MI Weekly
    A weekly update from the City of Mercer Island


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MAYOR
Bruce Bassett
 
DEPUTY MAYOR 

Debbie Bertlin  

 

COUNCILMEMBERS 

Dan Grausz 

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City of Mercer Island
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.
Aug 31, 2016 | Vol. 11 | No. 35
EpinephrineHow MIFD Handles the Rising Cost of EpiPens
An image of the EpiPen two-pack
Residents may have seen recent media reports about the dramatic cost increases for prescription EpiPens. These devices deliver a measured dose of epinephrine that can stop potentially fatal allergic reactions to insect bites and stings, and foods like nuts and eggs.

This has understandably led to a strong public outcry, especially from those families that cannot afford this life saving medication. In 2009, the average cost for an EpiPen was around $100, but today it has reached about $300, and the device can now only be purchased in a two-pack. In order to keep this medication handy for quick access, many people need up to four EpiPens (home, work, car, etc).

According the Mercer Island Fire Chief Steve Heitman, this issue has also had an impact on the Mercer Island Fire Department (MIFD), and other fire departments throughout King County, which are all  part of the King County Emergency Medical Services (KCEMS) system. MIFD personnel carry this potentially lifesaving drug on all apparatus as a standard part of their aid equipment. Up until 2013, EpiPens were purchased and replaced department-wide on an annual basis, whether they had been opened or not, but this quickly became financially unsustainable.

Fortunately, KCEMS took the lead on this issue and put together an "epi kit" that costs around $20, and supervised the distribution of these kits to all King County Fire Departments. The kit contains one vial of epinephrine (about three doses), two syringes, alcohol wipes, and two Band-Aids. The shelf life of the medication is still short (approx. 18 months), but the vial only costs six dollars to replace, and the rest of the kit is not replaced unless used. This has resulted in a significant cost savings that now averages around $250,000 per year.

KCEMS also provides training to all EMT's in the use of this kit, due to the need to manually draw the correct dose into syringes, rather than the automatic metering provided by EpiPens. The good news is that MIFD will continue to provide the citizens of Mercer Island with outstanding emergency medical services, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Mercer Island Goes Green
VanshareTripPool Vanshare Program Expands Service
Click here for a TripPool brochure and full details
In late April, King County Metro Transit officially launched a new stress-free connection to off-Island commuter bus routes.  TripPool is a demonstration project for on-demand ridesharing that uses Metro vans, provides free gas and maintenance, and offers a guaranteed parking spot at the Park-and-Ride!

Drivers and riders are the stars that make the program work through the use of a free mobile app powered by iCarpool, a local technology vendor.  You can get started today with $25 in FREE ride credits. Simply visit www.icarpool.com to download the app, set up your account, and enter ICARPOOL25 into the promo code area in the payment screen. Turn the app on up to an hour before your trip and start looking for rides morning or evening...

The program has just added a second route serving the south end of the Island, in addition to the existing route serving the Shorewood Heights area.  Call (206) 625-4500 with any questions, or visit TripPool today.
Schoolbus_SafetySchoolbus Traffic Safety Program Starts Today
Click to learn more about the bus safety technology and vendor
All residents are reminded that the School District and the City launched a new traffic safety enforcement program today (August 31), focusing on drivers illegally passing school buses when the stop arm is deployed. This has become a growing problem on Mercer Island.

Although it has always been illegal to pass school buses in these situations (with a few exceptions), it has been difficult for the MIPD to catch violators in action. The state laws also apply to bicycles using the roadway.

The CrossingGuard safety solution mounts purpose-built cameras on the side of each school bus. When the stop arm is deployed, the camera automatically detects a vehicle illegally passing the stop arm in either direction, and captures video of the violation as well as still images of a vehicle's license plate. The violation video and license plate images will be reviewed by the MIPD for approval prior to a citation being issued.

The cost of installation is covered by the vendor, which receives a portion of the $394 fine paid by convicted violators. The City Council determined that there should be no warning period, thus the system has been tested and is active starting today. 
 
Contact MIPD Commander Jokinen by Email with questions.
Art_UncorkedThird Annual Art Uncorked Event, Friday Sept 9
Click to learn more or buy tickets
The third annual Mercer Island Art UnCorked event presents an evening of wine tasting, art, music and food in the heart of downtown Mercer Island, at the Outdoor Sculpture Gallery along Sunset Highway at 78th Avenue SE, on Friday September 9.

Organized once again by the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce and the Mercer Island Visual Arts League, a portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit Mercer Island Youth and Family Services. The City of Mercer Island's Town Center Revitalization Program is a co-sponsor of the event, which is intended to help grow the local cultural economy.
 
Over fifteen Washington vintners, brewers, and cider-makers, many with Mercer Island connections, will be pouring two or more of their products at booths, while juried artists will be showing and selling a selection of handmade artwork. Wines poured will be also available for purchase that night only at a small discount.

Several local food trucks and vendors will provide delicious choices and live music will contribute to the festive mood. Access to the art, food, and music areas is free and open to all ages.

Wine-tasting tickets (21 years and older) are available for purchase in advance ($25-45 depending on package selection), or on the day of event ($35). Click here for the ticketing website, or Email the Chamber of Commerce, or call (206) 232-3404 for more information. 

2016 Presenting Sponsors: New Seasons Market, Wells Fargo, MI Reporter, and the City of Mercer Island.
HolidayLabor Day Holiday Closure
Click here to learn more about
City Council meetings
Due to the Labor Day holiday, all City facilities will be closed next Monday, September 5, 2016.

The City Council meeting scheduled for Monday has been moved to Tuesday, September 6, at City Hall.  

 

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

ross.freeman@mercergov.org or 206.275.7662.