Recently, a member of the community suggested that our weekly update include information about how the City provides services for people without housing. Good suggestion. Although our options are limited, the City is actively engaged both directly and through community agencies.

This year, the City provided $25,500 in human services funding to Helpline House, a local nonprofit organization that provides social services. Some of Helpline House’s services include food assistance, social work, counseling and housing and utilities assistance. They do not provide shelter. 

The City’s Police Department employs a full-time Community Health Navigator. Kelsey Lynch, hired in January 2021, works to reach members of the community who need help. Kelsey is familiar with people without housing in our community and their needs. She maintains communication with them to make sure that they have access to services. Recently, she worked with a family to help them support a family member that, due to a variety of factors, remains unsheltered. She collaborates with neighboring navigators who see some of the same individuals in their communities as we see in ours. 

Kelsey is a graduate of Washington State University and received her graduate degree in clinical social work from the University of Denver. She has been a Peace Corps volunteer and worked at an adolescent substance abuse program in Denver. 

Addressing the problem of homelessness and the unsheltered requires cooperation from all levels of government: local, state and federal. We trust the work that is beginning with the Housing Action Plan will help provide solutions to address homelessness in our community. This is a work in progress. 

Washington’s COVID-19 mask requirements will be lifted March 12 following decreases in hospitalization rates and public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.

Masks will still be required in some settings, including medical facilities, long-term care facilities and public transit.

The City of Bainbridge Island is following the state’s guidelines and will not require masks in City facilities. We understand that some people may continue wearing masks in City facilities for their comfort and they are welcome to do so. In addition, people will not have to sign in while visiting City facilities.

On March 22, the City Council will resume in-person meetings in the Council Chamber. The public will be able to provide comments in person and on Zoom.

The status of future City committee meetings is still being determined.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Chamber for Council meetings!

The application process for the Planning and Community Development Director position closed this week. Recruiter Greg Prothman of GMP Consulting will pre-interview nine of the most qualified candidates next week, with the goal of holding formal interviews later this month.

GMP Consulting provided position profile information to 577 candidates in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado and Arizona. Ads were placed in the National Diversity Network, African American Job Network, Asian Job Network and other publications.

The City's contractor has made significant progress on the Eagle Harbor Drive safety improvement project.

Crews completed paving this week so future traffic disruptions in the area should be minimal.

Last week, crews finished the drainage installation and reinforcement of the ditch line on the southbound side to prevent future erosion.

The remaining work includes shaping and stabilizing the planting strip at the south end of the project and adding pavement markings. The striping will likely be performed near the end of the month when conditions are dryer and temperatures are warmer.

The City Council this week approved a contract with HDR Engineering for nearly $96,000 to analyze options for wastewater reuse and/or recycling.

In 2021, the Council set aside $1 million of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to explore options for reusing and/or recycling wastewater on Bainbridge Island.

The project was initially focused on wastewater effluent from the City's Winslow Wastewater Treatment Plant. However, the current scope for the professional services agreement with HDR includes a broader investigation of the City's options for wastewater reuse and/or recycling.

The City envisions a phased approach to this project. During the first phase, HDR will work with City staff and the City’s Utility Advisory Committee to develop and refine a list of potential opportunities/constraints for reusing wastewater. This initial phase is anticipated to be completed by July 2022. The next phase, to be completed by the end of 2022, will include a detailed evaluation of these potential opportunities, a cost-benefit analysis, and a reuse implementation plan.

Potential reuse options include turf and landscape irrigation, groundwater recharge including augmenting surface water flow via shallow groundwater, and/or indoor reuse for toilet flushing in new buildings/facilities near other potential reuse locations.

The City Council this week approved a $1.1 million construction contract to support a safety improvement project at the Sportsman Club and New Brooklyn intersection.

All four corners of the intersection will be upgraded to improve safety for kids walking or biking to school.

The Council rejected the initial bids last year because the cost was too high. Staff then worked with a consultant to modify the design and lower the costs. The City will now save about $100,000.

It’s anticipated that construction will begin after the school year ends in June.

A majority of the project is funded by federal transportation grants with the remainder coming from the City.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a police officer? If so, you are invited to apply for the Bainbridge Island Police Department’s Community Police Academy. While it won’t prepare you for a career in law enforcement, the program helps island residents and business owners become more familiar with the functions of their local police department. The program covers everything from traffic enforcement, patrol and criminal law to use of force, de-escalation, and investigations. It’s also a great opportunity to meet the officers who serve this community.

The course last met in 2020 but was cut short due to the pandemic. The academy will make its 2022 return beginning on May 4. Offered once each year, the eight-week class is held on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Optional Saturday sessions are being planned for tours based on availability and access to facilities.

Applications are now being accepted and class size is limited to 20 students. Preference will be given to those participants who were enrolled in the 2020 course. Call the BIPD at 206.842.5211 to request an application or visit the Community Outreach page.

For more information, contact Sergeant Gary Koon at gkoon@bainbridgewa.gov.

Washington state law requires the City of Bainbridge Island to prepare a biennial budget every two years. The budget funds priority projects and core services.

In addition to the budget, the Council also approves the Capital Improvement Plan that determines what capital projects will be completed over six years and how they will be financed.

Below is a timeline for the development of the 2023-2024 budget with opportunities for public input. Additional information on the budget timeline was shared in the March 8 Council packet.

Kitsap Transit shared an update this week on the BI Ride mobile app to let us know how things are going.

BI Ride is an on-demand bus service. Rides can be requested by phone or the mobile app, Ride Pingo. Kitsap Transit launched the app last summer in partnership with The Routing Company, a mobility startup.

"The service is very popular and it’s become even more so with the app," said Sanjay Bhatt of Kitsap Transit. "We’ve been working very closely with The Routing Company to address some of the early criticisms that we heard about the app. We meet with them weekly and they’ve been really dedicated to making improvements and adding new features to the app."

Some of the challenges in the first year included the island’s poor cell phone service and availability of drivers due to a national shortage.

Riders shared a desire for expanded hours of operation on Sunday and evenings, and concerns about making the ferry.

Here are some other takeaways:

In 2019, the City Council approved a $10 car-tab fee increase and adopted Resolution No. 2019-06 to specify that $100,000 of the additional revenue would be used for promoting BI Ride to share the service's benefits and support the Council's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2045.

Below are some of the March 15 Council meeting topics.

The public is invited to contact members of the City Council to express concerns, questions and praise. Some council members are holding virtual office hours and others are available to meet upon request. Please visit the City Council page for more information on individual City Council members.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing March 10 to get feedback from the community on Ordinance 2022-02 that would amend the City's zoning regulations to allow an affordable housing pilot project on property owned by the Bethany Lutheran Church at the southwest intersection of NE High School Road and Sportsman Club Road NE.

Ordinance 2022-02 proposes a density bonus to enable construction of low-income affordable housing, while adding additional requirements such as green building certification.

The City received more than 40 written comments prior to the public hearing and 17 people spoke at the hearing. The Commission heard from those in support of the ordinance and constructing affordable housing (in general). The Commission also heard comments against the ordinance and its location. After closing the public hearing, the Commission continued to discuss the ordinance but did not make any motions to amend the ordinance. The Commission will continue its discussion of Ordinance 2022-02 at the March 24 meeting.

The Planning Commission will make a recommendation on the ordinance, then it will be forwarded to the City Council for review and a decision.

In 2019, the Washington State Legislature approved Substitute House Bill 1377 to allow affordable housing projects on properties owned or controlled by religious organizations.

We're looking for four volunteers to serve on the Ethics Board. 

The Ethics Board provides training on the City’s Code of Conduct and Ethics Program to the City Council and members of City Advisory Groups; reviews complaints; and may prepare advisory opinions.

The Ethics Board meets on the third Wednesday of the month.

Deadline for applications is 4 p.m. March 31. Applications are available online or paper copies can be picked up at the City Hall front counter.