For the week of November 5 - 11, 2003

Bellevue Parks
Committee is now
open for business

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"With the growth of parks (in Bellevue) we have a lot of work on the table."

— STEVE FRYE, Parks Committee chairman

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

Officially recognized by the Bellevue City Council, the Bellevue Parks Committee held its first meeting Thursday, Oct. 30, and elected officers. Most of the Bellevue Tree Committee was present and participated in the vote.

Steve Frye was voted chairman. The vice-chairman is Leo Schofield, the treasurer is Shane Harris, and the co-secretaries are Robin Stellars and Diane Shay. The seven-member board also has two voting members, Holly Carter and Patricia Hull.

Approval of the officers will be considered at the next Bellevue City Council meeting Thursday, Nov. 6. The committee is a recommending body focused on issues related to parks in the city. The City Council will have the final say on any proposals.

"With the growth of parks (in Bellevue) we have a lot of work on the table," Frye said. "I am glad the Tree Committee is here (to talk about) how we’re going to work together."

Members of both committees agreed that they should have liaisons that can facilitate between the groups. Emails were exchanged and plans are in the works to coordinate calendars and priorities for each group.

There is a great potential for the two groups to work together, said City Councilman Jon Wilkes. "The Tree Committee has the strength of an ordinance behind it. It empowers the Tree Committee to select and enforce what happens. The Parks Committee is a strong committee to provide suggestions on maintenance, preserve trails and amenities for people from all walks of life."

Wilkes said there is room under the umbrella of serving the public good for both committees.

"When we come together we have twice as many (volunteers) to call from," he said. "Communication is the key. Working together solves it all."

Members of the City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission were present to help guide the new committee in the procedures common to conducting a public forum.

After the officers were elected the by-laws were approved and the new committee discussed several orders of business from its first agenda. The committee had been an ad hoc committee through the summer and had already developed a number of priorities, including a master plan for parks. It plans to address the business of the committee at monthly meetings.

In one of its first orders of business, the committee looked at a grant application for playground equipment for the city park, but decided not to pursue an application at this time since it would be difficult to complete it and get city council approval in time. Another reason they decided not to push the application this year is because the matching funds required by the city would use most of the reserve money allotted to the new committee.

The committee will decide on a regular meeting schedule in the New Year and will consider having twice-monthly meetings during the busier spring and summer months. In November and December the committee will meet at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month in the Bellevue City Hall.

"We look to the committee essentially to be the eyes we need," said City Councilwoman Tammy Schofield. "As council we can’t do it all. We depend on activist groups to help represent us."

 

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