Councilman rebuts Oberlanders
July 17, 2008
By Administrator
The Snoqualmie city councilman tasked with determining the need for an outside auditor to examine the city engineer’s billing practices, remains undecided on how the council should act on developer complaints.
However, Councilman Bryan Holloway, in correspondence with developer Brad Oberlander, said he sees no evidence of inappropriate actions by Perteet Engineering, Inc.
“I have seen no evidence of conspiracy, deception or people trying to do anything else other than a good job,” Holloway said in an e-mail which had a copy addressed to the Star.
But, Holloway added, “That does not mean there isn’t room for improvement.”
Holloway’s correspondence was a reply to a number of e-mails sent by Oberlander, who is the owner of the under-construction Gateway Gas and Deli, 8030 Douglas Ave.
Oberlander and his wife, Jennifer, have made repeated appearances before both the council and Holloway’s Public Works Committee airing concerns regarding Perteet and engineer Rahmi Kutsal’s billing practices.
The Oberlanders have charged Kutsal with inappropriate billing practices, and claim their project has been delayed for more than two years largely because of Kutsal and Perteet’s repeated rejections of plans.
At a July 1 committee meeting, however, Kutsal defended his work practices before the committee, and repeatedly invoked statements from Oberlander that Perteet’s charges and practices were valid.
Holloway’s committee has been tasked by Mayor Matt Larson to hear out the complaints – similar charges have been leveled against Perteet by developer Mark McDonald – and to report back to the council regarding the Oberlanders’ call for an independent auditor.
Holloway concluded that Snoqualmie’s comprehensive design standards, which all developers are made aware of going in, are largely responsible for the high cost facing new construction.
“In this case, Snoqualmie has some fairly extensive community design standards,” Holloway said. “The community reflects this and unfortunately to some extent do the cost for design review and construction inspection.”
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Holloway you are a coward and living in a fantasy land. Snoqualmie is largely considered one of the MOST difficult areas for new development in the state of washington. Largely due to ineffciencies & red tape of the planning commission. The leadership of the city should be ashamed of themselves. Anyone in the valley that actually reads this…where there is smoke there is fire. Regardless of where the audit reveals..its doesn’t hit the fact that a bunch of unqualified homers are running the valley and it shows. have u ever seen boss hog from dukes of hazzard…this valley is the modern version. as a valley everyone should take notice of the hardache it takes to not only to OPEN but sustain a small business in the valley. its embarassing frankly. when urban growth is introduced to an area…effective leadship & policy needs to follow. I am not from the valley…but I have lived in MANY similar areas in my lifetime. I have never witnessed a region so unpreparred for the pardora’s box they have opened…all at the expense of the small business owner that is the lifeblood of that growth.