Big upset over last-minute council meeting in Woodinville

factoid said on November 25, 2009 at 8:29 PM

It sure seems, most if not all politicians are a bunch of scoundrels. You folks in Woodinville should be very worried. What other underhanded things are they going to try to pull without you knowing.

mrdisaster said on November 25, 2009 at 9:37 PM

I hope the King5 follow up on this story. Small town politics are usually quite boring, but this adds a lot of intrigue... I wonder what is happening behind closed doors and how much this move might cost the taxpayers of Woodinville?

monkeywoman said on November 25, 2009 at 9:51 PM

This infuriates me. I have lived in Woodinville for 32 years and have been involved in baseball and softball since it began in this town. How can they possibly justify this? I'll be d@mned if I'm going to pay for my kids to play ball when there is no place for them to play. Sheer greed.

dfr5000 said on November 25, 2009 at 10:02 PM

two words - recall vote

tamster said on November 25, 2009 at 11:06 PM

I was at this meeting, and I'm thoroughly disgusted. I've lived in Woodinville for 20 years, and have never seen anything like it. This isn't politics. These council members are dishonest, greedy people with an agenda. My kids grew up driving to other cities to play sports because Woodinville failed to support them with proper fields. Now, these council members are holding shameful special meetings with no notice to the public, to stop a project that is underbudget and boasts $2 million in donated funds. They're willing to give it all up. for no reasonable reason. Our Woodinville kids will have to continue driving to other cities, while Woodinville will be paying significant penalties to break a contract. These council members were dishonest when they were running for office, and they have now proving to be dishonest while in office. I'm not sure what the city rules are for a recall, but this action is worthy of one.

letsbehonest said on November 25, 2009 at 11:55 PM

Basic King article is extremely biased and is almost written as if they were never at the meeting - and yet they were. Almost NONE of it is true. I was there and can't understand how anyone could come to the conclusions reached. They DID NOT vote to stop the project - where did that come from? The council member were expressing an HONEST view that had been suppressed for YEARS by prior council members. Those are the ones that need to be flogged! That includes the remarks made by Aspen.

factoid said on November 26, 2009 at 11:04 AM

Hey 'tamster' who ever said Government works in your best interest? Despite what 'letsbehonest' said, this whole situation has the smell of underhanded tactics. Why schedule an emergency meeting on the evening before Thanksgiving, looks like they did not want a lot of folks attending. I really do hope KING5 does a follow up, keep the heat on, let these bureaucrats know people are watching. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

tamster said on November 26, 2009 at 12:19 PM

letsbehonest - when I said that it wasn't politics, I meant that these people aren't doing the business of their constituents. They clearly have their own personal agendas- I'm just not sure what it is. They should be thrown out of office for the farce of a meeting that occurred on the eve of Thanksgiving. Factoid - you are off your rocker. The council members repeatedly stated that they were only there to swear in the Deputy Mayor, out of concern for the city's safety. We couldn't possibly get on for a week without one. Surely the $2K/hr. for the special meeting was in the best interests of the city. However, despite being asked to adjourn the meeting after swearing in the Deputy Mayor, they proceeded to discuss the fields issue. Both honesty and credibility is missing when it comes to Mr. Glickman, Mr. Stecker, Mr. Price, and Ms. Boundy-Saunders. Shameful!!!

hmmmm said on November 26, 2009 at 1:45 PM

I say ditch the field!!!!! I remember being thrown off that field when I was a kid because we didn't have a permit to play baseball there. So basically no one in the city will be able to use that field, unless your registered in little league. Bullsh*t if you ask me... and then they wonder why kids go out and do drugs instead. No permit needed there...

wdvl_taxpayer said on November 26, 2009 at 2:09 PM

A blog descibed in Woodinville-blog.com was cited by members of audience as source of misinformation that brought angry mob to city hall last night. People need to become more informed and not allow people like Joe to make stuff up. The council did not vote to stop the playfield nor was that on the agenda. It's too bad that news crews did not interview the council members that took time from their schedules to conduct necessary business instead of Liz Aspen who failed to show up at the meeting and who had no input except speculative, politically driven dribble. I applaud the new council for following up on their overwhelming elected mandate to do what has been cloaked in secrecy for over 7 years.

tamster said on November 26, 2009 at 11:48 PM

taxpayer - what council member are you? Glickman? Stecker? Boundy - Saunders? Price? There is absolutely no way that you could have been a reasonable observer at the meeting without coming away knowing that those 4 members are trying to kill the fields for their own dishonest agendas. Glickman and Stecker were especially shameful in their actions and dishonest claims. They forced an emergency meeting,when there was no emegency, with very limited notice, on the eve of Thanksgiving, hoping that no one would attend. There is nothing remotely honest in their actions, and there was little honesty in their words at the meeting. I too am a wvle taxpayer, and I'm appalled that they would spend $2K/hour for a "special meeting" that had no special reason to be held. They should each be held responsible for paying for the meeting.

wdvl_taxpayer said on November 27, 2009 at 4:06 PM

Tamster - In 2005, 2006, and 2007 there were council motions to put the fields projects to the voters for an advisory vote. The four park supporting council members refused. In 2008 there was a motion to discuss the project before adding to the CIP it was squashed by the same 4:3 vote. In 2009 a motion was made to discuss the field project before going to bid and guess what? That was squashed by the same 4:3. In August 2009 a motion was made to discuss the fields project deliverables prior to letting a contract and that was squashed 4:3. In November the council members responsible for the vote either withdrew from the election or faced smashing victories by candidates backed by voters tired of the charades played against the taxpayers. Every seat won in November was against the group supporting the turf field project--typically with wide 60 percentage margins. Now tell me if an overwhelming majority of voters in Woodinville want a multi-million dollar park enhancement project.

wdvl_taxpayer said on November 27, 2009 at 4:18 PM

Tamster - Woodinville taxpayers handed defeat to park supporting candidates this year because they are tired of the council not listening to their demands to focus more energy on crime fighting, overlaying roads, and planning more recreational facilities throughout Woodinville (instead of guilding existing one park). If there is a call for council accountability lets go back to Leonard, Hageman, Brocha, Aspen, and Vogt for not allowing a discussion to occur prior to Wednesday, for spending millions of dollars without due diligence, and for allowing the infrastructure of Woodinville's services to slide to bottom of King County city stats. Don't listen to the talking points of the site referred to in Woodinville-blog.com , do your own research as 65% of the voters did in the last election. I expect a lot more damage repairs to be performed by this new council.

soccer_parent said on November 27, 2009 at 5:23 PM

I attended the meeting on Wednesday and have to say that I am more ashamed at the mob mentality that some parents displayed. The 12th player raucousness was totally embarrassing. I wanted to ask the council to pause and not stop the project until answers to some very serious health allegations may be addressed. Unfortunately, the crowd was very intimidating and I felt threatened that such an address to my elected council would result in some negative retribution. If there are any council members reading this please look at the issues at the site of http://www.parentsforsafesportsfields.com/index.html and work to propose a safer infill material. Also if there are any readers of the site that wdvl_taxpayer mentions, I agree, stay away. I have posted questions and opinions contrary to the current field project only to have them invisible to other moms I talk to. That blog is whipping up a political fight. I just want safe fields for my son. King 5 please get the whole story.

tamster said on November 27, 2009 at 7:18 PM

taxpayer - I have done my own research. No need for a blog. You are mis-representing this whole process. This fields project has been going through a public process for 6 years, and finally was approved by elected council members. You are right that in the recent election, anti fields council members were elected. However, one doesn't have to look very far to see the dishonesty in the election. If the "ticket" wanted to be honest, they would have run on a ticket called "citizens against turf fields", instead of the very misleading "citizens for safe fields". Aditionally, they would have been honest in pointing out their real reasons for sabatoging the fields. The letter sent out to voters by the "ticket" was filled with shamefully dishonest claims at the last minute, leaving no time to dispute them. If I hadn't done my own research, I may also have believed their propaganda. This surprise last minute meeting was yet another dishonest attempt to sabatoge the whole process.

tamster said on November 27, 2009 at 7:36 PM

soccer_parent - I too attended the meeting. Admittedly, the crowd was overwhelmingly pro fields, but I would hardly call it mob mentality. I would suggest that the tempers were heightened by the disgusting behavior of the 4 council members, most notably Stecker and Glickman. No one wanted to be there the night before Thanksgiving, and most were resentful that they weren't spending that holiday time with their families. It was obvious that the meeting was called with the hopes that no one would find out about it, and they would be able to quietly sneak their agenda through. It was laughable when Glickman repeatedly claimed that the only real reason for the meeting was to swear in Boundy-Saunders. Obviously, the crowd was upset at the blatent lies. The final straw was when Stecker (who is famous for being disrespectful) lectured the crowd for clapping. The whole event was destined to be what it was because of the way the 4 council members behaved, not because of those in attenance.

tamster said on November 27, 2009 at 7:56 PM

soccer parent - while I dispute the "mob mentality" description, I agree that the majority of the crowd were pro fields. I also suggest that the behavior of the crowd was caused by the un-ethical and dishonest behavior of the 4 council members. Those in attendance were already upset by the need to leave their families on a holiday to attend a "special" meeting called at the last minute. It was an obvious attempt to sneak this through without people finding out about it. Glickman's repeated claims that the meeting was necessary to swear in Boundy-Saunders (because the city can't go 5 days without a deputy mayor) to the tune of $2K/hour couldn't withstand the laugh test. Stecker (famous for his lack of respect for others) further whipped up the crowd when he lectured them to "stop clapping". This all could have been avoided if Glickman, Stecker, Price, and Boundy-Saunders would have conducted themselves in a honorable manner.

tamster said on November 27, 2009 at 8:44 PM

taxpayer - I don't need a blog, I've done my own research. This fields project has been in the works for 6 years with countless public meetings. Only at the eleventh hour was safety ever mentioned, and the facts sited were very misleading if not downright lies. Not one shred of accurate evidence was used. The project was finally approved by thoughtful elected officials. If the newly elected members were really honest, they would have run as "citizens against fields" instead of "Citizens for safe fields". If they wanted to be treated with respect, then they should have respected the citizens fo Woodinville. Glickman shouldn't have repeatedly lied during the meeting about the reason for the "special" meeting. Stecker (famous for being disrespectful of others) shouldn't have lectured the crowd for clapping. These council members called an arguably illegal meeting at a time they hoped no one would find out about, or attend. Shameful!

wdvl_taxpayer said on November 27, 2009 at 11:50 PM

Tamster - By replacing Roskind with a politically favorable ally, the old council proceeded to strongarm this project with no real discussion. Go back and watch or read the council minutes and you will know that I am speaking the truth. Since 2007 the council that is being replaced marched very quickly to approve the park expenditure even when confronted with declining tax revenues that put other much needed infrastructure projects on hold. Now Woodinville will have a great expensive park with $1M deficit in operations (CEC and park combined) and no opportunity in the near future to provide police protection, safe roadways or other new parks. Do you think that this is wise? Perhaps you don't care that Woodinville is falling apart because you have a one track mindset to have this park. Enjoy it while your home is burglarized, your loved ones get maimed on the streets, and your taxes go skyward. Please get your head out of the sand, er 70,000 tires dumped downtown!

wdvl_taxpayer said on November 28, 2009 at 12:14 AM

soccer parent - You are right in calling the scene of parents at Wednesday's meeting a loud, threatening mob. One council member was quoted after the meeting as saying 85% of the mob did not reside in Woodinville so given that fact maybe you can understand that this was a group that had no skin in the game other than a propensity to cry out loud that something they did not pay for was perhaps being taken away. Woodinville Council serves its stakeholders first and does not have the luxury of giving away regional presents when faced with maintaining solvency and safety to those in its jurisdiction. I question the ability of many in the crowd being able to balance their checkbooks let alone understand the complexities of city financing and safety obligations. Please write your concerns to the council because you are not in the minority especially after witnessing the super-majority suppport of the new council members over embedded politicians. Your voice should be heard.

letsbehonest said on November 28, 2009 at 1:28 PM

Once you get a mob mentality, it's almost impossible to talk sense into them. That's all it was, a mob who DID NOT LISTEN and had their mind made up that everything they were told was true. Tamser says "taxpayer - I don't need a blog, I've done my own research. This fields project has been in the works for 6 years with countless public meetings." That's like "I don't need no stinking facts that contradict what I believe". It's been in the works alright, but hardly visible to the public. The original $6.5 million cost plus the over millions spent on land (cleverly - well not really - hidden as "other stuff") would have disgusted anyone that knew. ALL my neighbors could not believe the amount of money being spent for a regional field. Hardly any WOODINVILLE users. It was never ever revealed that they took money that could have been spent on improving OTHER infrastructure and deliberately made it so it could only go to parks - by ordinance. Why was that never revealed?

dothemath said on November 29, 2009 at 4:03 PM

Letsbehonest BE HONEST!!! The Blog didn’t get people to attend the meeting, the soccer and Little League reps. are the ones who sent mass emails to rally their parents. The man who spoke on camera saw the open meeting announcement and sounded the alarm not only to the sports community but to the media as well. You give the Blog way too much credit and the people in that meeting far too little. Chuck Price and Boundy-Sanders were interviewed as well, which is 2-1 for YOUR side.

wdvl_taxpayer said on November 29, 2009 at 7:01 PM

Four officers slain in Pierce County. If we don't have enough funding in our town for our poiice what can we expect? Safety of citizens is more important than a stinking park that has always been a park don't you think?

letsbehonest said on November 30, 2009 at 11:23 PM

dothemath, you need to accurately READ as well as LISTEN. I did not mention anything about the blog (except to quote tamster - trust me read it again - SEE!). It's true that blog is devastated by the MAJORITY victory over their deceptive choices and is behaving badly as always. Very typical comment which (as always) missed the point. Interestingly, dothemath, you have pointed out an interesting FACT. It's not the taxpayers of Woodinville that showed up, but the soccer and little league parents. Do the math, it never was a Woodinville taxpayer desired project, but the project of SPECIAL INTERESTS pushed by Don Brocha, Liz Aspen and Bob Vogt (and prior council members). Just as I said above. Thank you for verifying the facts as I have explained them. Maybe NOW we can act to spend money where it's always been needed, safety of the citizens.

dothemath said on December 2, 2009 at 5:47 PM

I didn't confirm anything, because all I did was REPEAT what I overheard from an official. .Minds are like parachutes, they work best when open, which is why I went to the City Council meeting. I had no opinion on the fields other than I didn't want my taxes raised, so I went to see for myself what was upsetting my neighbors (INSIDE the City Limits, btw), You have no idea who I am. If you did, you would know that the FIRST TIME I went to the Blog was when I posted about what I heard in the parking lot. That kind of arrogance on the part of people I voted for makes me ill. The cavalier way they treated the public coupled with the charade of nonsense posed as an emergency made me sorry I'd supported the Ticket. If Woodinville was to be on the hook for millions to pay for contracts we cancelled, I felt I needed to undo the damage I caused by casting my votes for people who serve some murky agenda rather than us, which is why I went to the Blog. Keep your uniformed insults to yourself!

letsbehonest said on December 3, 2009 at 5:39 PM

Well, that's even MORE interesting. You went to the heavily censored blog and believed what they wrote. That would be hilarious, except that it's sad that you believed what you read there. If you ANY opinion from that, forget it If you cared for being "on the hook" for millions of dollars, where were you went they voted to spend millions on the sport fields? Ignore the rhetoric about not raising taxes. The money collected is money that could have been spent more wisely and now YOUR tax dollars are going to make up for that poor decision years ago (when you knew nothing and trusted your council). How about that! The murky agenda is that old council, not the new one. Your parachute is closed when you come to that conclusion. Btw, the public was a MOB behaving badly and I would have kicked them out - per RCW. I only know what you post and so far it is self-destructive vs my verifiable facts.

dothemath said on December 9, 2009 at 5:45 PM

letsbehonest, AL! You view things through a cracked prism!

wdvl_taxpayer said on December 29, 2009 at 10:53 PM

Dothemath, I don't understand the reference to the American League. What you profess; however, does not reflect the viewpoint of a super majority of your neighbors who voted in November. If you are unsure of your view then I suggest talking to your neighbors to the left, right and behind you as I am sure that at least two of them can help reset your compass bearing.