To the editor:
Timing is everything. A well-established truism which we apply in our everyday lives, sports, politics and financial affairs.
Our police department currently uses the former firehouse as its headquarters and base of operations. The firehouse, back in the day almost half a century ago, served as the village of Winslow’s firehouse, the firemen were volunteers, we had one police officer and the village council didn’t become the city council until 1947.
Times change. The village of Madrone became Winslow, and in 1991, Winslow became Bainbridge. Over time, however, our communities commitment to providing for, and protecting, our community has remained constant.
Twenty years ago our newly formed city council committed to a city hall, courthouse and police station. City Hall was the first step of that commitment. Recently our city council unanimously reaffirmed that commitment.
Now we, as a community, have the means, the need and the opportunity to fulfill that commitment.
The means: Our municipal bond rating is superior.
The need: The police station is functionally obsolete and, given a seismic event, is subject to catastrophic failure. Our court, located in Rolling Bay, although functional and secure, is currently rented at less than fair market value. The lease and its options expire in five years. The owners have been very generous leasing the property under these circumstances.
Soon, however, commercial values in the Rolling Bay neighborhood service center will rise to the point that a sale of the property will be compelling. This will result in the need to relocate the court.
The opportunity: The proposed bond will provide our community the opportunity to plan for the future. Planning will result in informed decisions, which in turn, will lead to locating city hall, the police and our court on a central campus. This central location will ensure, as best we can, that everyone in our community will have access to these essential services.
Please vote yes on Proposition 1.
JIM KENNEDY
Rolling Bay
