Former Kitsap County commissioner Patty Lent’s name has been among those bandied about as a possible mayoral candidate for Bremerton, but I had no luck contacting her until last night.
Lent attended the county commissioners’ meeting in which the commissioners restructured something Lent did while a commissioner. In 2005 she, Chris Endresen and Jan Angel approved a move that put the county as second guarantor on the loans for the Harborside Condominium project. Since the complex opened the Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority has had little luck selling the units, laying the blame on a construction delay that led to the real estate and broader economic meltdown.
Lent took responsibility for the county’s decision in 2005. From Tuesday’s story:
Former county commissioner Patty Lent took responsibility for the current situation. She was a commissioner in 2005 when the board agreed to back the housing authority’s loan for the condos.
“It was an economic time that we thought we were well protected,” she said. Lent said the federal government was investing heavily in economic development at the time and the housing authority leaned into that role. She then praised the current commission for taking the step it took Monday.
“I was part of the problem in the past and you are really moving in a forward direction,” she said.
After the meeting I asked if she was running for mayor. “I haven’t decided, but I’m not saying ‘no,'” she said.
Monday night cleared one thing she said she had to do before deciding. “Tonight was a hurdle I needed to face.”
She described her choice in 2005 as a “poor decision,” but as she did in the meeting she said it was a time when the federal government was spending heavily on local economic development. “There was lots of money for revitalization,” she said.
City council members Mike Shepherd and Will Maupin have announced they are running and Shepherd has been campaigning for a while.
“She described her choice in 2005 as a “poor decision,” but as she did in the meeting she said it was a time when the federal government was spending heavily on local economic development. “There was lots of money for revitalization,” she said.”
Trouble is… Patty Lent made another ‘poor decision’ recently when she recommended using Illahee (sp) Park as a home for the homeless if the park should close.
Well, fine, but kids used to playing in a park don’t care if a place is ‘officially’ open or closed…it is a park and they would go there.
I would not want my kids or grandkids – yours either- playing in a park filled with homeless folks.
I’m sorry too, but kids health and welfare should come before homeless folks issues.
I consider such a suggestion another unwise idea… just what any area doesn’t need in a mayor…poor judgment calls.
In my opinion… Sharon O’Hara
I didn’t know the Illahee Park suggestion had been made so looked this up. Thanks for the info, Sharon.
“Patty Lent, a member of the Kitsap County Parks Sustainability Task Force, has been working on a proposal to address homelessness. Lent, with the county’s blessing, has approached the Washington State Parks Commission about using Illahee State Park in East Bremerton for the homeless if that park remains on the state’s closure list. People allowed to live there in tents or trailers would be asked to keep the restrooms clean and provide other labor to maintain the park. Having a presence in the park would discourage vandalism, Lent said.”
This is a great article. I’m new to blogging but still learning. Thanks for the great resource.