[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6092374,"mediaKeyId","2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd","parentId",2854158,"title","Votes at a glance: council adopts revised facility-use policy, approves tree contract amendment, accepts pavement overlay project","audioSeconds",526,"startMs",6941000,"endMs",7467000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd&start=6941&end=7467","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd/thumbnail_6941000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6092374/Washington/Votes-at-a-glance-council-adopts-revised-facility-use-policy-approves-tree-contract-amendment-accepts-pavement-overlay-project","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6092374-5f05321d6b6ea82b02eae2027d50d121/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442696&Signature=h3EoAaPGhyDQjJ1YNFKX6Zsklzsui7P2IHONLsM5YEkR3p~nhr~FkFDXqZwdVN6hr5dFm5TIFGihEOHp-CXmWszP5hpAmuSfw7xP~eJc4OYGRNhUEN3iQgVfXURmvgw3r97NGZtEI0V5qpG0dOKR5kSP3Rs0cw-NL2NBnngMbdZmgHaruwToJRhH2w4Is2IKCUmRuHhnNzVux5Uso3AFafzqKFmAk8xBKOr1gysYuynV-F7yZq4aXabx5p2cAwXBzFz-PlO4kll55UFrXOwtlPhA-9-y7K7Y1rDFsCkcwrsZYmo-RqSXcK3bs0V2uQxvBgY8qG~a9d4DzJdhM6CBnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Newcastle, WA","date","2025-04-03T00:22:19.4Z","article","The Newcastle City Council took three formal actions during its April 1 regular meeting: it adopted a revised facilities-use policy for the city hall building and parking areas, approved a contract amendment for tree maintenance services, and accepted the 2024 pavement overlay program as complete.

Adopted: Revised facilities-use policy (Resolution 2025-1032)
City staff presented an updated facilities-use policy that applies to conference rooms, the council chambers and the building parking lot. The council moved to adopt the resolution rescinding a prior 2000s-era resolution and replacing it with the updated policy; the motion passed unanimously, 6–0.

Approved: Contract amendment with PND Logging and Tree Service (Resolution 2025-1033)
The council approved a contract amendment with PND Logging and Tree Service to continue tree maintenance work. Staff told the council the vendor has performed the majority of tree work since 2018; council members discussed rebidding at the end of the vendor’s contract term. The resolution authorizing the amendment passed on a unanimous vote, 6–0.

Accepted: 2024 Newcastle Pavement Overlay Program (T11)
The council accepted the 2024 pavement overlay program (T11) as complete. Staff reported the original contract amount was $1,600,235.00 and after three change orders the final construction cost was $1,659,326.03, a net increase of $59,091.03 for additional utility adjustments and related work. The acceptance was approved unanimously, 6–0.

Votes at a glance (recorded votes)
- Resolution 2025-1032, revised facilities-use policy — Outcome: approved; Vote: 6–0 (Council members Burford, Sherlock, Griffin, Quigg, Deputy Mayor Lakotia, Mayor Clark — yes).
- Resolution 2025-1033, PND Logging and Tree Service contract amendment — Outcome: approved; Vote: 6–0 (same recorded yes votes).
- 2024 Pavement Overlay Program (T11) — Outcome: accepted as complete; Vote: 6–0. The staff-provided change-order total was $59,091.03 and reasons cited included additional utility adjustments beyond initial estimates.

Ending

Staff said they will return to council with follow-up items where appropriate (for example, rebidding the tree contract at its 2025 expiration and any final closeout documentation for the overlay project).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-01 Council","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 1 meeting the Newcastle City Council adopted a revised facilities-use policy, approved a contract amendment with a tree service vendor, and accepted completion of the 2024 pavement overlay program; all votes were unanimous 6–0 where recorded.","taxTitle","City Council Meetings, Newcastle, King County, Washington","taxId",71821,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6092379,"Staff recommends Fircrest-style flag policy to make flagpole displays city government speech",482,6448000,6930000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd&start=6448&end=6930","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd/thumbnail_6448000.jpg","/articles/6092379/Washington/Staff-recommends-Fircrest-style-flag-policy-to-make-flagpole-displays-city-government-speech","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6092379-f8bb7f7c1ba6e18b1b3fc75060ced934/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442696&Signature=Jv0d2bVvxlwXGZ9Y7~BsLs~HppmyYKtz8u3msxEbJX7mQ2hadcxVZ4-KwGeljskQL2pCehfbrv4~V71q3-OOZSb885GuTaoY-MjeM9TZWEouESp7I4Rm85tNyedgO9q4~Jc6LH6~6ZN5wujfwN-72JhRNAgjiECEUGFAL-nm6biG0ceLalhbkT~Y0d6B761RFRawrbkLxo7g6pgaWJxHPJXhE1krm9z6P-H57vwravFGNn0H~TqVl7BMu6fUEXWZ4G03UM4d4DT9fOH9WuRZyP0g1b9w9pWN4VRIefndy66b6YbWlSN65ILDMpfUSrjrus4Uo-Ow~1wjyZ9q6pEM9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the Newcastle City Council on April 1 that the council should adopt a flag policy modeled on Fircrest’s to end confusion about which flags the city will display and to treat flagpole displays as government speech rather than a public forum.

The distinction matters because some residents argued that raising one community or interest flag would obligate the city to raise many others; staff said designating nonrequired flags as commemorative and requiring a councilmember request would avoid that result.

City Manager Pingle summarized staff’s recommended approach, saying the policy would treat the U.S. flag, the state flag and the POW/MIA flag as the required government flags and classify any other flag as commemorative. “Anything that's not a required flag… any other flag would be a commemorative flag,” Pingle said. He said commemorative-flag requests should be brought by a sitting council member, put on the planning calendar, and deliberate council action should follow.

Council member Sherlock said the Fircrest model was concise and addressed the elements the council needed. “I would support something very similar to the Fircrest flag policy,” Sherlock said during discussion. Council member Quigg added a practical revision request: change any policy text to refer to Newcastle rather than Fircrest.

City Attorney Curtis reviewed the Fircrest policy earlier and staff said he flagged no legal obstacles to a similar Newcastle policy. Staff recommended returning a Newcastle-version of the Fircrest policy for adoption; the council reached consensus to bring back an adapted Fircrest draft for formal consideration rather than taking immediate action.

Ending

Staff will prepare a Newcastle-specific draft of the Fircrest policy for a future agenda. The draft will reflect the council’s direction that commemorative flags be treated as government speech, require a council member to sponsor requests, and be scheduled on the planning calendar for a future council vote.","After months of public debate over the pride flag, Newcastle staff recommended a flag policy modeled on Fircrest’s: fly required government flags (U.S., state, POW/MIA) and treat other requests as commemorative displays that must be requested by a council member and placed on the planning calendar for deliberate council action.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6092384,"Winfield Ridge residents press council to require fire gate as developer resists",4633,1067000,5700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd&start=1067&end=5700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2854158-6a4808de421e4cb84f1a9095818eeccd/thumbnail_1067000.jpg","/articles/6092384/Washington/Winfield-Ridge-residents-press-council-to-require-fire-gate-as-developer-resists","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6092384-9718325280091654eb6d9fedb86b1d8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442696&Signature=KByq-xwlshsPlALQrPCntAfMIE9KXZ1mpJQt7U5bE5IUNB3fBr-NzJN6XiGfgFNJ4a1zCcGcl7-sD2s7Y99GQDUOlbwEmtO3obb4Bf1WU8XxuVqjY9PRYkQV0MjRkvFbhQDSwLF83y~u1rMZJGwnXIrN-nRZKC6Dmksq9XPiyDKWgEyBUi4ulUeml4eUBp4hvV0wtDtATGUT6dxWaPo1ZLWVHDsxtv2pUWbYPJOpfCZcbTr2JqwzHCgQed2-aTSzY-U7LlAVSStAxxereffD0j9Q3J0iNCMpH7ASTvT2JdR0rvP47JOcW1qQfNO--wB09dURxR0YPJ9oNDlGaeefVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents of the Winfield Ridge and White Hawk neighborhoods urged the Newcastle City Council on April 1 to require a fire gate on a proposed through street tied to a new housing development, saying the gate is the only practical measure to prevent cut-through speeding that would endanger children.

The request matters because the council faces a choice between requiring a gate now or enforcing a longer traffic-monitoring plan required by the hearing examiner. City Manager Pingle told the council staff met with the developer but have not yet reached agreement on whether the developer will accept a gate as a condition.

Sarah Goodman, a Winfield Ridge resident, said the gate is essential to keep her neighborhood safe and to prevent the quiet dead-end street she described from becoming a shortcut to I-405. “The requirement of a fire gate as a mitigation for the proposed through street is the only remaining solution to safeguard our community,” Goodman said. “Really the only thing that stands between this us and the safety of our children is this fire gate.”

Anna Evans, also a Winfield Ridge resident, asked the council for concrete cost updates and for staff to produce the cost estimates the neighborhood requested for both the traffic-monitoring plan and for the gate. “We ask that the city staff provide updates tonight on the gathered cost estimates for the traffic monitoring plan and the cost estimate for the gate,” Evans said during public comment.

Council member Quigg, who said he previously moved to require a gate, told residents he expects staff to keep them updated. “I made a motion to do it and, Deputy Mayor Licotte, I think, seconded it and went sideways from there and I hope that we can get plenty of information to you guys, keep you in the loop with all the detail possible,” Quigg said.

City Manager Pingle described a recent staff meeting with the developer and said the developer’s “initial reaction was that they were not in favor of installing a gate.” Pingle said differences in how staff and the developer interpret the hearing examiner’s condition for a traffic-monitoring plan became apparent and that staff provided the developer with additional information to clarify the developer’s obligations. “We wanted to make sure that they're understanding that they're going to have some skin in the game on this,” Pingle said.

Director Bonds, who oversees public works matters, told the council the hearing examiner delegated to the public works director the task of setting the proportionate cost for the monitoring study and any required mitigations. He explained that the monitoring-plan costs and any resulting traffic-calming measures could, in combination, exceed the cost of a gate: “A gate's gonna cost 20 or $25,000; a monitoring plan plus potential improvements may cost more than a gate or may include installing a gate.”

Council members and staff said next steps include staff sending the developer clarified materials and cost information and returning to council with updated options. No formal council action was taken on April 1; the matter remains under discussion.

Ending

Residents said they will continue to press the council for a faster, permanent mitigation. Staff told the council it will follow up with the developer, provide cost estimates for the monitoring plan and for a gate, and report back to the council before a final decision is made.","Residents of Winfield Ridge told the Newcastle City Council on April 1 that a fire gate is the only effective mitigation for a proposed through street; city staff say they have met the developer but have not reached agreement and emphasized a hearing-examiner-required traffic monitoring plan.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: council adopts revised facility-use policy, approves tree contract amendment, accepts pavement overlay project

Staff recommends Fircrest-style flag policy to make flagpole displays city government speech

Winfield Ridge residents press council to require fire gate as developer resists