Well-off Island City Now Ailing
Kitsap’s prosperous island city is in a world of hurt, city
council candidates agreed during a public forum on Bainbridge
Island Monday.
“Why is the city so messed up?” asked Bob Scales, a candidate for
the North Ward council position. He likened the city’s finances to
a giant Ponzi scheme.
“Things need to change at City Hall,” said Kirsten Hytopoulos, a
South Ward candidate.
Heightening their concerns was the BI City Manager Mark Dombroski’s
sudden resignation announcement. The candidates had learned of his
decision just hours before the 7 p.m. forum at the Bainbridge High
School Commons.
“We need to live within our means,” said incumbent North Ward
Councilwoman Debbie Vancil. “We need to bring in an interim city
manager and we need an audit.”
Her comment drew applause from the audience, which numbered about
100 people. Kim Abel, former mayor of Port Orchard and vice
president of the state League of Women Voters, moderated the forum.
She cautioned audience members to hold their applause until the end
of the session.
Tim Jacobsen, a CPA and South Ward candidate, said that if elected
he would use his financial skills to help bring fiscal stability to
the city.
Once flying high with grandiose visions for a Winslow Tomorrow
project, the city is now struggling to keep up with basic
infrastructure repairs. It is also faced with a lawsuit brought by
the Bainbridge Ratepayers Alliance.
One question from the audience asked whether the city should grant
a density bonus to developers as a way to raise funds.
All the candidates rejected that idea.
“We already have a lot of empty condos,” said Debbi Lester, a
Central Ward candidate.
Most of the candidates agreed the city needed to diversify its
economic base, relying less on real estate development to bring in
tax dollars.
In response to another question, most said they liked the idea of
attracting more tourists.
But Dee DuMont, a Central Ward candidate who once lived in Port
Townsend, cautioned against getting too dependent on tourism
because it, too, is a “fragile resource.”
Cosponsors of the forum with the League were the BI Chamber of
Commerce and the Kitsap Sun. BITV filmed the forum and will be
airing it at a later date.
The LWV Kitsap’s next public forum will be tonight in Poulsbo.
Candidates for mayor and city council will meet at 7 p.m. at the
council chambers. The public is invited to attend and to submit
questions for the candidates.
