Written by Thank you all for your supportive comments about the Blueberry Haven appeal (see blog from Tuesday below).
In that blog, I mention that I think we need a study to determine conclusively whether Kennydale Creek flows constantly, or is intermittent.
After thinking about it for a couple days, I decided I can do a study for free, or at most one-hundred dollars, depending on the outcome.
Here is my study.
I WILL GIVE $100 CASH TO THE FIRST PERSON THAT CALLS ME IF KENNYDALE CREEK STOPS FLOWING (as long as it has not been artificially damed up).
If it dries up, as has been claimed by some people, give me a call and get $100! My number is 425-271-6913. As an alternative, you can also post to my blog if it dries up, and I’ll drop by, see for myself, and then send you $100. (Be sure you leave me some contact info). This offer will never expire… so keep you eye on the creek this summer, next summer, the summer after that, and the one after that, etc!
For the record, I don’t think I’ll be having to give $100 to anyone.
No Joking Matter . . . .
If you and Councilmember Palmer (along with all of your concerned supporters) are so certain that the studies being used by the City are wrong, then why don’t you propose to have a new study done (or better, have the Kennydale Critical Areas Alliance pay for one) instead of just making a joke about giving $100 “this summer, next summer, the summer after that . . .” That’s the type of inaction that has lead to these problems in the first place.
If it is really a Class 3 Stream, as opposed to a Class 4, then someone needs to supply the City with real, not anecdotal, evidence so future development will properly maintain the area.
As it sits now, it is a Class 4 Stream because that’s what the multiple reports say it is. It reality it could be a coastline for goodness sake, but the recent reports say it’s Class 4, which is what the City uses to make its decisions.
My take on it was that the council committee’s review of the appeal had nothing to do with making a judgment about if it was a 3 or a 4; it had to do with deciding if the City in creating the plat made a mistake in relying on recent studies and not requiring a new study to be done. The Hearing Examiner thought the City made a mistake, but the committee found that the City did not make a mistake. So, all of the extra testimony about it being a Class 3 or Class 4 really does not apply.
As the business axiom goes: Fix the Problem; Not the Blame. If the studies are wrong, then get a new study.
Re: No Joking Matter . . . .
Actually, the reason the Hearing Examiner ruled that the city was in error is because NONE of the reports they were relying on said the creek was a Class IV. Also, just for the record, no one ever claimed it went dry; they did not commit perjury under oath. Read the H.E.’s decision and the transcript if you are going to make comments about what they contain. The original authors of these studies were never contacted for clarification, even though this classification has been disputed for years.
KCAA
I’m not joking
I don’t have the report in front of me, but I am quite certain that under the Hearing Examiner’s findings he wrote that one of the citizens said the creek was intermittent, and “supported no life” or something strange like that.
I was not at the hearing, so I did not hear the testimony first hand…but this is what I read in the report.
I don’t make this stuff up!
Re: I’m not joking
Randy, can city of Renton use the WADOT report as evidence? I copied the CD onto my PC if you need it. Just email me at GC5225 AT comcast DOT net
When will the hearing minute be made public?
King county also do not have the upper (east of I-405) stretch of the creek on their map and that’s something that needs to be corrected.
Re: I’m not joking
I did not intend to imply that you made anything up; you have been fearless in standing up for what is right. The actual testimony from the hearing is included in the H.E.’s report, and shows the would-be developer claiming it doesn’t matter if the creek is perennial because it is “dead” or people can’t see it all the way past their property or because it is just a drainage ditch anyway. They were very careful not to commit perjury by claiming that it went dry. My comments were directed at the other poster who is referring to supposed evidence not contained in the record.
S.R. @ KCAA
This is awesome!
Randy,
Good job! Nothing wrong with having fun while doing your job!
So, what’s the final word on this? Will a study be done?
After talking with a few of the neighbors, it’s my understanding that the stream channel is indeed man-made. Very few people can tell me where the original stream channel is. This is back in the days where people couldn’t care less about environments the the effects of digging a ditch to channel stream water.
Why isn’t the WADOT study done just a few years prior not enough?
As one of the studies points out, before the groundwater was channelized into this creek, the whole wetland acted as the bed of a creek. Braided meandering streams were the more natural features, but they were dredged and straightened long ago to make more agricultural land available. This was, as you observed, not only accepted, but actually encouraged back in those days.
a little bird
You might know somebody already has you beat. To the tune of 100 times your 100 dollar offer. It is not for studying though studying is supposed to be done by developers. It is for correcting wilfull and unreasoning action taken in disregard of facts and circumstances. Something that people want to eliminate at the City.
Re: a little bird
You talk in riddles little bird – perhaps you can clarify? In other, simpler words, Huh What?
Thank you for your commitment to the people of our community and the thruth vs. personal gain.I look forward to meeting you sometime .Thanks again Jake Herron and family of Renton since 78′
Thanks for your friendly comments Mr. Herron. Kind words like yours make my efforts on Council worthwhile 🙂
There is no room for prejudice in leadership
Councilman Corman,
Definition of prejudice: an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
I am hoping you will read this and take several days to think about it before responding, that is if you keep this on your blog at all. Regardless whether its posted or not, if you could put your ego aside, and use your brain and heart I think it might be a positive outcome for you. This is not meant to be a slam, I sincerely hope you can dig down and reflect on your behavior and decide if this is truly the person you want to be. The reason for my concern is not for you, but for the people you have caused health and financial damage to.
Your comments about this stream issue, is not reflective of a person in a leadership role in a councilperson position. It appears your ego has gotten a little out of hand and you need to step back and think of your actions and what kind of person you want to be, perhaps some apologies could help start some healing in this community. It appears you prefer to throw gasoline on the fire, which is not becoming in a leader. From what I have briefly read, you portray yourself as a family man fighting the establishment for the people. Unfortunately in your capacity, as a council person you should not be fighting a problem, you should take an educated pursuit to identify the real problems and work to resolve them. I understand you work at Boeing. Boeing offers many classes on leadership and ethics that you can get paid for, I would suggest you use this resource or review any training you have had in this area.
As a councilman, you have access to records and information in pursuit of determining the truth in this matter. You have the ability to attend meetings on important matters. You have fallen very short on investigating information regarding this stream, failed to attend any meetings regarding the issue and sided with people that have no investment in their properties affected by the decisions made without having one conversation with property owners affected, that too happen to be citizens of Renton. My assumption, which I feel free to use as they have been used by you, is you have the “Randy Corman Fan club” that helps get you elected and have no regard for the other citizens that many voted for you. Its not like a presidential election, all votes count for city councilperson. Most would say what you have done is unforgivable, but I believe you have time to turn yourself and your reputation around.
One of the disparities I see when you are speaking that you live in this area, so why you have not been involved?, that would be because you don’t live in this neighborhood, my understanding is you live in the Highlands . If you did live in the neighborhood, you would realize your alliance with those you have chosen are responsible for many threats, illegal actions against their neighbors as well as public property itself. Something I would like you to think about, just as in your talk about your former college that left, you chose him. Maybe you need to look at your judgment of how you decide your alliances. It could start with an alliance for all citizens and not just your “Randy Corman fan club”.
Continued: There is no room for prejudice in leadership
Renton has grown since you have become a councilperson, I suggest you yourself look at growing to be a leader with ethics to the best of your ability, you can no longer try to sit out of the limelight making unfounded accusations. You now are working with a great group for Mayor and City Council maybe you could observe their behavior and try to step up. If you can’t find it within yourself, possibly looking at stepping down if the job exceeds your abilities. Again this is not a slam, it’s a suggestion for the betterment of the entire community which I believe somewhere inside you, you have that wish.
Here are some of my complaints that I need to express based on your $100 stream study. You were councilman when the CAO was adopted, why do you refuse to follow best available science instead of popular belief? You were a councilman when the Westchester development went in and drained the entire neighborhood into at that time a private easement ditch and your group thinking it was a stream, where was your concern or the concern of your KCAA group? You were a councilman when diesel fuel was dumped in the ditch from the Westchester neighborhood, where was your concern or the concern of your KCAA group? You are aware that there is not street storm drainage for the entire area so it is draining directly into the ditch where people see water on the side of the street, how come you have not addressed this terrible problem for property owners? Why have you been allowing the city utility to charge people in this area for storm water drainage every month on their utility bill when they don’t have storm water drainage and the council has been notified, where were you? Are you going to fix these problems for the abandon Higate surface water drainage retention ponds and stop the Westchester drainage to find out if the stream is a perennial stream? When you research these problems and you find that the hearing examiner approve these drainage systems, are you still going to believe he is without prejudice in his decision to protect himself from past decisions? You have to be able to determine the “headwaters” won’t it be a embarrassing when you find out its from someone washing their car? There are so many drainage problems ignored here and its entirely irresponsible of you to make your comments without any effort in to help all the neighbors, ignorant of what is going on to feed your ego of power or your pocket book for re-election donations or what ever else you are receiving. The city is too big for this kind of irresponsible behavior, and you need to step up or grow up.
Lastly, this bully type attitude is hurting a 86 year old woman, a disabled family and other hard working people. You don’t hear from these people because you have turned a deaf ear to anything that goes against the righteous bullies referred to as your “Randy Corman Fan Club”. I urge you if you don’t have the time to get all the information, grandstanding is an embarrassment. You need to show some gratitude that you have a job at Boeing with all the benefits and retirement and then get to make money on a second job, you should be aware with power comes responsibility for those less fortunate.
Please take this to heart, and we can all live in a better community.
Re: Continued: There is no room for prejudice in leadership
Looks like time for a major reality check. I urge you to think about the kind of person you want to be. Literate. Logical. Even, dare I say, less paranoid? Just what are you accusing Mr. Corman of doing? Taking bribes? Of course, this is not meant to be a slam.