Seeking Silverdale and Central Kitsap

This week’s community conversation is with Kitsap County Commissioner Josh Brown, who represents Central Kitsap on the three-member county board. Brown is beginning his third year as County Commissioner. His family moved to Kitsap County in 1994 after his father, a pipefitter, was transferred to PSNS. He grew up in Poulsbo and graduated from North Kitsap High School.  While he was in college, his family moved to Silverdale. After working in commercial real estate, Brown returned to Kitsap, ran for the commissioner’s post, and won. He owns a home off Anderson Hill Road, slightly outside the Silverdale UGA.

Q: How do you see your role as it relates to the Silverdale/CK community?
A: As the County Commissioner that represents Central Kitsap, I believe my role is to be responsive to the needs of the unincorporated areas of my district.  If the Silverdale and Central Kitsap UGA’s were combined,
they would total over 40,000 residents — more than Bremerton, the largest city in Kitsap County.  Providing a safe community, investing in infrastructure such as roads and parks, as well as building a sense of community are my priorities.  I know my constituents rely on me to make sure that their voices are heard.  
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Silverdale/CK?
A: The people.  The thing that I enjoy the most about my position as County Commissioner is being able to meet the great residents that make up our diverse community.  From Silverdale to Seabeck, Illahee to
Crosby, we have an amazing amount of people who are dedicated to making their community a better place to live, now and in the future.  I think part of this is because we have a lot of military families in Kitsap who — after travelling around the country and world — choose to  live and retire here because of its natural  beauty and quality of life. These folks have been dedicated public servants in their professional lives, dedicated themselves to their community is a natural extension.

Q: If you were “mayor” of Silverdale, what’s the first new policy you would implement?
A: Since Silverdale is unincorporated, the County is responsible for providing local services.  While it’s not a policy per say, I have devoted a lot of attention to ensuring the Harrison Hospital expansion in Silverdale is a success.  This project will not only add a new 90 bed hospital in our community, but will provide hundreds of family wage jobs, access to vital medical facilities and spur ancillary development that will transform Silverdale into the health care center of Kitsap County. We have added flexibility to our planning code and are examining ways to enhance infrastructure to support this development. 

Q: What place do you consider the public gathering place of Silverdale, and what do you think that says about us?
A: Some might say the Mall, but I would disagree.  I think Old Town Silverdale is the public gathering place.  The shops, restaurants, along with Waterfront Park provide a quintessential small town feeling. The library and Linder Field provide additional amenities for people to enjoy. I really enjoy it!  A close second in my mind would be the Clear Creek Trail system.  I know many folks who routinely use the trail to visit with friends while enjoying the fresh air. 

Q:. What things do you think stand in the way of building a better sense of community in Silverdale/CK, and what would you do about them if you could?
A: For many years, the community has been desirous of developing the Central Kitsap Community Campus which would be home to new Silverdale branch library, recreation/community center facilities, a performing
arts venue, and senior housing.  This past year, we completed the acquisition of a vital parcel to develop the Campus.  The Kitsap Regional Library is committed to developing a plan to build a new library in Silverdale and we have focused on developing a partnership to build a new YMCA which would have the potential of serving 15,000 residents. The County has engaged the same firm that developed the Gig Harbor YMCA to assist with site planning and developing a YMCA in Silverdale.  Making progress on the Community Campus in 2009 is my main focus as County Commissioner.

Thanks to Commissioner Josh Brown for participating in the blog Q&A. You can see previous interviews by clicking on the “community conversation” tag, listed under “tags” in the right hand column of this page.

I am working from a growing list of people who I hope to interview for the blog to discuss building a sense of community in Silverdale and Central Kitsap. If there’s someone you think should be interviewed for the blog, please send your suggestion to me at seekingsilverdale@gmail.com.

— Jeff   

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This is the fourth in a series of posts in which leaders of Silverdale/Central Kitsap have an opportunity to answer some questions about the area and their thoughts about building a sense of community here. You can read the posts in this series by clicking on the “community conversation” link in the list of tags displayed in the right-hand column on this page.

Monica Downen and her husband Mark “are Washington grown, and we have lived in Kitsap County for 11 years.” They live in Olalla and own Monica’s Waterfront Bakery & Cafe in Silverdale, which they purchased nearly three years ago. “We are having the time of our lives. We both work in the business and I work ‘on’ the business as well.” Mark worked 16 years as an automotive mechanic for 16 years and Monica was a police dispatcher/911 operator for the King County Sheriff’s Office before they purchased the bakery. 

Q: How do you see your role as it relates to the Silverdale/CK community?

A: Our role is to bring the community together and nourish it’s soul. We love being a gathering place and we are trying to feed into that goal in many ways. We offer our walls at no cost to local artists and authors to show their works, we are very involved in charitable giving, and we provide a wonderful space for individuals, couples and groups to meet, work, celebrate, and of course to eat!

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Silverdale/CK?

A: My favorite thing about the immediate area is the natural beauty. I love the water, the mountains, the wildlife, and all of the nature that abounds here.

Q: If you were “mayor” of Silverdale, what’s the first new policy you would implement?

A: Wow I get to be the mayor! I am so honored, thank you! I am not really a policy kind of gal, I place more value on education and incentives than I do on rules and regulations. The first thing I would like to do is to emulate a group in Bellingham called ‘Sustainable Connections’, and unite the community at large in building up our local economy by ‘valuing local first’, with a strong focus on sustainability. I would start by reaching out to independent, locally owned businesses, to join together as a member driven group, so that we can all provide support and education to one another, and the community at large. Our main goal will be to help our members become THE most successful businesses in our area, as a direct result of our values. We would be open, adaptable and flexible to the needs of our consumer community. We would provide education (assistance, including technical assistance), connections (guidance, including mentorships and peer support), and market development (resources including promotions, public education, growth) for every type of business in our community, as well as individuals and the general community. We would want to provide these things based on the building blocks of Strong Community; Healthy Environment; Meaningful Employment; and Thinking Local First. I firmly believe that we do not need to compete with one another; rather we need to support each other, have fun, and profit. Eventually all businesses and individuals would be able to be members at different tiers and certainly public education is a major key in getting off the ground.

 Q: What place do you consider the public gathering place of Silverdale, and what do you think that says about us?

A: Rather than one central location, I think there are several places for gathering in Silverdale/CK. From farms and farmer’s markets, neighborhood community centers and churches, to art walks, enrichment classes, Waterfront Park, local hotels and restaurants, and even the mall. Some are charming and neighborly, and some are not so much. What this says to me is that we have varied interests and we like to try different things. It also says that the sprawl is more widespread than I would like it to be, and that makes it even more important to provide a friendly place for people to work and play while they meet. I think that the pendulum is swinging back towards ‘main street USA’ and we are placing stronger value on community than we have in a long time. We are ripe for heart-centered experiences that feed all our senses.

Q: What things do you think stand in the way of building a better sense of community in Silverdale/CK, and what would you do about them if you could?

A: Urban sprawl and mall mentality are definitely standing in our way, as well as lack of knowledge. Many of us are feeling this tug to find communion with our neighbors, but we aren’t sure where to start or even what questions to ask. Our grandparents and prior generations lived like this, yet we don’t realize that this urge is very natural because we have gotten used to immediate gratification, one-stop-shopping, and fast food convenience all at broadband speeds. The one ingredient that all those things are lacking is substance. Our culture has chosen quantity over quality and convenience over experience, and we are beginning to enjoy those choices less. We want better for ourselves and our families, and even in a more rural community such as ours we can find ways to come together and meet our diverse needs.

The other major obstacle that comes to mind is time, or the perception of not having enough. The ‘up’ side of a recession and even a depression is that it will make us slow down a little and appreciate the simpler side of life more often. We will want and need to come together to make those deeper connections. It has already started and when we choose to spend our time and money at a place we require it to be of high quality. We want to feel valued. 

What I would love to do about these obstacles is to offer our place as a community hub. A place where people can stop in for a moment or for an afternoon, and feel nourished, valued, and connected to this great community.

Thanks to Monica for sharing her ideas, especially the one on creating sustainable connections, and for being willing to accept the e-mail interview challenge. 

I am working from a growing list of people who I hope to interview for the blog to discuss building a sense of community in Silverdale and Central Kitsap. If there’s someone you think should be interviewed for the blog, please send your suggestion to me at seekingsilverdale@gmail.com.

— Jeff

One end of the Clear Creek Trail at Silverdale

This is the second in a series of posts in which leaders of Silverdale/Central Kitsap have an opportunity to answer some questions about the area and their thoughts about building a sense of community here.

The first Q&A was with Darla Murker, executive director of the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce. This one is with Tex Lewis, a well-known volunteer who has been a driving force in the creation of the Clear Creek Trail in Central Kitsap.

As most people who know him can attest, Tex is a man of action rather than words. His answers are, in every case, much shorter than my questions. Tex is a man who seeks no attention for himself, but works tirelessly on behalf of a project that has meant much to Silverdale.

1. How do you see your role as it relates to the Silverdale/CK community?
A: I am a worker in the Silverdale community.

2. What’s your favorite thing about Silverdale/CK?
A: The Clear Creek Trail

3. If you were “mayor” of Silverdale, what’s the first new policy you would implement?
A: Make it easy for people to do good.

4. What place do you consider the public gathering place of Silverdale, and what do you think that says about us?
A: The Mall. It’s a nice place that was given to us. We have finally started to think about creating another public place as a community center.

5. What things do you think stand in the way of building a better sense of community in Silverdale/CK, and what would you do about them if you could?
A:  We keep waiting for someone else to do it. Motivate folks to take charge of their own destiny.

Thanks to Tex for his thoughtful, if brief, answers and for being willing to accept the e-mail interview challenge. I am working from a growing list of people who I hope to interview for the blog to discuss building a sense of community in Silverdale and Central Kitsap. If there’s someone you think should be interviewed for the blog, please send your suggestion to me at    seekingsilverdale@gmail.com .

— Jeff

This is the first in a series of e-mail interviews with people who play a role in building our community.

Darla Murker is executive director of the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce, a job she’s held for more than two years, after first joining the chamber in 2001 as communications coordinator.  While her job brings her to Silverdale, she’s a resident of South Kitsap, where she lives on 2.5 acres. She says she and her family tend to 2 miniature horses, a Collie, and a cat and  “raise” strawberries, herbs, and rocks.

Q: How do you see your role as it relates to the Silverdale/CK  community?
A: I am the keeper of the keys for the organization that is the welcome mat for Silverdale and Central Kitsap. The Chamber’s role in the community, and mine in extension, is three-fold:

1. Serving the member businesses by providing them benefits and services that they as individuals might not be able to access, assisting member and non-member businesses with reaching out to business assistance services and partnerships in hopes of improving their chances for success and working on projects and issues that enhance the economic vitality of the community

2. Providing information about the community to individuals looking to relocate to Kitsap and specifically Central Kitsap.  Whether they are looking for a new place to live or locate their business, or are transferred here the Chamber is very very often the first point of contact an individual has with Silverdale and Central Kitsap.  We strive to be a first class community concierge.

3. Serving individuals looking for a place to visit, whether for a day, weekend, or longer the Chamber is the “goto” place for information on lodging, restaurants, attractions, events, shopping.  We also are looking to enhance our ability to reach out to potential visitors and draw them to the area through partnerships and special events and promotions.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Silverdale/CK?
A: I’ve been struck by the exuberance of the group of people dedicated to building the community and being its stewards.  These would include but aren’t limited to the members of the CK Community Council, the people who served on the UGA defining committee, the Clear Creak Task Force.

Q: If you were “mayor” of Silverdale, what’s the first new policy you would implement?
A: If I were Mayor (more…)