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.
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
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INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015 ✮ VOL. 124, NO. 2 ✮ WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM ✮ 50¢
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
“We want to have the opening ceremony at 10 a.m. and have activities throughout the day, a closing ceremony at 5 p.m. at the Marina Park gazebo and hopefully ending with a street dance with a band to follow,” King said. “We’ve also talked about doing walking tours of downtown Port Orchard and activities for the children.” She also is looking into a possible “marble tournament.” “Who didn’t play marbles when they were little kids,” King said. “That was how we entertained ourselves. I don’t know how they entertained themselves back in the late 1800s, but I can assure you marbles were around then.” SEE ANNIVERSARY, A13
TIM MATTHES
Planning is under way for Port Orchard’s 125th anniversary. The city will celebrate the event Sept. 5. Mayor Tim Matthes appointed Sharron King to chair the committee planning the celebration. King also was chair of the city’s 100th anniversary. “She is someone who can get things done with style,” Matthes said. “I look forward to working with wonderful committee members representing various organizations,” King said. She said there will be an opening and closing ceremony, food and fun.
BRUCE DANIELSON
Editor
Tommy C’s moving to Silverdale A8 SKSD employees recognized for saving bus driver’s life A14
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 PLAN, A11
Contestants named for Fathoms scholarship program A5
JEANETTE DALTON
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
4DIPPM EJTUSJDU MPPLT UP CBMBODF JUT CPPLT
▼ Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
SEE TRANSIT, A12
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
Lower fuel prices than expected have wound up saving Kitsap Transit $550,000 last year. And fuel prices continue to fall for the public transportation authority, which uses a fleet of buses, vanpools and ferries to carry four million riders annually in Bremerton and Port Orchard areas. In January, Kitsap Transit paid $1.61 per gallon for diesel fuel, compared to $2.09 in December — both months much lower than the $3.75 per gallon that KT had budgeted for. The group is able to get the lower fuel prices by buying in bulk — 10,000 to 20,000 gallons at a time. The fuel is purchased from the state, which bids out for contract pricing. “It’s not only discounted but we’re also exempt from a lot of the taxes that are put on so the price that we pay is normally much lower than the price per gallon on the pump,” said Kitsap Transit Executive Director John Clauson.
the time to be part of the strategic planning session. “If we imagine our future together, what better opportunity can we have,” Reid said. “It’s far better than reacting to something. We have the opportunity to get ahead of the game.” She said if you want to “look at the health of a community, look at their schools.” “Education of our next generation is the most important work we do in our society,” Reid said. She noted individuals in all professions go through elementary and secondary education. “To me that makes quality education a pretty important part of who we are as a society,” Reid said. “It’s too important to leave those educational plans to chance. That is why we are here. We want to plan and not leave what’s going to happen to our young people to chance.” Reid, a former principal and coach, said, “Prior planning prevents poor performance.”
Planning under way for city’s 125th anniversary
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
By Chris Tucker
Central Kitsap Reporter
Staff Writer
Dannie Oliveaux / Staff Photo
A participant in the South Kitsap School District’s strategic planning session looks at the results of brainstorming, which were posted on large pieces of paper inside the Marcus Whitman Junior High School Commons.
Lower diesel prices save Kitsap Transit $550,000
More than 250 people — including students, parents, teachers, school staff and community members — gathered at the Marcus Whitman Junior High School Commons to participate in South Kitsap School District’s strategic planning session entitled, “Imagine the Possibilities,” on Jan. 31. Amy Miller, SKSD’s director of community relations, said she estimated 260 of the 290 people who signed up attended the session. Miller reported that 40 students, 59 community members, 85 parents and 106 district staff members signed up. All school board members participated in the session. “We wanted to be part of enriched listening and conversation, then take all your thoughts and ideas put them together and form a plan for the success of all 9,000plus students,” SKSD board of directors president Chris Lemke said. Superintendent Michelle Reid told the audience she was grateful that they took
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
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
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-
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
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
Community, SKSD staff and students join together for strategic planning session
SK grad happy to be back on the court A23