The Environmental Speech

Mark Greene's speech in front of the Newcastle City Council on August 20, 2013


Ladies and Gentlemen,





Mark Greene

With foresight and leadership from this Council, Newcastle has an opportunity to be the vanguard of environmental leadership in Washington, which is why I am proposing the Newcastle Environmental Enhancement Project which would work hand-in-hand with the Public Works Department and the Community Activities Commission in finding new ways for our community to coexist with the planet that will increase our overall human development in a way that would coexist peaceably with the many wonders of the Earth.  This project would be the work of volunteers interested in mapping infrastructure problems and potential environmental hazards on a map of Newcastle, rating them in regards to their negative or potential negative impact on the community, and coming up with solutions to counteract them.  This project, if it gets off the ground, could provide many other services, such as workable contingency plans for natural disasters, proposing ideas about energy, waste and recycling and serving as the environmental watch group for Newcastle.

- Mark Greene

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.

Decisions Punted

City of Newcastle, WA -- Council Meeting of August 20, 2013

The Newcastle City Council unanimously approved a fire and building code ordinance that is pretty much in conjunction with the Bellevue City fire codes since the Bellevue Fire Department provides Newcastle with fire protection through a contractual agreement between the two cities.  The ordinance and the proceedings were more of less pro forma, as there were no big debates, controversies, or public comment during this segment of the meeting, although one of Bellevue's uniformed fire officials did address the Council through a speech and answering their questions.

The only thing that N.P.R. would add about fire codes at the moment is that there needs to be a better system to track violations and a way for the public to have easy or easier knowledge about how particular complaints are handled, if complaints are deemed credible, and what are the outcomes of everything (in other words, what was done to solve a credible complaint and was it actually solved).

The fire code ordinance was about the only thing that wasn't deferred at this meeting as the Council tabled an ordinance to establish, in effect, a Newcastle Historical Commission.  Several of the members of the private Newcastle Historical Society were in attendance as the Council debated whether or not it was a good idea for the city to essentially take over the society and, presumably, whatever historical artifacts are in the society's possession, or otherwise the society's property (allegedly, some Newcastle artifacts are in Renton's historical museum), or in the hands of individual private ownership that may or may not bequeath or give the city items of historical interest in their possession.  The Historical Society appeared heartily in favor of establishing a commission or a board, as one of their officials and voice on the Community Activities Commission, Russ Segner, all but said so in comments to the Council, but that wasn't necessarily an endorsement of vanquishing the Society in its private form, as Segner said the society would continue operating privately even if the ordinance was passed.

Segner implied that an official, working relationship with the city would confer an aura of increased status to the society that would bring longevity, more public interest, and presumed other fruits of being officially tied with the city, not the least among them being money (although that wasn't precisely mentioned or emphasized by Segner, money and how it should be handled was kind of the elephant in the room).  However, one dissenter who spoke from the public podium, whose name N.P.R. lost track of, didn't believe that the added attraction of presumed financial stability was likely to be the result of a city-run society (or commission), and in fact quite the contrary, as he said, in so many words, that grants are or would be frowned upon to city-run historical societies, a.k.a. artistic endeavors (tell that to the billion dollar plus city-run Detroit Institute of Arts that doesn't seem to have a problem getting grants, apparently so much so that Detroit's unelected, capitol-appointed viceroy unashamedly wants to use its assets as leverage in that city's debt crisis).  There was some muttering in the audience that pointedly disagreed with the dissenter's point about grants.  The Council seems prepared to take over the society, but they deferred action until they can potentially work out the details in a study session.  Mayor Rich Crispo didn't seem pleased about letting this pass without a vote, as he's the architect of this ordinance, which came under mounting criticism from Erxleben and Co., but he (Erxleben) and others appear to just want to put their imprimatur on it, rather than outright kill it.

Then there's the marijuana business opportunity or problem -- depending on your point of view -- as a result of the passage of legalization last year.  N.P.R. had to leave before the discussion about how it would be implemented or stiff-armed in Newcastle, but this became yet another issue that was punted, according to a source, although, going by past statements and rumors, this Council seems to be pretty old school on drugs and will probably make it as difficult as possible for any potential pot entrepreneurs in this town.  This particular agenda item was entitled "Discussion of Potential Marijuana Moratorium," after all.

Regarding the proposed street name change of 88th Street to May Creek Park Drive, you guessed it, that was also deferred, according to our source.

[revised on 8/24/13]

Soon to come on Northern Pacific Report:  Council Candidate Mark Greene's speech at the August 20th Newcastle City Council Meeting that proposed a Newcastle Environmental Enhancement Project (the full text of this speech will be published tomorrow or over the weekend).

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.

Olympus or Bust

City of Newcastle, WA -- Council Meeting of July 30, 2013 

The Newcastle City Council was in session for a rare daytime meeting as councilmembers passed a major infrastructure project and a plat plan for Laurel Ridge.

The Council, by a 5 - 1 vote (Mayor Rich Crispo dissenting), passed a pavement overlay and rehabilitation plan -- in other words, improving and fixing city roads -- for a cost of about 1.7 million dollars, including Schedule C (roads around the Olympus neighborhood) which they decided to add this year, by a 4 - 2 vote (Crispo and Carol Simpson dissenting), instead of delaying until 2014.  Simpson warned that doing too much in one summer could heavily block transportation in parts of the city, particularly during the school season, but the majority wasn't buying her argument.  Going by past statements in previous meetings, Mayor Crispo's views about road fixtures seems to be on the budget cautionary side more than his Council brethren, as he has implied that the continual anxiety or hand-wringing about roads in Newcastle is a bit overdone.  A sentiment that Councilwoman Simpson shares, but apparently not as much as the Mayor given her affirmative vote for the overall plan. 

The plat plan for Laurel Ridge was approved by a 5 - 1 vote (Carol Simpson dissenting).

Deputy Mayor Lisa Jensen was not present for this session of Council, and thus the six-person instead of the usual seven-person votes.

[revised on 8/2/13]

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.

Greene's Community Service

Mark Greene is hoping to peel off at least one or two endorsements from Newcastle City Councilmembers.  If you are one of those Newcastle City Councilmembers who support Mark, and happen to be reading Northern Pacific Report, please, contact Mark through e-mail or phone as soon as possible (Mark must turn in his voters' pamphlet statement, soon, and would like your endorsement on it).  Thank you!

Mark Greene's community service through Democracy in Election Process (helping citizens with voter registration, civic affairs and legal matters) and listening to the political concerns of Newcastlers should be of some benefit in this election for City Council, Position No. 6., between Greene and John Drescher.  The ballots will be mailed out in mid-October, your vote will be much appreciated.  Thank you!

[revised on 7/24/13]

Note: the previous post has been updated and revised on 7/25/2013.

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.

Council Meetings Should Be at City Hall If At All Possible

Council meetings should be held at the regularly scheduled time and place if at all possible (by the way, the public school auditorium in Newcastle where some town hall meetings by various public officials are held is much closer to a bus line than the golf club if more space is needed to accomodate a larger audience).   Next Tuesday, July 16th, is the same date that a regular Council Meeting would ordinarily be held at City Hall, but the only apparent reason that it is being called "special" that same day is due to its irregular location and time, not accessible by mass transit.  Public meetings, without at least some unusual or unforeseen circumstances in mind, should be available to the greatest possible audience.

[revised on 7/25/13]

Working on Energy Project

Council Candidate Mark Greene stayed home yesterday from his usual outings to City Council meetings to work on his local energy proposals that he intends to make sometime this summer in front of the Council.  This included reading and writing down ideas for his upcoming speech. 

Several days ago, the issue about lawn signs noted in a previous post ("Council Approves Funds For a Full-Time Detective") was resolved as the City Manager helped by looking into it.

[updated on 7/5/13]

Bellevue Impedes Pedestrians' and Bicyclists' Right-of-Way

Who knows when a motorist must suddenly and unexpectedly become a pedestrian?  Such as when the vehicle just doesn't run for any number of reasons, like engine problems or a flat tire.  However, if a motorist must become a pedestrian on Coal Creek Parkway near the Coal Creek Culvert Replacement Project, that prospect just became considerably more risky, if risky at all before, as of July 1, 2013, if not a day or a few days earlier than that, due to a seemingly arbitrary decision by the work management there to pull in concrete slabs so close to the fence -- on the officially closed walkway (sidewalk) side -- that it is virtually impossible to walk through. So what would a person trying to navigate that area do besides walk in the street, which is dangerous, or try to walk on top of the slabs (can't figure out which one is more dangerous, but both sound like risky prospects)?  Not long before or on July 1, there was enough space between the slabs and the fence for a person to safely walk through, but that is no longer the case.  To officially close off a relatively short portion of the street to pedestrians at all (and it appears to cut off bicyclists, too) seems arbitrary in and of itself, considering the logistics of the project and that no motor vehicle of any size is similarly impacted, but that's really a side argument to the point that somebody may need to use an officially closed walkway in an emergency situation.  There should a very good reason why that should be hazardous, but there doesn't appear to be one.

[revised on 7/13/2013]