As a Kenmore resident since 1973, I have followed the development of city events from King County operations, through incorporation and to the current council. The prospect of incorporation spurred my interest with the hope that Kenmore would become a creative, thriving entity on the north shores of Lake Washington.

My observations and involvement in city issues over the past 15 years have been disappointing.

Kenmore citizens now have the opportunity to elect new council members in November. Since incorporation, the council’s operation and decision-making have been less than creative and prudent.

Council members would like to convince us that their achievements have been highly successful with wise investments of our taxes. They point to such major achievements as construction of City Hall, reconstruction of SR-522 highway and increased sidewalks, streets, roads, etc. A close examination of these achievements indicates a different story.

The City Hall is a vastly oversized and over-spent project. It includes numerous unnecessary features, such as underground parking and amenities, at excessive costs. A small city such as Kenmore could have operated successfully with a lesser structure and a smaller staff. The large cost savings could have been diverted to other needy city projects.

The SR-522 highway is an unfinished project, with no prospect for a soon completion, as the remaining stretch of highway continues to deteriorate. Meanwhile, the volume of traffic on the corridor through Kenmore continues to increase and congestion is more frequent.

As for street improvements and construction of sidewalks, our community has received no such improvements since incorporation. This community has unaddressed, dangerous, open ditches that have been ignored for years, and there are no improved streets or sidewalks in the western residential part of the city. The council’s claim to such improvements is a myth.

The Kenmore Council has been involved in the development of a new downtown Kenmore Village for about 10 years. The first attempt ended in an abysmal failure and the developer was released with a handsome payout.

Until recently, there has been no serious effort to plan and construct a comprehensive downtown retail center. A sale of about one-third of the Kenmore Village property to Kenmore Camera, at a reduced price, leaves less downtown space for diverse retail development.

The former park-and-ride property has been designated for condominium and low-income housing projects. This further reduces the available space for retail use and minimizes the city’s sales tax income.

Upon visiting the Kenmore Village, one is confronted with a deserted business area that is in need of total re-vitalization. This project has been a colossal failure and the outlook for the future is questionable. It is doubtful this retail center will be sufficiently diverse to generate significant city income.

As a result, Kenmore residents will continue to shop in neighboring cities, depriving Kenmore of the sales tax. This city needs a serious and creative plan for Kenmore Village; however, it is unlikely the current council can deliver such a product.

The council frequently refers to the future development of Lakepoint on the shores of Lake Washington. This project was planned years ago and reviewed from time to time without any progress. This project is “light years” away from reality unless we can elect some creative and aggressive council members to undertake this challenge.

To the council’s credit, an important traffic light was recently installed at 61st Avenue Northeast and 181st Street. Improvement of this dangerous intersection was ignored for years until recently. With much effort by the council to obtain the necessary funding, the completion of the project is now fully functioning.

The upcoming fall election provides Kenmore voters with two well-defined options. Voters may opt for the status quo and continue on the same failed city path, or they can choose to elect new council members that bring a new vision and credibility to our city governance.

If voters choose the first option, we are not only approving the incumbent candidates of a failing system, but also supporting and electing a council majority from a Kirkland church to dominate council decisions. If Kenmore residents are concerned about the status of this city and its direction, then we must change the composition of this council. Change is an important option; in this case it is critical.

Hugh Wiese, Kenmore