Any loss of millions of dollars worth of irreplaceable public property (“rented” for $1 per year) to a private developer, is very a serious business. No matter how noble the espoused motive may sound on the surface, such a significant uncompensated transfer of public assets should require the informed consent of those citizens whose property is to be taken from them. We are not exchanging this public property for another public facility, like the existing community center, or the Mercerdale Thrift Shop, which we own and operate entirely in the public interest, with absolute public oversight.

In the case of Mercerdale Park, the custodians of our public trust seem intent upon permanently surrendering their control of prime public property to private interests and hoping for the best.

George Lewandowski

Mercer Island