The city of Bainbridge Island website is full of interesting information.
But one section not being used to its potential has to do with viewpoints of City Council members. Only three of the seven have anything posted.
Wonder where your candidates stand on a particular issue? You won’t find out there. Wonder if they are flip-flopping on an issue? You won’t found out there. But you could if they all would be more transparent.
Mayor Joe Deets and deputy mayor Jon Quitslund are the only ones to share where they stand on different issues, and Councilmember Leslie Schneider shares a touching personal story. But look up Councilmembers Kirsten Hytopoulos, Clarence Moriwaki, Brenda Fantroy-Johnson and Ashley Mathews and their pages are blank.
On the page devoted to Deets, which has not been updated since Jan. 11, 2022, he expresses his concern for the riot Jan. 6, 2021 in the nation’s capitol and to “Protect Democracy in America.” He also praises residents for being “model citizens.” Specifically, he mentions 91% being vaccinated against COVID, and 55% voting in a recent election.
He writes of residents being well-educated and well-informed. As such they expect good governance, and that means listening and being responsive. They also support the Climate Action Plan and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also want equity and affordable housing. And they want to reduce dependency on cars with more bicycle and walking trails.
Quitslund has made the best use of the page, updating it Jan. 4, 2024. He uses the page to challenge the community to think about housing to accommodate population growth. He writes that affordable housing means “high density,” something many on BI have fought for years.
Quitslund writes that density is a must so the key is where should it be? Is it a building’s footprint or height more important? Is it the parking needed? Is it the amount of water used or wastewater produced?
Quitslund boldly says that sensitivity to density is often “knee-jerk” and not thought out due to assumed impacts to the environment. “Such assumptions are obstacles to intelligent long-range planning and land-use regulation.” On the contrary, low-density zoning promotes sprawl and destructive expansion of built enviroment.
Building structures taller might be the better option in some places on BI. Areas to increase density are limited not only by the size of the island, but also by things like critical areas and forests that must be protected.
Rather than sharing views on issues, Schneider shares a story of courage and transformation about her mom, who at age 60 became a bicyclist due to health issues such as arthritis. Schneider had done the 200-mile, two-day Seattle to Portland ride two years earlier, and they set that as a goal for her mom. She did it.
Some work colleagues then got her to do a 10-day bike adventure around the Olympic Peninsula, a 500-mile trek. Weather cut that trip short but she went 350 miles, including one 100-mile day.
She did the STP again the next year, and had lost 30 pounds, and many of her aches and pains had gone away. She then did a 500-miler over 10 days in Idaho. After doing another STP her mom decided she needed to donate a kidney to Schneider’s sister, who had diabetes. She found out she was unable to because she had a tumor on her kidney. Schneider’s sister ended up receiving a kidney from their brother.
As for her mom, a bone scan found the tumor had metastasized and little could be done about advanced kidney cancer. She had surgery and started immunotherapy. She worked out on a stationary bike up until a week before she died April 14, 1998. The family displayed her bike and STP jacket at her memorial service.
Schneider writes that even though her mom’s life was cut short, she did win back three years of cherished health, vitality and adventure when she needed it most. “And her sense of being an athlete helped her struggle through the last tough journey with pride.”
Whether it’s talking about stances on city issues or telling personal stories, I encourage the other four councilmembers to take advantage of the opportunity to engage with the public in this underutilized portion of what otherwise is a city website packed with information.
