Buried in my story Wednesday, and at the meeting it described, was the Kitsap Transit board’s approval of liquor ads on buses. The idea has been floating around since spring, and got more ink then.
The board ran out of time and held the resolution over at both its May and June meetings, then gave it limited discussion at the end of a packed agenda Tuesday.
Service and capital development director Steffani Lillie said Transit only received two public comments. Both were against. The tease to my earlier story on Facebook might’ve been a better indicator of interest. There were at least a few dozen, comments, pretty much split for and against. I wish I could review them, but that was two months ago. Talk about being buried.
I remember it was your typical Facebook stuff — crackpots on both sides with a few good points sprinkled in. Most commenters hadn’t read the story, otherwise I doubt there’d be much opposition.
The ads can’t be provocative. No girls in bikinis or anything like that. They can’t show people actually drinking booze. They have to be accompanied by disclaimers stating the legal drinking age and to drink responsibly. Lillie or executor director John Clauson must approve them. It’d be a stretch to believe they’ll encourage kids to drink.
Some board members supported the idea as being good for the burgeoning local brewing and distilling industries, which Poulsbo mayor Becky Erickson said was the “whole reason” she voted for it.
County commissioner Rob Gelder was OK with the change, as long as Transit asserts control. “It’s important that we don’t compromise the brand of Kitsap Transit,” he said.
Bainbridge mayor Ann Blair abstained from the vote because her city council hadn’t discussed the issue. County commissioner Charlotte Garrido was the lone no vote.
I’d be more concerned about the fast food ads that are displayed on the buses. Fast food is far more accessible and in some ways equally damaging to health as alcohol.