Bainbridge Island Review, November 06, 2015

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REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND

INSIDE: Spartans swim then sink, A15

Friday, November 6, 2015 | Vol. 90, No. 45 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢

Prop. 1 falls to defeat

What, no Elvis? Monsters, Minions, madness descends on downtown

Bainbridge officials ponder next steps after Prop. 1 defeat BY BRIAN KELLY

Bainbridge Island Review

Bainbridge city officials will regroup before deciding what steps to take next following the larger-than-landslide loss of Proposition 1 at the ballot box Tuesday. Prop. 1 would have authorized a 20-year, $15 million bond sale to pay for a new police station/ municipal court on land north of city hall. Bainbridge residents, however, handed the proposal a sure defeat on Election Day, with 74 percent of voters casting “no”

Goblins, ghosts, monsters and a whole assortment of other crazy creatures and creepy creations descended upon downtown Winslow again Saturday for the annual Trick-orTreat block party. The yearly community event, presented by the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association, draws participants from around the island as well as the rest of Kitsap County and even Seattle. At top left, Max Weber, 15, played the part of Kenny G. At top right, ‘Evel Knievel’ pauses during the festivities.

ballots. Prop. 1 garnered just 25 percent in support, and needed 60 percent to pass. “The city of Bainbridge Island remains committed to replacing our current outdated and dysfunctional police station and municipal court facility,” City Manager Doug Schulze said in a statement after the initial vote count. “We know that in order for our staff to best serve the community, they must have a facility that meets their operational requirements and long-term needs,” he said. Criticism to Prop. 1 was consistent in the weeks leading up to the election, and opposition picked up steam after city officials

More election coverage inside Bainbridge school board: A11 City council: A12 acknowledged that their site for the new police station, on land just north of city hall, would need an extensive clean-up effort because of pollutants left behind by a former dry cleaning business on the property. Jerry Stevenson, the chairman of the group that wrote the statement against Prop. 1 for the county voters guide, said city officials should drop their plans to TURN TO PROP. 1 | A17

City manager gets $15k pay raise of criticism on social media this week. Blair acknowledged the concerns raised by residents, but said most of the criticism centered on the amount of salary set aside for Schulze, and not performance issues. “He certainly and absolutely has our confidence. “I don’t even have a qualifier except to say, he is a human being; perfection is not possible,” Blair said. Schulze was hired in September 2012, and his current contract was set to expire on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The council and manager have been negotiating

BY BRIAN KELLY

Bainbridge Island Review Luciano Marano | Bainbridge Island Review

Godzilla stares down some Minions during the annual downtown Winslow trick-or-treat event Saturday.

School district to seek $81.2 million bond BY JESSICA SHELTON Bainbridge Island Review

Tamela VanWinkle can finally get a little sleep. After 100-plus meetings on the proposal to replace Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary and Bainbridge High’s 100 Building, the Bainbridge Island School Board has come to a decision.

In a unanimous vote last week, directors threw their support behind a $81.2 million capital bond measure, the heftiest of four options they were considering. The approved bond measure, which would also help fund a 600-seat theater at the high school, will go before voters in February. TURN TO BOND | A21

The Bainbridge Island City Council unanimously approved a new contract for City Manager Doug Schulze Tuesday, and the agreement includes a pay raise of nearly $15,000 that will push the salary for the city’s top employee to $170,000 a year. Mayor Anne Blair said the council has appreciated the professionalism Schulze has brought to city hall. “We were generally very satisfied with the work he has done,” Blair said. News of the large raise for Schulze created a firestorm

a new contract in recent months, and the new agreement stretches 10 pages. Unlike his first contract with the city, which ran for three years, the new employee agreement will automatically renew on an annual basis unless Schulze retires or is fired. Under the proposed contract, Schulze will be paid an annual base salary of $170,000. Schulze was hired at a salary of $150,000, and he currently is paid $155,287. Schulze’s new salary won’t be set in stone forever, TURN TO MANAGER | A6

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