News Roundup – Committee work stalled/Williams deal still in works/Does the city pay enough?/Time for some target practice

Published 7:00 pm Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Committee work stalled

Things at City Hall got off to a slow start this week, following the cancelation of several City Council committee meetings.

“This is an indication that we’re trying to do too much,” said City Administrator Mary Jo Briggs. “Once we can agree on a schedule, I

think we’ll be good to go.”

Many recent committee meetings haven’t seen a quorum, Briggs said, which, along with a large volume of work facing staff, led to the cancelations.

Notices announcing the canceled meetings – which included Finance and Personnel, Public Works & Transportation, and Land Use committee meetings – were posted online last week and sent out to subscribers of the city’s email list.

The council at its last meeting was to set a calendar for the remainder of the year that would put work back on track, but a crowded agenda pushed back the discussion, Briggs said.

Some councilors were surprised by the cancelations.

Debbie Vancil questioned their legality, and said they’re symptomatic of the rifts that have developed between the council, the mayor and city staff.

“I’m hugely disappointed in what I perceive to be a decision that does not promote cooperation and communication between council and the administration,” she said.

“It’s like a standoff.”

– Chad Schuster

Williams deal still in works

Work on a restructured deal for a potential north-end open space purchase still is being planned, according to city staff and councilors.

The Williams family – owners of waterfront property on Manzanita Bay – agreed to give the city until Oct. 1 to determine whether to pursue a new agreement to purchase all or part of their property, following the council’s rejection of an earlier deal last month.

A longer extension still would be needed to work out the details of any new agreement, said councilor Debbie Vancil, who asked for both the original extension and for the council to reconsider its vote on the issue.

The council was to direct Open Space commissioners on the matter following an executive session at last week’s council meeting, but the item was deleted from the agenda because no formal action was necessary.

The first deal was fraught with controversy over funding of the purchase, which would have required the use of councilmanic bonds.

Many councilors and community members also were worried about numerous restrictions placed on the property as part of the deal, including one that would have limited the height of trees on portions of the land.

Vancil said any new deal likely would be much different than the original one; no public discussion of the issue is expected until next week, at the earliest.

– Chad Schuster

Does the city pay enough?

City employees will find out tonight how their compensation stacks up against their cohorts, with the presentation of a new study at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The study, done by Milliman Consultants and Actuaries, is the first external review of city pay and benifits in ten years.

Time for some target practice

Polish your spurs, dust off your cowboy hat and squeeze into your tight Levi’s – it’s time to cowboy-up for the third annual Cowboy Action Shooting event at Bainbridge Island Sportsmen’s Club.

This is the first year the rapid-fire western shootout will be open to the public, allowing novices and experienced riflemen alike to get a feel for how the West was won.

Participants will dress up in 1800s garb, adopt personas and aliases, and play the roles of their characters.

They will then take aim at old fashioned metal targets.

All guns must be from a period before 1897 or be approved replicas – and speed counts.

“There’s a lot of excitement when you get on the line,” Sportsmen’s Club member and organizer Dave Thompson said. “For most this is very different, you’re dressed funny shooting unsusal thing. They look like big targets until you start shooting quick. There’s a lot of adrenaline going through you and even experienced shooters come out shaking.”

Participants will shoot two stages, each consisting of 10 pistol shots, 10 rifle shots, and at least 4 shotgun shots, at distances of 8, 25, and 6 yards respectively. Scoring is by the lowest elapsed time, with five seconds added for each miss.

“These are single action guns. It’s exciting when you get a good shooter who can get 10 shots off in eight seconds from single action revolver,” Thompson said.

Last year’s event attracted 20 shooters, however, with the inclusion of the public, the event will span two days in anticipation of record crowds.

“It takes about 15 minutes per shooter and some time to strap them in, so we expect to have a line of people waiting to shoot,” Thompson said.

For those non-members there will be an on-site safety demonstration.

The best in the (North)West will win a small trophy that will be awarded to the weekend’s winning cowboy.

“But forget about it, my kid’s going to win,” Thompson said.

His son Elliott has been regularly beating his dad at quickdraw for some time now, but Thompson emphasized that you don’t need to have experience to hit the target.

“During the first year, third place was taken by Brian Surber. He had never shot a pistol before, so I guess video gaming has its advantages,” Thompson said.

The event takes place at the club on Sept. 22 and 23.

For more information, visit www.bainbridgesportsmensclub.org or call 780-9370.

– Sean Roach