REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
SPORTS: Spartans pick up first soccer win against Lakewood. A10
FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012 | Vol. 112, No. 11 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
Council asks manager to leave - now By RICHARD D. OXLEY Staff Writer
The Bainbridge Island City Council gave City Manager Brenda Bauer an early exit from city hall Wednesday night. Her firing came after an hour-long, closed-door executive session that was called to discuss the performance of an unnamed city employee. Councilman David Ward asked the council to make Bauer’s last day of work Thursday, March 15. The early firing was approved on a familiar 4-3 decision, with Councilwoman Anne Blair, Councilwoman Kirsten Hytopoulos and Councilman Bob Scales voting in the minority. Bauer’s eventual departure was not unexpected, but the quick exit was a surprise. The city council voted in early February to amend Bauer’s contract to allow for her separation from the city. That move gave the city three months
Brian Kelly / Bainbridge Island Review
Bainbridge City Manager Brenda Bauer, center, listens as Councilman Bob Scales talks during a recess after the executive session at Wednesday’s city council meeting. At right is Councilwoman Kirsten Hytopoulos. to find a replacement, and Bauer has continued to serve as city manager during the start of a search for a new manager. The move to remove Bauer did not go without dissension.
Hytopoulos said that she regrets not voicing her opposition to amending Bauer’s contract in January, a move that gave the city the option of giving Bauer 90 days notice before any termination, along with additional pay and benefits. “I (was) so desperate to not have it on the public record how dysfunctional, and negative, and paranoid, and broken our council is because I wanted for the good of the community to have some chance of moving forward with a good candidate for city manager,” Hytopoulos said. “But there’s really no point at this time. The immaturity and childishness, rather than adultness and professional (character) that we’ve observed,” she added. Mayor Debbi Lester interrupted but Hytopoulos continued undeterred. “And now six weeks later, you decide to kick her to the curb,” Hytopoulos said. “It’s embarrassing — like much of what SEE NOW, PAGE A9
Fight starts after city manager’s dismissal By RICHARD D. OXLEY Staff Writer
Amidst a tense Bainbridge Island City Council meeting, a scuffle broke out between two prominent islanders in the council chambers Wednesday evening. The confrontation between former city councilman Bill Knobloch and Robert Dashiell occurred just as the council took a recess after a contentious debate over the immediate firing of City Manager Brenda Bauer. Bystanders separated Knobloch and Dashiell shortly after the fight began. “He punched me in the jaw and then went for my throat and pushed me back on the table,” Knobloch said. “I was leaving the hall and he met me at the door and we exchanged words and he then attacked me.” The incident started as Knobloch passed Dashiell while he was leaving the room. Several witnesses said Dashiell, who unsuccessfully ran for the council against Councilwoman Sarah Blossom in November, appeared to push Knobloch across a table. Bystanders then separated the two as Dashiell gripped
Knobloch by his shirt. An officer for the Bainbridge Island Police Department detained both men in the lobby of city hall as another officer was called to the scene shortly before 9:30 p.m. “You don’t punch someone in public,” Knobloch told Dashiell as police separated them. “I didn’t punch you,” Dashiell replied. Both men gave statements to police. Knobloch initially intended to file for a restraining order against Dashiell. If the restraining order was violated, he would then press charges. However, on Thursday morning Knobloch said he had decided to take a “deep breath,” and is currently only considering the action. The two men have different accounts of the scrap. Dashiell said he was sitting in the back of council chambers, as he commonly does each week. Knobloch started to leave just after the decision on Bauer had been cast. “I turned to Knobloch, because Knobloch was very active in removing the city manager,” Dashiell said. “I said SEE FIGHT, PAGE 9
Richard D. Oxley / Bainbridge Island Review
Tallis, 2, climbs on his dad Craden Henderson at the Morales home open house. Henderson, along with his company PHC Construction, helped lead the remodeling efforts for the home.
Morales house remodeled to sustainable glory By RICHARD D. OXLEY Staff Writer
Richard D. Oxley / Bainbridge Island Review
Bill Knobloch stands and watches as Bainbridge Island Police talk to Robert Dashiell after a scuffle broke out between the pair during Wednesday’s city council meeting.
Island farmers and contractors celebrated a win last week with the completion of the Morales farmhouse, a model for farming and sustainability on Bainbridge Island. “It’s a showcase that volunteers really can get together and do something of significance in a community,” said Craden Henderson of PHC Construction. “And that sustainability does matter and it’s cost effective.” Friends of the Farms hosted an open house March 10 to show off the remodeled home. Another open house for the public is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 24. The house will be home to interns working on local farms. According to Wendy Tyner, executive director of Friends of the Farms, affordable housing is a barrier that interns face. Tyner said interns will live at the house for approximately a year.
“It is a time for people to live someplace, learn about farming, and hopefully move on and have some skills,” Tyner said. “And they will hopefully understand how to write a business plan and become a viable farmer.” Tyner hopes that after receiving applications from local farmers with interns, the house will have renters by April 1. Interns will pay $50 a month plus utilities. “It’s become more and more apparent there are more and more interns that need housing,” said Bart Berg of Friends of the Farms. “And every year there is this scramble for where these interns will live. And they don’t make much money,” he said. Originally built in 1953, the 1,000-square-foot residence was home to the Morales family, who locally farmed strawberries and vegetables. The city purchased the house with open space funds about 10 years ago. SEE GLORY, PAGE A9