voice of bainbridge

The high cost of free parking

The high cost of free parking is the title of the new book published by UCLA Professor Donald Shoup.
It should be required reading for everybody: elected city officials, planners, citizens. One problem is the high cost of the book published by the American Planning Association: $60! What went wrong with the printing? But what are $60 to start dealing with all the misconceptions about parking?

Interview with Harbor Master Tami Allen

Dave Henry interviews Tami Allen , City of Bainbridge Island's Harbor Master on the current status of the Anchoring and Mooring Plan for Eagle Harbor (20 min).

They discuss the history and how the community arrived to this point, the process as it stands in the Harbor Commission and the future direction with the government agencies involved.

More info on the site of the Harbor Master

Interview with Bob Scales

November 1: Interview with Bob Scales about his first year as a Council Member (32 min).
Bob speaks about a few key projects (how to support tourism, more city funding for non-motorized transportation, the creation of contingency and emergency funds) and shares a few thoughts about open space and communication issues.
He also tells how he was hit by a SUV's side mirror while cycling on Madison.
Bob does not have a website or a blog (yet?) so we refer you to the info provided on the Kitsap County Auditor's site in the 2003 election pamphlet.

Interview with John van den Meerendonk, Community Forestry Commission

October 18: Interview with John van den Meerendonk , member of the Community Forestry Commission after the monthly meeting of the CFC (16 min).
Since the meeting usually lasts 2 hours and many people would not listen to the whole recording, one member of the group will participate in an interview with Voice of Bainbridge and present the main topics of the meeting.
This was the first interview of this kind.
Topics included noxious weeds, aerial photography of the island, preparation of the November 8 public meeting.
More info: Community Forestry Commission

Hearing at the City Council

October 13: While you were watching the presidential debate the City Council was hearing public comments about certain elements of the revised comprehensive plan.
Here are recordings of a few of those comments:

Vince Mattson , about the transportation element (5 min).

Lois Andrus about the need for more public information and participation (1 min).

Charles Schmid about various environmental issues(3 min).

about water resources , and population growth (2 min).

Charles Schmid , about monitoring and estimating water resoruces (4 min).

There was also a public comment about the noise pollution and the need (or not) for a noise ordnance (7 min).

The whole session was filmed and there will be another hearing in November.

Opening of the Close Property Trail

October 2: Opening ceremony, for a new trail in the Close property connecting Gazzam Lake preserve to the waterfront (15 min).
The successive speakers are Sallie Maron of the Land Trust, Christine Rolfes (City Council), Andy Maron (Open Space Commission), Frank Stowell (Land Trust).
It is a nice trail, a little steep at the end.
Count 40 minutes roundtrip.
We have also edited each speech separately:

Sallie Maron (2 min)
Christine Rolfes (2 min)
Andy Maron (6 min)
Frank Stowell (4 min)

More info: The Close property
Open Space Commission

Town Hall Meeting

September 28: Recording of the first hour of the

Town Hall meeting for the central ward district of Bainbridge Island.
City Council members Debbie Vann and Bill Knobloch talk about the issues, listen to the comments of their constituents and answer their questions.
Click here for the recording of the second hour of the meeting

VinceMattson about the Transportation Study

September 28: During the Central Ward Town Hall meeting Vince Mattson explained how he found that the data used as a basis for the Islandwide Transportation Study concerning Highschool Road were -according to him- seriously flawed (8 min).
It appears that the number of units to be built was underestimated: 330 instead of already 699.

Celebration of a new bikepath

September 14: Recording of the celebration of the "substantial completion" of new bicycle-pedestrian path, linking Bainbridge High School to Madison and New Brooklyn (18 min).
Speakers include representatives of the school district, Phil Rockefeller, Kathleen Davis of the Department of Transportation, Mayor Darlene Kordonowy and Dana Berg of Squeaky Wheels.
More info about the safe routes to schools program on the biking in Washington pages of the DOT site and Squeaky wheels.

Sandy Fischer about Winslow Tomorrow

September 10: Interview with Sandy Fischer, project manager of Winslow Tomorrow (27 min).
She explains the process, the timeframe, the people involved and how the community is going to participate.
Winslow Tomorrow

Speed limits on the island

August 30: Part of the Public Works and Transportation Committee meeting (8 min).
This is a small part of the discussion that took place about speed limits on the island.
The issue will come back. Excuse the noise in the background. It is the fan.

Interview with Darlene Kordonowy

August 19: Interview with Darlene Kordonowy, Mayor of Bainbridge Island (30 min ).
Darlene explains how she became involved in local issues and decided to run for office.
She gives her opinion about various current questions: new development and traffic on High School Road, the project on Winslow and Ferncliff, the transformation of the ferry terminal, the recently clearcut lot on Sunrise Drive.
More information:
Office of the Mayor

Bill Knobloch

July 29: Interview with Bill Knobloch, City Council Member
(15 min).
Bill talks about the town hall meeting he organized for his central ward on Monday 26 and about the meeting that took place on Tuesday 27 about the future of Grow Avenue. Speed and parking are also parts of the conversation.
You can contact Bill at [email protected]

Town Hall Meeting

July 26: Recording of the town hall meeting for the central ward district of Bainbridge Island. A 2 hour questions and answers session between Council member Bill Knobloch and concerned citizens.

Christine Rolfes

June 30: Christine Rolfes, BI city Council (12min.)
Christine tells us about her first campaign and her experience of meeting with ferry passengers to discuss local issues.

Bill Knobloch

June 25: Bill Knobloch, BI city council (17min.)
Bill accepted to be the first elected official to be interviewed as a test for our reporting about City Hall. He talks about how he became interested in local government and provides a few personal answers about traffic safety issues on the Island.