REPORTER
Mercer Island
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 | 75¢ Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Serving the Mercer Island Community Serving community Since since 1947 1947
City Council campaign money exceeds 90K
MI | THIS WEEK
Results of the Nov. 5 General Election were not available by the Reporter’s Monday night deadline. For the latest information on Mercer Island City Council races and key state-wide initiatives, go to www.mi-reporter.com.
Kite wranglers
From near and far, more than 300 donated money to City Council candidates
SJCC offers day camp for kids Nov. 11 Need a place for your children on holidays? The Stroum Jewish Community Center, at 3801 East Mercer Way offers full day or half day schools-out camps for holidays like Veteran’s Day. Cost is $50 for members or $60 for guests. For information go to www.sjcc.org.
Shop for schools at Island Books Nov. 7
By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
Mary L. Grady / Staff Photo
Sebastian, 7, and his sister, Alexandra, 5, fight the wind as they try to help their dad launch a kite at Mercerdale Park last Saturday morning. Wind gusts late Saturday morning reached 43 mph at Boeing Field.
Shop tomorrow, Nov. 7 at Island Books and benefit Mercer Island High School. Shop anytime throughout the day, just be sure to say you want to support your favorite high school. Twenty percent of those sales will be donated to the school. The Mercer Island High School PTSA will hold a reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with special guests Principal Vicki Puckett and Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano.
Serious or silly, record requests cost money
Veteran’s Day is Monday Nov. 11
Just like any other public entity, the records of the Mercer Island School District are to be open to the public. Information about individual students and other personal data is protected, but the expenditures and dealings of the district, including the communications and deliberations of the school board, are subject to state public disclosure laws. These laws, defined within the Washington State Public Records Act RCW 42.56, support and enforce the public’s right to be
Schools and most government offices are closed. The film“Honor & Sacrifice: The Story of Roy Matsumoto” will be shown at 2 p.m, at Nisei Veterans Committee Hall,1212 South King Street in Seattle. Special speaker after film is Col. Michael S. Oshiki, MD. For more, go to at www.honordoc. com.
In nine months, MISD responds to 24 requests, producing 7,900 pages By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
document review cost $15,551 and staff time was charged at $9,213. While the amount may not seem extreme for many public agencies, for the Mercer Island School District, it meant more informed about what their gov- manpower was needed. “While the public has the right ernment is doing. For the first nine months of to access public information, the sheer volume and 2013, the impact of providMercer Island ing access to public School District records in the last year received just 24 has required the dispublic records trict to hire additional requests, staff,” said Dr. Gary including Plano, Superintendent one from the of Mercer Island Mercer Island School District. Reporter. Yet, Randy Bolerjack these requests Gary Plano was hired as the new resulted in MISD Superintendent communication coor7,900 pages or dinator for the School documents that were reviewed and processed District earlier this year. A large (reviewed for exempt informa- part of his role is to facilitate the tion that may infringe on a stu- district’s compliance with records dent or individual’s privacy) and requests. transmitted for a cost of $25,000. Of that amount, attorney fees for Records | Page 4
“The sheer volume and impact ... has required the district to hire additional staff.”
The five candidates running for a seat on the Mercer Island City Council have brought in a good amount of money. Including Council incumbent Tana Senn, who is running unopposed for her seat, the total amount raised by the campaigns is more than $92,000. Data from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) tracks who gives to state political campaigns, and most importantly, how much.
CAMPAIGN | Page 9
Read the full paper online Mercer IslandREPORTER www.mi-reporter.com
General Election results online
Green Edition
www.mi-reporter.com
PASSPORT PHOTOS
210 -105th Ave NE, Bellevue • (425) 455-2126 • www.OMEGAPHOTO.biz
• Visa • Immigration • All Countries • Infants
Jeffrey Costello www.costello-costello.com Chase Costello 206.595.5709 jeffreycostello@cbbain.com
206.999.4420 chasecostello@cbbain.com