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.”
The City’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, adopted in 2003, established the Non-Motorized Committee, which provides annual reports to the City Council so it can assess non-motorized transportation needs. It also coordinates community education efforts.
“The community values survey shows that non motorized transportation should continue to be one of the city’s top priorities,” Scales wrote. “Why would you choose to eliminate a committee that has proved so successful? Now is not the time to eliminate things that actually work.”
The reason for the proposal is unclear. It was not included in the April 25 memo to the mayor from City department heads, which outlined possible spending reductions for 2008.
Updated, 5/8/08: At tonight’s meeting at 7 pm, the Planning Commission will consider this proposal in the form of a requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment. You can read the staff memo supporting the amendment here. According to the memo, “The City is pursuing the creation of a new transportation committee that would advise the City on all transportation issues, both motorized and non-motorized. As proposed, the new committee would combine two exisiting committees–Parking and NMATC.”
This same amendment was proposed to the Planning Commission last August, and to the City Council last fall. It was not adopted at that time.
Okay, money is tight. What did COBI spend to recruit Planning Director Byrne? And how many laps around the track did we get back? I believe there were 31 applicants and extensive use of expensive Head Hunter firms. Then what did COBI spend in special coaching classes and consultants for departed Mary Jo Briggs? Did we get our money’s worth? Then what did we spend in Head Hunter fees to finally settle on Mark Dombroski? Add to these figures the $147K Benchmark Study paperweight and the $24,999.00 communicating encounter session.
Contrast that with the jettisoning of the Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Committee. Oh, and add to that the up-tick in salaries for key Department Heads — my, oh, my,
O what a tengled we we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!
Deceit~Deception~Recall-Bainbridge Mayor YouTube call to arms