Beginning next week, the City of Redmond will launch its Neighborhood Networks series for the year.
The series begins Wednesday with a meeting for the downtown, Bear Creek and Southeast Redmond neighborhoods at City Hall, 15670 N.E 85th St. The meeting for the Education Hill, North Redmond and Sammamish Valley neighborhoods will be April 17 at Horace Mann Elementary School, 17001 N.E. 104th St. and the meeting for the Grass Lawn, Idylwood, Overlake and Willows/RoseHill neighborhoods will be May 15 at Audubon Elementary School, 3045 180th Ave. N.E. All meetings will be from 6-7:30 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served.
These meetings will give the community, city officials and staff the opportunity to check in with each other to discuss issues, policies and projects related to their neighborhoods.
“Redmond’s Neighborhood Network series is designed to facilitate effective, two-way connections between the city and our unique neighborhoods,” said Redmond Mayor John Marchione in a press release. “These upcoming events will let us roll up our sleeves and analyze our individual — as well as our neighborhood’s — emergency preparedness both now and in the future. I encourage everyone to participate.”
In addition to these check-ins, the Neighborhood Network meetings will also include a short workshop on emergency preparedness.
“It’s a little different this year,” said Kim Dietz, a senior planner for the city.
She said after the emergency preparedness workshop, attendees will meet in small neighborhood groups to discuss how prepared they feel and how prepared they are for a disaster.
Janeen Olson, who is in charge of Redmond Ready and will be giving the workshop, said one of the things they will focus on is the fact that emergency plans and kits — both for evacuation and for staying in one place — should be enough to get through 7-14 days rather than the previously recommended three-day minimum.
“Two weeks is kind of that minimum now,” Olson said, adding that they will be playing games and offering prizes.
She said if people aren’t prepared, this could lead to businesses shutting down and eventually, the economy will suffer. Although it may seem like Olson is constantly repeating herself with this message, she said it is important that the message sinks in and people are prepared and can help each other get through a disaster. The way to look at it, she said, is as insurance for if something happens.
Dietz said the goal of the mini Redmond Ready workshops is to get people inspired and thinking about how they can prepare for a disaster. She said it will also connect the with Redmond Ready for if they want to learn more.
To learn more about these events and to complete the annual neighborhood questionnaire, visit www.redmond.gov/residents/neighborhoods or contact Dietz at kdietz@redmond.gov or (425) 556-2415.
