[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6179919,"mediaKeyId","5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992","parentId",5121940,"title","Votes at a glance: Redmond City Council actions, July 1, 2025","audioSeconds",168,"startMs",1670000,"endMs",1838000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992&start=1670&end=1838","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992/thumbnail_1670000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6179919/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Votes-at-a-glance-Redmond-City-Council-actions-July-1-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179919-49f71d256513be056eaddad4362d3941/orig.mp4?Expires=1770429147&Signature=H5DTgm1mDPhuNSJnuyk8FjjHLMHeU3jRwQd0QUj94HlfE4dLLnB~~kQsuXpTjlUpLk712cxSCSChXNYHdGbpe9X9m6i0kUbSnO1Oa~RjKgvcWyGWnK4x7k1ssm51lTE6xOk~kamjOKbGMGG6CUYtkyHR8EyzrdADN~zdVlj1ADYScv9pZZy0Jjlgs7F~cZXYc6qgNMvRAfM086qGvtB4gPomuoQhNerSiqNeXNESshLY5UBMgx-zpvHYSOBqxNfyfmWupAttjd0AT0vV-yYtYMFCWOpdCQ0f6IY4yXueY9b0a7541Rm5wY1~ig-XjyEHycGJ3cpvAuVWAAz18wo2-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Redmond City, WA","date","2025-07-02T16:01:52Z","article","At its July 1 regular meeting the Redmond City Council recorded several formal actions. This summary lists motions, movers (when stated), vote tallies and key notes from the transcript.

Exclusion of public speaker (Alex Zimmerman)
Motion: Exclude Alex Zimmerman from council meetings for up to 180 days under the council rules of procedure after repeated violations of the council’s rules restricting use of meeting time for election advocacy. Motion language introduced by Council Member Stewart.
Mover: Council Member Stewart
Second: not specified in the transcript
Vote tally: 5 yes, 2 no
Outcome: Approved (motion passed 5–2)
Notes: The city attorney advised the council that using city meeting time and resources to support or oppose a candidate or proposition is prohibited under council rules and state law. Council members Anderson and Fields stated they would vote no; the council president announced the motion carried. City staff will notify Mr. Zimmerman by mail that the exclusion begins the evening of July 1.

Council subcommittee on the Redmond Old Firehouse (OFH)
Motion: Establish a council subcommittee to organize a stakeholder group to improve transparency and community engagement on the Redmond Old Firehouse, with the subcommittee to be organized within two weeks.
Mover: Council Member Steve Fields
Second: not specified in the transcript
Vote tally: 7 yes, 0 no
Outcome: Approved (motion passed 7–0)
Notes: Council amended the motion to add a two‑week timeframe. Council leadership said the subcommittee will coordinate with the mayor’s office and city staff; the city also confirmed a staff-led stakeholder process is scheduled in conjunction with a July 22 study session.

Consent agenda
Motion: Approve the consent agenda (moved and seconded; votecarried by voice vote)
Mover: not specified
Second: not specified
Vote tally: 7 yes, 0 no
Outcome: Approved (voice vote 7–0)
Notes: No items were pulled for separate discussion.

Ending: These roll-call and voice votes were the meeting’s principal recorded formal actions. No ordinances or budget appropriations were adopted during the July 1 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Redmond City Council, Business Meeting | July 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal council votes taken July 1: a 180‑day exclusion for a repeated rules violation; a unanimous motion to establish a subcommittee to organize a stakeholder group on the Old Firehouse teen center; and approval of the consent agenda.","taxTitle","Redmond, King County, Washington","taxId",2615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6179924,"Redmond council forms subcommittee to organize stakeholder group on Old Firehouse teen center after weeks of public outcry",3033,2261000,5294000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992&start=2261&end=5294","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992/thumbnail_2261000.jpg","/articles/6179924/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Redmond-council-forms-subcommittee-to-organize-stakeholder-group-on-Old-Firehouse-teen-center-after-weeks-of-public-outcry","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179924-c7e3560885a8c545008b9b5e5d68affc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770429147&Signature=gG32uhmnG2FmfPceKRoochIzF1drxSW4-hlT8juMjly0ci4ydyn1FV052f8d9iSSyus3n1pZRsUY~E~dRRQjbB7onc~-wDZcvDWoZ4M7cdzmlBI0u5aFx-f5KbSO0-VRBUJ1S3meIHyQqnluFuvG1mZLn7pvzfHZ-sx0sHWpJAJFdfQpelr7COIF6IidyMdfjpiMUkujeqJviY39ddGgEn2nC9lMUIp4k-Cl2N0GKihZuErDHZpGPMXFmmZuVpehNtBkCc2Ew0DiuKKQcNAixHuaSYjXkVWJjHdznOJkcIqS0eLJD1m4WcH6SQjJqcEXVfmO8Qh9kX7tksOFa5KWgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Redmond City Council voted unanimously on July 1 to form a council subcommittee tasked with organizing a stakeholder group to address the future of the Redmond Old Firehouse (OFH) teen center, responding to sustained and emotional public testimony about the facility’s abrupt March closure.

The motion, made by Council Member Steve Fields, specified formation of the subcommittee and directed that the stakeholder group be organized within two weeks. The council vote was 7-0.

Nut graf: The decision came after more than a dozen public speakers — many teens and young adults — told the council they felt sidelined when the city closed the longtime teen space on short notice. Speakers urged a process that centers youth voice, examines alternatives to demolition or permanent closure, and identifies a replacement youth facility if the Old Firehouse cannot be preserved.

Public testimony was lengthy and pointed. Sasha Glenn told the council that public-record responses obtained under the Washington Public Records Act contained handwritten notes suggesting city staff had discussed options months earlier and that staff statements to the council and community had been misleading. “There is no reason, absolutely no justification to delay forming that subcommittee and forming a committee from the community to engage with council in a deep dive into what's going on with the firehouse,” Glenn said.

Several young performers described the Old Firehouse as the only accessible, all‑ages venue for shows and social activity. Chester Anderson, a past Battle of the Bands finalist, and others said sudden closure disrupted longstanding cultural programming; Connor Graham pointed out that online listings already show the space as “permanently closed,” which he said made it feel as if a decision had already been made. Onyx Griffiths, addressing youth mental-health concerns, said bluntly to the council, “You are breaking these kids,” and warned that losing safe teen space increases isolation and risk among vulnerable youth.

Council members debated timing and process. Council President Kritzer and others said they support a subcommittee and a teen‑led stakeholder group but noted staff will be issuing a fuller report at a July 22 study session and that city staff had planned a stakeholder process. Fields amended his motion to add a two‑week timeframe for establishing the council subcommittee; the amendment was seconded and incorporated. Council President Kritzer and council members emphasized that any stakeholder process should be teen‑centered and that the subcommittee should coordinate with the mayor’s office and staff to avoid duplication.

The council motion passed by roll call vote 7 to 0. Council leadership said the subcommittee would be limited in size (most council subcommittees have three members), and they urged members to be ready to discuss subcommittee membership and charter language at the next study session. City staff also confirmed a separate city-led stakeholder group will be formed as part of the manager’s planned July 22 materials; the council‑level subcommittee is intended to help ensure transparency, oversee outreach, and bring a council perspective to that process.

Ending: Council members and staff said they will follow up publicly on the subcommittee membership and the stakeholder‑group schedule. The council did not vote on any demolition or facility funding at the July 1 meeting.","After sustained public testimony at its July 1 meeting, the Redmond City Council voted 7-0 to establish a three-member subcommittee to organize a stakeholder group and develop a transparent, teen‑centered process for the future of the Redmond Old Firehouse teen center; council asked staff and members to finalize details within two weeks.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6179929,"Evergreen Health tells Redmond council it has new Seattle Children’s joint venture, warns of Medicaid funding risks",0,3416000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992&start=3416&end=3416","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5121940-27beada09e675030f46721730e0ec992/thumbnail_3416000.jpg","/articles/6179929/Redmond/King-County/Washington/Evergreen-Health-tells-Redmond-council-it-has-new-Seattle-Childrens-joint-venture-warns-of-Medicaid-funding-risks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179929-5f20d132f7ac0a2264cadc1923f1b519/orig.mp4?Expires=1770429147&Signature=dI2r5habi16~9tP7x711S9ER3N7r6sBAyYwssFCIt2wbqbOMq2YFqbpcytyuSqMssz3NAf0Xll47Ia2K1BjIiDPTKK7UI8K22CgPAeHR9VO-uJUvn7C1wenA4usrOc3WSRmkBcVcazkrLOzooviRzYZ4j~1jQPrxFldcT3WGMdT9Hd382KhJNkUOzlZBATYoZiNseeDr9v9f3~PM9Gqx8UJtjD5-oOq23hg3KPTTKgNsshHo2EfuheMCWbjWKqhIBp8Ggv3xYY9TISmIT2uiqbcD4YU9wRxvzpGlRrJop5OODrvMFitc~WO2ADdPdeB7aGW063Z6HrLUyiPlhZMs7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Evergreen Health executives updated the Redmond City Council on July 1 on the health system’s Eastside services, announcing a joint venture with Seattle Children’s to expand pediatric and neonatal care and warning of financial pressure if state and federal safety-net funding changes.

The presentation by Chris Brittison, Evergreen Health’s chief operating and strategy officer, outlined the system’s local footprint, quality ratings and the “economic situation” facing Washington hospitals. “Our mission is to advance the health of our community,” Brittison told council members, repeating a phrase he said guides the district’s investments and outreach.

Nut graf: The public hospital emphasized both service capacity and financial vulnerability. Brittison said Evergreen serves a roughly 1 million-person service area on the Eastside (about 330,000 in its taxing district), operates 354 licensed beds — the largest public hospital in Washington — and runs multiple clinics and a freestanding emergency department in Redmond. At the same time, he warned that state and federal funding changes, including uncertainty over a safety-net assessment tied to Medicaid payments, create revenue risk that could force future trade-offs.

Evergreen described service details and recent recognition: it reported about 4,500 births a year in its system and said it holds an A safety grade from Leapfrog (13 consecutive semesters) and a five-star Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services rating for nine straight years. Brittison framed those measures as results-based and credited clinicians for the performance.

Brittison said Evergreen relies in part on a property-tax levy that has declined in effective rate from earlier decades; the district levy is currently about $0.14 per $1,000 of assessed value, down from $0.75 in 1972 because of rising property values and statutory levy limits, he said. He said levy proceeds were used in 2024 to fund roughly $6.2 million of youth mental-health services embedded in Lake Washington and Northshore school districts, along with community health navigation and palliative care programs.

On partnerships, Brittison announced a newly closed joint venture with Seattle Children’s to expand pediatric inpatient services and NICU capacity on the Eastside. “Today, you’re the first ones to hear this,” he told the council, adding that Seattle Children’s specialists will provide consults and some specialists on-site to keep more pediatric care on the East Side rather than transferring children to Seattle.

Council members and the mayor asked about potential city partnerships and the hospital’s capacity for community clinics. Brittison said Evergreen is open to collaborating with local community health initiatives and that the district’s levy authority is one capital advantage for a public hospital. He also said Evergreen is watching federal and state policy closely; he named a safety-net assessment program that helped stabilize hospital revenues last year but said its future is uncertain.

On workforce issues, Brittison said the use of temporary “traveler” nurses has decreased while demand for some technical positions remains elevated; he told Council Member Slahuddin that travel-nurse rates are coming down. In response to Council Member Stewart’s question, Brittison said Evergreen’s reproductive and gender-affirming services remain unchanged: “Nothing has changed for us.”

The presentation included an overview of recent local hospital consolidations and a slide showing Evergreen’s community investments such as sponsorships and school-based mental health. Brittison closed by saying the health district will “be looking at some options around our levy” in the future and pointed the public to evergreenhealth.com for updates.

Ending: Council members thanked Evergreen for the annual briefing and asked staff to share the slide deck for public viewing. The council did not take any formal action on the presentation itself.","Evergreen Health executives briefed the Redmond City Council on July 1 about local services, a new joint venture with Seattle Children’s to expand pediatric and NICU care on the Eastside, and financial pressures tied to Medicaid and state funding. The public hospital said it is considering levy options to preserve services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Redmond City Council actions, July 1, 2025

Redmond council forms subcommittee to organize stakeholder group on Old Firehouse teen center after weeks of public outcry

Evergreen Health tells Redmond council it has new Seattle Children’s joint venture, warns of Medicaid funding risks