Appeals court rules against anti-liveaboard efforts

The Court of Appeals, Division II, issued an opinion today upholding a trial court’s refusal to force the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to take action against Eagle Harbor liveaboards. The decision is another blow to the efforts of Bainbridge Citizens United (BCU) and its director, Gary Tripp, to rid Eagle Harbor of boats which, they argue, are trespassing on public lands. DNR has been working with officials on Bainbridge Island on a harbor management plan, and has not taken action to evict boats in Eagle Harbor, in spite of BCU’s claims that DNR is required to do so under state law.

BCU and Tripp brought a lawsuit in Kitsap Superior Court after DNR took a formal position that it’s allowed by applicable state law to work with the liveaboards as it sees fit. BCU/Tripp asked the trial court to require DNR to evict the liveaboards. The trial court denied BCU/Tripp’s request, granted summary judgment in favor of DNR and left DNR free to work with harbor issues in its discretion.   

Town Hall audio now online

If you missed last week’s Town Hall meeting, Dave Henry of the Bainbridge Island Community Network has posted the audio on his website here. He also assisted with the video, which will be released at a later date, according to an email he sent out this morning.

Kitsap Sun publishes story on police misconduct files

The Kitsap Sun has posted an article about the allegations of police misconduct against Officer Steve Cain by Kim Koenig. The article is based on a review of Puyallup Police Department records of its investigation of  the criminal complaint Koenig lodged against Cain following a traffic stop last September. The City of Puyallup recently released those records to the Sun. Read the Sun article here.

Court enjoins document release in misconduct claim

Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Russell Hartman ruled this afternoon that the public has no legitimate interest in records of two investigations into allegations of misconduct by Officer Steve Cain of the Bainbridge Island Police. Judge Hartman enjoined the City of Bainbridge Island from releasing the records of investigations done by the Mercer Island and Puyallup police departments to Kitsap Sun reporter Tristan Baurick and me.

Both of us made requests for the documents under the state Public Records Act in February. Baurick also submitted a request to the City of Puyallup for disclosure of the criminal investigative report prepared the Puyallup police department for the BIPD. Last week the City of Puyallup released its investigative records to Baurick. The City of Bainbridge Island allowed me to review, but not copy, the Puyallup records in February, and I wrote a post about the contents at that time. Subsequently, the Bainbridge Island Police Guild filed a lawsuit against COBI, Baurick and me to prevent disclosure of records in both investigations.

Happy Mama’s Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A robin pair have been busy on our backdoor rain spout this spring. Mom left the nest early this week and she and dad have been flying in and out, foraging on the lawn (we’re keeping the cat inside) and then perching on the rim of the nest with a beak full of worms. Yesterday I saw a tiny robin face peering out of the nest when mom and dad weren’t home. Those wild kids.

Here’s to mothers everywhere. They are, as poet Agha Shahid Ali wrote, “the breath drawn after every line.” 

 

Short on money, but never on ideas

I was double-booked last night so I only saw the last hour of the Town Hall meeting. I’d appreciate if someone could post a comment on the highlights of the first hour–I hear some sparks flew.

The theme of the night was efficient management, both at Town Hall meeting and in my earlier meeting, a “listening session” with Kitsap Regional Library patrons. And well it should be, with the library still sharpening its budget pencil after last year’s levy lid lift failure and the City’s Finance Committee hearing the news yesterday that the COBI is so strapped it has no ability to borrow money in either 2008 or 2009. 

Road rash award for City proposal

This post has been updated as of 5/8/08:

Just days after Bainbridge Island was recognized for its bike friendliness by the League of American Bicyclists, the City has proposed that its Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Committee be disbanded. Its work would be done instead by a general transportation advisory committee, according to an email to the City Council from former Council member Bob Scales.  

Scales noted that a benchmarking study done in 2007 recommended that the City reduce the number of its committees. “However,” he wrote, “you should not start doing this by eliminating one of the most important and most productive committees the city has.”

Town Hall meeting tomorrow

This year’s second Town Hall meeting sponsored by the American Legion will be held Tuesday, May 6 from 7 to 9 pm at the American Legion Hall, 7880 N.E. Bucklin Hill Road (across from Hyla Middle School).

The first meeting, held in February, drew a crowd of about 150, including Mayor Darlene Kordonowy, and most of the City Council. The City’s electeds have been invited to tomorrow’s event as well.

COBI’s downtown planning manager promoted

The City of Bainbridge Island sent out this press release late this afternoon:

City Administrator Mark Dombroski today announced the appointment of Chris Wierzbicki to the newly created position of Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development.
 
Wierzbicki, who has served the City for the past year as both Senior Project Manager for Downtown Planning and as Acting City Engineer, was selected following an extensive search which culminated in interviews with six candidates.   

Island gets bike friendly award

I was still panting from a quick bike ride around the north end of the island today, when lo and behold, I saw this press release from the City of Bainbridge Island in my inbox. Way to go Non-Motorized Committee (and thanks Joel)!! Keep at it…the future North Madison bike lanes are near and dear to my heart and my limbs:

Bainbridge Island is one of eleven communities across the country recognized today as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.  The competitive award process recognizes communities that have made “impressive, measurable efforts to integrate bicyclists into the community.” 
 
“I have to say this is a huge accomplishment.  The designation is one with real meaning – it is a very competitive process,” said Don Willott, Chair of the City’s Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Committee.  Communities are judged on their support of cycling in five key areas: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation/planning.