The City Council began recognizing outstanding efforts of citizens in 1990, and has continued this tradition for more than 20 years. Honorees are individuals or entities whose achievements may have gone unrecognized in some settings, but who have improved Island life through a broad base of community service, fundraising, or other means.

This year, the Council selected Roger and Nancy Page -owners of Island Books- for this honor. Before a crowd of community members, Mayor Bruce Bassett revealed the 2014 Citizens of the Year honorees at the Monday July 6 Council Meeting.

Founded in 1973 by Lola Deane, Island Books was already a beloved fixture in the community when Roger Page came to work there as a part-time Christmas gift wrapper in 1984. Intrigued by the business, Roger was soon promoted to bookseller, then floor manager, and in 1991 he offered to buy the store.

The Pages believe their business and personal goal is to serve the community in a welcoming and caring manner, which includes hosting special events and countless fundraisers over the years. Many Islanders, for example, will recall the 2,000 midnight attendees at a Harry Potter release, with bookstore staff in costume. To date, the Pages have raised more than $300,000 in donations to a variety of community causes.

In his comments, Roger Page noted what he believes to be the secret to the store's longevity: "The more we give, the more the community gives back to us. We are very grateful for this honor."

The City and Council congratulate the Pages and Island Books, and look forward to many more years of operation. Click here to view past Citizen of the Year honorees.

Shoreline Residents to Receive Water System Certification Letter

Click to see examples of property features
requiring backflow prevention assemblies

Over the next few days, all 725 shoreline residents on the Island will receive a letter from the City water utility with information and questions about their connections to the City water supply.

Response to the letter is required by each recipient within 30 days (read the new ordinance here).

Please fill out the certification and return to the City as soon as possible. In the fall, all other residents will also receive a similar survey.

The letter explains the "cross-connection control program," which helps protect the drinkable water in the City's water delivery system from unintended contamination.

Since E. coli was discovered in Mercer Island's drinking water in September 2014, the City has been working hard to prevent a recurrence. Part of the response required by the Washington State Department of Health involves a more thorough inventory of all high-risk plumbing connections that could potentially allow dirty water to enter the clean side of the water system. These plumbing connections must be protected by a backflow prevention device, which must be tested annually.

For more information about the letter, the certification requirement, or the cross-connection program, click here, or contact City Water Specialist Sandy Love at (206) 275-7782.

Summer Celebration! This Weekend: July 11 and 12

Click for the Summer Celebration
2015 webpage and schedule

Mercer Island's annual two-day festival, Summer Celebration, is this weekend, July 11 and 12.

Festivities will unfold at Mercerdale and Luther Burbank Parks, and the High School Stadium, offering events for all ages and interests, music, a street fair, a parade, the Sounders Women Soccer Team, and of course, the fireworks show starting at dusk on Saturday night.

Don't forget the Sons of Norway fundraiser pancake breakfast from 9:00-Noon on Sunday morning in Mercerdale Park.

For a full printable (8x11) festival schedule, click here.

Click here for a map of the parade route and street closures.

New Fire Station 92 Dedication Ceremony Ten Days Away: July 18

Click for Fire Station information and construction photos

A reminder to all citizens that the formal dedication ceremony for the rebuilt southern Fire Station 92 (8437 SE 68th Street) occurs next Saturday, July 18 at 10:00am.

Governor Inslee (invited), Mayor Bruce Bassett, and Fire Department Chief Heitman will address the crowd, followed by comments from the International Association of Firefighters - Local 1762, and the MI Arts Council.

After the unveiling of the public art component, based on artifacts from the World Trade Center in New York City, station staff will host an open house from approximately 11:00am until noon.

For safety during the ceremony, SE 68th Street will be closed from 9:30am to noon; detours will be posted. Due to limited parking, attendees are strongly encouraged to take advantage of a free shuttle bus from nearby Island Park Elementary that will gather riders from the school's bus zone, and deposit them near the Fire Station. Parking for shuttle users is available at the school and Island Crest Park.

Register Now for August National Night Out

Click to learn more or register

National Night Out is an organized annual event held this year on Tuesday, August 4, designed to bring neighbors together not only to improve crime prevention awareness and family emergency preparedness, but also to strengthen neighborhood spirit and community partnerships. Neighbors get reintroduced to one another, connect names with faces, and get acquainted with City officials.

From 5:00pm-7:00pm on Tuesday, August 4 residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors, or come join the Mercer Island Police at the Sculpture Park (along Sunset Highway between 77th Ave SE and 80th Ave SE) for a free hotdog cookout. Come meet your neighbors and your local police officers.

If you would like to register your neighborhood for National Night Out, please contact Police Department Emergency Manager Jennifer Franklin (206) 275-7905.

Mercer Island Goes Green

New Signage for Farmers Market

New Farmers Market signage; click for more market information

To help visitors find the ever-popular Mercer Island Farmers Market, the City has installed new wayfinding signage in several roadside locations around Town Center.

Each Sunday from June through October, the Market is open from 10:00am to 3:00pm, just north of Mercerdale Park. Note that the Market is closed on July 12th due to Summer Celebration, and on August 2nd due to Seafair.

Attendees will find the widest array of top-quality Washington foods fresh from the farm, the field, or the sea. Everything is artisan produced and/or ready to eat.

Convenient parking is available at Farmers Insurance located on 77th Avenue Southeast. The Market offers weekly musical entertainment, kids activities, resources from Master Gardeners, and information from the Chamber of Commerce. Visit the market website for more information or Email the Market. The City encourages all Islanders to reduce their carbon footprint by driving fewer miles and taking more advantage of local, farm-fresh food.

For questions and comments on the MI Weekly, contact
Sustainability & Communications Manager Ross Freeman at

ross.freeman@mercergov.org or 206.275.7662.