Regarding the proposed amendments to KMC Title 14, this is a contentious issue and certainly seemed to get people fired up.

I am not typing this letter today out of anger or resentment, but rather to hopefully compel the city to truly think about the past reaction of its citizens.

The negative response last time was significant. The public (in my opinion) believes this issue to be an assault on their personal freedoms brought about by an elitist few. This could be only a partial truth, but in the public arena perception becomes reality.

I ask the city to be mindful of trying too hard to restrict access to Kirkland’s Juanita Bay. No one would disagree that safety should be paramount while people enjoy the water, but it’s a quick trip from a safety message to a perception of someone trying to “take the bay away.”

I encourage the city to promote safety, listen to the public and their requests for policing on the bay (done by KPD). Encourage the fire department to promote a water safety message. Maybe hand out materials at the boat launch, place new signage at public beaches and docks, show a presence on the water (get a fire/rescue boat).

All of these things I would think should be tried before just writing laws that can’t be enforced and will sour the public opinion of those who proposed the changes and the city government as a whole.

In closing it’s worth mentioning that elections in this town are often relatively close. Most of the time in my recollection the winner is separated from the loser by less than a 400-500 votes.

A fired up public using social media could push a candidate into office fairly easily in a city of 80,000-plus with elections going the way they do here, so why give potential opponents material to work with? Just a thought.

Jim Scapinni, Kirkland