Land swap
To the editor:
With all the uproar about the hotel and townhouses lately, I was wondering if maybe a land swap with the proposed Winslow hotel and the Wintergreen properties would be a better use of the land.
The Wintergreen property would be better suited for a commercial development since there are already commercial properties there. And the Wintergreen development would be better sited in Winslow alongside other residential properties.
He could even put more than 74 units there, depending on type and need for a portion of it to be for lower income.
John Wilson
Bainbridge Island
No to Deets
Last week Jim Llewellyn blasted Ron Peltier for “fractious falsehoods” related to comments about Joe Deets’ record on the environment. If I didn’t know better I’d have concluded something nefarious was going on. Actually there was, but not what Llewellyn would have you believe.
Things to know:
First, Llewellyn has filed a frivolous Public Disclosure Commission complaint alleging failure of the Peltier campaign to report an expenditure for “hundreds of yard signs … everywhere to be seen.” In truth, there are no more than 15 Peltier signs posted by supporters around the island, signs purchased for his 2015 campaign.
Second, Llewellyn is an Island Center property owner probably hoping for extension of sewer and big up-zone to enhance his property value. Deets might support that. Peltier absolutely not.
Third, Deets’ campaign is upset about his record on the environment getting out. In 2018 Deets voted against the Critical Areas Ordinance, and its groundbreaking protections for trees, native vegetation and aquifer recharge. Peltier helped develop those regulations.
In 2019 Deets voted to build 100 housing units in the Suzuki forest, and to convert its wildlife pond into a stormwater facility. Peltier worked effectively to protect Suzuki.
In 2020 and 2021 Deets voted for the Winslow Hotel with its 727 daily car trips. Deets expressed no concern for impacts to the community. All of Deets’ sympathies were for the developer. Peltier opposes the hotel.
Trust the record: It doesn’t lie.
Steve Kirsten
Bainbridge Island
Vote Deets
I am writing to express my support for the re-election of Joe Deets. He is a proven leader and has been a champion for the greater good for all.
As a small-business owner, I have had a chance to work with Joe on solutions for our business community, and he has proved many times over that he is a thoughtful and inclusive leader.
Joe can be counted on to take your calls and to help find solutions that work for all.
Re-elect Joe Deets.
Natalie Rodriguez
Bainbridge Island
No to PSE
To the editor:
Before we allow Puget Sound Energy to move forward with the proposed “Missing Link” that will build a second transmission line to the Winslow substation, it is important to understand why we have seen an increased number of power outages on some parts of the island in the past decade.
Power is distributed two ways to customers through smaller distribution lines and larger transmission lines. PSE’s proposal wouldn’t prevent outages on any of the numerous distribution lines that are historically and normally the culprit for outages. From PSE’s data set, there have been 22 sustained outages on the Port Madison-Winslow Tap from 2013-17, which is a single transmission line.
The same data set also shows that the Port Madison-Murden Cove Tap, which is also a single transmission line, has had two sustained outages in the same time period. The simple fact is that the Winslow Tap, which provides power to the center and south of the island, was built in the 1960s and has exceeded its service life while the Murden Cove Tap is much newer and is functioning as designed.
Before we allow PSE to instigate an environmentally harmful solution to the problem, let’s wait to see what the currently underway rebuild of the Winslow Tap does for reliability and then make an informed decision.
Matt Kress
Bainbridge Island
Support Peltier
To the editor:
I am concerned about the untruths posited by Jim Llewellyn in his letter to the editor last week regarding the City Council election in the North ward on Bainbridge Island. Mr. Llewellyn has misleadingly characterized Mr. Peltier’s reuse of yard signs from his previous campaign as major campaign ad expenditures, as “the big lie.” Anyone can see that there are not hundreds of Ron Peltier for City Council yard signs on the island.
As for the “big lie,” regarding Joe Deets’ voting record: it’s a matter of public record that Deets voted against the environment on two major issues. In 2018 Deets voted against groundbreaking protections for native vegetation. In 2019 Deets voted to build 100 housing units on the Suzuki property and to convert its wildlife pond into a stormwater facility.
So why the exaggerated claims by Mr. Llewellyn? Llewellyn is an Island Center property owner who knows Joe Deets will support the proposed expansion and densification of Island Center, along with extension of sewer. Ron Peltier will not. It’s that simple. Mr. Llewellyn’s property stands to increase substantially in value if Joe Deets is elected.
Join me in supporting Ron Peltier. He tells the truth and will work to protect Bainbridge Island from overdevelopment.
Claire Page
Bainbridge Island
