MI Weekly

    A weekly update from the City of Mercer Island


Table of Contents
  
  
Holiday Closure for Presidents Day

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 Calendar
(For event details, visit the City's online calendar or click on a specific event)

MAYOR
Bruce Bassett
 
DEPUTY MAYOR 

Debbie Bertlin  

 

COUNCILMEMBERS 

Dan Grausz 

City of Mercer Island Website

Volunteer Opportunities 

Address
9611 SE 36th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040

Phone
206.275.7600


Fax
206.275.7663


Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30am to 5:00pm


Donations Requested 

The Mercer Island Food Pantry relies on your non-perishable food donations to keep the shelves stocked year-round.
Click for more info.
Feb 10, 2016 | Vol. 11 | No. 6
CalkinsMajor Restoration Progress at Calkins Point and Calkins Landing
Recent images from Calkins Point (Left) and Calkins Landing (Right)
The City's restoration staff have been hard at work for months on two notable restoration projects involving Calkins Landing and Calkins Point. Since many neighbors have been wondering about next steps, here's a brief overview of each project:
  • At Calkins Landing, a small street-end park on the west side of the Island (just south of I-90), construction improvements are complete, and the final walk-through with the contractor occurs this Friday.  Shrub and groundcover planting is scheduled for late February, followed by mulching. Once vegetation has reestablished, the park is scheduled to re-open to the public in late April or early May.
  • Up at Calkins Point, on the very northernmost tip of Luther Burbank Park, construction is not yet complete, due to several winter rainstorm delays.  All hardscaping and planting has been accomplished, but hydroseeding has been pushed to late March or early April, depending on weather conditions.  This impressive, restored site is expected to open to the public in late May or early June with a ribbon-cutting event.

Click here for a map of the City's parks and natural areas system. 

Polar_PlungeMIPD Polar Plunge to Raise Special Olympics Funds
Click to learn more about
this year's fundraiser
Have you ever wanted to jump into Lake Sammamish in the winter? ...Or perhaps watch someone else do it? On Saturday, March 12, at Noon, the Mercer Island Police Department Polar Plunge Team, and other local teams, hope to raise twenty thousand dollars for Washington State Special Olympics athletes by jumping into the chilly lake at Idylwood Park.
 
You can participate as a spectator too: simply raise at least $50 and follow the online registration instructions to sponsor the MIPD or another participant.   
   
Click here to learn more about the event.  
Mercer Island Goes Green
Master_RecyclerBecome a Certified Master Recycler and Composter
Click for more 2016 course information
Seattle Tilth offers an Eastside volunteer training and outreach program to educate residents about recycling, backyard composting, organic gardening concepts and water conservation. Participants gain knowledge, skills and tools to teach their friends, neighbors and other community members.

The Master Recycler Composter Eastside program offers 28 hours of education over four weeks, including classroom learning, hands-on experience and field trips.  Participants learn about soil science concepts, integrated pest management, backyard food and yard waste composting, and curbside recycling. Participants will develop their own outreach projects, such as compost and recycling education in schools, churches, community centers or gardens. 
 
After completing the course, graduates donate 35 hours of their time offering compost and recycling education to their communities. Classes occur in Kirkland and applications (available here) are due by March 31.

There is also a similar King County Master Recycler Composter course offered in Kent, with a different class schedule.

The City of Mercer Island uses compost in the maintenance of public landscaping, and practices many sustainable gardening techniques in the management of Parks facilities across the Island, including very minimal pesticide and herbicide use. All residents are encouraged to learn more about these concepts.   

HolidayHoliday Closure for Presidents Day
Click for a list of City holidays
Due to the Presidents' Day Holiday, all City facilities will be closed next Monday, February 15. Click here for a list of City holidays.

In addition, the City Council meeting scheduled for that night will instead be held on Monday February 22 at City Hall - regular business starts at 7:00pm.
 

 

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

[email protected] or 206.275.7662.