INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014 ✮ VOL. 123, NO. 31 ✮ WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM ✮ 50¢
Council delays action on stormwater utility rates Increase would help fund capital improvements By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
The Port Orchard City Council voted 5-0 to delay action until Oct. 14 on an ordinance that would double the stormwater rates residents currently pay. Under the proposal, rates would increase Jan. 1 from $7 to $14 per Impervious Surface Unit (ISU), which is based on 3,000 square feet. The extra money above the recommended step increases would be applied toward Capital Improvement Program. In 2015, $4.30 per ISU per month would go to improvements, and in 2016, 80 cents per ISU per month. During the two-year period, the city would collect more than $600,000 for improvements. During a public hearing on the ordinance at the Aug. 26 meeting, a handful of residents addressed the council. Resident Elissa Whittleton said doubling the stormwater rate would put a burden on residents and that the increase should be done in increments. She said it was stated that anyone hold a business license may be considered “commercial” under the ordinance. “An impervious surface is an impervious surface and should be accounted for accordingly,” Whittleton said. “I hold a business license and work at home. And to use this tool for determining who pays for impervious surfaces
seem irrelevant to the problem.” Gary Chrey, an attorney representing Gil and Kathy Michael, requested the council delay action so his clients could have more time to review changes to ordinance. “On behalf of all residents of the City of Port Orchard who are going to find themselves in a situation where the presence or absent of a business license is doing to determine the classification of their (stormwater) account and the level of charge they will be required to pay,” Chrey said. “That the understanding I have. I stand to be corrected.” He said his clients obtained a copy of the ordinance on Aug. 22. “We ask for additional time so that we can determine in fact if that is correct and if it is, we believe the city council should enact along with the ordinance specific standards for sewage which the ordinance should be applied to the ratepayers within the city.” Chrey said 1,507 licenses are issued for business located within city limits, but the city has jurisdiction over 2,642 issued business licenses of people that do business within the city. Councilman Rob Putaansuu said the ordinance wouldn’t effects “homebased” businesses. Public Works Director Mark Dorsey said he didn’t know where the matter of “business licenses” came from. “The stormwater utility is based on impervious surface,” Dorsey said. “Someone SEE COUNCIL, A11
CHANNELING SINATRA
INSIDE Haarstad retiring after 33 years with city A3
Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
Entertainer Joey Jewell serenades a lady during his performance at Concerts by the Bay at the Port Orchard Marina Park gazebo on Aug. 21. The final concert in the series is Aug. 31 from 3-6 p.m. featuring the classic rock band, Greenbrair.
District aligns social-studies requirements with state By CHRIS CHANCELLOR Senior Reporter
South Kitsap School District officials are reworking the language of graduation requirements to comply with those produced by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The change, which was
address during Tuesday’s school-board meeting, addresses those changes with social studies for the Class of 2016. Students who graduate before then are required to take 2 1/2 credits of social studies, including a semester of Washington State History. But many school districts,
including SKSD, offer that class in seventh grade. For Cody Wright from Milford, Utah, got a students who take that subSaddle Bronc Riding competition Wed ject in seventh grade, their high-school transcript notes that the requirement has been met. For the Class of 2016, stuA Section dents must take one credit of
Inside
Editor
The final three-day weekend before school begins is filled with activities in Bremerton and Port Orchard. Bremerton will host the 25th annual Blackberry Festival on Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 on the Bremerton Boardwalk
on Second Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. The event is sponsored by the Bremerton Rotary Foundation. On Aug. 30, the festival kicks off with a car show at the Bremerton National
2014 WOLVES FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Editorial A4 Robert Meadows A4 SEE DISTRICT, A11 Scene & Heard A5 Sports A6 Legal Notices A7 Mary Colborn A7 A8 Airport from 8 a.m. to 3 Obituaries p.m. At 9 a.m. the Fly-in and Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Young Eagles Flights are set Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Labor Day weekend activities on both sides of bay By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
SPORTS Cain returns as girls soccer coach A10
A13-16
Registration for the Berry Printed with recycled paper and environmentally Fun Run — at Sixth and friendly soybean oil-based ink. Pacific — is from 8:30-9:30 a.m. The Chief Select 5K Run will begin at 8:45 a.m. at SEE WEEKEND, A2
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