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Brenda Cooper
Chief Information Office
Information Technology Dept.
City of Kirkland
Email:
googlerfi@ci.kirkland.wa.us
425-587-3051 |
Kirkland has completed a request to be considered for Google’s High speed fiber project. The Kirkland City Council supported the bid and encouraged citizens and businesses to share their thoughts. Our community responded to our survey, nominated us through the Google site, wrote letters of support, and agreed to be interviewed for our suite of videos that explores the many ways we hope this project can actually be used.
Community Support The City of Kirkland has reached out to our citizens, businesses and community regarding its proposal for the Fiber for Communities project. Upon the City Council’s approval to proceed with competing for the project, communications staff began a public information campaign. The City has been promoting its interest to submit a proposal through our city website, email notification systems, printed materials and television station (KLIFE).
Neighborhood Outreach
Kirkland, Washington has a beautiful physical setting, strong sense of community, and 13 distinct neighborhoods each with its own unique character. Our Neighborhood Services Program was created to work closely with all 13 neighborhoods to ensure high-quality services are provided, neighborhood associations are supported, and issues are responsively addressed. This is at the heart of what gives Kirkland a sense of community.
Kirkland neighborhoods have helped spread the word about Kirkland’s interest in the Google project by sending electronic messages and survey links to their membership and posting information their web sites. The Moss Bay Neighborhood Association website 
contains information about the City competing.
The Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN) is comprised of the chairs and vice-chairs of the neighborhood associations. KAN has helped spread the word and encouraged neighborhood associations to help support Kirkland’s bid for the Google project.
Business Outreach
The City’s Economic Development Program supports the vibrancy of Kirkland’s business community. An exclusive program – the Kirkland Business Roundtable – is comprised of CEO-level representatives from business clusters and the institutions that support them. The City has been in contact with the Roundtable about its bid for this project. In response, the City has received letters of support from Northwest University (Kirkland), Lake Washington Technical College (Kirkland), INRIX (Kirkland), and SRM Development (Seattle).
Additionally, the City interviewed several local business owners who expressed support for Kirkland to be selected for this project.
- Currently Kirkland Television Program Part I and Part II (featured on YouTube): Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride; Ingvar Petursson, CIO, Expedia, Inc.; Glen Hiemstra, Founder and Owner, Futurist.com; Nina Bondarook, Owner, Bondarook & Associates; Laurie Simon, Founder, Ombrella Consulting share their thoughts on why Google should select Kirkland for the “Fiber” project
- Kirkland City Council Meeting (March 2, 2010): Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Vadino expresses his support for the City to compete for the project.
Community Outreach To announce to the community the City of Kirkland was competing to be selected for the project, we:
- Created an informational webpage
- Created an online survey to receive public comments
Summary of results (pdf - 82k)
Verbatim results (pdf - 74k) - Issued a news release announcing our bid
- Distributed information through our email notification systems (list serv) reaching over 1,000 subscribers
- Distributed flyers and tents cards to local establishments that offer wi-fi
- Shared information through the Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN)
- Shared information with key members in the City’s annexation area and requested that they forward the information with community members
- Featured the City’s bid, survey and Google’s nomination method on “Currently Kirkland,” a weekly, city-produced television program.
The City’s Chief Information Officer presented the concept of the City’s interest to bid to the City Council on March 2, 2010 . City Council meetings are televised live on the City’s government access channel (Comcast Channel 21; Verizon Channel 31). Video is also available on-demand from the City’s website.