Voters have spoken on police station | LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Published 10:58 am Wednesday, November 18, 2015

To the editor:

On Nov. 3, democracy happened on Bainbridge Island. The island’s citizens spoke as the lawmakers that they are: An overwhelming majority – 76 percent – informed their public servants at city hall that islanders do not want a police station on Madison, in the heart of Winslow.

These islanders do want a new police station. They just don’t want it there.

On June 16-17, 2014, a professional survey was conducted by CFM Strategic Communications of Portland, asking islanders about expanding the current fire station at Madison/Highway 305 into a combined police-fire facility. It was a logical choice: route emergency vehicles immediately to 305, bypassing pedestrian-heavy Winslow. With roughly the same overwhelming majority – 87 percent endorsed that option. The CFM survey was not an online poll: It was solid research, using a statistically valid representative and random sample.

Here is the problem: The city is confused. It believes voters resoundingly rejected the purchase of the site due to soil contamination which was disclosed by the city just prior to the vote. The city is now re-negotiating with the property owner and quietly taking out our checkbook in preparation for a fourth soil assessment!

Think about the June survey. Think about the November vote. It is reasonable to conclude that the soil is not why voters rejected the purchase.

Rather, it is more likely citizens don’t want police cars speeding in the heart of Winslow, traveling one of two directions to get to 305:  up Madison, and past schoolchildren, the elderly, and the disabled; or down Madison, through Winslow Way and the pedestrian-heavy retail core.

Citizen lawmaking was the first step. Now protect your vote. Write to the city at cityadmin@bainbridgewa.gov and council@bainbridge

wa.gov.

Remind your public servants to follow the law. Your law.

MARK WEST

Bainbridge Island