Want to know what’s happening on East Lake Sammamish Parkway? Worried you’re going to miss a meeting on the barricades?
Sammamish residents will soon be able to sign up to receive automatic e-mail notices on topics of their choosing from the City of Sammamish.
Last month the city council voted unanimously to enter into a contract with GovDelivery, a company which provides government-to-citizen communication solutions, using e-mail subscription alerts.
GovDelivery currently serves a number of cities on the Eastside, including Bellevue and Kirkland, as well as Federal Agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State.
“This is one more tool to improve our communications with the residents,” said Sammamish City Manager Ben Yazici.
The move comes following complaints from a number of residents that they were not informed of important meeting dates and potential changes to city regulations, specifically regarding the Shoreline Master Program, the barricade removal program, and roadworks on East Lake Sammamish Parkway.
“I was hearing now and then from citizens, ‘I didn’t know this was happening,’” Yazici said. “With this system, if they are interested in land use issues, for example, they can sign up for the service, and anytime there is a meeting or a notice, they will get an e-mail.”
The service will cost the city a one-time setup fee of $5,000, and $450 a month for ongoing service.
Residents will not be charged to use the service, and can subscribe to as many or as few topics as they wish.
When the city’s Web site is updated in a topic area a resident has signed up for, the resident will receive an e-mail that contains a link back to the new web site information.
Alternatively, city staff will be able to send out an e-mail containing new information residents have requested.
Certain topics, such as emergency information or traffic updates, can also be sent out to people’s phones.Radio station
The city has also just launched a radio station to provide breaking information and emergency communications — AM 540.
Antennas and other equipment were recently installed in both Beaver Lake Park and Northeast Sammamish Park, and a test broadcast went out last week.
The citizen access radio system, also called Sammamish Advisory Radio, will be used to communicate with residents in emergency situations, or to provide up-to-date information on things like road conditions during winter snow falls.
Signal strength and clarity will vary depending on your location and interference factors, like electric power lines.
