The brisk pace of Bainbridge Island’s population growth slowed to a crawl this year, casting doubt on projections steering current city planning.

According to state demographers, Bainbridge’s estimated growth hit an eight-year low in 2008, dropping from an average of about 2 percent to less than 0.5 percent.

The slow rise means the island will add only 100 people in 2008, putting the total population at about 23,180.

“This is interesting because so much of Bainbridge politics is based on the prediction that growth is out of control,” said Tim Bailey, an island real estate agent and chair of the city’s 2025 Growth Advisory Committee. “As a resident, I’d say this could be welcome news because it will make it easier to plan and give us time to react.”

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Recent letters and editorials in the Islander inspired Bainbridge resident Joe Honick to raise his pen and made a toast to young voices.

After reading all of the colloquies and editorials over the past few weeks, I could not help but remember one of the funniest scenes in the musical hit Fiddler on the Roof.

In this scene, the village leader, a milkman no less, named Tevye, is approached by a businessperson who complains about his competitor. Tevye assures the complainer he is correct. But the competitor, target of the complaint screams about the complaint and again is assured by Tevye he is also correct.

Finally, a bystander hearing all of this says: “Tevye, he’s right; he’s right; how can they both be right?”

In his simple wisdom, Tevye the Milkman, responds: “And you are also right!”

What we have read in Islander editorials and letters is the collective wisdom of everyone who is totally convinced of his or her commentary, something that tells us the democracy lives. If all this were occurring in a schoolyard, the principal would doubtless call for an assembly to address all the grievances because no one could be heard or understood otherwise and because no one is apparently listening to anyone else.
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