Mayor Penny Sweet Declares the State of the City is Focused

Published on February 18, 2020

Media Contact:
Kellie Stickney
Communications Program Manager
kstickney@kirklandwa.gov
(425) 979-6562

KIRKLAND, Wash. – On Thursday, February 13 Mayor Penny Sweet delivered the annual State of the City address to the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, during which she declared that the state of the City is focused.

The Mayor began her speech by reminding the audience that this year we are celebrating the 100th year of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Both Council member Amy Falcone and Council member Kelli Curtis joined the Mayor in wearing white to commemorate the occasion and honor the suffragettes. Mayor Sweet also pointed out that the City of Kirkland has had a woman Mayor for the last ten consecutive years, and stated:

“I believe it is no coincidence that Kirkland has flourished during that time.”

During her address to the Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Sweet recognized the incredible achievements that occurred in 2019 and highlighted that in 2020 there are 5700 housing units, 1.3 million square feet of commercial development underway. The Mayor noted that Google and SRM are seeking permits for a Phase 3 project in Houghton, and that there are plans for the expansion of Northwest University and Evergreen Health.

“And best of all, this exciting new development is happening again, according to plan,” said Mayor Sweet. “This mix of jobs, housing and services is exactly the type of growth we want, and it is happening in urban centers served by frequent, reliable transit, exactly where we want it.”

The Mayor went on to highlight major features of the City’s 2020 work program including beginning work on the Totem Lake Connector Bridge, Totem Lake Park and boardwalk project, major multi-modal transportation improvements for 100th Ave NE and Juanita Drive, and breaking ground on the first new fire station in decades.

“…the City is doing so much more for parks, street, sidewalks, water, sewer and stormwater. Over the next six years we will complete our largest set of infrastructure improvements in Kirkland’s history,” said Mayor Sweet. “But there is a price to pay for the choices we make. If we want to prevent this boom from becoming a bust, we need to find and maintain the right balance.”

The Mayor emphasized the need to balance growth with the “small town feel” that residents cherish. She stated that the City would need to balance development and new high paying jobs with investments infrastructure and affordable housing. However, she pointed out that these investments must also be balanced with the City’s fiscal reality.

Mayor Sweet recognized the desired balance could only be achieved through action and focus. She stated that the City is focused on completing its work plan, maintaining financial sustainability, and leading locally and regionally. She recommitted to delivering on the promises made in the enhanced police services and community safety ballot measure and shared that the City would be again looking to the voters to make public safety a priority by asking them to invest in building a new fire station in Totem Lake, in addition to making essential seismic retrofits to existing stations.

She also talked about the City’s ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion. She emphasized the need to examine everything we do through a new lens of equity and inclusion, particularly in communities that are historically marginalized. She went on to share the numerous activities that the City has engaged in during the last year to continue to uphold the City’s values of being welcoming, safe and inclusive. The activities ranged from training for all City staff and police officers, to developing a diversity and bias resource webpage for businesses, to a community learning series called Kirkland Talks About Racism that is currently underway.

The Mayor finished her speech by acknowledging that achieving these goals would not be possible without the hard work of her dedicated colleagues on the City Council.

“This work would not be possible without the leadership, passion and commitment of the entire Council. We are blessed to be coming together as a new Council that will build on the strong foundation of past Councils and take us to new heights!”