Israel Statement, Sister City Event, and More...

October 18, 2023

Council Condemns Violence in Israel, Statement from Mayor and Deputy Mayor

At the October 17, 2023 City Council meeting, the Council unanimously adopted the statement to the community issued by Mayor Nice and Deputy Mayor Rosenbaum on October 10, 2023 and approved Proclamation No 320, condemning all acts of violence, terrorism, and any activities that deliberately target innocent civilians, and affirming Council’s commitment to ensuring Mercer Island remains a place of safety, unity, and support.

A Statement from Mayor Salim Nice and Deputy Mayor Dave Rosenbaum:

Mercer Island stands in strong and unequivocal support of the Jewish Community and the State of Israel. We are mortified by the heinous terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas against innocent Israelis and pledge to support our local Jewish community throughout these unprecedented and terrifying times.

We are united, the first Ismaili Mayor in the United States and the son of a Rabbi, to denounce these abhorrent actions and call for our community to support our Jewish neighbors, so that Mercer Island remains a community grounded in unity and safety for all. We encourage all Mercer Island residents to stand against hatred, prejudice, and violence in all its forms and promote understanding, dialogue, and peace among all community members.

Proclamation No. 320:

Mercer Island is a community that believes in the fundamental principles of peace, unity, and the dignity of all its inhabitants. Our strength as a community is drawn from the rich tapestry of cultures, religions, and backgrounds of our residents.

We stand with our Jewish community, who have deep historical and emotional ties to the State of Israel and are greatly affected by the distressing events occurring there. The indiscriminate attacks on civilians by Hamas are a violation of these principles and are a cause of profound concern for our community and the international community at large.

We condemn all acts of violence, terrorism, and any activities that deliberately target innocent civilians, as they only perpetuate cycles of hatred and conflict.

...

Read the Full Proclamation Here

Full Westbound I-90 Closure Planned

WSDOT has scheduled an overnight closure of westbound I-90 between Mercer Island and Seattle. Westbound lanes of I-90 will begin closing at 9:00pm Friday, October 20, and all lanes will close by 11:00pm. The on-ramps from Island Crest Way, 76th Ave SE and West Mercer Way also will close at 10:00pm. All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 6:00am Saturday, October 21. Drivers should plan accordingly and take alternate routes. As always, you can see the latest road conditions on the WSDOT Real-Time Travel Map.

Seasonal Events Coming Up

Don't forget a few upcoming events and festivities to participate in this fall:

Celebrate spooky season right at home with Mercer Island's own Hallo-Weekend. Enjoy Trick-or-Treating in Town Center on Friday, October 27 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm, and the annual Pumpkin Walk on Sunday, October 29 from 5:00pm - 8:00pm. It's a great opportunity to gather with family, friends, and neighbors for fun (and perhaps a fright).

The City of Mercer Island and Mountains to Sound Greenway are hosting the annual Arbor Day Planting E vent on Saturday, October 21. You can join your neighbors to help plant trees and shrubs in Luther Burbank Park along the newly-constructed south shoreline trail. No experience is necessary; gloves and tools are provided. Learn more and register your spot online.

The Fall Recycling Event makes a return on Saturday, November 4, from 9:00am - 3:00pm. It's the perfect time to safely dispose of the old equipment, hardware, appliances, and other household items that are cluttering your basement or garage. Note that this event has a new location and will be held at the Islander Middle School Parking Lot (7447 84th Ave SE) due to the closure of City Hall - thank you to MISD for hosting us.

You're Invited: Sister City Association Welcome Reception

The City of Mercer Island and the Mercer Island Sister City Association invite you to a welcome reception for

the arriving French exchange students and chaperones from our sister city, Thonon les Bains, France. The reception will be held on Thursday, October 25 from 5:30pm - 6:30pm at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center. Light refreshments will be served.

This reception welcomes the second half of a 10-day student exchange that began last February, when Mercer Island students went to Thonon les Bains and stayed with a students who were matched to them. Now, the French students are coming to stay on Mercer Island with their student exchange counterparts. Come meet our French guests and their Mercer Island hosts, and learn about the exchange program between our two communities.

King County Restructures Solid Waste Rates

While private companies provide curbside garbage services across our region, these haulers utilize King County transfer stations for waste transportation and disposal. The King County Council approved a rate restructure for disposal fees which affect the 37 cities and unincorporated areas in King County that utilize these transfer stations, including Mercer Island. The County's rate restructure lowers the per-ton tipping fee and adds a new Fixed Annual Charge per city based upon prior waste amounts.

King County's 2024 Fixed Asset Charge for Mercer Island is $223,407, which equates to $1.43 per month per cubic yard of garbage. The new rate structure goes into effect January 1, 2024 and will become a new line item on customer bills.

The City has an interlocal agreement with King County which covers solid waste management that allows for this change. To correctly implement the restructured fees, the City needs to amend its contract with Recology to collect the new King County Fixed Annual Charge from customers. The City Council will review this amendment at the November 7 City Council meeting.

You can learn more about the solid waste rate structure on the King County website.

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