REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
NUTCRACKER: Olympic Performance Group presents holiday classic with a twist.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011 | Vol. 111, No. 49 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
Liveaboard buoys approved Additional buoys will allow 10 more boats. By RICHARD D. OXLEY Staff Writer
Eagle Harbor may soon have some new neighbors moving in as capacity for liveaboard vessels was approved earlier this week. A total of 20 buoys will be added to the linear moorage already in place. This will allow for 10 more vessels to tie up in the harbor. After the additional buoys are in place, Eagle Harbor will have the buoy capacity to accommodate 24 liveaboard vessels. This reflects a maximum potential occupancy for the open-water marina. City Manager Brenda Bauer said that for the time being, the city will only be installing limited infrastructure for
tenants who are not currently on the linear moorage. Any work on the moorage will be occurring only after all permits have been approved. The additional buoys are keeping with a city policy to preserve the open-water marina in the harbor — a unique feature, and community, that is anchored in the island’s history. In the application for a conditional use permit, approved by Hearing Examiner Stafford Smith, it was stipulated that all available open-water moorage in the Eagle Harbor be designated as residential use. Any spots unused by liveaboard vessels can be used by transient moorage. Now that the hearing examiner has made his decision, the Department of Ecology will review a permit application, after which SEE LIVEABOARDS, A4
FASHION WEEK BAINBRIDGE?
Willie Wenzlau/For the Review
Heather, a model in last Friday’s fashion show at Island Gateway, was one of three women who displayed the collections sold by Aloisa by Kristin Ryann Vogt, a new store that opens Saturday at The Island Gateway. See page A10 for story.
Former S/CE defends record regarding files Hendrickson says missing files were not her responsibility. By RICHARD D. OXLEY Staff Writer
The former secretary/ chief examiner of the Civil Service Commission Kim Hendrickson has been actively defending her record regarding the issue of lost files under her purview, creating yet another debate surrounding the commission. At the Nov. 30 City Council meeting, as council was discussing the reasons behind placing the S/CE position with a city employee, it was argued by a
number of council members that having a private contractor using personal and home-based equipment was contributing to insufficient performance by the private contractor — one example was the state of files for the commission. It was revealed that some CSC files were missing, while others were simply disorganized. Both Hendrickson and her predecessor were private contractors, and not city employees. One of the files missing from the CSC, and one that was pointed out at the Nov. 30 council meeting, is that of Officer Jeff Benkert, who was involved in the 2010 fatal police shooting of Douglas Ostling. Since then, Hendrickson, who was terminated from
the S/CE position in August, has been attempting to make her side of the story known in defense of her record, claiming that she is not the cause of problems with the CSC files. It has stirred another cycle of debate between the city, Hendrickson and the community. “I remain extremely troubled by the assertion by City Manager (Brenda) Bauer that I lost (or withheld) the employment applications of officers Jeff Benkert and David Portrey,” Hendrickson said in a letter to Council Member Debbi Lester.” This assertion was made, without equivocation, at the Nov. 30 city council meeting. This is more than a critique of my work product: I have been blamed for lost evidence in an upcoming federal trial.”
Hendrickson further put forth that files under the police department’s responsibility, not the CSC, are missing. According to Bauer, Benkert’s file from the CSC is the only file missing that relates to officers in the Ostling shooting, and that since Chief Jon Fehlman was hired in 2009, there have been no files missing from the police department. While she was S/CE, Hendrickson said, she seldom visited the CSC files and kept all active files at her home office. “I probably went in (to the CSC files) once every three months, maybe,” said Hendrickson. “The reason I would go in there would be because there was a public records request. That was
really the only real reason.” where they are developed According through the to Bauer, files use of a Gmail “I remain extremely should have account that troubled by the been orgathe city has nized when no access to assertion by City they were back-up Manager (Brenda) or created and for, and where Bauer that I lost maintained personal comin accormunications (or withheld) the dance with are mixed in employment applilabor rules, with official cations of officers city records,” case law and statute and it Bauer said, Jeff Benkert...” appeared that further notKim Hendrickson, former C/CE for this was not the City of Bainbridge Island ing that these being done issues were all while under present with the private Hendrickson. contractor. Files main“The organization can- tained by the S/CE for the not ensure personnel files CSC are only for candidates are appropriately managed being considered for hire by when the files are being cre- the Bainbridge Island Police ated at an individual’s home, on their personal computer, SEE MISSING FILES, A4