Update on police to be given at BI Council meeting Feb. 11

City manager Blair King will give an update on the police department at the Bainbridge Island City Council meeting Feb. 11 at City Hall and online on Zoom.

Statistics from chief Joe Clark show while crime overall numbers remained flat there was an increase in crime against people (76 to 112) and a decrease in property crime (389 from 423).

A closer look at the stats shows: case reports were way up, traffic citations were cut in half, collisions were down, juvenile arrests were up, public records requests were way up, parking tickets were over half, and use of force and complaints were down, as were community concerns.

For the community health navigator, senior support services were up, but overall referrals were down. For moorage, short stays were up in revenue, but overnight stays were way down.

A retirement and three vacancies mean the department was short four officers. Three are in training and set to come on board soon. Two more retirements in professional staff meant more shortages but those spots have been filled.

King will also talk about an effort to get youth engaged with the city. An event is being planned this spring for leaders to meet with 40 youth to discuss direction for the project.

The council also will discuss the Groundwater Management Plan. Follow-up questions from earlier meetings will answer the population projections, priority watersheds, water usage trends related to growth, how a potential wastewater reuse project could impact groundwater and aquifer impacts and management strategies.

For example, low growth numbers of 46,380 in 100 years were based on 2012-2023 growth rate. High growth of 70,010 was based on 1991-2007 growth and the medium growth number of 56,780 is a median of the two.

Part of the consent agenda that normally isn’t discussed is over $250,000 more for the design of the Eagle Harbor non-motorized improvement plan and Cooper Creek Fish Passage project. The need is for intersection lighting, pedestrian signaling, stormwater and final grading changes, along with critical area and environmental permitting, utility coordination and structional engineering for the fish passage culvert, is the reason. Changes amount to over $1.8 million. Construction costs are $2.58 million for the fish passage and $3.13 million for the non-motorized project.

The City Council also will: consider adding fees for renting the lawn area at the rowing club on the waterfront starting at $370 and for short-term moorage at the city dock for up to four hours starting at $10; and consider reducing traffic impact fees for some commercial redevelopment; a concept free to the city for enforcing ferry line cutting; and endorse a public engagement alternative transportation project called the Collaboration Cafe for the Winslow Circulator.

Also on the consent agenda is: the stormwater system plan will be OK’d; negotiations with the Low Income Housing Institute on the affordable housing project at 625 Winslow Way will continue for another six months. About 90 dwellings of various sizes are planned; and EV charging amendments will be made to reduce requirements for some commercial buildings.

The city also plans to reaffirm its resolution as a welcoming and inclusive city using community policing in the wake of Trump Administration directives on immigration. BI initially passed the resolution in 2017. It says BI police cannot question a person solely based on immigration status or nationality.

Also, Kitsap Transit will honor Councilmember Leslie Schneider for her work on its board; February will be declared Black History Month; and accounting manager Karl Shaw and executive assistant Roz Lassoff will be honored for their retirement.