Letters from Oct. 20, 2007

Parking

City needs to

finally address

the real issue

I am sure at some point the subject of parking in downtown Bremerton has been addressed many times over but I feel I must, once again, approach this drastic subject.

I am a native to Bremerton, born and raised here, and have seen quite a lot of changes over the years to the area. Growth and population have expanded our business areas and have brought much to local communities.

I grew up roaming the downtown streets of Bremerton, shopping, eating lunch, going to a matinee, watching a parade or visiting the library and never once do I remember having to worry about parking. As I grew up I started to commute to Seattle for work, having then to pay for parking everyday and again watching the City change and the parking become more scarce and more expensive.

As many businesses left our downtown streets to move to better areas and better parking for their customers our downtown has become like a ghost town. Small businesses trying to thrive off of PSNS workers and possible ferry traffic. Our waterfront has changed for the better, very pleasing to the eye, but once again, who wants to come downtown where they can’t find any parking? Most of the eating establishments barely make it as no one wants to have to pay to park in order to eat.

This past weekend the shipyard had a family day. It opened its gates to many, over 8,000 employees and their families, to come and visit and see what has been hiding behind the gates for the many that don’t know or have always wondered. It was an opportunity for those that work there to share this with their families. But, once again, everyone had to worry about parking.

Now, I visited with my family and I parked in a 2-hour zone. My thinking was that the city wouldn’t be marking tires on this day of all days. When people were once again flooding the streets of downtown and possibly spending their money and contributing to the businesses that try to thrive there. Keep in mind that I am sure the count in total had to be over 10,000 people on this day. Once again I was fooled as I found a parking ticket stuck to my window when I returned.

I was infuriated to say the least to think that the city cared more about handing out parking tickets that they did about the support of all those that attended this day. Now, if you had to stand in line to enter the Shipyard and was able to enter in under 1 hour and 40 minutes, count yourselves lucky. As the minutes ticked by I again wondered if they city would actually be checking. Since I was in a 2-hour zone that left me approx. 20 minutes to tour the shipyard and run back to my vehicle, which didn’t happen, because I had faith in our fair city and just knew they wouldn’t be that small minded. But, again, I was proven wrong.

Will I visit the downtown area again? It hurts me to say this but most likely not. Unless I am taking a ferry and driving on I feel my time and money are better spent elsewhere. Where I don’t have to worry about moving my vehicle every hour or paying more than $3 dollars to park somewhere. Where I can go into an establishment and spend my money and my time, worry free.

We can see how much the city cares as construction progresses on this underground tunnel to shuttle even more people out of town. To those who do own businesses downtown I wish you well and hope that some day in the near future the city of Bremerton might support you.

Lynetta Halffman

Silverdale

District 4

Jara only

candidate for the position

Hey Fourth District! It should be all but apparent after the last debate who you should be voting for in the upcoming election. One candidate understands the process that will best address the current need for both parks and road improvement and also the logical progression that each of those improvements must take. One candidate is a local business owner as is his wife, both of whom have a vested interest in our city’s prosperity. One candidate is a consensus builder who is focusing on all the positives that we currently have going for us. That one candidate is Carlos Jara.

Brian Junkin

Bremerton

Marina

Public will have access to new facilities

As I’ve gone around doorbelling for Proposition 1, a number of neighbors have asked the same question. It’s come up so many times that I felt it should get out to everyone via this newspaper.

Everyone has seen the new Floating Breakwater floating out in the middle of Sinclair Inlet between the USS Turner Joy and the Ferry Terminal. People have also noticed that the old breakwater has been removed. So they have asked “Will people be allowed to walk on the new breakwater?”

The answer is “Yes!” By next May the Port of Bremerton will open access to the new 24-foot wide breakwater.

You won’t even need to get a boat out to it, as there will be an ADA-accessible public walkway that will go from the Louis Mentor Boardwalk to the center of the breakwater. Also, the USS Turner Joy will be rotated towards the end of the new breakwater to form an entrance to the new marina.

The old breakwater is still in Sinclair Inlet moored to a buoy near Port Orchard. Soon it will go to the Port of Langley on Whidbey Island where they hope to use it as a breakwater for their port as well. Now that’s recycling!

Additionally, the Navy League is looking to complete funding for a statue of a lone sailor that will be placed out on the breakwater that will be visible for ships going out to duty or returning home to the shipyard. Over $100,000 of the $300,000 for the statue has been funded. Please contact Helen Miller at the Navy League if you want to donate to this important art piece for the city. When that is done, there are two more places for statues on it.

Both the company I work for and myself have worked many hours to successfully design the breakwater and marina for the Port of Bremerton. Although it may have problems with getting the word out, I know the port commissioners have always kept the city and its people in mind as they have gone ahead with this bold project and all of them have had the vision of people walking out to the breakwater for the next boating season. Please contact the Port of Bremerton if you have any more questions about the new Bremerton marina at (360) 674-2381.

Adam C. Brockus, PE

Bremerton City Councilman, District 3

Port Commissioners

Give Huntington another chance

Mary Ann Huntington gives us great representation as the Port of Bremerton Commissioner. Her leadership and sound decisions along with the other port commissioners is innovative and effective. Often we vote with our emotions and not our logic only to regret it later.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The best is yet to come.

Re-elect Mary Ann Huntington

Pat Patterson

Bremerton

Council races

Few

candidates worthy

of election

This campaign season has brought out the worst in many candidates and revealed depth of character and dedication in a few; as usual this latter group will go unreported and unrewarded.

From Mr. Runyon’s three-letter-word extravaganza at Eggs and Issues to juvenile whining about supposedly stolen campaign signs (showcased in one instance in a police report), plenty of noise has been generated, but pertinent issues have been ignored.

Mr. Runyon and more notably incumbents have cast themselves in a class with pouting middle school dropouts.

Wake up folks. Defacing and “disappearing” political signs has always been kids’ sport. On the other hand, inappropriate language, lies and deceit do not set good examples for the young people.

Even though the United States Supreme Court has said that it’s OK for politicians to lie, those who do are truly sorry role models. You know who you are; grow up.

Disgusted voter and witness.

Helen R. Miller

Bremerton

Maupin deserves another

four years

Will Maupin has represented Bremerton Council District 8 since 2001.

He’s an effective councilman. Let’s re-elect him.

If you’ve ever talked with Will, you know he has a long-standing, deep commitment to this District, Bremerton redevelopment and revitalization, and the well-being of all citizens who live here. He listens to his constituency, he is accessible, he answers questions honestly, candidly, and if he doesn’t know, he works to find answers, share them with you, and as needed, re-directs your questions to appropriate City department heads or external agencies.

Will isn’t shy about discussing controversial issues. He may agree with you, or he may not, but he is always respectful, leaving doors open for further conversation. He has responded to every question/concern I have raised as a citizen, and there have been many.

Will focuses on the big picture. He understands legislative leader-ship within the city involves balance, teamwork, and prioritization. As an elected official Will has represented Bremerton on regional boards and has established relationships with regional leaders. He has the working knowledge and experience to provide context for framing decisions about our city’s future. Let’s keep Will working for all of us.

Judy Friedberg-Nerf

Bremerton

Stokes is the best for the position

Yes, we all blew it ... The Sun/Kitsap News Group, the Bremerton Port Commissioners, and us, the taxpayers who make up the Port of Bremerton. The property tax increase slide under the radar and escaped the focus of the local newspapers and we who will pay for it. However, if we had someone on the port commission like one of the Port of Vancouver, Wash. commissioners, who made sure the local paper knew what really was happening regarding their levy increase, maybe, just maybe, we wouldn’t be seeing our port taxes go through the roof. The paper brought the issue to the attention of the voters in a timely manner so the voters could act and vote on it. The voters rejected the tax increase, we didn’t have that opportunity.

We have a chance to elect an individual to the port commission that will get the information out and not let the public be fooled. That’s why we need to elect Larry Stokes to the Bremerton Port Commission. He will look after our interest and vote for projects that are economically sound and limit taxpayer risk. I am not opposed to the new Bremerton marina, assuming it can be self-supporting, but am opposed to the financing method chosen where we are paying the cost not the users. We didn’t get the opportunity to vote before, but now we can make our vote count so it won’t happen again.

At the same time your property tax for the Port Of Bremerton took a big jump, the commissioners voted themselves a pay increase, guess they can afford to pay their higher property tax levy now. Vote Larry Stokes.

Dick Taylor

Port Orchard

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