Ericksen plan moves ahead

Connect Hildebrand and Ericksen? The community should soon know the answer.

A 15-year-debate over whether to link the Winslow streets – separated

now by a grassy knoll, but seen as a new north-south transportation corridor – would be settled sometime this fall under a proposal made by city public works officials this week.

A draft schedule unveiled Monday would begin this month with survey work and traffic counts leading to a “concept” and “design” workshops with city staff, consultants and the public in July and August.

Preliminary designs for the street connection, landscaping and traffic control would follow, with two scenarios for linking the streets as well as one “do nothing” alternative.

The council would consider the alternatives in October, with an eye toward bidding the project early next year for construction in 2007.

The schedule went before the council’s Public Works and Transportation Committee on Monday, during review of a propsed $90,000 contract for initial design work.

Whether the connection should be, or already is, a forgone conclusion remains a matter of debate among council members and the public.

Councilman Jim Llewellyn said Monday that the question of whether to connect the streets should be made upfront, before design work follows.

“It seems like it would be bordering on totally ludicrious to go forward with any design consideration at all if you’re consider doing nothing,” Llewellyn said. “If you’re going to do nothing, why would you do any of the other stuff? It doesn’t make any sense.”

But Bob Earl, city engineer, said the status quo is a legitimate alternative to be considered. Neighbors have tended to oppose the link, citing the potential traffic impact on Ericksen.

“Don’t we owe it to ourselves to look at what the effects of doing nothing would be?” Earl asked.

He qualified his comments by citing the “procession” of vehicles that regulary cuts through private parking areas to make the Hildebrand-Ericksen connection on the sly.

“In my view, the connection already exists,” Earl said.

Representatives of the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, which has lobbied for the connection for several years, urged the committee to move ahead with the public process.

“This reminds me a lot of the roundabout issue,” Chamber Executive Director Kevin Dwyer said. “Everyone was so fearful of the roundabout, and now it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread in terms of traffic control.”

The design contract will go before the council for consideration at its next meeting.

– Douglas Crist

City at risk on land use

The City of Bainbridge Island’s greatest legal exposure stems from land use development and permitting errors, according to a recent audit review of the city’s risk profile.

While the audit, conducted by the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, showed generally positive results, the city ranked highest in a group of similar-sized communities for errors and omissions in land use areas.

Much of this litigation stemmed from the fight over a moritorium on new docks and bulkheads in Blakely Harbor, due process over permits and general property rights issues, according to City Administrator Mary Jo Briggs.

Between 2001 and 2005, the department lost almost $785,000 in 39 cases.

The other 18 cities in Bainbridge’s group, including Anacortes, Mercer Island, Port Townsend and Pullman, posted an average loss of $108,000 during the same period.

Bainbridge also posted higher-than-average results in the WCIA’s “general liability” category, with $441,000 paid out over four years compared to the $344,000 average. Briggs said many of these incidents fell under the city public works department’s jurisdiction, including backed-up sewers or city lawn mowers damaging electrical cables.

However, the city has seen a general decline in all forms of litigation, according to the audit.

In 2001, the city paid out a total of $644,329 in claims. Last year, that number had sunk to just under $50,000. The frequency of claims has also declined, with 48 in 2001 and just 15 last year.

“That’s come partly from preventative measures and partly luck,” said Briggs. “We’ve seen the decline in land use litigation by trying to clarify rules – like we did through the process with the (Critical Areas Ordinance) – and we’re getting staff to better explain things for better compliance with the code.”

Having an attorney on staff has also helped, she added.

“We didn’t have a city attorney on staff until we hired one in August,” she said. “He helps by being a part of the discussion before litigation.”

The city received high marks in most other areas and was found in general compliance by the WCIA.

– Tristan Baurick

Holman hopes to keep job

Former Bainbridge Island Municipal Court judge Stephen Holman will campaign to keep his new district court job.

“My work as a judge is to follow the law, consider the facts heard in court and apply that to the Constitution,” said Holman on Monday. “That’s the work I love to do.”

Holman was appointed a Kitsap County District Court judge last winter and sworn in on March 1.

He was the unanimous choice by county commissioners for the fourth district court judge position. Commissioners cited Holman’s 16 years as the island’s municipal court judge and many years serving as the county’s district court commissioner, a job that allowed him to fill-in for district court judges on small claims cases and traffic infractions.

Holman expected his new job would allow him to tackle a wider range of cases. So far, the district court has provided a wealth of fulfilling cases.

“I wake up everyday and I can’t wait to get to work,” Holman said.

No one has yet filed to challenge Holman for the district court position.

All four district court judgeships are up for reelection this November. Judges Marilyn Paja, James M. Riehl and W. Daniel Phillips have also announced they’ll run to retain their four-year termed positions.

Before his long stint as the island’s Municipal Court judge, Holman worked as a private practice attorney in Silverdale and served as Kitsap County Prosecutor for two years in the early ’80s.

Holman has lived on Bainbridge Island since 1978. He currently resides in Eagledale and commutes to the District Court office in Port Orchard. His community service has included volunteer leadership roles with Kitsap County Habitat for Humanity and the Bainbridge Island YMCA.

– Tristan Baurick

Terminal up for discussion

The Community Advisory Group for the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal Improvement Project will meet today to review work plans for the Winslow ferry terminal and discuss upcoming public involvement activities.

The public meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Commodore Options School, 9530 High School Road. The meeting will include time for public comment.

The Bainbridge CAG advises Washington State Ferries in determining how to update WSF’s 1998 Terminal Master Plan. Members provide input to WSF from the community perspective throughout the development of a preferred option for the ferry terminal.

CAG members are also tasked with keeping the community informed of the project’s progress.

For more information about the CAG and the Ferry Terminal Improvement Project, visit the project website at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/projects/bainbridgeterminalMPU.

For further questions, contact Joy Goldenberg at 515-3411.