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INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011 ■ Vol. 120, No. 27 ■ www.portorchardindependent.com ■ 50¢
Mayor to Matthes: Don’t screw it up By TIM KELLY Editor
Presiding at his last City Council meeting as Port Orchard’s mayor, Lary Coppola ended the evening with a blunt directive to his successor seated in the audience. After summarizing how the city’s financial condition was strengthened
Mayor Lary Coppola presided at his final City Council meeting Tuesday night. Brett Cihon/Staff photo
during his term, the outgoing mayor told mayor-elect Tim Matthes: “Don’t screw it up.” The last council meeting of the year began with a presentation of plaques recognizing Coppola and outgoing Councilman Fred Olin, who did not run for re-election, for their service to the city the past four years. When John Clauson, the longestserving member on the City Council, presented Coppola his plaque, he noted, “I’ve had the good fortune of working with four different mayors, SEE MAYOR, A9
Next four years will see water rates rise Total increase will still be $12 monthly, but will be phased in over shorter time By TIM KELLY Editor
WHERE IN SOUTH KITSAP?
■ Remedy
The debate for brown over raising water probwater rates was lem will be heated during a relief/7A public hearings last summer, but there was little fire Tuesday night when the Port Orchard City Council approved — almost apologetically — a plan that will add $12 a month to local bills over the next four years. “We’ve agonized over raising water rates in the midst of these economic conditions,” Councilman Jerry Childs said, adding that “it’s difficult, but we’re just gonna have to do it.” The vote was unanimous at Tuesday night’s meeting to approve raising water rates by $4 a month in 2012, $4 a month in 2013, and an additional $2 a month in each of the two years after that. Councilman Jim Colebank noted that even though the rate increases SEE WATER RATES, A9
Handpainted cutouts create unique displays
By BRETT CIHON Staff writer
Judy Mortensen will tell you she’s not artistic. She’ll say that the nearly 40 characters she’s crafted out of plywood are simple replicas, and that all she’s done is trace a store-bought design. The only skill necessary, she will say, is knowing how to paint. But as anyone driving along Sedgwick Road
Tim Kelly/Staff photo
can see, Mortensen is just being modest. Since the mid-1970s, Mortensen has crafted plywood cutouts of camels, elves, snowmen, Santa Claus, a little drummer boy and all sorts of other Christmas figures, displayed in spotlightilluminated scenes on her yard. And though she didn’t come up with the design of the pieces, she SEE WHERE IN SOUTH KITSAP?, A12
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Index Opinion Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Calendar FYI
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