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WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM
Local residents invited to join travel study
SEATTLE — Beginning in April, over 90,000 homes throughout Kitsap, King, Pierce and Snohomish counties will receive postcard invitations to participate in a regional travel study to better understand the transportation needs and preferences of the region’s residents. Participation in the study can help answer questions about how the region can maintain and improve mobility,
accessibility, and connectivity for residents as population grows and travel patterns evolve. The Puget Sound regional travel study will be conducted through June. The study will help planners understand the travel behavior of real households, such as the trips people make to work, school, or shopping centers, to help decision makers prioritize transportation projects.
Resource Systems Group, Inc. and ETC Institute, independent research firms, are administering the survey on behalf of PSRC. A random sample of the region’s households will be invited to participate in the survey. For more information on the Puget Sound Regional Travel Study, go online to survey.psrc.org or by phone at 1-844393-4436.
F R A N C I S C A N W O M E N ’S H E A LT H A S S O C I AT E S
Karen Nelson, MD, FACOG Obstetrics & Gynecology
Donna Payne-Snyder, ARNP, CNM Midwifery Women’s Health
Oh, baby! Complete women’s care is now on your side. Franciscan Women’s Health Associates in Gig Harbor welcomes Karen Nelson, MD, FACOG. We understand the unique health care needs of women. That’s why we’ve brought a team of women’s specialists to Gig Harbor. From adolescence through the reproductive years into menopause, we provide expert care throughout a woman’s life. Midwifery and physician obstetrical care are both available. If you have a high risk pregnancy, our experienced and compassionate Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist is on site to support you and your baby. We’re with you every step of your pregnancy journey, culminating in your personally designed birth experience at the Franciscan Family Birth Center at St. Joseph, the South Sound’s most popular birth center. Happy birth day! To schedule an appointment call 253-853-8050. FOR AdvANCEd MEdICINE ANd TRuSTEd CARE, CHOOSE FRANCISCAN. Franciscan is a family of more than 12,000 doctors, nurses and staff who provide exceptional medical care at: St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma • St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood • St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way • St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor • St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw • Highline Medical Center, Burien • Harrison Medical Center, Bremerton and Silverdale • Harrison HealthPartners, serving the West Sound • Franciscan Medical Clinics, throughout the Puget Sound
John Read, MD Perinatology Franciscan Maternal-Fetal Medicine Associates Franciscan Women’s Health Associates 6401 Kimball Dr. N.W., Suite 104 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. www.FHShealth.org/womens Scan to view our women’s provider videos.
Friday, April 11, 2014 • Port Orchard Independent
Resident seeking assessor’s post Staff report
Port Orchard resident Sean Smith announced April 4 in a statement he would seek the Kitsap County assessor position. Smith, who was born in Southern California, graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in business management. Smith stated he is a 25-year veteran of the real estate and mortgage industry. During his career he has been in various production and senior management capacities with some of the nation’s largest companies, banks and mortgage lenders. Smith is president and chief executive officer of American First Lending Corp, a nationwide mortgage banking company headquartered in Port Orchard, with branch offices in California and Florida. “I’m committed to equality and fairness when determining the assessed value of property,” said Smith. “I believe the process should be as transparent as absolutely possible.” He said the appeals process should be expeditious, respectful, thorough, and “most of all fair.” “There is no room in the assessor’s office for a partisan stance,” Smith said. “Cooperation between all persons and parties is essential.” Recently, Smith was a guest speaker at the annual Western Washington Chapter of the International Association of Assessing Officer’s Convention. He moved to the Northwest almost 10 years ago with his wife and youngest daughter. After moving to Port Orchard, Smith became active in the Port Orchard Rotary Club and held numerous positions since 2005. He was named Rotarian of the Year in 2007 by his group. For more information, go online to www.seansmith.org.
County clerk seeking reelection to his post Staff report
BREMERTON — Dave Peterson announced April 4 he would seek reelection this fall as Kitsap County clerk. The county clerk is the official record keeper and financial office for the Superior Court. In addition, the office is responsible for summoning jurors for all courts in the Kitsap County. Peterson was first appointed to the position October 2001. He was elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006 and 2010. He retired from the Central Kitsap School District in 1998 after 33 years. “What I bring to the office of county clerk is more than 35 years of supervisory, managerial, organizational, and budgetary experience that has been tested and proven in small and large office settings,” Peterson stated. In his statement, Peterson said he believes in providing quality customer service, utilizing technology to improve efficiency and productivity of staff, and always striving to work with other departments and agencies. “As clerk I am always looking at ways to better serve the public and the courts, get the best value for every dollar we spend, treat everyone who comes to our counter or serves on a jury with courtesy and respect, assist victims of domestic violence, hold criminals accountable for paying court costs and restitution to victims, and help those without attorneys understand the basic process and procedures they need to begin to get through the court system,” Peterson stated. He said his office is involved in making access to court files easier for the public and providing quality electronic tools for the judges. “These tools will allow the judges to better access court files and other resources needed while on the bench or in chambers,” Peterson explained. “I have a great staff dedicated to helping the public. I enjoy what I do and I believe I’ve done a good job. I’d like to keep doing it.” He added th clerk’s office also deals with passports and adoptions Peterson and his wife, a second-grade teacher, reside in Bremerton.