Even Some City Council Members are Concerned About the Expense

“The City isn’t made of money”, so said councilmember Jake Jacobsen.  He’s right.  One of the responsibilities of the council is to be financial stewards of our taxes.  They need to approach capital expenditures with frugality and common sense.  Read below to learn more about what several City councilmembers have to say about managing the City’s finances.

Please read these most important quotes: 5, 6, 12, 15, 17, 21, 24, 31, and 37.

On behalf of your neighbors, tell the City of Mercer Island to go back to the drawing board by voting NO on Prop 1.

City Bond - Council Quotes

  1. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at the February 6, 2024 AB6402 Public Works Building and Facilities Conditions Assessment questions Chief of Operations Jason Kintner about neglected maintenance of the Public Works Building. https://youtu.be/MsrQUAA8aNg?t=6300 2 minutes
  2. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at the February 6, 2024 AB6402 Public Works Building and Facilities Conditions Assessment points out that the “City isn’t made of money” and we need to “cut some of these costs.” This is a refreshing acknowledgement of the need to closely manage expenses and expectations on the City’s projects. Unfortunately no fellow Councilmembers or Staff felt the need to agree with his comments. https://youtu.be/MsrQUAA8aNg?t=6659 1.5 minutes
  3. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at March 1, 2024 AB6420 City Facilities Discussion asks Staff about the zoning changes. City Manager Jessi Bon and CPD Director Jeff Thomas explain the process to change from it’s present zoning to more accommodating zoning. https://youtu.be/_LjeWeMX68M?t=6675 4 minutes
  4. Councilmember Craig Reynolds and City Manager Jessi Bon at March 1, 2024 AB6420 City Facilities Discussion highlight the future need for major renovations of other City Buildings implying a very costly endeavor. https://youtu.be/_LjeWeMX68M?t=7066 3 minutes
  5. Chief of Operations Jason Kintner at the May 21, 2024 AB6477 Public Works Building Follow-up to Facilities Assessment Update explains the $2M+ preliminary cost estimates for extending the life of the Maintenance Building. https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=5781 2 minutes
  6. Councilmember Craig Reynolds at the May 21, 2024 AB6477 Public Works Building Follow-up to Facilities Condition Assessment Report asks Chief of Operations Jason Kintner and Consultant from NW Studios why the disconnect between the predominant relative scores of “average” on the Facilities Report and the dire reports received in these briefings. Of note is that the explanation doesn’t seem to satisfy Councilmember’s curiosity? https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=6125 2 minutes
  7. Management Analyst Robbie Cunningham explains at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update the efficiencies in this multi-department design where savings will be realized through the “efficiency in co-locating secured parking” and “large spaces can be shared.” https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=6540 1 minute
  8. NW Studios Consultant at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update seemingly explains the current staff has a 40,000sf footprint which will be decrease with more efficient designs. https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=7312 30 seconds
  9. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update asks NW Studios Consultant about best practices. The Consultant points out the “great opportunity to share” spaces between departments. https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=7604 1 minute
  10. Councilmember Wendy Weiker at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update asks about the timeline. City Manager Jessi Bon estimate 3.5 years for design to construction competition. https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=7796 2 minutes
  11. City Manager Jessi Bon at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update highlights the decision for a bond on the horizon. No mention as to the amount. https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=7872 30 seconds
  12. Mayor Salim Nice at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update asks the NW Studio Consultant why with the efficiencies of combing departments and new work habits that the existing 40,000sf footprint remains at 40,000sf? https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=7919 4 minutes
  13. City Manager Jessi Bon at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update addresses the Council on a decision to make additional “swing or flexible space” for next 10-50 years but warning that it comes “at a considerable price tag.” https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=8216 1 minute
  14. Councilmember Ted Weinberg at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update gives his opinion that we need to address “50-100 years…especially with all the growth coming to the community with increased density.” https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=8335 30 seconds
  15. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at the May 21, 2024 AB6476 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Progress Update again warns the Council about the expense of the building and the limited “appetite” of our citizens for “gold plated” buildings. This comment was followed by an awkward silence. https://youtu.be/i3FW3_MXM4s?t=8377 30 Seconds
  16. Consultant Aaron Young at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop explains why the difference between existing and proposed square footage. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=3689 5 minutes
  17. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop after hearing to the large footprint asks “who will do the value engineering…” with a follow up of GCCM. Once again, JJ is trying to get the most efficient design and makes the connection between cost and design and where the design exceeds cost then a new design is necessary. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=3995 10 minutes
  18. Deputy Mayor David Rosebaum at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop asks why more trailer spaces aren’t provided and Chief of Operations Jason Kintner answer that trailers are used basically in parks and ballfields which are not expanding but possibly decreasing. Same logic that should be used in other vehicle growth. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=4723 1 minute
  19. Councilmember Craig Reynolds at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop questions the need to store excess or little used equipment. Commander Magnan explains they need trailers to pull maintenance on the boats at the boat ramp because the boats can’t get under the East Channel Bridge. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=4932
  20. Councilmember David Rosenbaum at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop asks Chief of Operations Jason Kintner about the advantage/disadvantages of more storage. Jason seems to want to fill up space with parts etc while the City Manager prompts him to have less space through LEAN and just in time I presume. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=6456 4 minutes
  21. Councilmember Craig Reynolds at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop points out the obvious that the City “ya’ know, we might not grow that much more” https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=8749 1 minute
  22. City Manager Jessi Bon at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop responding to Councilmember Ted Weinberg does a good job explaining the futility in planning to build for the future and not overbuilding. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=8941
  23. City Manager Jessi Bon at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop explaining her need for flexibility and “the answer isn’t always more space.” https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=9057 1 minute
  24. Councilmember Jake Jacobsen at the March 4, 2025 AB6634 Second Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Workshop once again points out the obvious that the Island isn’t growing physically or from density. https://youtu.be/CGbjFRb-0WQ?t=9211 2 minutes
  25. Deputy Mayor David Rosenbaum at the April 15, 2025 AB6656 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Sizing, Placement and Zoning asks to document the cost savings with a round number to “narrate” to the public https://youtu.be/EPpj30HGkUM?t=4516 1 minute
  26. Councilmember Ted Weinberg at the April 15, 2025 AB6656 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Sizing, Placement and Zoning further promotes full conduit laying in all parking lots for ev charging. https://youtu.be/EPpj30HGkUM?t=4559 1 minutes
  27. Councilmember Wendy Weiker at the April 15, 2025 AB6656 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Sizing, Placement and Zoning hoops on the saving money bandwagon https://youtu.be/EPpj30HGkUM?t=4625 3 minutes
  28. Councilmember Wendy Weiker at the May 6, 2025 AB6677 Public Safety and Maintenance Facility Design Choices says the cost savings does not pencil out. Very surprisingly because that was her job at PSE for 10 years is promoting solar https://youtu.be/oEPkupGhJUE?t=4246 2 minutes
  29. City Manager Jessi Bon at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility states the existing facility upgrade will extend life 5-7 years. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=7781 30 seconds
  30. City Manager Jessi Bon at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility explains the limitations of the building renderings. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=8245 1 minute
  31. Councilmember Lisa Anderl at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility voices concern over the cost and scale of the project. This is a good quote to better understand. Explanations are weak and Lisa uses “gold plated” Jessi references the Feb meeting where they made value calls. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=10328 5 minutes
  32. Councilmember Wendy Weiker at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility prompts staff to justify the office spaces etc. Interim Police Chief gives a “day n the life of an officer” , “barely maintaining with our current staff and needs” https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=10862 10 minutes
  33. Councilmember Ted Weinburg at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility likes the design of the circular oculi and cleaning of the roof. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=11463 2 minutes
  34. Mayor Salim Nice at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility asks about the drive through vs open bay door design and Jason gives a terrible answer using the Fire Department doors as a maintenance challenge, also the need to store the soccer goals inside? https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=11834 3 minutes
  35. Deputy Mayor David Rosenbaum at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility asks to quantify the savings in efficiency, but Jason just explains how busy they are. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=12453 2 minutes
  36. Mayor Salim Nice at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility asks about the cost or logic in having big engineer equipment on the second floor. I’m not sure I understand the response. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=12947 2 minutes
  37. Councilmember Ted Weinburg at the June 3,2025 AB6701 Review and Discussion of Schematic Design for Public Safety and Maintenance Facility about the courtyard with plants is concerned about enough light. https://youtu.be/tsEAznxjLDk?t=13160 2 minutes