City

No more words are needed from council

I would like to express my opinion with your continued publication of material authored by City Council members. The Bainbridge Island Review is not a platform for the members of City Council to pontificate.

Their articles have been in direct opposition to the general testimony of the public – the citizens of Bainbridge Island. Further, many articles have contradicted written material provided by Bob Scales, a past City Council member.

I have resided on Bainbridge Island for 31 years. I have faithfully attended City Council meetings and committee meetings for a period of four years. I served on Winslow Tomorrow.

I do not want to pay for a subscription to your newspaper if I have to continually read articles from City Council members.

I would like to reiterate that I do not want to see your newspaper used as a platform for City Council members to pontificate.

It is obvious that the COBI management team – staff and City Council – have a fractured relationship. They have lost the confidence of many citizens. Articles by City Council members only serve to exacerbate this situation.

MIKE SCURACI

Shannon Drive

Will Peters honor a balanced budget?

In the reporting of the City Council hearing of Sept. 10 on the issuance of new councilmanic debt, Barry Peters is quoted as saying “…the City Council did what it needed to do to honor commitments made to market its bond.”

You would not sell a house simply to make sure the brokers got paid.

Is Mr. Peters committed to balancing the budget from this time forward? If revenues are lower than projected, is he willing to make the cuts necessary to avoid losses, even if this involves reducing staff?

ROD STEVENS

Odd Fellows Road

Community

Hazardous trees need attention

Fall is a great time to start noticing your trees – an activity that’s more valuable than you think.

If you have any tree concerns, now is the time to start taking a hard look at what’s actually making you afraid. Just like other fears, fear of trees often arises from misunderstanding or not comprehending what makes a tree a hazard and often gels in the idea that “something needs to be done.”

A savvy consumer will research anyone they are hiring – from dentist to arborist. Keep in mind that a yellow pages listing as well as a license to practice as an “arborist” can be easily bought without accreditation and has led to a high number of unqualified climbers, pruners and consultants flooding the field. Furthermore, the high success of door-knocking tree companies relies and will prey on your knee-jerk reaction to fear.

Consider the benefits of hiring a licensed, bonded and ISA-certified arborist. In Kitsap County there are a small but dedicated number of qualified certified arborists who keep current with the growing body of tree knowledge and science. Tree work can be expensive but incorrectly completed tree work can cost you even more year after year.

So get ahead of the neighbors and hire someone who works based on the cutting edge of science. You might find yourself with a lot more extra time on your hands instead of wringing them with worry the next time the wind blows.

KATY KROKOWER

Baker Hill

Schools

Go green(backs)! Ride the bus

We have all heard how underfunded the Bainbridge Island School District is this year. At the last Sakai PTO meeting, I was surprised to learn that the state funding level for the district’s transportation budget is determined by the number of students who ride the bus during Bus Count Week (Sept. 22-26).

How much funding is at stake? It’s a complicated formula, but with a bus ridership capacity of about 3,200 students and up to $250 per student available, if we maximize ridership during Bus Count Week we can help BISD secure several hundred thousand dollars.

That is serious money. PTO parents and BISD students, we need to spread the word and maximize the number of students riding the morning bus during that week.

It’s easy. Parents, tell two friends with young students about Bus Count Week. Get them to commit to having their students ride the morning bus.

Organize a walk-to-school bus stop group with your neighborhood families during that week.

Older BISD students, recruit other students to ride the morning bus during Bus Count Week.

Ask your friends to each recruit two more families. And so on. The bus schedule is at: www.bainbridge.wednet.edu/node/257.

Try the bus. You might prefer the bus to driving in traffic, shelling out money for gas and paying for parking.

If it works for your family, ride the bus all year. The beauty of everyone riding the bus is it’s cheaper and it’s green.

Let’s help BISD secure more state transportation funding while helping the planet as well. Pretty cool.

LAURIE RICE

Bainbridge Island