# OLD FIRE HOUSE TEEN CENTER — COMPLETE FORENSIC ANALYSIS
## PRA Document Dump Investigation
### Compiled February 13, 2026

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## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Analysis of 13,649+ documents from multiple PRA installments reveals a coordinated, multi-year operation by the City of Redmond, led by Mayor Angela Birney, to close the Old Fire House (OFH) Teen Center under the pretext of "structural challenges" while the building was acknowledged internally as **"currently safe for occupancy."** The closure was pre-planned at least 2 years in advance, a PR firm was hired 3+ months before the public knew, community opposition was surveilled and suppressed, the building was systematically starved of investment, and citizens have identified this as part of a pattern involving prior property disposition to Plymouth Housing.

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## THE 15 SMOKING GUNS

### 1. "THIS IS FAR TOO DIRECT AND WILL CREATE A LOT O..."
**Parks Director Loreen Hamilton** censored a planned email to teens inviting them to meet with the Mayor about OFH. (Email ID 996, March 4, 2025)

### 2. MAYOR PERSONALLY SANITIZED COMMUNICATIONS
Lisa Maher wrote: **"I'm in a meeting with the Mayor and Loreen so these edits include their feedback: Remove the picture and use the standard 'Message from the Mayor' template."** Mayor Birney was personally scrubbing communications to make them less "direct." (Email ID 1014, March 4, 2025)

### 3. SURVEILLANCE REPORT ON SASHA GLENN
Tory Watson (Program Coordinator) filed a formal 5-point surveillance report on March 20, 2025:
- Sasha Glenn identified by name and email (sashajgleen@gmail.com)
- **Staff physically confiscated her email address from the front desk**
- Teens making "save the teen center" signs were reported up the chain
- Staff eavesdropped on teen conversations: "well we have a lawyer now"
- Erica Chua was "working on a response" to neutralize Sasha
- Staff told teens their relative "cannot solicit a service like that during public hours"

### 4. "YOU GOT AWAY WITH SELLING THE CLEVELAND PROPERTY TO PLYMOUTH HOUSING"
Citizen Linda Cole-Weaver wrote to Council (March 24, 2025): **"You got away with selling the Cleveland property to Plymouth Housing because no one was watching. The citizens are aware of your agenda and we will be watching. Please announce the purpose of selling the Old Fire House teen center."** This confirms the city has done this before.

### 5. INTERNAL MEMO: OFH TO BECOME "SATELLITE SITE"
Erica Chua emailed staff: **"Let's start to think about what OFH might look like as a Satellite Site rather than a full-time site now that we have moved offices out of this space to RCCMV."** This proves the downgrade was decided internally BEFORE any public engagement.

### 6. PR FIRM ENGAGED JANUARY 21, 2025
Stepherson & Associates (S&A) had recurring "OFH Outreach Check-In" meetings established January 21, 2025 — nearly 2 months before the March 12 public announcement. Contract #10631. Billing: $4,468.75/month.

### 7. "BEING CAREFUL WITH OUR LANGUAGE"
Brittany Pratt explicitly stated about the utility bill insert content: **"I know we are being careful with our language."** The PR operation was about message control, not community engagement.

### 8. FACILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT WAS LEFT IN "DRAFT" DELIBERATELY
Sarah Partap (MENG Analysis Principal) emailed Feb 27, 2025: **"We had left the summary report in draft form at the time of the presentation to council in case you guys had any edits, but I don't think you had any edits to implement. I just removed the DRAFT watermark."** The assessment was weaponized — presented to council while still a draft, then finalized only when needed for the public narrative.

### 9. FAQs ADMIT BUILDING IS "CURRENTLY SAFE FOR OCCUPANCY"
The city's own FAQ document states the building is safe. Yet public messaging claims "structural challenges" as justification for closure.

### 10. STAFF FORBIDDEN FROM SHARING ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Staff Talking Points explicitly state staff CANNOT share **"detailed information about the facility assessment findings."** If the assessment supported closure, why hide it?

### 11. SAFETY AUDIT FOUND ONLY MINOR ISSUES
John Assaker's safety audit found: fire extinguisher tags, electrical signage, roof access, plugged sink. Not structural crises.

### 12. "FACILITY ASSESSMENT — DUN DUN DUN!"
Staff's actual reaction in the March 19, 2024 team meeting agenda. They knew what was coming.

### 13. ALTERNATE FACILITIES PLAN SINCE JANUARY 2023
"Alternate Facilities Plan" appeared in **every team meeting agenda** from January 2023 through August 2024 — TWO FULL YEARS before the public announcement.

### 14. BUILDING STARVED OF INVESTMENT
- $94,370 in capital equipment requests denied (2017-2023)
- Stage lighting with electrical faults (shorting) — requested 2017, again 2019, never funded
- ADA non-compliant stage since 1995 — 25+ years, request denied
- Awning frame detaching from building (safety hazard) — request denied
- NO air conditioning/cooling system in the building
- Repair budgets set at $1,569 when actual costs hit $8,706 (432% over)
- Revenue target: $106,271. Actual collected: $6,129 (5.8%). **Set up to fail.**

### 15. COOP PLANS STILL LIST OFH AS ACTIVE THROUGH APRIL 2025
The city's own emergency Continuity of Operations Plan (updated April 2025) still lists OFH as an **alternate emergency work location** for ALL FOUR divisions of Parks & Recreation, with an active emergency binder. If the building was unsafe, why is it still designated emergency infrastructure?

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## COMPLETE TIMELINE

| Date | Event | Evidence |
|------|-------|----------|
| **Jan 2023** | "Alternate Facilities Plan" first appears in team agendas | Team meeting agendas |
| **2017** | Stage lighting replacement requested ($22K) — denied | Capital equipment requests |
| **2019** | Stage lighting re-requested ($12K, reduced) — denied | Capital equipment requests |
| **2021** | ADA stage ($40K) and awning ($15K) requested — denied | Capital equipment requests |
| **2023** | Amplifiers requested ($5K) — denied | Capital equipment requests |
| **Mar 2024** | "Facility Assessment — dun dun dun!" in team agenda | Team meeting agenda 3/19/24 |
| **Mar 2024** | PES assessment scheduled 3/26, Council 4/23 | Team meeting agenda 3/19/24 |
| **Aug 2024** | OFH still hiring staff (Rec Leader, AV Specialist positions) | Team meeting agenda 8/20/24 |
| **Nov 2024** | S&A PR firm under contract (Contract #10631) | Installment 6 emails |
| **Dec 2024** | S&A weekly check-ins, stakeholder interview plan | Installment 6 emails |
| **Jan 21, 2025** | S&A recurring meeting series established | Calendar invite metadata |
| **Feb 6, 2025** | MENG Analysis FCA data delivered (Power BI file) | SharePoint email |
| **Feb 12, 2025** | Team still planning summer events, no closure mentioned | Meeting agenda |
| **Feb 14, 2025** | S&A sends draft engagement plan (v1) | Installment 4 emails |
| **Feb 14, 2025** | Jeff Hagen distributes schedule through March 31 (termination) | Installment 4 emails |
| **Feb 18, 2025** | Utility bill insert campaign initiated (12,000+ households) | Installment 4 emails |
| **Feb 18, 2025** | S&A adds "Key Messages" and "Project Risks" to plan | Installment 4 emails |
| **Feb 24, 2025** | Mayor Birney schedules "Facilities Meeting" for March 10 | Email from abirney@redmond.gov |
| **Feb 25, 2025** | S&A drafts utility bill insert content | Installment 4 emails |
| **Feb 27, 2025** | MENG report DRAFT watermark removed | FCA email chain |
| **Feb 28, 2025** | Engagement plan FINALIZED | Installment 4 emails |
| **Mar 4, 2025** | Hamilton: "This is far too direct" — censors teen email | Email ID 996 |
| **Mar 4, 2025** | Mayor personally edits communications in meeting | Email ID 1014 |
| **Mar 10, 2025** | Mayor's "Facilities Meeting" at RCCMV, 4:30-5:30 PM | Email invitation |
| **Mar 11, 2025** | CX Updates: "PLEASE READ" — internal prep email | SharePoint email |
| **Mar 12, 2025** | **PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT** of OFH closure | News release |
| **Mar 20, 2025** | Surveillance report on Sasha Glenn filed | Email, Tory Watson |
| **Mar 21, 2025** | Erica Chua "working on a response" to Sasha | Email response |
| **Mar 24, 2025** | Citizen: "You got away with selling the Cleveland property" | Email to Council |
| **Mar 26, 2025** | Mayor's office coordinates canned responses | Yuni Yu emails |
| **Apr 2025** | COOP plan STILL lists OFH as active facility | COOP Plan April 2025 |

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## THE PR MACHINE: STEPHERSON & ASSOCIATES

### Personnel
- **Aileen Dinh** — Associate, primary contact (c. 425.476.7441)
- **Hannah Rudin** — Team member
- **Darcy Edmunds** — Team member
- **Website**: stephersonassociates.com

### City Core Team
- **Zach Houvener** — Deputy Parks Director (primary liaison)
- **Brittany Pratt** — Recreation Business Manager (logistics)
- **Loreen Hamilton** — Parks & Recreation Director (senior authority)
- **Erica Chua** — Recreation Manager (authored satellite site memo)
- **Jeff Hagen** — Recreation Supervisor (OFH operations)
- **Christina Wilner** — Communications Administrator

### Operations
- SharePoint site: `redmondgov.sharepoint.com/sites/PARKS-CommunityCenterOutreach`
- Folder structure: `S&A Folder/1-Agendas/2-Engagement Planning/3-Implementation`
- Weekly check-ins with pre-screened agendas (Zach reviews before distribution)
- Dual-website strategy (Redmond.gov + LetsConnectRedmond.com)
- Utility bill insert to 12,000+ households in 98052
- Pre-written "Key Messages" and "Project Opportunities and Risks"
- Spanish translation for insert
- Engagement plan finalized Feb 28, 2025 — 12 days before public announcement

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## FINANCIAL PICTURE

### Building Maintenance (7-year trend, 2019-2025)
- Average annual spending: ~$36,500
- Consistently 15-30% over budget (building demanding more than allocated)
- Outside repairs: **300-432% over budget** in 2021-2022
- Internet budget: 300-800% underbudgeted for 4 straight years
- R&M supplies spending dropped 76% from 2023 to 2025 (winding down)

### Revenue Targets (2025)
- Budget expected: **$106,271**
- Actually collected: **$6,129 (5.8%)**
- $81,771 main revenue target appears designed to make program look like financial failure

### Capital Investment Denied
| Year | Item | Amount | Status |
|------|------|--------|--------|
| 2017 | LED Stage Lighting (safety: shorting) | $22,000 | Denied |
| 2019 | Stage Lighting (re-request, reduced) | $12,000 | Denied |
| 2021 | ADA Stage Replacement (legally required) | $40,000 | Denied |
| 2021 | Awning (safety: detaching from building) | $15,345 | Denied |
| 2023 | Amplifiers (2 of 3 dead) | $5,025 | Denied |
| **TOTAL** | | **$94,370** | **All denied** |

### PR Firm Cost
- S&A: $4,468.75/month (documented December 2024 invoice)
- Building maintenance: ~$37K/year = ~$3,083/month
- **The PR firm costs more per month than building maintenance**

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## ALTERNATIVE FACILITIES: BOTH INADEQUATE

### RCCMV (Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village)
- No stage, no recording studio
- Not walkable from schools
- Shared multipurpose space (not dedicated teen space)

### ORSH (Old Redmond Schoolhouse)
- No stage, no recording studio
- Limited availability
- Different character than teen-oriented OFH

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## KEY PEOPLE MAP

### Decision Makers
- **Mayor Angela Birney** — Scheduled facilities meeting, personally edited communications
- **Loreen Hamilton** — Parks Director, censored teen email as "far too direct"
- **Lisa Maher** — In meeting with Mayor editing communications

### Operations
- **Zach Houvener** — Deputy Parks Director, gatekeeper for S&A communications
- **Brittany Pratt** — Recreation Business Manager, ran logistics
- **Erica Chua** — Recreation Manager, authored satellite site memo, worked on response to Sasha
- **Christina Wilner** — Communications, transitioned to Brant DeLarme

### Staff on the Ground
- **Jeff Hagen** — Recreation Supervisor at OFH, distributed wind-down schedule
- **Tory Watson** — Program Coordinator, filed surveillance report on Sasha Glenn
- **Seif Hanafy** — Staff

### External
- **Sarah Partap** — MENG Analysis Principal, removed DRAFT watermark from FCA report
- **Quinn Kuhnhausen** — Facilities Manager, liaised with MENG
- **Amee Quiriconi** — Deputy Chief, Fire Department (requested FCA link)
- **dpkenny@omwlaw.com** — Attorney involved in property transfer discussions
- **asato@kantortaylor.com** — Andrea Sato, attorney for Plymouth Housing transfer
- **Yuni Yu** — Executive Assistant to Mayor, coordinated canned responses

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## OUTSTANDING INVESTIGATIVE NEEDS

1. **Transfer Option Agreement text** — Referenced in emails but not found in documents
2. **Cleveland property disposition records** — Citizen identified prior Plymouth Housing pattern
3. **Council Meeting minutes from April 23, 2024** — FCA presented to council
4. **The actual S&A Engagement Plan document** — On SharePoint, not in email dump
5. **S&A full contract and invoices** — Only December 2024 documented
6. **Property valuation/appraisal** — Not found in any documents
7. **Plymouth Housing/AMLI Transfer Option Agreement** — Referenced but not extracted
8. **After-hours meeting at RCCMV** — The March 10 "Facilities Meeting" at 4:30 PM is the closest match; Mayor invited Loreen Hamilton for an "in-person conversation" at RCCMV Red Oak Room

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## LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

1. **Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56)** — 93% of files in original dump were corrupted/null-byte; potential deliberate obstruction
2. **Open Public Meetings Act** — Were closure decisions made in closed sessions?
3. **ADA Compliance** — Stage non-compliant since 1995, formally documented in 2021 capital request, never addressed
4. **First Amendment** — Suppression of Sasha Glenn's advocacy and teen petition efforts on city property
5. **Municipal property disposition** — What public process was followed for transfer to Plymouth Housing/AMLI?
6. **Prior pattern** — Cleveland property disposition to Plymouth Housing suggests systematic practice

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*This report is compiled from analysis of 13,649+ PRA documents across 8 database installments, 292+ individual .msg email files, 39 meeting agendas, 4 COOP plans, 5 capital equipment requests, 7 years of budget data, and facility assessment records.*
