New issues are emerging that will face whoever wins the four Kenmore City Council elections Nov. 6.

There are mile-long traffic backups along Juanita Drive, and not enough money in the city coffers to finish improvement projects planned for State Route 522.

Bastyr University needs to get a master plan approved before it can add new facilities.

City Council still hasn’t decided how to zone for infill development, and it’s just getting started on discussions about how to deal with the way condo conversions affect renters.

And will the city ever have enough playing fields for its youth sports leagues?

Everyone wants a shot at tackling these issues.

The incumbents are hyping their involvement with downtown re-development planning, parks improvements, the purchase of property for a new City Hall and creation of new citizen input groups.

But Dennis Hill is bringing new ideas to the table, Bob Black claims the city is unresponsive to citizen complaints and John Hendrickson is trying to oust fellow council member Bob Hensel from Position No. 1.

The Reporter interviewed each of the candidates to help voters decide what should happen next.

Position No. 1

Hendrickson might have been able to run unopposed for his current council seat, but he chose instead to go after Position No. 1 and incumbent Hensel.

Hendrickson claims that the city hasn’t been forthright about its financial forecasts, and suggests that Hensel is the most persistent about disregarding facts.

“Bob promotes a culture where facts are being overstated, liabilities are understated and promises are being made or implied that won’t be met,” he said.

Hendrickson has a history of publicly criticizing his fellow council members, as well as city manager Steve Anderson.

He wrote a letter to the state’s House Commerce and Labor Committee in March accusing council members David Baker, Laurie Sperry and Allan Van Ness of providing false and misleading information during a testimony related to gambling. Hendrickson also claims that Anderson dominates the council’s actions.

“The issue for me is ethics and corporate culture,” he said. “We can be much more productive as a community if we are open and honest.”

Hensel’s involvement with Kenmore politics began when the city started its downtown redevelopment planning. He initially opposed the city’s acquisition of property to move the program forward.

“I didn’t believe the city should be in the development business,” Hensel said. “I thought it should be left in the private sector.”

Hensel has supported the acquisition move since chairing the Kenmore Residents for Sensible Spending and Planning group prior to holding office.

“We accumulated the property, and we have the private sector taking it from that point,” he said. “It’s my job now to do the best I can to get this thing finished and make it something that the city can be proud of. You could fight over it forever, but that’s not what’s going on here now.”

Hensel uses this same move-on approach in dealing with Hendrickson’s criticism.

“The biggest difference between John and myself,” Hensel said, “is that he’s looking at the past and I’m looking to the future, saying, ‘Here’s where we are now, here’s where we can go, and when we all get there, we’ll all be better for it.’”

Other issues

Hensel supports:

• A multi-modal corridor along Juanita Drive that would relieve traffic congestion, improve cyclist and pedestrian safety and allow Bastyr University to move forward with plans for expanding within the confines of its campus.

“I don’t think there will be three lanes all the way down, but there will be turn pockets. I would like to see bicycle lanes the whole way down on both sides, and sidewalks, too.”

• Allowing property owners to utilize a portion of their critical area buffers if they agree to enhance part of the remaining buffer.

“The more incentive you put out there for people, the more creative they are at coming up with a better product. I hate to restrict people with what they do sometimes.”

Hendrickson supports:

• A capital improvement plan that focuses on saving and investing while promoting economic development.

• Providing citizens with clear, honest financial reports

Position No. 3

Family medicine practitioner Milton Curtis is running for Position No. 3 unopposed — almost.

Eighteen-year-old Elliot Newlin has withdrawn from the race. But he didn’t pull out in time to get his name off the ballot.

Barring an unsolicited turnout of Newlin supporters at the polls, Curtis will win the election. He served previously on the Downtown Planning Commission and the Downtown Task Force.

Curtis lists his main priorities as transportation and development. He has proposed that the city develop a loop road that would encircle downtown Kenmore and keep unnecessary traffic off of State Route 522.

“I would even like to see a city-subsidized bus service for shops and stores along the loop,” he said.

Curtis also suggested that the city should widen Northeast 175th Street to draw traffic away from the intersection at Juanita Drive and SR 522.

“I’ve thought a lot about Juanita Drive,” he said. “I used to think the bridge was the problem, but it’s actually the intersection at Bothell Way.”

Curtis says he would encourage Bastyr to restore the Saint Edward seminary building and lease it for use as a dormitory.

“This overlaps with so many issues,” he said. “It helps traffic problems by keeping students on campus, it preserves the seminary building, Bastyr is happy because they have a place for students, and the park is still passive.”

Other issues

Curtis supports:

• A free market.

“We’re not going to tell people what to do with their property.”

• Analytical rather than emotional approaches to problem solving.

“My strength is analysis. I’m a doctor. That’s what I do.”

Position No. 5

Deputy Mayor David Baker is defending his seat against Hill. Both candidates have ideas to spare.

Hill is dissatisfied with the rate of economic development in Kenmore and proposes that the city focus more effort on launching the proposed Lake Pointe mixed-used development.

“Kenmore Village has only diverted money away from LakePointe, which is the true downtown catalyst,” he said. “LakePointe has economic gravity. It will attract other desirable businesses with hardly any other efforts on our part.”

Hill also proposes creating a comprehensive network of neighborhood associations across Kenmore. Each group would elect a representative to serve as a liaison between residents and the city.

Incumbent Baker has served on at least 10 different regional committees and is ending his second term as Kenmore’s deputy mayor.

Among the ideas he proposes is the passing of a regulation that would require voter approval for any future tax increases. He has also promised to advocate for free wireless Internet access throughout Kenmore.

Baker lists economic development and affordable housing as his paramount concerns.

“I want a diverse supply of housing in Kenmore,” he said. “There’s nowhere in this city for our kids to buy a home anymore. We need to do more so we can share in the American dream of owning a house.”

Baker said he would support an ordinance providing protection for renters whose apartments are converted to condominiums.

“Basically, I want the max that the state will allow us to do,” he said.

Other issues

Baker supports:

• Outside funding for Kenmore road projects

“I’ve been working hard on all these committees to get the name of Kenmore out there so we can get funding for the city.”

• Small business

“I’m a small business owner. I rely on it to pay my mortgage and put food on the table.

• Sidewalks and bike lanes in school areas

Baker made the motion during talks about the city’s six-year transportation improvement plan to put sidewalks and bike lanes in school areas first.

Hill supports:

• The creation of an environmental stewardship program that works to protect, restore and utilize the area’s natural assets.

“There are all these groups doing their own thing without communicating with each other. That doesn’t do much for these huge assets we have here.”

• A small City Hall.

“I’m not sure we need a signature building. We just need a place to work. We should be thinking about a large community building with a small City Hall annex, not the other way around.”

Position No. 7

Councilmember Glenn Rogers has distributed campaign brochures that feature a tin-can telephone setup representing the lines of communication between Kenmore residents and their government.

Black is running against him on the basis that City Council isn’t responding to what its constituents say.

“I’ve been going to council meetings, and I find what’s going to on be very disappointing,” Black said. “I don’t believe this council listens to the needs of citizens. Not everyone should get what they want, but you get people coming back to council over and over without any resolution.”

Rogers is familiar with his opponent by now. Black has shown up at a number of City Council meetings to voice displeasure over Kenmore’s fireworks ban.

The challenger has other gripes, most of which relate to traffic matters. Black is calling for more connector roads to support residential developments.

Rogers’ top priorities include sidewalk development and expediting the completion of SR 522 improvement projects.

“For me, re-election is about a continuation of where I’ve been and where we’re going,” he said.

Other issues

Rogers supports:

• Economic growth

His campaign literature states that Kenmore is “postured for solid and sound economic growth,” and that he “will continue to support an environment for current business to thrive and will work to attract new businesses, as well.”

• Teamwork

“I don’t make decisions based on my own instinct. I work as a team.”

Black supports:

• Widening Juanita Drive from Bastyr University to SR 522

“If they added an additional lane from Bastyr north, that would make a huge difference.”

• Taking citizen comments seriously

“There are citizens who have really good ideas and extreme knowledge in certain areas, and that needs to be used to make decisions.”