About 80% of Bainbridge Islanders choose cremation when they die. But it also seems like about 80% of those on BI don’t want a crematorium here.

As a result, the City Council Sept. 10 voted to ban them on BI.

Mayor Joe Deets said there is an obvious disconnect. “They oppose it on one hand, even though the vast majority choose it,” he said, adding it’s been one of the most-talked about topics he’s seen, mostly concerning air emissions.

Deets said he’s thinking of human composting upon his death. “Hopefully I have plenty of time,” he said, smiling.

He challenged the community to work to find greener options than cremation. That could bring about a more “positive difference for the environment; future generations are going to thank us.”

Councilmember Brenda Fantroy-Johnson, the only one to vote against the ban, said: “We have to figure out something.” She added she does like to “kick it down the road.” She was concerned that all of the alternatives weren’t looked at and researched because the city doesn’t have enough staff.

Councilmember Leslie Schneider also was disappointed, but voted for it because, “This community has made its point very clear.” She said the debate lacked personal stories that could have explained the need more. The council only heard from the business standpoint. “Without that compelling cry from the other side” it’s inevitable the direction we are going right now.

She also prefers greener alternatives as each cremation uses many gallons of fossil fuel. But she doesn’t like that those grieving deaths have the added burden of transporting loved ones out of state. “We can do better,” she said.

Councilmember Jon Quitslund said he’s satisfied with the ban, but it’s not a perfect solution. He said when the issue first came up he didn’t appreciate how many emotional people in the community were trying to tell him what to do. He said he appreciated a months-long moratorium so research could bring forward facts to help make an educated decision.

Councilmember Clarence Moriwaki said the owners of the funeral home on BI suffered the most abuse, and they handled it with grace. He added they already offer green options for remains. He also was upset about how many in the public used emotion rather than facts to pressure the council. “It created division where it didn’t exist.”

Regarding facts, Moriwaki said many of the studies people were bringing forward were decades old. “The fears and concerns I heard were a little overblown. Please don’t use fear as a tactic.”

He said on previous councils that was the way things were done. But BI is better than that. He pointed out that Martin Luther King Jr. stated that, “The opposite of love is not hate—but fear.”

Councilmember Kirsten Hytopolous said rather than going to the BI funeral home people can go to Poulsbo for cremations. The BI funeral home has to send bodies out of the area for cremations. She said it’s only one of many things people can’t do on BI—such as buying a car or receiving cancer treatments or major surgery.

Most public comments were against a crematorium as they have been for months. The same concerns were addressed, most having to do with fear of emissions.

Tim Dinan, who with his wife Alison Hahn own Cook Family Funeral Home, both spoke in favor of having a crematorium on BI. They were the ones who first had the idea of having one at Hillcrest Cemetery. After that was shot down they were hoping to build one in an industrial-business zone.

“I’m just shaking my head about some of the comments,” Dinan said, adding people are comparing apples and oranges. He said the state-of-the-art crematorium he wanted to bring here would not release harmful particles in the air. He said if people are worried about the environment it’s worse having to drive up to seven hours to get a body cremated. He said it’s sad that people who die here can’t be taken care of here.

Hahn said when families find out their loved ones can’t be cremated here: “Their jaws drop. ‘You have to do what?’ We hear that day after day. They’re astounded that their loved ones cannot be taken care of here.”