 | | Workshop Explores Opportunities for Recycled Water Use | 6/19/2018 | (Indianola, WA) - Kitsap County Public Works is hosting a workshop on beneficial uses of recycled water on Tuesday, June 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Indianola Clubhouse. Topics include opportunities for recycled water use in Kitsap County and examples of successful projects around the region. The workshop features plans to upgrade the Kingston Wastewater Treatment Plant for recycled water production. Kitsap County is partnering with the Suquamish Tribe with support from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on a feasibility study for this project. The concept is based on the production of Class A recycled water for irrigation of the White Horse Golf Course. Other proposed uses include stream flow and wetlands enhancement. Findings from the study will be presented. Representatives from LOTT Clean Water Alliance and the King County Recycled Water Program will share information on successful recycled water projects for groundwater recharge and irrigation. Experts will be available for technical and general questions about recycled water and appropriate uses. The workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register for the workshop, contact Lisa Horanyi at lhoranyi@co.kitsap.wa.us or 360.337.5777, press pound, and dial 3681. Information on the Kingston Recycled Water Project is available at kitsapgov.com/pw. | | | | Road improvements for pedestrians in Suquamish focus of July 12 meeting | 6/19/2018 | Learn more about future pedestrian and stormwater drainage improvements to Suquamish Way and plans for funding Kitsap County's Transportation Improvement Program at the next meeting of the Suquamish Citizens Advisory Committee, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 12 at the Suquamish Tribal Council Chambers, 18490 Suquamish Way NE. The county's Public Works Deparment will lead the discussion and public input is welcome. The SCAC will also review its summer workplan that includes completing trails off James Street, Division Avenue and connections to the nature preserve. Mainatenance of local parks will be addressed as well. The Suquamish Police Department provides an overview of local criminal activity in the area and answer questions at every meeting. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Jennifer Cannon at jcannon@co.kitsap.wa.us or (360) 337-7080. Applications are now open for the SCAC. If interested in applying, go to the SCAC website. |
| | | | A portion of Tracyton Blvd closes July 2, 2018 for culvert replacement | 6/14/2018 | (Port Orchard, WA) - Kitsap County Public Works will close a portion of Tracyton Boulevard NE near the Fairview neighborhood for a culvert replacement project. The road will close to all vehicles and pedestrians beginning July 2, 2018—except for August 19-27— and is expected to reopen in September 2018.
The project will replace a deteriorating culvert located in a fish bearing stream with a 10-foot span, precast, three-sided concrete culvert that meets all the requirements for fish passage. The project will also improve roadway safety.
Tracyton Blvd will remain closed at the construction site for the duration of the project. A detour route is established and will be posted along Stampede Blvd NW and NW Fairgrounds Road. Access to private drives will remain open during the construction and vehicles and pedestrians will have full access to Tracyton Blvd from August 19-27 to accommodate the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede traffic.
The 1.5 month-long project is being done by Hanson Excavation LLC from Shelton, Washington under a $319,000.00 construction contract. Crews will work a 4 day 10 hour schedule Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information visit kcowa.us/tracyton or call Kitsap1: 360.337.5777 or email help@kitsap1.com
| | | | Residential Change of Value Notices Mailed | 6/8/2018 | (Port Orchard, WA) - Change of value notices are being sent to 103,945 residential and commercial property taxpayers throughout Kitsap County. The Assessor is required by state law to appraise property at 100% of market value. These notices are based on property sales that have occurred since January 1, 2017 and will be used when calculating property tax obligations payable in 2019. Taxpayers can check their values and characteristics in the "Parcel Details" feature on the Assessor's website at www.kitsapgov.com/assessor. Sales trends for the county are also available on the website as well as information regarding the various property tax exemption programs. Anyone with questions or concerns about their 2018 value may contact the Assessor's Office at 360.337.7160 or email assessor@co.kitsap.wa.us. Property owners who choose to appeal their value to the Board of Equalization must have their appeal postmarked by Friday, August 10, 2018. _______________________________________________________________________ Contact: Phil Cook, Kitsap County Assessor, philcook@co.kitsap.wa.us or 360.337.7085 | | | | Ribbon-cutting celebrates new picnic shelter in Wildcat Lake Park | 6/7/2018 | Kitsap County will host a ribbon-cutting at the Wildcat Lake Park Picnic Shelter at 10 a.m. June 21 to celebrate the completion of the new structure. Kitsap County Commissioners Ed Wolfe and Rob Gelder, along with Lisa Ballou of the Kitsap Tri Babes, invite the community to join them in welcoming these newest improvements to the 11-acre Wildcat Lake Park, which is located at 9245 Holly Road NW in Central Kitsap. This picnic shelter project was a collaborative effort with community partners including the Kitsap County Parks Department, the Tri Turtle Babes (a women's group that trains for triathlons), the U.S. Navy and the Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust team. The new covered shelter is 36 feet x 30 feet in size and includes picnic tables, a large barbeque grill, and amazing views of Wildcat Lake. The shelter will be available for public use seasonally as a location for neighborhood meetings, summer camps, birthday parties, family events and community gatherings. Residents will be able to reserve the space in advance through the Kitsap County Parks Department. "I am very proud of this great improvement to Wildcat Lake Park that meets the needs of our community," said Commissioner Wolfe. "This is another excellent accomplishment in our county parks resulting from a cost-effective collaboration for public benefit." Kitsap County Parks Superintendent of Parks Resources Dori Leckner acknowledged the many volunteer hours contributed by the U.S. Navy and others that kept the project moving towards completion and reduced costs. "This is a vision of our department to continue to make improvements to county parks for the enjoyment of our patrons. We are very fortunate to have a community that will help us by getting their hands dirty to see a project like this through." For more information on Wildcat Lake, click here or go to www.kitsapgov.com/parks. To reserve the shelter or others throughout the county, click here or contact the Kitsap County Parks Department at (360) 337-5350 or parks@co.kitsap.wa.us. | | | | Public input sought on planning in Old Town Silverdale | 6/1/2018 | (Silverdale, WA) - Kitsap County and the Port of Silverdale are each planning several projects within the Old Town Silverdale area. Community members are invited to provide input. A public survey is available online through June. (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/oldtownsilverdale) Kitsap County Public Works plans to improve the function and look of the pump station adjacent to the Silverdale Waterfront Park and Port properties. The Port of Silverdale is updating its Comprehensive Plan. Both agencies seek input on what people would like to see their Old Town Silverdale waterfront look like far into the future. This survey is one of many opportunities to contribute ideas and share priorities to help guide planning efforts. Input from facility users, visitors, residents, business owners and employees is important and welcome. The survey takes about 8 to 10 minutes to complete. The survey closes June 30, 2018. Link to the public survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/oldtownsilverdale. | | | | Kitsap county achieves lightning speed boost to recording | 6/1/2018 | (Port Orchard, WA) – Tasks that routinely took weeks are now instant, and that change has earned the Kitsap County Auditor's Office a national award. The Kitsap County Auditor's Office has been recognized by The National Association of Counties (NACo) with the 2018 Achievement Award for its program titled "Recording Process Improvement." The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents. As part of the Kitsap County Auditor's mission to ensure quality services, the county government teamed up with Kitsap County's Performance Excellence Across Kitsap (PEAK) team to implement a five-day business process improvement session known as a "kaizen"[ that resulted in a 1,900 percent speed increase in processing recorded documents. "We were so proud of the results," said David Frisk, Recording & Licensing Manager. "Our employees and local businesses were able to work together to streamline our process. We discovered many things we were doing were not important to our customers." After working with staff and local businesses, the Auditor's recording process was radically changed by reducing over 100 steps down to 41 steps. "We were able to clarify the problem, perform analysis and identify key solutions," said Andy Hento, PEAK/PMO Manager. The results were astonishing. The kaizen provided the method to combine four different processes into a one-piece flow process. This eliminated waiting queues that could hold documents over 20 days and reduced errors significantly. "We have been getting better and better since focusing on a culture of continuous improvement," noted Dolores Gilmore, Kitsap County Auditor. "All of the Auditor's staff is committed to our mission to ensure quality, accountability, and accessibility to the people of Kitsap County. The recognition from The National Association of Counties regarding our Recording Kaizen is proof that Kitsap County government is delivering peak performance for the people of Kitsap." The NACo Annual Conference & Exposition will be held in Nashville, Tennessee's Davidson County from July 13th – 16th, 2018. More information is available at http://www.naco.org/. Kitsap County was formed in 1857 and was the hub of industrial activity that built the Pacific Northwest. Today, the Kitsap County Auditor's four divisions — Elections, Financial, Recording & Licensing — continue to be a hub for citizens with services like voting and marriage licensing. The Kitsap County Auditor's mission is serving the people of Kitsap County by providing essential services in a manner that ensures quality, accountability, and accessibility.
_______________________________________________________________________ Contact: David Frisk, Auditor's Office, 360.337.7130 or auditor@co.kitsap.wa.us | | | | Request for Proposal released for mental health, chemical dependency, therapeutic courts tax funding | 5/24/2018 | (Port Orchard, WA) – The Kitsap County Department of Human Services is requesting proposals for mental health, chemical dependency and therapeutic court programs and services (including, but not limited to, treatment services, case management, and housing that are a component of a coordinated chemical dependency or mental health treatment program or service) and for the operation or delivery of therapeutic court programs or services. Approximately $4.25 million will be awarded for projects or program services delivered between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019. This Request for Proposals is available at https://spf.kitsapgov.com/das/Pages/Online-Bids.aspx. Proposal deadline: August 1, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Proposals for treatment sales tax, along a continuum of care including prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support services, must address the recommendations for funding improvements to the county-wide infrastructure for behavioral health treatment programs and services identified in the Kitsap County Behavioral Health Strategic Plan. The strategic plan can be found at https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hs/Pages/CAC-REPORTS-INFORMATION-PLANS.aspx. Currently there are 20 projects funded with these tax dollars, totaling nearly $4.6 million. Programs include training for commissioned law enforcement officers in crisis intervention/triage and behavioral health outreach services for adults with a mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders who are charged with minor, non-violent crimes throughout Kitsap County. Kitsap Connect, a crisis response and coordinated care demonstration project managed through the Kitsap Public Health District, provides a multi-disciplinary, mobile outreach team to intervene with adults who are experiencing mental illness, chemical dependency, physical illnesses, and homelessness. A full description of currently funded programs can be found at https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hs/Pages/CONTRACTS-All-HUMAN-SERVICES.aspx. For more contact Gay Neal, Program Coordinator, Kitsap County Human Services, at (360) 337-4827, gneal@co.kitsap.wa.us | | | | New story map explores North Kitsap communities | 5/24/2018 | Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder invites the public to explore the new North Kitsap Communities story map on the county's website. The story map format allows viewers to scroll through information about North Kitsap, while accompanying maps adjust to provide a close-up look at the many communities. There are links to additional maps and community resources for those who live in the area or are planning a visit. "In this day and age, we all try to find ways to explore and connect with our neighborhood. This is an interactive way to take a tour of our community, from the comfort of our home," said Commissioner Gelder. For more information on North Kitsap Commissioner District 1 and to sign up for electronic notifications, visit Commissioner Gelder's website here. | | | | Styrofoam Recycling Event July 7 at Kitsap County Fairgrounds | 5/14/2018 | Kitsap County's second STYRO-Roundup recycling collection event is Saturday, July 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Sheep Barn (1200 Fairgrounds Rd. NW) in Bremerton. The following types of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) are accepted for recycling at no charge: - Packing Peanuts
- Styrofoam Block (No tape or labels)
- Food Packaging (Clean and unstained)
- Styrofoam Trays (Separate color from white)
Styrofoam must be clean, dry and empty. Please remove packing tape and labels. Limit one car load per household for Kitsap County residents only. No trailers, box trucks or commercial customers are accepted. Material that are not accepted include soft foam, hot tub covers, Expanded Polyethylene (EPE) and sealed or foil lined foam. For detailed printable pdf please follow this link https://spf.kitsapgov.com/pw/Documents/Styrofoam_Roundup_July2018.pdf  Contact: Kitsap 1, 360.337.5777 or help@kitsap1.com | | | | Holiday closures for recycling and garbage facilities | 5/11/2018 | (Port Orchard, WA) -The Memorial Day holiday results in several changes to dropoff recycling and garbage facilities. Hansville, Silverdale, and Olalla Recycling and Garbage Facilities
Closed Monday, May 28 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Regular schedules resume following the holiday. Bainbridge Transfer Station
Always closed on Mondays. Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
Always closed on Mondays. Olympic View Transfer Station
Open. Residential and Commercial Collections for Garbage, Recycling, and Yard Debris
Bainbridge Disposal, Waste Management, and the City of Poulsbo will offer service on their regular schedule. For more information, visit kcowa.us/dropoff or call Kitsap 1 at 360-337-5777.
| | | | Be a part of improving communities: Citizens needed for county advisory groups | 4/24/2018 | Are you a looking for ways to get more deeply involved in county government to improve your community while helping to connect citizens to services and address neighborhood concerns? Do you have knowledge and expertise you'd like to put to good use to provide input on local programs and policy? Consider applying to serve on one of the many Kitsap County advisory groups. Members are appointed by county commissioners to serve as sounding boards and conduits between citizens, communities, county staff and commissioners. Members may also facilitate conversations, review grant applications, transportation and development plans, or host informational events with other public agencies. Applications are currently being accepted for the following boards, committees and councils: o Board of Equalization – North, South and Central Kitsap Representatives o Bremerton Kitsap Access Television Citizens Advisory Committee – North Kitsap and Station User Representatives o Commission on Children and Youth – At-Large, Faith-Based, Tribal, youth from Bremerton, Bainbridge, North and South Kitsap school districts o Grant Recommendation Committee – At-Large Representative for Services Committee o Kingston Citizens Advisory Council – At-Large Representatives o Manchester Citizens Advisory Committee – California, Nebraska and At-Large Representatives o Planning Commission – South Kitsap Representative o Suquamish Citizens Advisory Committee – At-Large Representatives o Washington State Ferries Committee – Southworth Representatives More information about the positions listed above and an online application are available at Kitsap County Volunteer Services, (360) 337-4650 or rpirtle@co.kitsap.wa.us . | | | | Commissioner Wolfe holds monthly listening sessions in Silverdale | 3/13/2018 | Constituents of Kitsap County Commissioner Ed Wolfe now have an opportunity to meet with him in Silverdale - without an appointment - during First Friday Listening Sessions in Old Town Silverdale every month from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Monica's Waterfront Bakery & Café, 3472 NW Byron St. The first session will be April 6. The time and location allow for those in Central Kitsap to drop by over the lunch hour to share concerns and ideas or just engage in lively conversation. Other First Friday Listening Sessions are scheduled May 4 and June 1. The July session will be cancelled because of its proximity to the Fourth of July but meetings resume Aug. 3. For more information, contact Angie Silva in the Commissioners' Office at (360) 337-7080, asilva@co.kitsap.wa.us. | | | | Kitsap County Aging & Long Term Care offers expanded support services for individuals and caregivers | 1/9/2018 | After the success of the state's Family Caregiver Support Program, the Washington State Department of Social & Health Services received a demonstration grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to expand support services in Kitsap County for individuals and caregivers. The grant allows for the creation of new programs that will preserve and promote choices for long-term care support services; family support for the well-being of those caring for loved ones; and allow for the delay or avoidance of the need for more intensive Medicaid-funded, long-term support services, when possible. In addition to the local Family Caregiver Support Program, there are new, expanded services for those in Kitsap who do not live in a residential facility. No copayment is required for the services and the programs do not impose estate recovery. There are higher income and asset limits for eligibility, compared to the traditional Medicaid Long-Term Care program. The Medicaid Alternative Care program allows people age 55 and older, who need help with activities of daily living and are currently eligible for certain Medicaid programs, to transition to services that support their informal, adult caregiver. The Tailored Services for Adults program is for people age 55 and older, not currently eligible for Medicaid, who need help with activities of daily living. The program can either support someone's informal, adult caregiver or provide services directly to an individual without a caregiver. Contact the Kitsap County Aging and Long-Term Care office at (360) 337-5700 or (800) 562-6418 to learn more about eligibility requirements, benefits available, and the application process, or stop by local offices of the Kitsap County Aging & Long-Term Care in the Givens Community Center, 1026 Sidney Ave. Suite 105, Port Orchard, open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or the Caregiver Support Center, 9857 Silverdale Way, Silverdale, open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information on these programs go to https://www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/stakeholders/medicaid-transformation-project-demonstration . | | | | Volunteers needed for Sheriff’s Office Citizens On Patrol | 5/26/2017 | Applications are now open for volunteers dedicated to helping others who want to support the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office while improving the quality of life for citizens. The Citizens On Patrol program offers the opportunity to interact with the community, enforce handicap parking regulations, help with boat inspections, conduct security/vacation checks on homes and be the eyes and ears of law enforcement. Volunteers are also trained to assist with traffic control, mark and process abandoned vehicles on county right-of-way, and perform junk vehicle VIN inspections. COPs work in teams of two. Training, uniforms and vehicles are provided. Volunteers must be able to pass extensive criminal and credit background checks including a polygraph exam, have an excellent driving record and commit to a minimum of 16 hours per month and two-hour monthly training sessions and meetings for at least a year. Those working full time or serving on active military duty may find it difficult to meet these time commitments. For information on this and other volunteer opportunities and to apply to the Citizens On Patrol program, click here or contact Kitsap County Volunteer Services at (360) 337-4650, rpirtle@co.kitsap.wa.us. | |
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