September 2023

Hello Central Kitsap!

It's been another busy few weeks as September kicks off and the County Commissioners have started the 2024 budget process. We held Budget Review hearings during the week of September 11-14, and all of the departments within Kitsap County presented their 2024 requests to the Budget Review Committee. The 8-member Committee is comprised of the three County Commissioners, the County Administrator, three citizen representatives, and one organized labor representative.

I get a lot of questions and concerns about taxes, and one of the simplest ways to illustrate what percentage of your taxes are attributed to the County is through the illustration below. I find that many residents who live in one of the unincorporated areas of Kitsap are often surprised by the small percentage of the overall total tax bill that goes to County delivered services.

The 2024 budget is scheduled to be adopted during a public hearing on December 4, 2023, at 5:30 pm. All of the documents and schedule can be found here.

In addition to my work on behalf of Central Kitsap, I was recently honored to have been selected to serve on the National Association of Counties (NACo) Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee. I was also appointed to NACo's Arts and Culture Commission. I look forward to sharing and learning from my colleagues across the country.

I filmed my third Commissioners Corner this month at the Bridge-to-Bridge urban trail. For many, running or walking "the bridges" as it's known has been a favorite pastime for years. I was joined by Josh Farley, former reporter for the Kitsap Sun who has spent over a decade promoting and raising awareness of the physical and educational benefits. I encourage you to watch the conversation and learn more about this wonderful trail. You can access the video on YouTube.

Finally, on Sept. 18 the Board of County Commissioners announced the appointment of Greg Nance to fill the open seat of the 23rd District State Representative. The position was vacated when Drew Hansen resigned after being appointed Aug. 23 to fill the 23rd District Senate seat, formerly held by Christine Rolfes who left the position after her appointment as Kitsap County Commissioner for District 1. Greg will join Representative Tarra Simmons in leading the 23^rd Legislative District, which encompasses all of North Kitsap, Bainbridge, Keyport, Silverdale, and East Bremerton. Commissioners selected Nance based upon interviews with the candidates Sept. 15, and his letters of endorsement from the Suquamish Tribe and labor unions. Overall, Commissioners believe he can ‘hit the ground running’ as a strong representative of our communities with a depth of understanding of the budgetary and service challenges of county government, his environmental stewardship, and championing youth mental health.

I wish everyone a great start to fall.

Katie

Kitsap Transit Updates There are a lot of exciting things happening at Kitsap Transit.  After more than a decade, Sunday bus service is scheduled to resume on a Bremerton-Silverdale route the weekend of Sept. 24. Please join Executive Director John Clauson on Saturday Sept. 23 as he will discuss the phased rollout of Sunday bus service and answer your questions. You can see the times of the virtual community meetings and sign up here. In addition, the fall bus service began Sept. 18 and there are some significant changes. Be sure to sign up for Kitsap Transit's online Newsletter to keep apprised on all of the exciting events and changes. This includes progress on the development of a fully electric passenger-only ferry for Kitsap Transit’s Bremerton-Seattle route. You can read what's next in that exciting project here. I also had the pleasure of attending what was literally an "all hands" convening to celebrate Kitsap Transit's 40th anniversary. I'm so proud of our local transportation system and their 20-year track record without a single incident transporting riders on our county roads. I was especially thrilled to learn that one of the priorities for Kitsap Transit is to "Develop feasibility study to expand intra-county passenger-only ferry service".

What a difference a year makes After nearly a year of collaboration, a recent report from the Kitsap County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma Council and St. Michael Medical Center announced significant improvements in addressing ongoing health care challenges impacting the community. The organizations formalized an EMS task force composed of the regional fire chiefs and St. Michael Medical Center leadership in late summer 2022. The task force recommended a multifaceted approach to accomplish the goals of improving emergency room throughput times, decreasing wait times, and expanding access to appropriate care that meets patient needs. Through close partnership with the task force, as well as collaboration with hospital staff and regional partners, the hospital decreased emergency department wait times and has maintained these improvements. Its weekly median arrival-to-triage time has decreased from 15 minutes in December 2022, to 2 minutes or less as of June 2023. You can read the full Press Release here, as well as other investments Virginia Mason Franciscan is making in the community here. Finally, the community is invited to join St. Michael Medical Center on October 4 at 10 am to celebrate the groundbreaking for the new 74 bed tower that's expected to be complete in 2025.

Kitsap County Aging and Long-Term Care's 2024-2027 Area Plan Draft Kitsap County Aging and Long-Term Care (ALTC) is a Division of Kitsap County Department of Human Services and the designated Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Kitsap County. Their current Area Plan has been released and is the foundation for workplans, funding priorities, and planning efforts to provide services for people who are 60 or older or who need long term care. This four-year plan reflects community needs and highlights goals for developing age-friendly, dementia-friendly communities while preparing for an increase in the aging population.  Click here to view the Area Plan Draft 2024-2027.

Gearing up for the General Election Day!

The League of Women Voters of Kitsap is a terrific resource for information on how to register to vote. You will also find a wealth of useful information designed to help inform you about the issues and candidates. 

In October, the League will be hosting a series of candidate forums that will provide an opportunity for you to hear candidates answer questions submitted by the public. The public is encouraged to submit questions up to two days in advance of each forum. You can submit a question for candidates here. You can view the Primary Election candidate forums here.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization and does not support or oppose any candidate or political party. You can access the League's Voter Tool resources here.

Final Call for Artists - A chance to show your Kitsap pride to a national audience! The deadline for NACo "I Love My County Because...." Student Art Contest is coming up on Friday, September 29. All students in grades K-12 are eligible to submit a horizontal 10.5” x 8” PDF/JPEG drawing and Artist’s Statement about why they love their county. Winners will have the chance to be featured in the 2024 “I Love My County Because…” wall calendar. The artwork must reflect some aspect of a county government function, service or program, to celebrate National County Government Month. Details on how to participate can be found at www.naco.org/art.

Out and About in the Community

Over 2,300 people participated in the pop-up ferry over Labor Day weekend. During the three-day holiday weekend, the Carlisle II ferried passengers from Silverdale to Bremerton and exceeded all ridership expectations. A big thank you to local business owners and the Greater Kitsap Chamber for making this special experience possible. 

The first Wednesday of the month I participate in the Central Kitsap Community Council. This month, it was my pleasure to recognize the Kitsap Fair Board and staff following a very successful 100th anniversary celebration of the Kitsap Fair. The entire community was shocked and saddened to learn of the unexpected passing of a member of the Fair Board just a few days later. Our thoughts remain with his wife and family.

In the middle of the month, I had the pleasure of spending the evening of Sept. 16 at the NAACP Unit 1134 Freedom Fund Banquet followed by the Bremerton Arts Commission Art Auction and Gala in which I received the gift of a poem written for me by Bremerton's Poet Laureate Tia Hudson. Finally, it's always inspiring to attend The Coffee Oasis Gala and hear about the incredible work they are doing to change the lives of our at-risk youth.

Fun Fall Activities in CK 

Kitsap Salmon Tours with WSU Kitsap Salmon tours are back in person this year! Join the team from WSU Extension on November 4 from 10-2 pm at various stream sites across the county to explore all things salmon with biologists, local environmental organizations, and trained docents. This FREE event offers exciting opportunities such as interactive activities through Kitsap Regional Library, guided walks at Keta Legacy’s Rhododendron Preserve, and many more. You can discover local salmon species, their lifecycles, and the role you play in their survival. Access a map showing the salmon viewing sites here.  For more information visit the WSU Extension webpage.

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month From September 15 to October 15, we join Kitsap Regional Library in honoring generations of Hispanic Americans who have influenced and enriched our nation and society. Explore their curated book lists and resources celebrating the voices, achievements, and stories of our Hispanic Americans. Visit the Library's website to learn more.

Monthly Meetings of the Community  

• If you are 50+ years young, the Silverdale Senior Center members invite you to join them at their monthly meeting. The group meets from 1 to 3 p.m. on the last Friday of every month. The next meeting is Sept. 29, and they will share more about the holiday festivities, including changes in meeting dates. The November and December meetings will be held on Nov. 17 and Dec. 15. 
  Meetings are held in the Community Room at the Kitsap Mall, located next to the entrance of Dick's Sporting Goods store. The annual Art/Craft Sale will be held on October 21 from 10 am - 3 pm at Keller Williams West Sound Building across from the YMCA in Silverdale.
• Join the Central Kitsap Community Council at their next meeting on Oct. 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue headquarters station. Chief Christian will provide a general update on CKFR operations, stations, and share data and analytics about fire and EMS activities in CK. The CKCC will soon be actively soliciting members to apply for the 2024 open Council positions. 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.