NKHN101022_A01
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Friday, October 22, 2010 | Vol. 109, No. 43| WWW.NORTHKITSAPHERALD.COM | 50¢ H ERALD N ORTH KITSAP Election 2010: Meet candidates vying for office in the Nov. 2 general election on pages 15-19. By TAD SOOTER [email protected] KINGSTON — On board the Spirit of Kingston Monday morning, halfway to Seattle, commuter Catherine Borstad forgot her commuter worries for a moment and enjoyed the ride. “It’s a lot smoother than the Aqua Express, and it’s amazing how fast we’re moving,” Borstad said of the Port of Kingston’s new passenger boat, as the lights of Seattle slid into view. The inaugural 5:55 a.m. sailing of the SoundRunner ferry service attracted 75 riders. About half were commut- ers like Borstad, eager to test the new connection to Seattle. The port’s 149-seat ferry, which runs four round trips daily, is the first direct link between North Kitsap and downtown Seattle since the Aqua Express ferry discontinued service five years ago. “This is the future of Kingston,” Port Commissioner Pete DeBoer said. “This is the future of the North Kitsap Peninsula, and all the way to Port Angeles.” The first sail- ing of the Spirit of Kingston drew a cross sec- tion of riders, including stalwart commuters, casual travelers and ferry supporters who woke up early to experience the maiden crossing. Laura Eccles and Pat Ryan had traveled from Port Townsend to be on the first SoundRunner sailing. Eccles and Ryan, both retired, said the ferry would be a valuable link for Jefferson County residents who usually drive to the busy Bainbridge ferry terminal to reach Seattle. This morning the friends were on board to “do something we’d never done before and watch the sunrise,” Ryan said. Off and running Brad Camp/For the Herald SoundRunner riders take in the Seattle skyline early Monday morning from the back deck of the Spirit of Kingston. The new passenger ferry service offered free trips on Monday. Kingston’s SoundRunner passenger ferry makes a splashy debut. By DENNIS ANSTINE [email protected] BAINBRIDGE —Bainbridge Island’s Municipal Court is the first tenant lined up for Poulsbo’s new city hall after the Bainbridge City Council approved the start of lease negotiations with Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson Wednesday night. The 4-3 vote followed a charged two-hour session that included a standing-room-only audience and the last of more than 30 islanders who spoke against the proposed move during two meetings held over the last eight days. After the vote, Erickson said there is much work to be done negotiating a lease, but the cooperation between the two cities signals the start of a positive trend. “The idea of sharing resources, where both parties benefit, you’re going to see this happening a lot in the next couple years” as municipal resources decline, she said. Erickson said the courts are aiming for a January 2011 move-in. Bainbridge’s desire to reduce its budget and Poulsbo’s need for city hall tenants led to conversations in March about munici- pal collaboration between the jurisdictions, with the possibility of sharing a court an obvious action. A task force of mayors and councilors from both cities was formed, and a report analyzing both courts was pro- duced by staff members. Negotiations for the lease arrange- ment will start at $42,500 annually. The Bainbridge court would pay about $31,500 Court moving to Poulsbo By JENNIFER MORRIS [email protected] POULSBO — A wage contract between the City of Poulsbo and Poulsbo Police Officers Association is expected to enter arbitration in early 2011 after more than a year of negotiations led to no agreement. The impasse comes as the city struggles to keep its labor costs down and balance its 2011 budget. Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson said the city posed a “fair offer” but was declined by the association. The offer included a 1.7 percent wage increase for patrol officers and a 4.7 per- cent wage increase for sergeants, but “they said it wasn’t enough,” Erickson said. “We have people losing their jobs and they want raises ... now is not the time to ask for a raise,” she said. The city has restructured its workforce, cutting staff by roughly 10 percent to shore up its 2011 budget. City employees other than police officers are represented by Teamsters, and agreed to a zero percent raise in wages in 2010 and a 1 percent raise in wages in 2011. Erickson said she values the city’s police force, but financial constraints are limit- ing. The officers association has challenged the city’s layoffs, and released a letter in September suggesting they aren’t finan- cially necessary. The association asserts an acceptable middle ground has not been reached in contract discussions. City, police negotiations stall “It’s a dream come true.” Joe Ahann, SoundRunner rider SEE SOUNDRUNNER, A7 SEE COURT, A24 SEE POLICE, A22
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“It’s a dream come true.” “This is the future of Kingston,” Port Commissioner Pete DeBoer said. “This is the future of the North Kitsap Peninsula, and all the way to Port Angeles.” The first sail- ing of the Spirit of Kingston drew a cross sec- tion of riders, including stalwart commuters, casual travelers and ferry supporters who woke up early to experience the maiden crossing. By TAD SOOTER By DENNIS ANSTINE By JENNIFER MORRIS SEE SOUNDRUNNER, A7 Joe Ahann, SoundRunner rider
Transcript of NKHN101022_A01
Friday, October 22, 2010 | Vol. 109, No. 43| WWW.NORTHKITSAPHERALD.COM | 50¢
HERALDNORTH KITSAP Election 2010:
Meet candidates vying for office in the Nov. 2 general election on pages 15-19.
By TAD [email protected]
KINGSTON — On board the Spirit of Kingston Monday morning, halfway to Seattle, commuter Catherine Borstad forgot her commuter worries for a moment and enjoyed the ride.
“It’s a lot smoother than the Aqua Express, and it’s amazing how fast we’re moving,” Borstad said of the Port of Kingston’s new passenger boat, as the lights of Seattle slid into view.
The inaugural 5:55 a.m. sailing of the SoundRunner ferry service attracted 75 riders. About half were commut-ers like Borstad, eager to test the new connection to Seattle. The port’s 149-seat ferry, which runs four round trips daily, is the first direct link between North Kitsap and downtown Seattle since the Aqua Express ferry discontinued service five years ago.
“This is the future of Kingston,” Port Commissioner Pete DeBoer said. “This is the future of the
North Kitsap Peninsula, and all the way to Port Angeles.”
The first sail-ing of the Spirit
of Kingston drew a cross sec-tion of riders, including stalwart commuters, casual travelers and ferry supporters who woke up early to experience the maiden crossing.
Laura Eccles and Pat Ryan had traveled from Port Townsend to be on the first SoundRunner sailing. Eccles and Ryan, both retired, said the ferry would be a valuable link for Jefferson County residents who usually drive to the busy Bainbridge ferry terminal to reach Seattle.
This morning the friends were on board to “do something we’d never done before and watch the sunrise,” Ryan said.
Off and running
Brad Camp/For the Herald
SoundRunner riders take in the Seattle skyline early Monday morning from the back deck of the Spirit of Kingston. The new passenger ferry service offered free trips on Monday.
Kingston’s SoundRunner passenger ferry makes a
splashy debut.
By DENNIS [email protected]
BAINBRIDGE —Bainbridge Island’s Municipal Court is the first tenant lined up for Poulsbo’s new city hall after the Bainbridge City Council approved the start of lease negotiations with Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson Wednesday night.
The 4-3 vote followed a charged two-hour session that included a standing-room-only audience and the last of more than 30 islanders who spoke against the proposed move during two meetings held over the last eight days.
After the vote, Erickson said there is much work to be done negotiating a lease, but the cooperation between the two cities signals the start of a positive trend.
“The idea of sharing resources, where
both parties benefit, you’re going to see this happening a lot in the next couple years” as municipal resources decline, she said.
Erickson said the courts are aiming for a January 2011 move-in.
Bainbridge’s desire to reduce its budget and Poulsbo’s need for city hall tenants led to conversations in March about munici-pal collaboration between the jurisdictions, with the possibility of sharing a court an obvious action. A task force of mayors and councilors from both cities was formed, and a report analyzing both courts was pro-duced by staff members.
Negotiations for the lease arrange-ment will start at $42,500 annually. The Bainbridge court would pay about $31,500
Court moving to PoulsboBy JENNIFER [email protected]
POULSBO — A wage contract between the City of Poulsbo and Poulsbo Police Officers Association is expected to enter arbitration in early 2011 after more than a year of negotiations led to no agreement.
The impasse comes as the city struggles to keep its labor costs down and balance its 2011 budget.
Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson said the city posed a “fair offer” but was declined by the association.
The offer included a 1.7 percent wage increase for patrol officers and a 4.7 per-cent wage increase for sergeants, but “they said it wasn’t enough,” Erickson said.
“We have people losing their jobs and they want raises ... now is not the time to
ask for a raise,” she said.The city has restructured its workforce,
cutting staff by roughly 10 percent to shore up its 2011 budget. City employees other than police officers are represented by Teamsters, and agreed to a zero percent raise in wages in 2010 and a 1 percent raise in wages in 2011.
Erickson said she values the city’s police force, but financial constraints are limit-ing.
The officers association has challenged the city’s layoffs, and released a letter in September suggesting they aren’t finan-cially necessary. The association asserts an acceptable middle ground has not been reached in contract discussions.
City, police negotiations stall
“It’s a dream come true.”Joe Ahann,
SoundRunner rider
SEE SOUNDRUNNER, A7
SEE COURT, A24 SEE POLICE, A22
