Appointment gets closer

Published 7:00 pm Saturday, June 30, 2007

South Kitsap Commissioner Jan Angel has dropped her request for a series of public meetings and thrown her support behind Stephen Bauer to replace departed County Commissioner Chris Endresen.

“I’m surprised and pleased,” Bauer said Friday. “I look forward to the rest of the process.”

If Bauer has the support of Central Kitsap Commissioner Josh Brown, the Hansville consultant has the appointment all but wrapped up.

Brown could not be reached for comment on Friday morning. Angel did not alert him to her preference but contacted the press directly.

“It is my desire for the citizens of Kitsap County, as well as myself, to have an opportunity to get to know the three selected county commissioner candidates better through a public participation forum,” Angel said in a news release Thursday night. “Various circumstances are not going to allow this event to occur.

Angel said she made her decision after learning that two of the candidates, Bauer and Kitsap County spokesman Clarence Moriwaki, would only participate if both commissioners requested them to do so. Since Brown had already opposed public meetings, she dropped her request.

Angel said she supported Bauer because he was the first choice of the Democratic precinct officers. She would not comment when asked whether she would have supported Kitsap planning commissioner Tom Nevins if he had been selected first.

“I knew then that it was over,” she said. “So I made the decision myself.”

Angel said she studied the employment packets on her own, and did not take counsel from any other parties.

On Wednesday, Angel had proposed three public meetings, one in each commissioner district. She later revised that to a single meeting to be held in Silverdale before the end of July.

Angel said she would then decide which one of the three candidates to support.

She said she would base her preference on the interaction of the candidates with the public as well as their ability to answer a range of questions.

She acknowledged having some interaction with all three candidates, but not the in-depth interview needed to judge qualifications about serving as commissioner.

“I need additional material,” she said. “This could involve background checks. I won’t be pushed or rushed.”

Angel said on Friday morning that she still favored public interaction but knew it would not happen.

Brown said he didn’t think forums were necessary. “This isn’t an election,” he said. “This is an appointment. If the public doesn’t like the appointee, they will have the opportunity to elect a new commissioner in November of 2008.”