Author: Scott Morris

Fire Chief Nalder addresses closure of Fire Station 24

Posted by | Jan 17, 2012 | |

The following is a response that Kirkland Fire Chief Kevin Nalder sent to FHNA yesterday afternoon, in response to our letter raising questions about the closure of fire station 24. A copy of the FHNA letter accompanies an earlier post on this website. ************************************ Good afternoon Mr. Morris, I truly appreciate receiving your letter, dated January 13, 2012, voicing the concerns of the Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance (FHNA) regarding the elimination of the limited emergency medical response by the Reserve program out of fire station #24. Your proactive approach of sharing these concerns and addressing them prior to the public meeting on January 18th will facilitate focusing on hearing the concerns of the community regarding the siting of the Finn Hill fire station. I also want to thank the FHNA leadership team of Ted Marx, Jeff Hoerth, Jon Pascsal and yourself for taking the time out of your busy schedules to meet with me and discuss fire and emergency medical service to the residents of Finn Hill and the transition of the Reserve program to Fire Corps. I want to assure you that I have also shared your concerns with the City Manager, and we are listening. In this response I would like to confirm the information provided in your letter, elaborate on some of the information provided in your letter, clarify some misinformation that you have heard from other sources and inform you of a new possibility. Service to the community from fire station 24 prior to January 1, 2012 was limited to emergency...

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Community meeting on January 18 to consider new Finn Hill fire station plans

Posted by | Jan 14, 2012 | , , |

On Wednesday, January 18, Kirkland will host a community forum in the Finn Hill Junior High Cafeteria at 7pm to review the process for siting a new fire station on Finn Hill. Fire Chief Kevin Nalder, City Manager Kurt Triplett, and the City’s architectural and design consultant will present information on the need for a new station, the criteria for selecting the site of a new station, and the public review process for evaluating potential locations. For more information on the meeting , see the City’s web page regarding the new Finn Hill station: http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Fire_and_Building/Fire___Medical_Services/Proposed_Finn_Hill_Fire_Station.htm. Locating a station in Big Finn Hill Park, a proposal whichgenerated considerable interest last year, continues to be an option, so we urge you to attend the meeting on January 18 and advise City officials of your concerns and preferences. The focus of the meeting will be on alternatives for a new station, but City officials will also address the status of Fire Station...

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FHNA raises questions concerning closure of Fire Station 24

Posted by | Jan 14, 2012 | |

  FHNA has sent a letter to Kirkland Fire Chief Kevin Nalder ; it asks the City to answer several questions concerning the closure of Fire Station 24 on 84th Avenue and 141st Street. (Click here to see FHNA’s letter: FHNA letter re Fire Station 24 (Jan 13, 2012, signed) The City announced on December 29th that Fire Station 24 would close at the beginning of the year and that the fire fighter reserves, who staffed the station in the evenings, would transition to the Fire Corps, a volunteer program focused on preventing fires and medical emergencies through community education. (The City’s December 29 press release is here: http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Fire_and_Building/Fire___Medical_Services/Volunteers.htm.) While the reserves at Station 24 were not equipped to respond to fires, they did provide emergency medical aid in conjunction with professional fire fighters from Stations 25 (at Juanita and Holmes Point Drives) and Station 27 (on132nd near the 405 freeway). It appears that in many cases, the reserves at Station 24 were able to respond to emergency calls in the evening on Finn Hill more quickly than personnel from other stations. The FHNA letter asks that the City explain the decision to close Station 24 and to discontinue the reserves program, and to explain why reserves shouldn’t continue to staff the station on a part-time basis pending the construction of a new station for Finn Hill. Fire Chief Nalder...

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Important Finn Hill Neighborhood Organizational Meeting on November 30 — Vote on Amendments to DCNA Bylaws and Elect Additional Directors

Posted by | Nov 28, 2011 | , , , , |

DCNA members and Finn Hill residents are urged to attend the following important meeting: When:                  Wednesday, November 30, 7pm-8:30pm Where:                Finn Hill Junior High School Cafeteria (east of the gymnasium), 8040 NE 132nd Street (near corner of 84th Avenue NE) What: Vote on amendments to Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance bylaws and name change to Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance (FHNA) Vote to accept FHNA as Kirkland’s official neighborhood association Election of 5 additional members to the board of directors Following Finn Hill’s annexation by Kirkland in June, you have probably seen multiple emails or newspaper articles about efforts to shape an organization that the City will recognize as Finn Hill’s neighborhood association.  After long consideration, the board of directors of the Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance (DCNA) and many Finn Hill residents have proposed that DCNA should represent the whole of Finn Hill, amend its name and bylaws, and serve as the Finn Hill association. At the November 30th meeting, DCNA members will decide whether DCNA should take this step, and Finn Hill residents will decide whether DCNA should indeed be accepted as Finn Hill’s neighborhood association. This represents an important change for DCNA. The amended bylaws change the organization’s name to the Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance, but retain DCNA’s focus on protecting, preserving, and restoring the environment, while adding a role in addressing civic issues facing the neighborhood. The...

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Finn Hill new district lines – Nov 1 is final opportunity to comment

Posted by | Oct 31, 2011 | , |

As you may know, a committee was appointed earlier this year to redraw King County Council district lines in order to accommodate population growth in the County (mostly on the Eastside) and to ensure that districts encompass roughly equivalent numbers of residents (about 215,000 per district). A series of public hearings was held over the summer. You can view the proposed redistricting map here: http://your.kingcounty.gov/districting/plans/20111127/DistrictingMastersPlan-map-20111027.jpg Last Thursday, the Districting Master submitted his redistricting plan to the committee. It recommends that Finn Hill be moved out of District 6 (which includes Kirkland, Bellevue and Mercer Island) and into District 1 (which includes Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest, Shorewood, North Seattle and a portion of Woodinville). See attached map. Currently, Jane Hague represents District 6; she is running for re-election against challenger Richard Mitchell. Bob Ferguson, who is not up for re-election this year, represents District 1. The public’s last opportunity to comment on the redistricting proposal is at a committee meeting tomorrow night, November 1, at 6:30pm, in the King County Council chambers. You can also comment online via the committee’s website at http://www.kingcounty.gov/operations/districting/testimony.aspx. Comments are due by tomorrow, November 1. Here is information on tomorrow’s meeting: Tuesday, November 1 – Public Hearing 6:30-8:30 p.m. King County Courthouse Council Chambers, 10th Floor 516 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 I. Call to Order II. The King County Council redistricting process III. Overview of...

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