April 20 proclaimed as ‘talk with your kids about not using marijuana day’
Mayor Bruce Bassett, with Gov. Jay Inslee and the state of Washington, proclaimed April 20 as “talk with your kids about not using marijuana day” in Mercer Island.
“Marijuana is the most commonly used drug by youth in Washington state who seek treatment for substance use, yet is illegal for those under 21,” Bassett said in the proclamation at the April 4 council meeting.
April 20 (420) is known in cannabis culture as national weed day, with some media coverage of this day suggesting that marijuana use is the norm and is not harmful, he said, though most Washington state youth do not use marijuana.
The city’s Youth and Family Services department, with its Communities that Care coalition, focuses on enforcing positive norms to reduce the harmful effects of underage drinking and other drug use among Mercer Island youth.
Research indicates that youth who begin using early and who use heavily are four times more likely than adults to become addicted, and youth who use marijuana are more likely to experience academic failure because marijuana interferes with attention. It also impairs driving.
“I urge all parents and guardians to join me in this important observance by having a frank family conversation about marijuana on 420 using straightforward, factual information from websites such as www.starttalkingnow.org or www.learnaboutmarijuanaWA.org as their guide,” Bassett said.
Council discusses citizen survey, construction code updates
The Mercer Island City Council discussed the 2016 biennial citizen survey results, the Madrona Crest West project and the 2015 construction code updates at its April 18 meeting.
This year’s questions “focused mostly on special issues,” said Dominick Martin of EMC Research, which conducted the survey. Topics included a potential levy lid lift, which had 59 percent support in the community, concern around neighborhood growth and development, fireworks and dog leash requirements. Though questions about Town Center were asked in the 2014 survey, they were left off this year.
For more, see the the council’s agenda bill.
The council also decided to delay awarding the bid for the Madrona Crest West project (which is a combination of four projects in the neighborhood, including water system improvements and Safe Routes to School) until its next meeting. The project budget is $2,009,153. The council also voted 6-0 to adopt the 2015 construction codes. Mayor Bruce Bassett was absent.
No new dock at Groveland, for now
At its April 4 meeting, the City Council discussed two upcoming projects in Mercer Island’s six-year capital improvement plan (CIP): the Island Crest Park field improvement and Groveland Beach renovation projects.
Not able to fund both, the council voted 5-1 to repair, not replace, the large dock at Groveland and remove the small dock. The city can still replace the dock within the next 10 to 15 years, or re-scope the project.
“The high cost of improvements at this location and the need for capital funding elsewhere makes this the best choice,” according to the council agenda bill.
The council decided to hold off on a decision on an Island Crest park project that would install turf on the south field and fund new ballfield lights, for a cost of close to $2 million. A CIP preview is preliminarily scheduled for the council’s June 20 meeting.
Comment on six-year transportation program update through April 30
Mercer Island and other cities in Washington state are preparing annual updates to their six-year transportation improvement program, known as a “TIP.”
The TIP includes roadway, pedestrian, and bicycle projects planned for the six-year period beginning in 2017. The process of updating Mercer Island’s TIP includes opportunities for the public to provide input: a public comment is underway until April 30.
Those who are interested in learning more about the TIP, viewing the TIP adopted by the City Council in 2015, or submitting an online comment for consideration in the 2017-2022 TIP, can visit the city’s TIP web page.
