Letters

We regret the loss of our priceless phone booth that had graced our driveway on Old Mill Road Northeast for 20 years. It was priceless because we got it for $10 at a PAWS yard sale. It was phoneless and a relic of the days when such phone booths graced the landscape on many a corner, useful for calling a cab, a cop or for telling the spouse that the stop at the corner tavern had taken a little longer than... And the residents of the old Port Blakely Cemetery across the street used it to make their phone calls across the void

May 3, 2008 12:28 am

Crime

Where oh where has the booth gone?

We regret the loss of our priceless phone booth that had graced our driveway on Old Mill Road Northeast for 20 years. It was priceless because we got it for $10 at a PAWS yard sale. It was phoneless and a relic of the days when such phone booths graced the landscape on many a corner, useful for calling a cab, a cop or for telling the spouse that the stop at the corner tavern had taken a little longer than… And the residents of the old Port Blakely Cemetery across the street used it to make their phone calls across the void

At any rate, our phone booth announced the Bailey home and the Bailey humor for many a year. Admittedly, the blackberries had surrounded it as much as the Sioux did Custer. However, we cut the blackberries a couple of weeks ago and shortly thereafter the phone booth disappeared as if it were Doctor Who’s Tardis instead of a reminder of Superman.

And so, we ask whomever removed our phone booth to contribute to the bail fund for Clark Kent, who is in jail on indecent exposure charges. And if anyone finds our phone booth we would like it back, please. We are in the phone book.

GIL AND JAN BAILEY

Old Mill Road

City government

Support your

local veterans

Why are the people of Bainbridge Island begrudging of giving veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan a leg up with regards to city hiring policies?

If a veteran wants to apply for a civil service job (police) they are given veterans preference points for their service in the military. If they are looking for something less stressful than being a police officer, then they get nothing.

Why? Because our elected officials say that state law prevents them from doing so. This is totally untrue, bogus, a lame excuse, mistaken and a lie, according to the State Department of Veteran Affairs (not their phrasing).

I am not a lawyer, but from what I have read on the subject the city is at risk of losing out on grant money and of being sued by a veteran because of this stance.

How does that saying go, “A society is judged by how they treat the most vulnerable members.” How will Bainbridge be judged? Does this reflect how you feel?

GEORGE BEAVIS

Fort Ward

Enough planning – time for action

On Wednesday night I watched an hour long discussion about the city’s capital facilities planning process. The mayor, the city administrator, council members, and planning commission members were all saying what a great job the city is doing developing the plan. I agree. No city plans better than Bainbridge Island. The city spends millions of dollars each year on consultants, studies and surveys. Every project and issue is examined and reexamined down to the minutest detail. Winslow Tomorrow was a three-year million dollar “award winning” planning effort. The city has an “award winning” nonmotorized transportation plan. In fact, the offices at city hall are crammed full of “award winning” plans and studies.

Planning is not the problem. Implementation is the problem. What is the use of having an “award winning” plan if it just sits on the shelf and is never implemented? Two years ago the City Council expressed concern about the city’s inability to complete projects funded in the budget. The council funded a Benchmarking Study (yes another study) to find out how Bainbridge Island compares with other similar sized cities. The study found that our government costs more and produces less than most other cities. The Executive and Planning Departments alone cost twice as much on Bainbridge Island as they do in comparable cities. The higher cost of our city government wouldn’t be so bad if the city was getting things accomplished. Unfortunately the city has little to show for the $50-plus million they collect in taxes and fees. For example, each year the public works department is only able to complete 30 percentof the projects that are funded in the budget. Money is not the problem, it is the city’s inability to complete the tasks assigned to it.

So what can be done to improve the situation? The benchmarking study provided a long list of recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our city government. Unfortunately I do not believe that any of those recommendations have been acted upon. Implementation is the responsibility of the mayor and her administration. If the mayor and her team are unable to do their jobs, then it is time for a change. The City Council approves and funds projects but they are not responsible for implementation. However, the council often wants to tinker with projects that have already been approved (e.g. waterfront park bathroom). This just delays things. Once a project is funded, the council should get out of the way and let the administration go to work.

The latest community values survey clearly shows that our residents are not satisfied with the city’s performance in two high priority areas – water quality and supply and nonmotorized transportation. How many more studies will the city conduct before it decides to take some action?

I am not optimistic that the city will be able to climb out of the malaise it finds itself in. Radical changes are needed in both personnel and process. These changes cannot occur without strong and decisive leadership. Who is going to lead the city out of this mess?

BOB SCALES

Former City Council member

North Madison Avenue

Environment

Some plants can turn into pests

We can be proud of what’s been accomplished in raising our citizens’ awareness of noxious weeds and the great participation in weed pulls. The next step needs to be awareness of how to keep a noxious weed from getting started.

Recently I’ve been dismayed to see how much pampas grass is being used in a lot of Bainbridge gardens. Yes, it’s beautiful, but it’s very bad! In northern California, in climate and conditions very like our own, it is classified as noxious, overwhelming places along the coast highway. It is banned in Hawaii. The Washington State Noxious Weed Board is monitoring it, considering it for a noxious classification, because it has been observed to escape in counties of this state.

Please do not introduce any plant, however beautiful, unless you have informed yourself about its traits. If it is too easy to grow, be cautious. Do not depend on your nursery to warn you, because many plant sellers do not, and continue to carry listed species. Look the plant up yourself before you buy it!

RACHEL SMITH

Seaborn Road