Facing an uncertain financial future
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Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
Independent
Tensions between two Port Orchard neighbors that erupted after one attempted to open a home business last year led both women to head down to the Kitsap County Courthouse Monday and file restraining orders against each other. Shelia Cronan, 49, said she filed a restraining order against Amber Keehn after returning home from a camping trip Aug. 17 and discovering pellets had been
Port Orchard
FRIDAY, July 27, 2012 n Vol. 121, No. 30 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
Port Orchard’s finances on track
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
shot in three of her home’s windows. Cronan, who lives on the 200 block of Flower Meadows Street in Port Orchard, said she believed the attack was part of an ongoing dispute with Keehn, whom she alleges has been running a hair salon out of her home without a business license and in defiance of a city “stop-work” order. Keehn, 30, said she filed for permission from the city of Port Orchard to operate a hair salon out of her home on the 2300 block of Flower Avenue soon after pur-
By Brett Cihon Reporter
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there were none in Kitsap County, where he hoped to settle with his wife, Shirley. Stokes’ first auction was Jan. 19, 1975, at Bremerton’s West Side Improvement Club. He recalls purchasing a rod-iron table with four chairs for $105 that was auctioned for $67.50. It was the first in a series of problems, including a poor financial performance, which nearly doomed the enterprise from the start. “Someone spilled a soda and they asked us not to come back,” said Stokes, who is spending some of his retirement working as a Port of Bremerton Commissioner. Stokes might not have returned to the business after that first experience if his wife’s parents had not encouraged them to keep trying. It was a challenge at times — Stokes recalls selling furniture out of their old house to pay taxes — but he believes consistency in his approach helped him build a successful business.
of nearly 12,000 people. “Caution is the watch word moving forward,” Martin said. The city collected more than $220,000 in sales tax from the state in May, up 1.7 percent from the $217,000 expected. A strong May helped the city continue to make up financial ground lost in first three months of the year, when tax collections fell below what was expected. The city has collected $2,449.51, or twotenths of 1 percent, more than expected for this time of the year. Martin said state and nationwide car sales are up, perhaps contributing to the boost in sales tax revenues. AutoNation, Inc., the nation’s largest car dealership chain, saw
▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
The numbers emit from Brian Orwiler’s mouth at a frenzied pace that would impress a Wall Street executive. But only the rapid movements of Orwiler’s lips bare any resemblance to the breakneck pace of an urban environment. When local auctioneer Larry Stokes retired in 2000, he sold Stokes Auction to his daughter, LeAnn Boardman, and Orwiler. For the latter, it was the culmination of a seemingly lifelong pursuit. Orwiler, 48, who is originally from the Central Kitsap area, became infatuated with auctioning when he came to live with the Stokes family as a teenager. Stokes recalled Orwiler showing up “in a $400 car that I wouldn’t pay $40.” “Brian came a long ways,” he said.
Without rehashing details, Orwiler said he had a difficult upbringing and appreciated how Stokes mentored him. “The Stokes took me in like a family member,” said Orwiler, fondly recalling goose-hunting trips. “I was always included.” Enough time was spent with the family that some people still think his last name is actually Stokes. There was a time when Stokes tried to help Orwiler find jobs in other industries, ranging from delivering ice to working in a restaurant. However, It never lasted long. “Larry couldn’t get rid of me,” Orwiler said. “With a gig like this, who wants to leave?” That does not mean it was easy. A 20-year Navy veteran who retired in November 1974, Stokes founded his auction after Encyclopedia Britannica officials determined through research that
By CHARLIE BERMANT
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Staff Writer
Reliability, fairness and honesty, keys to fast-talking success
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
BRUCE DANIELSON
Seconds count, the auctioneer ‘lifestyle’
TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
Chris Chancellor/Staff Photo
Brian Orwiler (Left), who owns Stokes Auction with LeAnn Boardman, has auctioned cars for two decades.
Senior Reporter
Port Orchard collected slightly more sales tax revenue than anticipated in May, continuing a trend of tax revenues that keep pace with the city’s 2012 revenue projections. The city’s finance committee met June 18 at MoonDogs, Too to discuss tax collections year-to-date. City treasurer Allan Martin also outlined revenue shortfalls, unanticipated expenses and additional revenues collected so far this year during a semi-annual finance review at the meeting. Shortfalls and additional revenue streams fell roughly in line, spurring the finance committee to agree things were moving about as expected for a city
Expectations were turned on their head in two Kitsap County political contests during Tuesday night’s primary election, as the perceived front-runners came in third and were disqualified in their respective races. Republican Tim Matthes drew the most votes in the South Kitsap commissioner’s race, followed by Democrat Charlotte Garrido. Monty Mahan, who was the first to declare for the seat and earned the endorsement of local mayors, came in third (See related story, page A3).
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
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and pension rates along with inflation as issues. In addition to the money saved on custodians, Patton said the district will dip into its reserve fund for $1.72 million. She said that’s not all bad because the district saved more than it anticipated in its last fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31. Patton said they also will save through not filling other vacant positions in the district, and through cutting expenses on supplies. The board unanimously adopted the budget. Patton warned in previous meetings that the “hard decisions” likely won’t end
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
activities she reported as stemming from Keehn’s attempts to operate a business out of her home. Weaver said following an April 11 hearing with the city’s Hearing Examiner, certain conditions were placed on Keehn’s permit to mitigate Cronan’s concerns before she would be allowed to operate her business. “(Keehn) has addressed all but one of those conditions, with the last being the letter from the (Kitsap County) Health Department,” Weaver said, explaining that Keehn’s current sewer facilities are
SEE NEIGHBORS, PAGE A2
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Staff Writer
The South Kitsap School District is a little closer to closing its $2.9 million deficit for the upcoming school year. Terri Patton, assistant superintendent for business and support services, said at Wednesday’s school board meeting that the district won’t replace five full-time custodians who left the district after the last school year. She said that will save the district $250,000. Patton said the deficit stems from unforeseen circumstances when the district presented its last levy to voters in 2004. She cited escalating teacher salaries
chasing it last spring. City Development Director James Weaver confirmed that Keehn received a conditional-use permit to operate a onechair hair salon out of her home, which he described as “pretty innocuous” and something that doesn’t typically reach “the level of intensive use,” as far as impacts on the neighborhood are concerned. However, since November of 2007, Cronan has filed multiple complaints with the city regarding traffic, noise and other
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Cody Wright from Milford, Utah, got a mouth full of mud and a zero score after falling off Strawberry Delight in the Saddle Bronc Riding competition Wednesday night at the Kitsap County Stampede. The fair runs through Sunday.
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LaRose’s time in SK School District By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Senior Reporter
Engagement. That was a reoccurring theme at Monday’s gathering of about 40 educators and community members that honored Dave LaRose, who is leaving this week to become superintendent of California’s Culver City Unified School District.
“You’ve meant a lot to this district,” said BurleyGlenwood Elementary School principal Derek Grant, who was an assistant principal at Orchard Heights Elementary in 2004 when LaRose was the principal there. LaRose was presented See Larose A12
Inside this edition Skatepark.............................................................................. A2 Opinion.................................................................................A6 Obits.....................................................................................A10 Legals....................................................................................A18
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