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Bremerton set to offer parking amnesty program BY KEVAN MOORE KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Kevan Moore/staff photo
The city will offer a program next month that waves interest costs for unpaid parking tickets.
Parking ticket scofflaws beware: Now that the Bremerton Municipal Court is set to handle parking tickets, an automatic hold will be put on a driver’s registration if there are outstanding fines that have gone to collections. “We’re trying to be proactive and let people know the electronic system now does this automatically,” said Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent. The good news is that starting next month the court is set to offer an amnesty program that will waive all interest payments for unpaid tickets so drivers won’t be blocked from regis-
tering their vehicles. Bremerton Municipal Court Manager Dawn Nelson says that people will still have to pay the original fines, late fees and collection fees. “It gives the public an opportunity to take care of these before a hold goes on their registration which hasn’t happened in a long time,” Nelson said. “It’s kind of a public service to give people an opportunity to clear that up.” During a study session last week, some members of the city council wondered if there was a better way to incentivize people with lots of unpaid parking tickets to pay up. “People who don’t pay their tickets aren’t gonna care if you waive the
interest,” said council member Eric Younger. “They’re just not gonna pay it in general.” Younger wondered whether there was a way to reduce the fines in order for the city to collect a bigger chunk of the estimated $2 million it is owed in unpaid tickets. “The incentive is they can’t renew their tabs, so there’s a little bit of incentive there,” Nelson said. Nelson also noted that the interest on unpaid tickets can really add up, and isn’t an insignificant number in some cases. “If someone has 10, 15 or 20 tickets out there, it could be a significant amount,” Nelson said.
Boy Scouts leaving NAD cabin for Silverdale Bremerton store set to close Feb. 25, reopen in Silverdale March 3 BY KEVAN MOORE KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
After more than 25 years at the old Naval Ammunition Depot (NAD) on Austin Drive, the Boy Scouts are moving their shop and service center from Bremerton to Silverdale. The Bremerton store is set to close Feb. 25 and the new Silverdale shop, located in Suite 116 at 10876 Myhre Road, is set to open March 3. The Scouts have operated out of the NAD Park location since 1998. The historic building, which is owned by the City of Bremerton, was constructed in the 1940s as a guardhouse for the Naval Ammunition Depot. “It had consider-
able dry rot and roof issues when the Scouts took it over in 1988,” said Bremerton Parks Director Wyn Birkenthal. “The Scouts did considerable work on the building before opening it as a store in Feb. 1989.” Birkenthal said that the city has not used the building for other purposes. Prior to the Scouts taking over the space, there was talk about using it for a park restroom. “This did not come about as the city built a restroom across from where the Jet Fighter now sits,” Birkenthal added. Sharon M. Moulds, a Scout Executive/CEO with the Chief Seattle Council, said that the organization, which serves Kitsap, Clallam, Jefferson and North Mason counties, has simply outgrown the small cabin. “In order to better serve our customers, we have decided to relocate
our national Scout Shop to Silverdale,” Moulds said. “This is where most people go to shop and the location is farther north, making it a little closer to more of our volunteer leaders and parents. Additionally, we needed more space. This move will allow us to provide our customers with better selection of inventory that meets their needs.” Birkenthal said the city is working with the Scouts to structurally evaluate the building and see what steps will be needed to keep it in useable condition for the long term. He said the building could be offered to a community group that wishes to adopt it and/or care for it. “We have truly enjoyed the cabin that Bremerton has provided for us,” Moulds added. “We appreciate all the support the city of Bremerton has provided to Scouting.”
Kevan Moore/ staff photo
The Boy Scouts Store and Service Center at NAD Park in Bremerton is relocating next month to a larger space in Silverdale. The city does not yet have any plans for the historic cabin once the Scouts vacate the space they first took over in 1988.