REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
INSIDE: Spartans speed to home win, A15
Friday, October 16, 2015 | Vol. 90, No. 42 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
Contaminated soils found on site for new police station CITY OFFICIALS KNEW OF POLLUTION, SAY THEY’RE STILL COMMITTED TO PROPERTY PURCHASE BY BRIAN KELLY
Bainbridge Island Review
The city of Bainbridge Island said Tuesday its potential site for a new police station and court facility is extensively polluted with hazardous chemicals from a former dry cleaning business that once occupied the Madison Avenue property. Even so, city officials said they are moving forward with plans for developing the site. Voters will be asked to help fund the purchase of the land through a $15 million bond proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot. City officials said this week they already knew that the site was contaminated because it has been listed as a hazardous site by the state Department of Ecology. But a recent environmental analysis found the contamination of the site was “much more extensive,” said City Manager Doug Schulze, than what was found in previ-
centration level of 58,000 ug/ m3 (micrograms per cubic meter of air). The consultant report noted the finding was “well above” Ecology’s vapor intrusion risk screening level of 321 ug/m3. The report said the building on the property, and nearby structures within 100 feet of the contaminated soil, could also be at risk for vapor intrusion.
ous assessments in 2000 and 2009.
Contaminants found Tests conducted in September by the consultant firm of Environmental Associates, Inc. of Bellevue discovered higher levels of PCE (Tetrachloroethen) and TCE (Trichloroethene) — both chlorinated dry-cleaning solvents — on the property located at 290 Madison Ave. North. PCE found in 11 of the 20 soil samples taken from the property were above compliance levels set by the state Department of Ecology, according to a consultant study released by city officials at a news conference this week. Ecology has a target compliance level of 0.05 parts per million (ppm) for PCE, but the concentrations found on the Madison Avenue property ranged between 0.054 to 0.35 ppm.
Testing limited
Luciano Marano | Bainbridge Island Review
Bainbridge Island Mayor Anne Blair speaks about contamination at the site for a new police station at a press conference Tuesday while City Manager Doug Schulze listens. A vapor sample collected as part of last month’s environmental analysis was much more concerning, however. Concentrations of both
PCE and TCE solvents were found in the soil vapor sample taken, and the amount discovered far exceeded Ecology’s risk screening lev-
els for harmful vapors. A soil boring sample on the east side of the laundromat building found a VOCs (volatile organic compounds) con-
According to the Environmental Associates, Inc. report, the areas that could be tested in the most recent study were limited by the current property owner. The consultant conducted a limited geophysical survey of exterior areas of the property, with a focus on locating utilities and storm-drain systems. The latest environmental assessment also included TURN TO SOILS | A18
At-large city council candidates divided on $15 million bond proposal BY JESSICA SHELTON Bainbridge Island Review
A candidate forum Wednesday brought the city of Bainbridge Island’s $15 million bond proposal to the forefront in a packed city council chamber. The audience at the forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, left without a full set of answers, however, as one of the candidates for city council dodged a question about how she’d vote on
the issue. Pegeen Mulhern and Ron Peltier, vying for the at-large city council seat in the Nov. 3 election, were joined by candidate Kol Medina and incumbent Councilman Mike Scott, both running unopposed for the North Ward and Central Ward seats. Councilwoman Sarah Blossom was not in attendance. One of the most obvious points of contention among the candidates emerged in the first five minutes,
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with questions about the proposed site for a combined police station and court facility. Islanders will vote on Proposition 1 in the November election, a proposal for a $15 million bond sale to pay for the new facility and its location on Madison Avenue. How would each vote, and did the news about the contaminated soil make a difference? Mulhern said that while she was glad the environmental issue had been brought to light, she would
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not be making a public statement on the bond. She said she would leave the decision to voters. Her response was deemed insufficient by one audience member, who interrupted the forum to push for a clear answer on the issue. He was overruled and admonished by the moderator of the forum. By contrast, Peltier said he would vote against Prop. 1. Peltier said the proposed site was not the best location for the police station, and added that a
facility near Highway 305 would provide better access, while housing the police and court in the same building would endanger justice. Both Medina and Scott were in favor of the proposal. Medina said that while he did not know if the site was the best for the island, he had faith in the city’s decision-making process. TURN TO CANDIDATES | A18
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