The June 22, 2015 meeting of Kirkland Rotary Club was called to order by President Elect Rich Bergdahl, standing in for President John Pruitt missing his penultimate and pre-transition meeting at 6:30PM thanking Megan Nakanishi for being greeter, Rick Walter for running the front desk and yours truly for being the scribe for the night.  Harry Wagoner led us in the pledge.  Our guests tonight were Sally Otten of the Kirkland Parks Foundation, Athini and Froni  Mangoras of Georges Restaurant, and Scott East (Bellevue Rotarian). Our inspirational moment were several reports from members attending or watching the US Open in Tacoma.  Comments on the appearance of the site were mixed but a good time was had by all.

Announcements:

Chief Eric Olson  reminded us of the club golf tournament on July 27th with only slots for four foursomes left. Scott Becker gave a Duck dash update with a request for signups and team lists on each table.  Team leader Bill Woods announced his regret that he was opposed by team leader Megan Nakanishi, his very own granddaughter.  Dr. Bob Webb made a pitch for sales efforts to raise money for Rotary projects, good fellowship and to promote the club’s good reputation in the community.  Joanne Primavera gave a Shelter Box update. Sally Otten, guest and short program speaker  (or announcer)gave a report for the Kirkland Parks Foundation joint community project commitments with the City of Kirkland ($50,000) Rotary Club of Kirkland ($50,000)and Kirkland parks Foundation ($25,000 and almost there) for completing the $125,000 Waverly Park Community site.  Next week (7/29) is the annual transition dinner starting at 5:30 for socials followed by a meeting and ending in some mysterious hideaway in the Woodmark.  How late?  No-one would admit.

 

Happy Dollars were varied as they were generous:  Terry Cole (a daughter blessed with a trip to NY with the Seattle Times Pulitzer trip), Rick Ostrander ( enjoyed the golf tourney), Bill Woods (more like a  good natured complaint that he is opposed by Megan as team leader,  than happy), Mike Hunter (week in Maui with grandkids), Don Dicks (his grandson who didn’t seem college bound,  finished his first year at Cascadia Community College), Patti Smith (something about a dog’s head in Costco Magazine), Ernie Norehad (his usual joke), Scott Becker (grateful for well-wishers for his surgery), Scott East (his personal best 6000 foot elevation climb  up some mountain in the area), Scott Rethke (glad Scott Becker really was alive) and yours truly happy you all helped pay for his grandsons first two years of college while still in high school.

 

Our speaker tonight, introduced by Jason Overleese was Kathy Robinson Neighborhood Traffic Control Coordinator for the City of Kirkland. She gave the background of the City’s parking problem of too many cars and not enough spaces solved to some extent by a thorough analysis and creative adaptation.  Examples were announcing that the city lots are available after work hours for free, that parking enforcement is rarely exercised on Sunday,  and opportunities existing for some shared parking,, merchant validation and overflow analysis.  Adjustments are made as to time limits by location,  and future projects yet to be announced.  The general  approach seemed to be study, study, meet and report leading to action.  This was seen at the South Lot of the City, Lake Avenue West and Peter Kirk Park and other areas. Coordinator Robinson, a civil engineer by training, was well informed and stimulated several questions at the end.  For example, would the Park Place redevelopment lead to more spaces but the answer  was uncertain to your scribe.  Bill Woods wanted to know if a  putting a deck over the parking at St. John’s Episcopal church with an escalator down to the shopping areas by  Merrill Gardens might alleviate some parking shortages and Coordinator Robinson said they would look into it.

 

The evening ended with Joker Pool and we had a winner.  The pot was up to $5,000 thanks to selling the last tickets at $5.00 each and a pool effort by Harry Wagoner, Scott Rethke and Megan Nakanishi produced the willing ticket and Megan as representative of the group drew the illusive Joker card out of the three remaining cards for a shared $2500 prize, the rest for Rotary projects.  Congratulations Megan and team and thank you very much Jim Going for bringing us this fun filled adventure.

The meeting ended at 7:40PM.

 

John E. Woodbery

Scribe