August 2023

Hello Central Kitsap! At the end of last month, I had the privilege of representing Kitsap County at the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference in Travis County, Texas. Joining me were Tina Rice and Mary Collins from the county's Department of Community Development who received recognition as a 2023 Achievement Award winner in the category of County Administration and Management.  The conference is the nation's largest convening of county officials and drew over 3,000 attendees. Leaders from across the country discussed a wide range of policy issues and exchanged best practices. Not surprisingly, there was a strong focus on workforce development, mental and behavioral health, disaster resilience, and economic mobility. In addition to expert-led sessions, I visited Highland Campus/Austin Community College District, a failing mall redeveloped into a community college and housing complex, as well as First! Village - Mobile Loaves & Fishes, a community of 540 affordable, permanent, supportive housing units for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. As we struggle with finding housing solutions in Kitsap, I hope to apply some of the lessons learned in these projects to benefit our community. On a local level, I serve on the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) Executive Board and was asked to deliver closing remarks at the recent Kitsap Industrial Readiness Summit.. Over 100 attendees learned about the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program’s (SIOP) project scope, opportunities, and potential impacts directly from Navy and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard leadership. The SIOP offers Kitsap County extraordinary opportunities to mutually benefit from the work being brought to the shipyard.  Katie

Kitsap County summer interns impress Every year, Kitsap County draws students from colleges and universities across the country to participate in a summer intern program. On August 2, the interns delivered presentations on their projects, sharing what they learned by working alongside county staff, and how they feel about their experiences in the county. The departments participating in the internship program included Community Development, Public Works, Human Resources, and the Treasurer's Office. I was impressed by the knowledge and poise of the students and happy to hear how much they learned from having these real-life experiences. It was nice to know they also gained valuable insights from staff who provided guidance on education and employment opportunities. The program serves as a way to expose students to the opportunities that exist in government, and the value of working in the community where you live. We look forward to hosting an intern next summer in the Commissioners' Office!

Out and About in the Community

Supporting and celebrating important community partners

At the end of July, I was honored to take part in the ribbon cutting for the Silverdale Senior Center. It was standing room only as the newly formed board of directors welcomed more than 50 seniors to their new home in the Community Room at the Kitsap Mall. Representatives from the county joined me to share an update on the Comprehensive Plan and gather insights into what resources seniors need to continue to thrive in our community. If you are 50 and over, connect with the Silverdale Senior Center on Facebook to learn more. 

The end of July also brought about a fun filled Whaling Days weekend. A highlight for me was participating in the Grand Parade with several members of the Central Kitsap Community Council alongside Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue. The crowd stretched from end to end, and families provided a lot of smiles! A big thank you to the Silverdale Dandy Lions/Kiwanis Grand Parade organizers for their great work. 

As I kicked off August, I had a good time participating in the annual Stuff the Bus for CK Students. Thank you to the Kiwanis Club of Silverdale for collecting school supplies for Central Kitsap schools. If you missed the bus, you can still donate via Venmo @KiwanisClubSilverdale. 

The first weekend in August I attended the 100th Year Celebration of the Kitsap County Dahlia Society's 98th Annual Show. I was amazed at the beauty of the many varieties of dahlias and appreciate Kitsap County Parks and Recreation for their support of the event.

The second week of August, I celebrated National Health Center Week with a tour of Peninsula Community Health Service's (PCHS) Clare Avenue Medical Clinic in East Bremerton. Community Health Centers provide high-quality care, improve health outcomes, and narrow health disparities in our communities. PCHS has exemplified a culture of community service since it was founded in 1987 as a community clinic in downtown Bremerton. The team is dedicated to tailoring services to meet community needs and continues to look for innovative solutions to complex healthcare challenges. PCHS staff participates in various planning committees and events to promote health in Kitsap, as well as Mason and Pierce counties and the Olympic Peninsula.

Meet me at the Fair! Join the County Commissioners at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon August 23 as we help to officially kick off the celebration of the 100th year of the Kitsap Fair and Stampede. You'll also find me at several events throughout the fair, including the Smoke Off on August 25 at 7 p.m. and the Pie Eating contest on August 26 at 1 p.m/. For full details on fair entertainment, food, and activities visit the Kitsap Fair website.

Enter to Win! The Kitsap Fair and Stampede is excited to announce a transition to the fair entry online fair management system this year. As a mom of young children, I loved entering their artwork, creations, baked goods, flowers, and vegetables in the fair! Hunting down their entries and seeing if they won a ribbon made going to the fair all the more fun! I encourage all families to enter! Information on how to submit an entry can be found here.

Other activities happening in CK 

• The 1st Annual Kitsap Farm Tour takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, August 13! This is a FREE event and provides an opportunity for the public to visit multiple farms across Kitsap in a one-day, self-guided tour. Visit the WSU Extension webpage to learn more about the event and participating farms.
• Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue is hosting an Open House at their Olympic View Fire Station, located at 5328 NW Anderson Hill Road. Stop by Station 52 on August 19 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the opening ceremony, station tours...and to meet Sparky!
• The Silverdale Senior Center members meet from 1 to 3 p.m. on the last Friday of every month. Meetings are held in the Community Room at the Kitsap Mall, located next to the entrance of Dick's Sporting Goods store. 
• Join the Central Kitsap Community Council at their September meeting, held 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 6 at the Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue headquarters station. On the agenda will be a discussion with staff from the Kitsap County Public Works Sewer Utility. For more information on the Council, including meeting dates, agendas, and membership, visit the CKCC webpage.

Connect with the County The Commissioners' Office public service counter is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For questions or appointments, please email kitsapcommissioners@kitsap.gov or call 360.337.7080. For County service or questions email help@kitsap1.com or call 360.337.5777. If this was forwarded to you and you'd like to stay informed about happenings in Central Kitsap, click here to subscribe.