance for this project
  
• This project has 40% less impact on traffic as Touchstone project
  
• Most likely new light at Central Way and 5th ST.
  
• Next step design review with construction starting Q1 2016
  
• Expecting to develop in Phases, with a phase lasting 2 years
  

If you would like more information you can contact Bill Leedom @ leedom@talonprivate.com
 
For more information on the Parkplace Development:
http://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/279372412.html 
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2014/03/05/talon-private-capital-working-on-1.html?page=all 
http://425business.com/local-real-estate-investment-firm-revitalize-kirkland-parkplace-project/ 
 
Update on the Aquatics Recreation Community Center
 Linda Murphy and Jennifer Schroder from the Kirkland Parks and Community Service Department gave an update on the Aquatics Recreation Center. The City of Kirkland is committed to meeting the recreation needs of it community, including the need to provide aquatic programs for recreational and competitive swimming.  

• The plan is try to get the following into the ARC
•  Community Room/Banquet Room, 1 or 2 Gyms, jogging track, kid area, 2 pools (1 lap pool, 1 leisure pool), deep diving and program space
• Originally up against the deadline of the bond passing, 6 sites were reviewed that were owned by the city. Out of those two site are still being considered; area across from Juanita Beach and the NKCC. The NKCC has two possible configurations.
• The city has put together a virtual open house for these two options. One key goal is to identify the community’s preference to locate the facility on city-owned or privately-owned property.  Comprehensive background information and a brief questionnaire are available at the Kirkland ARC Center “Virtual Open House,” http://kirklandarc.publicmeeting.info/.
• For more information about the Aquatics Center http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/parks/Park_Planning/Park_Planning___Development/Aquatic_Center_Partnership_Project.htm

 
Officer Thune

• Officer Thune stopped to provide an update on our neighborhood. Crime is slow in the winter time, however, there continues to be break-ins to homes and cars. Watch your mailboxes as tax information can be used in identity theft. Remember to keep your doors locked and call the police department for any unusual behavior in your neighborhood.
  

 
Update on Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN) Communication Workshop
 Lisa McConnell and Brian Staples attended a workshop put on by KAN which discussed different communication strategies neighborhoods are using to reach out and engage their residents. There will be a brief discussion on what the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association might use as we move forward - mail chimp? Nextdoor? Constant Contact? If you have a great way for us to engage you and your neighbors, bring it to the meeting, send us some email, leave us a comment on Facebook, or on our website – http://www.houghtonlives.com. 
 
Next meeting is on Wednesday, March 4th at 7pm.
 
Thanks and check out what is going on in the neighborhood at:
On the web at http://www.houghtonlives.com
On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376693919236398/

Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 7:00pm
Houghton Fire Station 22
6602 108th Avenue NE
This month's cookie will be chocolate crinkles

1) Moment of silence for the Superbowl

2) 2015 Officer Elections

3) Talon Private Capital principal Jim Neal will give a brief presentation on the new Kirkland Parkplace
Talon Private Capital has partnered with Prudential to redevelop Kirkland’s Parkplace. Talon has replaced Touchstone in the partnership with Prudential and is working on a plan for redeveloping Kirkland Parkplace. It will be smaller than what Touchstone had proposed several years ago. Hear what plans Talon has for the property.

For more information on the Parkplace Development (or come to the meeting):
http://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/279372412.html 
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2014/03/05/talon-private-capital-working-on-1.html?page=all 
http://425business.com/local-real-estate-investment-firm-revitalize-kirkland-parkplace-project/ 

4) Update on the Aquatics Recreation Community Center
Linda Murphy and Jennifer Schroder from the Kirkland Parks and Community Service Department will give an update on the Aquatics Recreation Center. The City of Kirkland is committed to meeting the recreation needs of its community, including the need to provide aquatic programs for recreational and competitive swimming.  There is a demonstrated need for such a facility and the City’s current efforts are to seek public input on possible sites to locate an aquatics / recreation / community center – The Kirkland ARC. 

For more information about the Aquatics Center:
http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/parks/Park_Planning/Park_Planning___Development/Aquatic_Center_Partnership_Project.htm

5) Update on Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN) Communication Workshop
Lisa McConnell and Brian Staples attended a workshop put on by KAN which discussed different communication strategies neighborhoods are using to reach out and engage their residents. There will be a brief discussion on what the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association might use as we move forward - mail chimp? Nextdoor? Constant Contact? If you have a great way for us to engage you and your neighbors, bring it to the meeting, send us some email, leave us a comment on Facebook, or on our website – http://www.houghtonlives.com. 

6) Another moment of silence for the Superbowl

Thanks and check out what is going on in the neighborhood at:
On the web at http://www.houghtonlives.com
On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376693919236398/