FRIDAY, December 21, 2012 n Vol. 121, No. 50 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries A4 A4 A5 A6 A7 A7 A8
Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis
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▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
BRUCE DANIELSON
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
By CHARLIE BERMANT
TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
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
Several Baby Doll Road residents have gotten into the holiday spirit this year. This home, just a block or so from Mile Hill Drive, is one of several in a row decked out with lights and decorations.
Staff Writer
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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SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
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
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
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
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
Kevan Moore/Staff Photo
Weaver on the way to city of Bainbridge
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
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-
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
kellygreenacres@comcast.net
By Leslie Kelly
See UNION, A9
Contract negotiations between Kitsap County and labor unions representing more than 740 county employees are continuing, according to Fernando Conill, Labor Relations Manager for Kitsap County. The county has been in negotiations with the 19 unions that operate under 13 different contracts since earlier this year. In total, the unions represent about 65 percent of the
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
County and union negotiations still on the table
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.
Independent
Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
Kitsap County in contract negotiations with 19 separate unions
different things.” According to Weaver and In what he called a lat- the city of Bainbridge, he will eral move, Port Orchard be in charge of four employees Development Director James including two building inspecWeaver resigned his posi- tors, a permit specialist and tion with the city last week a senior plan check engineer. announcing that he In his current posiwill become a buildtion he had from five ing official with the to seven employcity of Bainbridge ees underneath Island beginning Jan. him, depending on 16. whether all positions Weaver, who are filled. was called “a great In his letter of resigemployee” by Mayor James Weaver nation, Weaver said he Tim Matthes, will had enjoyed his work officially leave employment with the city of Port Orchard with the city of Port Orchard and found it an honor to work on Jan. 2. with the staff, those on volun“There is a great amount teer boards and the city council of responsibility that comes to benefit the citizens of Port along with this new position,” Orchard through implementaWeaver said. “The position tion of important projects. offered to me by the city of Weaver is credited with bringBainbridge is essentially a lat- ing the city’s comprehensive plan eral move and the salaries are up to date and in compliance comparable. But as a building See WEAVER, A7 official, I will do a number of
Holiday Lights
Port Orchard
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
kellygreenacres@comcast.net
By Leslie Kelly
Page A8
Page A3
during the various contract negotiations. He added that the COLA offer also has a need for concessions on the part of the union employees, but would not be specific. He said such things as giving up longevity premiums are being discussed as part of that. Like with the non-union employees, the county has agreed to no new costs on the part of the union employees for their health care insurance in 2013. The county is switching to a self-insurance program in 2013 for all employees and as a part of that, the county board of commissioners agreed to stipulate that the costs to the employee of that new program would interruption in county services due to the labor negotiations and he did not anticipate any in the future. Conill said the negotiation process can be delicate and sensitive and because of that he declined to discuss specifics of any of the contract offers in public. He said it wasn’t productive and he wanted to maintain the respect of the bargaining process at the table. In general, he said, most county employees represented by bargaining units have been operating under a county wage freeze without any cost-of-living raises since 2009. The county has offered its non-union employees a 2 percent cost-of-living raise beginning in January and he said similar offers are being made to union employees 1,134 county employees. Most of the unions or guilds have been operating under previous contracts, some which date back to 2010. The county’s goal is to get the contracts of the various employee groups up to date and extend the agreed-to contracts through 2014. According to Conill, the county is negotiating with each group individually, except where several unions are grouped together and work under a master contract. He said some of the contract negotiations began in September, others are in progress and some groups are just getting underway, depending on the union. Although some employees have been working without an updated contract for months, Conill said there has not been any
Wolves score a win over Central Kitsap
David Cho betting on selection
SPORTS HANGING IN