Medina announces bid for Bainbridge council seat

Published 5:20 pm Friday, May 8, 2015

Kol Medina, the executive director of the Kitsap Community Foundation and the former executive director of the West Sound Wildlife Shelter, announced Friday that he will run for the North Ward, District 2 Bainbridge city council seat.

The seat is currently held by Mayor Anne Blair, who said earlier this week she would not seek a second term.

“Bainbridge Island needs strong and thoughtful leaders who come to the table with ideas, flexible thinking, and appropriate experience,” Medina said in his announcement.

“I believe Anne Blair brought these qualities to the position, along with a strong commitment to maintaining a non-divisive city council.  I look forward to following her example,” he added.

Medina, 41, has lived on Bainbridge for 14 years.

It is his first run at elected office.

Even so, he said he understands local politics after serving for six years on the executive board for the 23rd Legislative District Democrats.

“Frankly, I think local politics can be ugly and dysfunctional. I’ve seen it first-hand and I don’t like it,” he said. “But because of my time leading our local Democratic Party, I understand what I’m getting into and think I can be successful at building positive working relationships on our city Council.”

Before his work at local nonprofits, Medina, a graduate of Stanford Law School, worked for three years at the law firm of Foster Pepper, where he focused on land use and environmental law and policy.

Medina noted that his experience would serve the city well.

“During my term on the city council, we will need to approve a new comprehensive plan and a water plan, possibly revisit the shoreline master plan, find innovative ways to improve non-motorized transportation, and amend our current land-use code so that development on the island does a better job of meeting the needs and desires of our citizens,” he said.

“I have studied and worked with environmental planning, hydrogeology, land-use planning, and the host of local and state laws in this area. That knowledge and experience will allow me to serve the city well,” he said.