This would have been an easy week to get smug about not being the Bremerton Beat reporter.
As Gardner points out, it’s been turbulent of late in B-town, what with Bremerton-based Westsound Bank being seized by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions, its operations turned over to Port Orchard-based Kitsap Bank. Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman announced he will resign his post to take the CEO position at the Port of Bremerton, a move Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola says will work in his city’s favor.
Top top it off, Bremerton is laying off police officers, while Port Orchard is adding more. If ever there were an occasion for Port Orchard to gloat, that would have been it. But we took the high road.
And lo, comes Gardner, hat in hand, almost sheepish.
But before we get lulled into a false sense of security, read his parting shot (right below the Midway Market selling ShamWow sign).
“We’ll be fine, Bremerton. Keep your chin up. We’ll be making fun of Port Orchard again in no time.”
Right after you live down the county assuming debt on condos that were supposed to jump start Bremerton’s revitalization?
Surely I’m tempting karma, but I couldn’t resist.
Don’t worry, there will be another bar fight in PO in a few days. Or they’ll raise the sewer rates again to pay for another annexation. PO never disappoints.
Marvin – The city’s anticipated 10 percent increase in sewer rates is to offset loss of revenue from the 50 percent surcharge McCormick Woods residents now pay. When the annexation is compete, sometime ths summer, the surcharge will go away, and all city residents, including those in McWoods, will see a 10 percent increase in their bills.
Let’s say a homeowner pays an average of $150 for sewer and water every other month. The increase would be $15, paid on a bi-monthly basis, or $7.50 per month. Or $90 per year.
http://pugetsoundblogs.com/south-kitsap/2009/05/14/about-those-mccormick-woods-sewer-bills/
We are just saving our energy right now. Why continue to beat up on Port Orchard, when they are doing a great job on themselves…can you say Bail Bonds? Yeah the redheaded stepchild is doing sooo well financially they can just run businesses that don’t meet some new set of made up standards right out of town.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/17/some-in-port-orchard-want-bondsmen-to-bail-out/
Gosh, I am in D.C. visiting family abd I still know more of what is going on in Port Orchard than those who continue to disparage it.
The ugly, red-headed stepchild that you all love to hate is doing just fine, thank you. She’s getting a hair cut and a color and preparing to paint the town in anticipation of Cedar Cove Days. While a few rowdies occasionally drift over from Tacoma to pick fights, the locals are busy celebrating local artisans. I missed the first art walk, but it included all our downtown merchants and over 30 artists. Way cool!
On top of that, we are literally preparing to paint the town. The color scheme is being worked out while plans are being developed to host a giant block and painting party. We have thousands of people booked in rooms throughout the area, who love our favorite romance writer, Debbie Macomber and her good friend, Delilah.
Our celebrations will be so cool. Check out the website for Cedar Cove Days for a list of activities. The celebrations will be so cool.
On top of that we are getting great reviews for our efforts to create a sustainable foodbank/nursery that will help tens of thousands of families eat more nutritious food and serve as a model for other foodbanks to move to greater sustainability.
We do all that while maintaining the good natured, community friendly lovability that defines us.
Mary
Mary, when is the painting weekend set?
And since when are Debbie and Delilah good friends. Or did I miss something?
Chris
Gheeeshhh Mary, lighten up. The back and forth community ribbing by Gardner and Henry is just plain fun to read and participate in.
I am happy that Port Orchard is benefiting from the Cedar Cove popularity. I have been an active reader of the romance genre for 20 years. I love to intersperse books by Nora Roberts (JD Robb), Erica Spindler and Heather Graham in between heavier educational and thought provoking reading such as Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin and my current read of Plain Honest Men, The Making of the American Constitution by Richard Beeman. Unfortunately, the Macomber books never caught much of my interest. I tried a couple of them and ended up not finishing either one, sorry Debbie. Maybe because they were a little too close to home (literally).
Chris,
I am not sure when we will literally paint the town. There are lots of fun stories that are being worked on behind the scenes. I don’t have more details. Lary Coppola and Delilah talked and they are going to go big with the project. Delilah, he and Debbie all attended the Girl Scout fundraiser and discussed the concept more there.
I can’t break the news, nor can you just yet, since we don’t know details and they want to do it big by capturing the attention of the Seattle TV and radio stations.
“Port Orchard paints the Town!” the headlines will read. Very cool!