City staff discussed with the Bainbridge Island City Council last week impacts to the 2021-22 proposed budget related to the state Supreme Court decision to strike down Initiative 976, also known as the “$30 car-tab initiative”).
The court ruling restored the city’s ability to spend funds received since December 2019 and going forward.
In 2020, the city has received revenues of about $50,000 per month from the funding. Of that $200,000 is designated for traffic calming and climate mitigation projects. The other $400,000 is available for transportation projects; it’s used to maintain island roads.
Also, the council approved the following motions as preliminary potential changes to the budget:
•Designate $600,000 for high priority short-term projects from Sustainable Transportation planning.
•Add $200,000 to plan and design the Coppertop/Sakai/ Woodward Trail, which extends the STO from the pond in Sakai Park, north to Sportsman’s Club Road, and creates new safe access to Sakai and Woodward schools through the Coppertop Industrial Park.
•Add $200,000 to the climate change implementation budget of $300,000.
•Add $78,000 for structural preservation projects at the Suyematsu farms, the clearing of brush and debris from structures and interpretive signage.
•Add $60,000 for Senior Center improvements and $100,000 to the 2023-24 budget for Senior Center improvements.
•Add $15,000 for completion of a National Citizens Survey.
•Replace a vacant planner position with a natural resource senior planner. Add a climate adaptation officer.
•Defer the Country Club Road bulkhead reconstruction project to at least 2023 to allow time to develop an island-wide strategy for shoreline roadways that aligns with the city’s Climate Action Plan.
•Remove $25,000 from the Public Works’ 2021 professional services budget for Complete Streets ordinance development.
Background on each proposal will be provided at a budget workshop Nov. 4. A final public hearing on the budget is scheduled for the Nov. 10 council meeting.
Check out the entire budget at www.bainbridgewa.gov/1258/Budget.
