Survey says a bond would pass

City leaders learned this week that it would be a close call, but island voters would likely support a $10 million bond measure this November, based on a new survey. 

City leaders learned this week that it would be a close call, but island voters would likely support a $10 million bond measure this November, based on a new survey. 

Drinking water, natural areas threatened by development and public access to parks are the issues around which the city should craft the measure, said the survey, conducted by consultants and overseen by the Trust for Public Land.

City Councilors saw the results for the first time Wednesday. Some were disappointed they weren’t included in the process, which was unorthodox because the council never approved funding for the work.

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“You don’t do a contract after the fact,” Councilwoman Debbie Vancil said. “I’m not content with a nod, a wink and a handshake.

The effort began in 2006, as leaders looked for ways to fund open space following the exhaustion of an $8 million bond passed in 2001. An ad hoc committee that included park officials and Councilman Chris Snow among others was formed to guide a survey process similar to the one that contributed to that measure’s passage. Eventually, though, the idea lost steam and was all but forgotten amid last year’s budget struggles.

The thread resumed early this year at the behest of Mayor Darlene Kordonowy, and a phone survey of 400 islanders was conducted in April and May.

TPL representative Josh Alpert presented the results to councilors, who were being asked to approve $19,500 in funding for the work despite the absence of a written contract.  

Finance Director Elray Konkel said no specific line item was budgeted for the effort.

“We had a verbal agreement,” Alpert said. “At that point things here within the city got heated with the budget discussions and we lost contact for quite a while with the City of Bainbridge and with the mayor – we went off and did other things.”

Alpert said it was unusual for TPL to do work without a contract, but the organization moved ahead in good faith once contact resumed.

Kordonowy couldn’t be reached for comment about the process, but at Wednesday’s meeting said she was pleased with the end result.

“Believe it or not someday I’m sure that everybody will be really pleased that we went out and did this survey because we’re going to have good results for the community in the end,” she said. “I’ll even count on a thank you from somebody at some point in time.”

Snow agreed the process was unusual, but said he hopes that won’t obscure what he believes are important results.  

“I think this survey is a good one,” he said. “We did what we set out to do. But I think this happened when we’re still in the process of evolving from an earlier more casual way of doing business – it’s not acceptable anymore to seal things with a handshake and a smile.”

The city earlier this year conducted a community priorities survey to help guide spending; the TPL effort was aimed specifically at crafting a bond measure, Snow said.

No action was taken to fund the survey Wednesday.

Vancil said she feels no obligation to pay for the work, since the council didn’t direct it and there is no legally binding contract.

“I’m disappointed this went on without the full council’s knowledge,” she said. “We missed an opportunity to see if other priorities could be considered if we’re going out for a voted bond.”

In other city news, the council voted 5-2 to approve the first phase of design for the Winslow Way project. The contract with firm Heery International is worth $135,377 and will allow the city to seek grant money for the project, which is set to break ground in 2010. Subsequent phases must come back to the council for approval. Council members Bill Knobloch, Kim Brackett and Vancil said they were uncomfortable with the language in the contract; Vancil ultimately voted to approve it following confirmation from staff that the city has enough carryover bond money to pay for it.