Kirkland is the 12th largest city in the state. That’s a fact. Now, how do we handle our new situation?

Some may grumble about what might have been, but that is the subject for a different conversation. How do we proceed from here as one Kirkland? That is what this conversation is about.

Today, we will discuss the “how.” In a future conversation, we can tackle specific issues of “what” and “when.”

Having chaired a neighborhood association after the neighborhood was annexed, I know that not all things will go as everyone would like in all instances. Getting your priority adopted as a city priority may take more than a simple request and usually takes time.

This is the same for long-time residents as new residents. The crux of the situation is: can we productively talk with one another about our views and opinions about where we should go from where we are? Patience and persistence usually pay off.

Yet, there will certainly be times where you are not getting through or your timeline is different than the city’s. How you proceed in such a situation is key. It is a question of listening, understanding, and cooperating – that goes for all involved.

To get results requires having lines of communications that work in relating the issue, the urgency, and the desired outcome. It is a good idea to build relationships with the city staff working on issues that are important to you and to get to know your city council members.

Those relationships can assist with others understanding your position.Keep in mind that in any broad-based situation my way is not always going to be the way that is adopted.

Sometimes we get our way. Sometimes we influence the situation a bit. Other times, we see another approach accepted. There are lines of communication among neighbors, between businesses and neighbors, between city government and residents, etc. We need to have all of these functioning well to congenially coexist.

The examples we will focus on today deal with those between residents and the City of Kirkland. We depend upon the city to accomplish certain things from emergency response to community events.

How we communicate and what we expect from those interactions can range from the vitally important to the casually interesting. You wouldn’t want your 911 call referred to a committee for consideration at their next regular meeting, nor would you want to get a phone call when someone across town wants to change the size of their garbage container.

We need to fit our information systems with the situation, our level of interest, and the privacy rights of individuals. Knowing how and where we can get information is a very large part of understanding.

The City of Kirkland tries to use an array of communication strategies from the traditional to exciting opportunities presented by social media. During last year’s budget process the city piloted a blog and RSS and twitter feeds on budget deliberations.

Every two years the city conducts a statistically valid survey of resident opinions. Residents from the annexation area have participated on some boards and commissions since 2001, and the council expanded that consideration in early 2010 adding temporary seats specifically for annexation area residents.

There is information that is “pushed” to you, for example: City updates, e-mail alerts on subjects you can subscribe to (currently nearly 40 topical areas), special information flyers mailed directly to you and sometimes included with your utility bill.

There is much more that you may seek out on the city’s Web site (kirklandwa.gov). You may view council meetings on cable television or the Web; and, the week prior, you may review the staff papers on the Web that make recommendations for those meetings.

You may directly inquire about a topic or an issue. On the city’s Web site, there is an “Ask a Question” page (under “Contact Us”). There are also other lists of topical contacts under the “Contact Us” menu bar.

City staff works to maintain regular communications with neighborhood associations, business associations, and community service organizations. One group that everyone has an opportunity to be involved with is your neighborhood association. New associations are being formed in parts of the new neighborhoods. The Juanita Neighborhood Association is currently working to incorporate new neighbors of, what has been called, North Juanita.

The neighborhood page on the city’s Web site provides a wealth of information for residents. For example, there is the “Neighborhood Hot Sheet” created at the request of neighborhood associations to outline what large public and private development is going on in each neighborhood and the status of those.

Coming together with a group that holds a common interest gives you a way of learning, clarifying, building support, and joining voices to have a say in matters that interest you. An advantage of these groups is that they generally are involved early in “the process” and understand what is under discussion.

You may find yourself trying to change rules that were established years earlier after someone else has relied on that rule. While that may be frustrating you may be able to change rules that apply to future situations.

Equally frustrating can be learning about a situation that has been in process for months or years. You may want to have your say late in the process or after decisions have been made, but your opportunity to shape the situation was months earlier. That is where having connections to groups and means of communication are important to keep you informed while you still have an opportunity to shape the outcome.

With all the differing methods of communicating we have today, it is a challenge to know what we want as the choices expand, particularly when budgets are so tight. Effective community conversation is a basic topic that rises above specific issues about annexation. It goes to the core of how we come together in community to make things work better.

To begin the conversation, we have some questions for you to ponder. Please create your discussion groups, get together and see what answers you come up with for the questions.

Please answer the survey above. We will publish the results that will be relayed to the Kirkland City Council.

Your care in engaging with your acquaintances to discuss improvements to our community is the way we build a community conversation around important topics. We are fortunate to live in a wonderful place. Given the challenges we have, how do we best move forward together with a much larger city? Let’s have a conversation.

Dave Asher is a Kirkland City Councilman and member of Kirkland Conversations, a group of local officials and community members that care about Kirkland issues.