City narrows admin search
Five candidates will interview for the city administrator position next week, according to a release from the city.
The process will include meetings with the mayor, city council members, key staff and a citizen panel.
The public is invited to meet the candidates at a reception at 5 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Council Chambers. The process is being coordinated by The Prothman Company, an executive search firm specializing in public sector recruitment.
Applicants include Steve Burkett who served as City Manager for Shoreline, Wash., as well as for Tallahassee, Fla, Fort Collins, Colo and Springfield, Ore. He is currently a partner in a nationwide consulting firm which specializes in working with local governments.
Mark Dombroski is Director of Finance for Seattle City Light, Seattle’s municipal electric utility. He previously worked as a management consultant with an emphasis on public agencies. Dombroski is a Bainbridge Island resident and has served on the City’s Planning Commission since February, 2007.
John Fischbach served most recently as County Administrator for Jefferson County. He has also served as City Manager for several cities, including Fort Collins, Colo. and Vancouver, Wash.
Philip Messina, currently the City Administrator for Central Point, Ore., has also served in that role for several other Washington cities, including North Bend, Burlington and Colfax.
Jennifer Phillips is currently a Program Director for the Orange County Health Care Agency in Santa Ana, Calif. She has 17 years of experience in municipal and county leadership, including serving as principal financial analyst for the Orange County Transportation Authority.
Hear the state of the city
Mayor Darlene Kordonowy will deliver her state of the city address tonight at 7:05 at City Hall, to kick off a crowded City Council agenda.
Her speech will be preceded by a Streetscape workshop at 5:45 p.m. and council committee reports.
Agenda items include ordinances regarding funding for public art and the extent of the mayor’s signing authority, which of late has caused controversy.
Approval of a $200,000 professional services agreement with firm Clarion Associates would initiate the planned 18-month long overhaul of city codes.
The council also will discuss its first amendment to this year’s budget. The Land Use Committee is requesting the reinsertion of $15,000 to continue work on a tree ordinance.
Staff changes at the library
The Bainbridge Island library will see a staff shake up this month.
Kitsap Regional Library announced that Bainbridge Assistant Branch Manager Sharon Lee will become the interim branch manager at the Poulsbo library.
Long-time Bainbridge Library Supervisor Paulette Rhoades is taking the postition of IT application coordinator at KRL’s Sylvan Way branch in Bremerton. Librarian Kate Skinner, who worked part time at the Bainbridge branch, will also be working in Bremerton.
Joining the Bainbridge branch full time will be librarian Susan Thorsteinson, formerly a branch manager in Kingston, and librarian Jeannie Ream who will transfer from the Sylvan Way branch.
Ream volunteered at the Bainbridge branch in 2000 and went on to get her master’s in library science.
“There will be a lot of changes,” Bainbridge Library Branch Manager Rebecca Judd said. “But I think everyone is happy for Sharon and excited for the new people.”
– Tad Sooter
Firefighters to try big climb
The climb will soon be on, so Bainbridge firefighters are raising funds and getting ready to take on the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb, proceeds from which go to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
More than 1,300 firefighters from 200 departments across the Pacific Northwest and beyond will compete in the March 2 event – a timed race to the top of Seattle’s Columbia Center in full combat gear and self contained breathing apparati.
At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center (formerly Bank of America Tower) is the second tallest building west of the Mississippi.
It takes 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps to reach the tower’s observation deck overlooking the city.
The stairclimb is the largest individual firefighter competition in the world.
Money is raised through sponsorships, individual and department fundraising, and entry fees.
In 2007, the event brought in a record $365,000 for blood-cancer research and patient services.
Awards are given to the fastest climbers and to the top fundraisers.
At least 22 Bainbridge firefighters will participate in the event.
Because retired Bainridge Fire Chief Don Beach passed away last year as a result of leukemia, the event supports a cause that has extra meaning to island firefighters.
For information go to the event’s website (www.firefighterstairclimb.org) or call the fire department at 842- 7686.
Flynn set to retire in March
Kitsap County Auditor Karen Flynn will retire at the end of March, leaving office 21 months before the end of her term and necessitating a special election to fill the unexpired period.
“I served a good long time in this office,” said Flynn, who was first elected in 1986. “It is time for me to be moving on and spend my life with friends and family.”
As an elected Democrat, Flynn’s replacement will be chosen by her political party.
The party then selects three names for recommendation to the county commissioners. If the commissioners cannot agree, the decision will fall to the governor.
Canadiates must be residents of the county and Democratic party members. To indicate interest in the auditor’s position call Olson at (360) 698-6833 or write kitsapdemocrat@yahoo.com.
– Charlie Bermant
