 October 2025
Hello South Kitsap!
As autumn settles in, I'm thrilled to share updates on five key priorities shaping our vibrant community. We're crafting a sustainable County budget to protect the services you cherish while advancing our Year of the Rural initiative to celebrate what makes Kitsap truly special. I'm also deepening our dialogue on Banner Forest Heritage Park informed by your heartfelt engagement and prioritizing public safety by strengthening support for our dedicated Sheriff's Department to keep our families and neighborhoods secure. Additionally, we're directing vital exercises through the Department of Emergency Management's preparedness efforts to ensure our community is ready for any challenge—from the successful Ready Bremerton 2025 fair we hosted last month to ongoing training that builds resilience for all.
These efforts embody the balance we strive for: fiscal prudence paired with essential programs like robust public safety and emergency preparedness measures, rural preservation alongside smart growth, and community-led stewardship of our natural gems.
To build on our emergency preparedness momentum, I encourage you to become CERT qualified—join our next training sessions to gain hands-on skills in disaster response. Ensure you're prepared by creating a family emergency plan and stocking a go-bag. Participate in regular drills and community events to build resilience. Together, we'll foster a stronger, more ready South Kitsap.
And now, adding to the excitement, South Kitsap High School is a finalist for a $1 million upgrade to its football field through T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights initiative—a game-changer that could elevate our Wolves' home field and bring lasting pride to our students and families. Be sure to vote daily (once per email address) at skschools.org/FN5GL through Oct. 24 to help secure this win—every voice counts! LET’S GO WOLVES!
Achieving the right harmony in all this relies on your continued wisdom and participation. I'm fully committed to transparent, inclusive processes, whether in budget hearings, rural policy forums, park discussions, public safety planning, or emergency management drills and workshops. Your insights are the guiding light for choices that strengthen South Kitsap households and honor our unique way of life.
Thank you for your unwavering enthusiasm and collaboration—together, we'll rise to these moments and lay a solid path forward for generations.
Warmly,
Oran
"We are South Kitsap, working together for a better and unified future!"
I believe in the unyielding principle that government must live within its means, just as every family does—balancing budgets, slashing waste, and rejecting reckless debt that burdens our children.
We keep taxes low to ignite the fire of innovation and hard work in free markets. And if we must propose a new tax, we must, in turn, eliminate an old one to ensure no net increase. But what happens when we fall below the threshold of providing basic core services? Unforeseen tempests—exorbitant cost surges beyond our control, such as employee insurance premium cost increases, more than a 40% jump in jail medical costs in 2025, rising fuel prices for County vehicles, competitive salary and benefit bargaining demands, or mandatory overtime situations due to deputy shortages—add insult to injury. And to make matters worse, Washington state mandates, Revised Code of Washington/Washington Administrative Code (RCW/WACs), keep piling on regulations to the County without additional funding to assist, or are known as unfunded mandates.
In the face of these 2026 budget crucibles, we ruthlessly prioritize, innovate to achieve efficiencies, and reform outdated programs. We are approaching it with a wise, systematic strategy to ensure we can continue to provide the level of service you expect within the available budget. I can attest that, working closely with all County departments over the past 10 months, I have been highly impressed by the professionalism and dedication of all directors, elected officials, and employees who are willing to do the hard work to meet our current challenges! Their focus never strays from the primary mission: serving you! I am very proud of every single one of them!
Now, in my first term, I view our situation from an out-of-the-box perspective and continuously ask myself, "Where is the breaking point?" What are the trade-offs? What do we go without? We all ask these questions in our budgetary lives. No matter what led up to this, it is today's mission we must tackle. My personal rule is: is it a “requirement, need, or want." Our core functions as a government are the requirement. At the end of the day, fiscal discipline safeguards liberty and prosperity for all, and our challenge is to balance it all on the tip of a pencil (pun intended)!
Like most counties statewide, Kitsap is confronting intense financial strains that we've been addressing proactively throughout 2025. As our community continues to grow and approve vital school and fire levies, Kitsap County has not requested a levy increase in decades and remains committed to delivering core services as efficiently and leanly as possible. Despite our aggressive and proactive fiscal reserve fund policy, we’re now grappling with the inflationary pressures, rapidly rising insurance costs, unfunded mandates from the Washington state legislature, and the fundamental need to stay competitive as an employer to serve you with excellence. As your County Commissioner, I'm dedicated to making tough decisions and working closely in bipartisan collaboration with Commissioners Walters and Rolfes to tackle our top priority this fall: adopting a balanced, sustainable budget.
Without adjustments, we're forecasting an $8 million deficit for fiscal year 2026—and similar hurdles ahead. These stem from revenue limits that can't match escalating expenses: an annual 1% property tax growth cap, plus sluggish sales tax increases (1.5% in 2023, 3% in 2024, and 2% projected for 2025).
Our $609 million annual budget includes a $134 million General Fund, which is under pressure from personnel expenses, insurance premiums, and the costs of essential services that our residents rely on.
Taking Decisive, Transparent Steps
We've proactively addressed potential budget challenges before they could intensify. This summer, we launched our first community survey in more than two decades, aligning upcoming budgets with your top priorities. Thank you to those randomly selected residents who participated. In June, the Board of Commissioners introduced a short-term hiring freeze, allowing departments to adapt with minimal disruption to essential services—a move that proved highly effective. We are now exploring its potential as a long-term strategy. We instructed each department to reduce its annual budget by roughly 3%. And just last week, all departments submitted their 2026 proposals, achieving multimillion-dollar cuts in projected spending. We are working hard to ensure the core functions of government are being prioritized.
Your Input Shapes the Future
I encourage you to stay involved. Here are a few key opportunities:
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Public Comment Sessions: Oct. 13 and 27 at our regular Board meetings.
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Official Budget Public Hearing: Dec. 1.
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Final Adoption: Dec. 8.
All events are at the Kitsap County Administration Building in Port Orchard, with live streams and recordings available online. Catch September's budget presentations on Bremerton-Kitsap Access Television to see exactly how we're prioritizing your tax dollars—balancing fiscal prudence with the services South Kitsap families need most.
Your voice is essential. Reach me directly at oroot@kitsap.gov, or contact the full Board at KitsapCommissioners@kitsap.gov. United, we'll overcome these obstacles and safeguard the services that strengthen our community.
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New Series - Let’s Talk Budget: Understanding Public Safety Funding
 As we navigate these critical budget decisions, transparency and community engagement are critical. This week, the Commissioners' Office launched a new series called "Let's Talk Budget" to help you understand how we're addressing our structural budget challenges while maintaining essential services.
Our first installment focuses on public safety funding—breaking down the numbers behind the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office budget, explaining the fiscal pressures we're managing, and showing how every department is contributing to solutions.
What you'll learn:
- How the Sheriff's Office budget has grown from $35 million in 2015 to nearly $60 million in 2026
- Why the 1% property tax cap creates structural challenges
- How your recent community survey input is shaping our priorities
This detailed analysis shows our commitment to data-driven decision-making and involving you in difficult conversations about fiscal responsibility and community priorities.
Check out this week's Let's Talk Budget newsletter here.
Your engagement in this process matters. Together, we can navigate these challenges while maintaining the essential services that keep our community safe and strong.
On Sept. 20, Parks Director Alex Wisniewski and I attended a special meeting hosted by the Save Banner Forest group. With approximately 160 passionate community members in attendance, we heard heartfelt concerns and deep appreciation for this treasured park that holds such a special place in our community.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with us. Your candor, civic engagement, and commitment to telling your government how it can best serve your interests exemplifies exactly the kind of community participation that strengthens our democracy. The passion you've shown for Banner Forest demonstrates the deep connection our residents have to our natural spaces.
As your Commissioner, I'm here to listen to your concerns and support your interests. That's why I'll be launching a quarterly series of community roundtable discussions beginning early next year to discuss Banner Forest and other issues of significance to South Kitsap residents. These meetings will provide ongoing opportunities for direct dialogue between our community and County leadership.
Setting the Record Straight
While we continue these important conversations, I want to address some misinformation that's been circulating about Banner Forest. Claims that "thinning for profit is planned by Kitsap County to begin in 2026" and that we plan to remove "50% of the trees from 519 acres" are simply not accurate.
Let me be clear: there is no current plan for commercial thinning at Banner Forest Heritage Park. The Parks Department will be evaluating the need for potential park restoration activities in 2026 as part of our long-range planning process, but there are no activities scheduled for Banner Forest in the near future. Any future considerations would involve extensive community engagement and would focus on ecological restoration, not profit generation.
Moving Forward Together
I'm committed to ensuring that our community has accurate information and meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions affecting our parks. The concerns you've raised deserve thoughtful consideration, and your voices will continue to be heard as we move forward.
Thank you for your continued engagement and for caring so deeply about preserving what makes our community special. Together, we can ensure that Banner Forest remains the treasured natural refuge that brings our community together.
For questions or to share additional thoughts, please contact me at oroot@kitsap.gov.
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Thank you for the tremendous community support for maintaining what remains of our County's rural character. Your engagement throughout this process demonstrates the deep commitment South Kitsap residents have to preserving the landscapes and way of life that define our community.
The Year of the Rural project is bringing back a more robust rural chapter to our Comprehensive Plan that acknowledges what a preferred rural Kitsap looks like for the next 20 years. This comprehensive plan update for rural areas continues moving forward with the extensive community input you've provided being incorporated throughout the process.
Addressing Equestrian Concerns
I've heard your concerns about proposed regulations affecting equestrian facilities, and we're working through a collaborative process to address them. Following a dedicated meeting with about 25 industry representatives in September, we're forming a workgroup of equine industry experts to help refine our approach and ensure regulations reflect the reality of horse ownership in Kitsap County. Your expertise matters, and we want to get this right.
Opportunities for Continued Input
Community members still have until Nov. 10 to review drafts and submit comments for the Year of the Rural. The Board of County Commissioners public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 10, and I encourage you to participate in this important process.
Your feedback continues to shape policies that balance rural character with reasonable development opportunities. The path forward reflects your priorities and commitment to preserving rural Kitsap for current and future generations.
As we move through this process, I remain committed to ensuring that the voices of rural Kitsap residents are heard and that our decisions reflect the values that make our community special. Together, we can preserve our rural heritage while supporting the families and businesses that call rural Kitsap home.
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 Our economy is the driving force behind every part of our lives—the jobs that sustain us, the communities we cherish, and the dreams we chase. It's the foundation of opportunity and growth for all. But let's be clear: the government can't succeed without the energy and innovation of private businesses. On its own, it simply can't tackle our toughest challenges.
Government has a choice—it can block the way or pave it smooth. But real change? That comes when we step in as the steady ladder, helping everyone reach new heights.
So, let's double down on what matters: inviting fresh investments, offering the right incentives, and putting our resources into building a stronger economy right here at home, supporting our job creators who, in many cases, personally take all the risk. This means equipping our workforce with real skills, which powers the smart, driven companies that create lasting jobs.
Job creation, training, and placement aren't just about filling positions—they're about restoring dignity. Jobs give people more than a paycheck; they spark pride, purpose, and a genuine chance at a brighter future. By prioritizing opportunities, skill-building, and the perfect fit for every role, we lay the groundwork for hope that our kids and grandkids can count on.
Together, we can build an economy that's not about scraping by, but about truly thriving. Let's get to it—one step, one job, one dream at a time. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness is our heritage and our future!
Stay Informed, Stay Safe!
Emergency alerts keep Kitsap residents updated on potential life-threatening dangers—from countywide winter storms to neighborhood gas leaks. Sign up for alerts for your address to receive timely notifications, whether you're at home or away.
Visit kcowa.us/alert now to sign up and learn more about KitsapALERT.
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Ways to Engage in Your Community!
Step In, Speak Up: Be Part of Your Neighborhood Community Council
Join the Manchester Community Advisory Council (MCAC) at their regular monthly meetings the first Tuesday of every month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Manchester Library.
Visit the MCAC webpage for more information including meeting dates, agendas, and membership. You can also view materials from prior meetings and learn about council members.
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Connect with the County
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