The Bozeman Blog

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Anyone who thinks that leadership doesn’t count has not visited Olympic College lately. Yesterday, I attended the annual Olympic College Foundation luncheon and listened as Dr. David Mitchell, the President of Oympic College, reported on the progress of our community college.

Under Dr. Mitchell, two beautiful new classroom buildings have been built; financed by State of Washington Capital funds. The student center and book store have been expanded and there are plans to bring the new Nursing four year program to the Bremerton campus. Dr. Mitchell also reported that enrollment is up 20% and the Foundation has raised over 10 million dollars in new endowments that will support scholorships for needy students.

As someone who worked on the campus from 1996 to 2002, it’s hard to believe the improvements that have been made with the new classroom buildings, the new Haselwoood library, and the addition of more student parking.

Dr. Mitchell shared with the crowd of over 300 supporters that he has been in conversations with Washington State University to provide a four year B.A. program in engineering, which would make my friends in the shipyard very happy as they have to look nationwide for engineers.

This kind of progress does not just happen, it requires leaders who have a passion to help students and leave the college better than they found it. Dr. David Mitchell is such a leader and our community is very lucky to have him as the President of Olympic College.

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As co-chair of this years Kitsap County United Way campaign I want to ask for everyones support who has the ability to make a contribution. Never before have so many people been in financial trouble, many having lost their jobs, and their homes. America is about neighbor helping neighbor, its about giving people a second chance, its about sharing our good fortune with others. I worked for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America for 25 years and every month we received our check from U.W. which we used to provide services to thousands of kids who needed our help.
I have made my pledge to this years United Way Campaign and that pledge will not keep me from one meal or from sleeping with a roof over my head , but it will enable others to have some of the same benefits. I just heard that Harrison Medical Center just completed their U.W. campaign and exceeded the amnount they raised last year. Hats off to the employees of Harrison, now lets follow their lead and reach into our pockets to help others in need in our community. Thank you so much.

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Yesterday I met Mayor Lary Coppola for lunch in his wonderful City of Port Orchand. The man gets it, he knows what he wants to accomplish, and is a little like a bull in a china shop in his effort to get some things done. I like Lary, I like people who get stuff done, but sometimes I remind the
Mayor that its ok to carry a big stick just dont use it all the time. There is no doubt that downtown Port Orchard has tons of potential to attract investment and new development. As the new CEO of the Port I went to listen to what the Mayor had in his plans and how the Port of Bremerton might help him get there. We want to be one of his partners and I will do all I can to bring support to his vision for a new downtown Port Orchard. I also look forward to working with the new Mayor of Bremerton once he, or she, is elected on November 4th. We have a big investment in both cities with our two world class marinasl, our breakwaterer in Bremerton and our childrens park in downtown Port Orchard. Our goal for both Cities is to increase economic development and help their economies growth.

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Last Friday night, my wife and I attended the Bremerton High School football game. I am not even sure who they were playing but they lost. And even though they lost, the students and parents never stopped cheering for their team. I felt like it was a slice of the America I love; a place where the players and students along with their parents come together for a positive experience where no one is there for any other reason than to root the kids on and say hello to their neighbors. It’s a part of America that represents some of our best behavior both on and off the field. If Friday night high school football, and what it represents, could be replicated in our adult business world it would be such a better world. Just imagine a community where adults respected each other, played fair, and all shook hands at the end of the day. Instead of degrading the beliefs of others, not being willing to listen, and never saying anything nice about people you don’t agree with. If you want to feel good about America, treat yourself to Friday night high school football. The kids and parents will make your proud.

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As I look out my office window today there are 20 pieces of heavy equipment involved in repaving our 6000 foot runway. This project is being funded by a grant from the FAA and will provide the Port and the Airport with a top quality runway for the next 20 years.
Our goal for the Bremerton Airport is to be able to attract jet service out of Bremerton connecting to such cities as Portland, Spokane, and Vancover. We also would like in the future to provide service for more corporate jet aircraft.
The plan for the South Kitsap Industrial Area is for there to be as many at 8,000 jobs in this area created in the next 20 years. If that plan is to happen, then an active airport will be needed to support that kind of industrial and manufacturing growth. Next year in 2010 the Port of Bremerton will do an update of our airport long range plan, which will lay the ground work for taking our airport to the next level of activity.

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Last week at an Economic Summit sponsored by the Port of Bremerton and the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance the subject of the need to get Kitsap County on the regional map in terms of being able to attract new companies and new jobs it was decided that we needed to better market our county as a great place to live and work in order to get the attention of potential investors and job creators.

Many Cities, States, and Counties now have very sophisticated public relations campaigns to promote their communities. We live in a very competitive world when it comes to attracting good paying jobs and communities have to sell themselves to prospective investors and job creators. I had offered to head up a effort to raise the funds for a marketing campaign and head up a group to get a marketing campaign on the air by next year. Since then I have heard from other organizations who believe they are better equipped and trained to run such a campaign.

The Kitsap Sun wrote an editorial on Sunday saying that the Port should leave a Branding effort to the pros. They went on to say that the Port should stick to our basic mission by landing industrial tenants, attracting skilled entrepreneurs, improving a burgeoning airport and filling a new marina. And you know something, after much thought I agree with them.

We will leave the Branding efforts to others and move forward to accomplish the economic development goals of the Port of Bremerton. We will continue to market and promote the Port in our efforts to bring new jobs to Kitsap County. We have listened and changed our course.

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What is the most recognized sign in Seattle; it’s the Pike Street Market Sign, a farmers market that been at the center of the development of downtown Seattle for the past 50 years. It creates jobs, gives farmers a place to sell their produce, attracts tourist, and is one of the reasons so many people decide to buy a condo in downtown Seatte.

Would it be possible to establish a Kitsap County Farmers Market ? USA Reports that over the past decade, farmers markets have increased 71% in the U.S. They report that there are 4,900 markets operate nationwide. There are a number of farmers markets in Kitsap County but none with a permanant building to operate out of.

The Cities of Olympia and Bellingham have built facilities for their farmers markets and they are both very successful. One really nice permanant structure that could house a large market with fish stores, meat markets, bakeries, produce stands, etc, might work somewhere in central Kitsap? Sort of a smaller version of the Pike Place Market. Something to think about. See you at the Kitsap Farmers Market.

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Tara and Dana Kirk former students at Bremerton High School are being inducted into the Kitsap Hall of Fame and none could be more deserving. As Olympic and Stanford University swimmers they demonstrated all their lives that hard work, and committment to doing it right is what gets you to the top. They are both bright, postive, women who have given back to their hometown when ever they get the chance. They are two of Bremertons best rolemodels and hopefully they will settle back in their hometown and be a part of the leadership of our community. It is not an accident that these young people turned out the way they did, they had loving parents, parents who drove them to swim practice everymonring at 5 am and made sure they did their homework so they could get into a school like Stanford Univerisity. Again model parents who raised two wonderful, positive, productive, children. That is a role model for any family. We live in a country and a world where people seem to like to hear bad news, or they like to create bad news, the Kirk family is a good news story they we should all feel good about. I know I do.

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Yesterday at the Kitsap Conference Center over 70 community leaders met for a day long meeting to discuss how we might attract more good paying jobs to Kitsap County and what our strengths are as compared to the rest of western Washington and how to best to communicate those strengths to prospective companies and young families who would consider moving here. It was clear that our strenths are many; quality of life, affordable housing, moderate traffic congestion, good public schools, and world class health care.

Some of our challenges are the lack of adaquate ferry service to and from Seattle, the lack of a four year college that could provide a college educated workforce, and the lack of adquate capital to finance start-up companies, such as venture or angel funding. But most of all it was clear that we live in a competative world and to compete for these companies and jobs that they would provide we have to do a better job of telling the Kitsap Story to the rest of the State, especially business leaders in King County, Pierce County, and Snohomish County.

I believe we can begin this process by developing a Marketing Kitsap County P.R. campaign which I have volunteered to chair. This means I will put a campaign committee together, raise the funds needed to hire a firm to help us create our message and place that message in the media where it will have the most impact. No one in the room felt like people outside of Kitsap County really had us on the radar screen or understood the advantages of moving and bringing their jobs to our county. We need to change that or we will continue to be dependent on the U.S. Navy for our economic growth insteading of using that strength as our base and expanding our private sector job base.

I love living and working in Kitsap County as do most of us that live here but we have seen very little job growth in the past ten years. If we are to be a viable community with a high quality of life, our citizens need access to our good paying jobs, without that there is not quality of life. I will need the support of the existing companies in our County to make this campaign happen and I look forward to getting to work on it today. Kitsap County is a great place to work, raise your family, and enjoy our natural beauty.

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I believe the upcoming election for Mayor of Bremerton between Will Maupin and Patty Lent is critical to the economic future of not only Bremerton but of Kitsap county. I urge the voters in
Bremerton to seek out information on the two candidates, go the the debates, and ask the hard questions of each candidate and most important please vote ! Only 30% of the voters voted in the primary election, thats just not acceptable for a city that is so important to the well being of Kitsap County. Bremerton is the largest City in the County with almost 40,000 people and is home to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard which provides good paying jobs for over 12,000 of the counties citizens who live throughout Kitsap County. The Mayor is the CEO of the City in that he or she has the responsiblity for hiring and firing the department heads, manages the budget, has 350 employees to manage, and represents the City to the region and to the State by serving on important committees. The Mayor also has the role of working to attract new companies and new jobs to the City as well as promoting the City as a great place to raise a family, work, and go to school. It is a job that requires strong leadership and management skills. I am writting to urge all the citizens of Bremerton to get involved in this election by learing more about the two canidates and by casting your vote. Its an important vote.

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