In our opinion: Is the Bremerton City Council chicken?


July 16, 2010 · 3:11 PM

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This isn’t meant as a taunt, one of those childish, playground insults meant to ruffle feathers.

But it’s hard to imagine the reasons for the Council’s resistance to a proposal to allow residents to keep four hens on their property.

Residents of Seattle and Bellevue have this right. And it should be noted some Bremertonians already keep chickens in their backyards, and take the risk of getting a ticket.

In the latest saga of the crusade to bring home-raised eggs and wings to Bremerton, council members are drumming up some strange answers for why they are standing in the way of a modest request.

Councilman Cecil McConnell said: “It shouldn’t be up to Council members whether people will have chickens next door.”

Huh.

It shouldn’t be up to the Council to spend money on “art,” but they do it anyway.

Council President Nick Wofford said: “It’s not that we’re against it, it’s that we’ve all had some concerns and as presented, it wasn’t acceptable.”

Huh.

It seems Wofford would likely support a measure to allow residents to keep chickens, just as long as it doesn’t involve allowing residents to keep chickens.

If only there was some position on the Council, some seat of power, of leadership, a “chairman” if you will, who could propose an alternative.

In any case, Bremerton remains behind the times.

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