Blogger Greg House comments on the Port Orchard boat ramp, which is in disrepair. Rachel Pritchett
I am not one who chooses to write in about topics-but lately with the continuing onslought of WASTING of taxpayer dollars I guess I now feel compelled to add in my 2 cents worth. Born and raised here in Kitsap County and being a past boat owner, the boat ramp in Port Orchard was a primary place to launch our boat due to its size/length and relative depth that the launch holds even at a lower tide.The launch itself would fall in the middle to upper end as far as approach/parking,and relative time one has to show up till the tide becomes too low and it becomes unsafe to use.
Where I have serious issue about this is – yah, you guessed it-the PRICE! The “wash-out” at the end of the concrete launch pad could very easily be handled by digging it down a few feet and dropping in the big concrete ecology blocks, tie them together with rebar, and finish it off with a 12-18 inch thick overlay of poured concrete thereby extending out the length of the launch into the water another 10-15 feet. My guess is the project could be done in less than a week and probably for about 50 grand. This is a “boat launch”, in an inland bay and layered in mud, not critical sea-life refuge or underwater habitat that is rich with abundant creatures of our Puget Sound waters. The displacement of the mud can simply just be set back into the water to the non-dock side of the ramp.
As usual, our illustrious political money mongers head for the deepest pocket they can see-i.e, Safe Boats.
Safe Boats is a “private employer” as you have stated and uses the launch to ensure the boats they build are up to the highest standard for protecting not only international waters, but right here in Kitsap County as the Sheriffs office has several. SafeBoats is not a passenger/ferry/fishing/sight-seeing tour company which is what by all practical standards (those with common sense anyway) would be recognized as “commercial.”
The Port Commissioners should be working on this and looking at any and all possibilites,including asking for help/ideas from the local boaters who use this ramp routinely, so as to come together as one common entity to solve the problem. I know factually there are contractors here in town who own boats who would help out in an effort to minimize the cost of repairs.
Quit pointing the finger at SafeBoats to foot the bill, this boat ramp has been neglected for years by the City and Port despite the money being fed by tax paying citizens for its upkeep. The politicians of our community have chosen to routinely waste taxpayer money for frivolous expenditures instead of needed ones.
The new “ART” display of the fisherman in downtown Bremerton shown in the Kitsap Sun last week-cost– 250,000 grand. What “use” does this provide the citizens of Kitsap County?
My point made- Thank You
Greg House
