Bloggers,
Safe Boats International has made no announcement whether it’s staying in Kitsap County or leaving the area. The new owners’ board of directors met last week, but at this point, no announcement is being put out there.
A person associated with Safe Boats suggested Monday the company is working on a long-term future in Kitsap.
Port of Bremerton Commissioner Bill Mahan and others had said the Safe Boats board would make a decision to go or stay Jan. 24. Safe Boats is one of the port’s major industrial-park tenants and a big employer with close to 200 workers. They make security boats sold around the world.
Safe Boats has taken a bit of a public thrashing lately for allegedly tearing up the Port Orchard boat ramp when it tests its boats. The port, now having leased the ramp from the city of Port Orchard, most likely will put repairs at the top of its list. Port leaders hope that will be a big inducement for Safe Boats to hang its future here.
Beyond that, the facility Safe Boats leases in the port’s industrial park is small and far less than ideal. I cannot imagine that upgrades aren’t continuing to be a big part of the discussion.
Here’s some background:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/dec/28/bremerton-port-safe-boats-in-talks-for-new-or/
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/25/bremerton-port-commissioners-aprove-lease-port-orc/
So, all I can do is check in with the company regularly and hope at some point someone will speak with me.
Rachel Pritchett
475-3783
rpritchett@kitsapsun.com
