To the editor:

As an urban planner and landscape architect I am very concerned with the city of Bainbridge Island decision making process to build a stand-alone police facility or a joint facility on Bainbridge Island.

The city council recently authorized an architectural consultant to develop preliminary concepts and sketches for a new police station on Island Gym property on Madison avenue next to city hall without contacting the owners, Alexa and Michael Rosenthal. The very idea that the city would spend taxpayers funds to develop preliminary plans for private property that is not for sale and without the owner’s knowledge is appalling and a breach of public trust.

When asked about this, Deputy City Manager Morgan Smith said, “The city would have met with property owners and then drawn up plans with the owners’ full knowledge, but city staff were worried that doing so would make it seem that the city had already chosen locations and were trying to push their choice(s) through council” and “We didn’t want anyone to think we’d made a decision to go ahead with a stand alone facility,” which would seem disrespectful to the Bainbridge Island Fire Department.”

Not only is this process insulting to all Bainbridge Island citizens and property owners, it just doesn’t make any sense.

The decision to build a stand-alone police facility or a joint facility has implications for agency efficiency and operational concerns that should be debated in an open and transparent way by council for all citizens to understand. Once a well thought out decision to build a single or a joint facility is made, only then should the city look for the best location for such a facility.

Instead council members appear to be throwing darts at an island parcel map and hoping for the best. This is not the way to make good decisions, and certainly not the best way to build community trust with their government.

The $30,000 architect’s fee should have been used to hire a consultant to identify the operational and management needs of the police department (and other departments) to determine whether the best solution is a stand alone or a joint facility. Then and only then should the city investigate the best property location options available and complete architectural plans.

Oh, and don’t forget to contact the property owners first.

JOE DUNSTAN

Bainbridge Island