No word from WSF on galleys

Washington State Ferries said Tuesday that the selection of vendors for food and beverage service onboard ferries and at docks has been delayed.

Selections were supposed to have been announced yesterday, but WSF spokesperson Pat Patterson said that interviews are ongoing.

The six finalists for onboard food and beverage service are BH&U Inc. (Port Townsend), Cascade Concessions Services Inc. (Vancouver, Wash.), CDX Corp. (Mukilteo), Sodexho America LLC (Gaithersburg, Md.), Sound Food Cafe, Bakery & Wine Bar (Vashon Island) and Summit Vending, Inc. (Everett).

Contracts for food and service at Colman Dock and for news, books and a convenience store there were also delayed. Bainbridge-based Commuter Comforts is a finalist for food and beverage services at Pier 52.

WSF expects onboard food service to resume in time for the peak summer season, although the start date for onboard food will depend on agreements between concessionaires and the Inlandboatmen’s Union. Patterson said most of the six finalists for onboard food service have had preliminary discussions with the IBU.

Ferry galleys have been closed since the start of the New Year, when negotiations broke down in December between Washington State Ferries and concessionaire Sodexho.

– Tina Lieu

Wanted: some new park projects

The Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation is seeking grant applications for funding for park-related projects and programs.

Eligibility: The request must support a recreation program/activity, recreation amenity, or a scholarship campaign associated with the same; the organization must be a nonprofit or a community-based organization that can qualify as an affiliate non-profit whose mission serves the Bainbridge Island population.

Deadline to apply is April 1; pick up a grant application at the park office at Strawberry Hill, or call 842-2306.

Get involved in critical areas regs

Volunteers are sought to help develop city policy for the management of wetlands and wildlife habitat conservation areas.

Four workgroups will look at separate issues. These groups will be given one month to review the issue and make a recommendation to the Land Use Committee of the City Council. After the groups are set up, the membership will be closed for purposes of continuity in the process.

The four topics are:

1. Regulatory options and allowing development on constrained lots (buffer adjustments, variance and reasonable use exceptions).

2. Buffers – widths, allowed uses and activities, and functions protection.

3. Non-regulatory options – education and incentives.

4. Habitat management plans and other approaches to wildlife habitat protection; protection for wildlife species not associated with wetlands and streams.

Volunteers will be assigned to groups based on preference and expertise. Background material and focus issues and questions on the subject area will be provided.

Those interested should contact Theresa Rice in the city planning department by March 18. A kick-off meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 23 at City Hall, at which the four workgroups will be asked to develop a work plan for making recommendations to the committee by April 27.

Each group will be assigned a staff facilitator, but the number of meetings and the process will be determined by the workgroups themselves.

Information: 842-2552.