The Newcastle City Council was busy this week, with their regular meeting on Tuesday the 19th, and two special meetings the morning of Friday the 22nd. You can always watch the recordings to make sure you don’t miss a thing, but for those of you who would just like the highlights, here’s what happened.
Position 4 Vacancy Voting
At Tuesday’s meeting, there were several rounds of voting about which applicant should fill Tony Ventrella’s old seat as the Position 4 Councilmember. No applicant achieved a majority vote, and the Council unanimously decided to schedule an additional special meeting on Friday, October 22, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. to again deliberate on the vacancy appointment.
At Friday morning’s special meeting, there were several more rounds of voting, but no applicant received a majority vote. If the Newcastle City Council doesn’t vote an applicant into this vacant seat by October 29, the decision will go to the King County Council.
Tuesday, October 19, Regular Council Meeting
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We’re waiting to hear from the King County Sheriff’s Office regarding staffing levels now that the vaccine mandate is in effect. If need be, there are tentative plans to reallocate staffing across the agency. Newcastle contracts with KCSO for the services of the Newcastle Police Department, so this means we have potential to end up with some new faces.
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The Sidewalk Replacement Program (Project T-006) is officially complete for this year.
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There was a public hearing on the 2022 preliminary budget, at which one resident offered testimony. (We love hearing from residents any time, but public hearings are an especially good opportunity for you to let the City Council know how they can best represent your interests. We hope that you’ll consider giving your thoughts at future public hearings.)
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You can view the full meeting agenda packet for more details and handouts related to this meeting.
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Friday, October 22, Special Budget Meeting
After the deliberation on the Position 4 vacancy from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., the Council went directly into a second special meeting to review the 2022 Preliminary Budget. This was a high-level overview presented by Finance Director Donald Palmer. The City Council must approve a 2022 budget for the City of Newcastle by December 31, 2021.
Do you want your City Councilmembers to know your preferences and opinions on City issues? You can always email them directly at [email protected], or you can submit public comment, either live at a Council Meeting or by writing to the City Clerk at [email protected].