(Part 1 of 3) Heidi - I would like to say that I share your optimism, but I can’t The reasons for my skepticism come from a lack of informal organization in Bellevue. I agree that tools like nextdoor.com allow for the potential for better communication, as does this newspaper’s website (the Bellevue Reporter). The City offers similar tools to communicate with staff and eventually elected officials, as well as old-fashioned ad hoc workshops and regular Commission meetings. In one sense, we have the potential to communicate now better than in the past.

What the neighborhoods lack is a semblance of organization. Even in the new Bellevue downtown, I’ve overheard younger folks with some interest in this lamenting the fact they hadn’t communicated their concerns effectively in workshops or directly to elected officials; the fault is not in the stars, but our cultural environment. It’s an ancient Bellevue refrain. It’s a pattern.