23rd District State Legislators Address Packed House At City Hall

Before a standing-room-only audience at City Hall, WA State Sen. Christine Rolfes and Rep. Tarra Simmons answered questions and provided updates on issues ranging from homelessness and affordable housing to climate change and sex offenders. (Rep. Drew Hansen was absent due to having COVID).

“We’re about 250,000 homes behind where we need to be in the state for the number of people we have. We predict that over the next 20 years, we’ll be a million homes short...”

Tara Simmons

New State Grants For Lodging & Hospitality Businesses Open Today - March 14

Today is the day when the Washington State Department of Commerce begins to accept applications for $100M in grants available to local businesses in the hospitality and lodging industry that suffered direct losses due to the pandemic.

The grants are targeted primarily at small businesses with $5 million or less in annual gross receipts or sales within designated NAICS codes.

To qualify, eligible businesses must also have:

• Experienced a 25% or greater loss in gross receipts/ sales between 2019 and 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Generated minimum gross receipts/sales of $12,000 in 2019 (or 2020, if the business opened that year)
• Generated at least 51% of revenue in the state
• Not permanently closed, nor intend to close in 2023.
• Have ongoing expenses that are necessary to continue business operations (such as payroll and rent)

WA Senate Passes Bill Increasing Application of Police Pursuit

Senate Bill 5352 would allow a law enforcement officer to initiate a chase if the officer has reasonable suspicion that a person in a vehicle has committed or is committing a crime.

Under the measure, alleged crimes for which a pursuit can be undertaken include a violent offense, a sex offense, domestic violence-related offenses, driving under the influence of alcohol or trying to escape arrest. 

Having now passed the senate, the bill now heads to the House.

Government 101: The State Legislature

As we are currently right in the middle of the 2023 legislative session, do you have questions about the ways in which an introduced bill makes its way towards being signed into law?

In the latest of our series of guides to how the different levels of Government come together to form the framework of life on Bainbridge Island, the Chamber takes a look at our State Legislature.

Kitsap Transit Identifies Ferry Dock Site on Seattle Waterfront

Kitsap Transit's board voted and selected Pier 48, which is just south of Colman Dock and the King County passenger-only ferry facility where Kitsap fast ferries dock now, as a location for further consideration for a passenger-only ferry dock.

The Pier 48 site, currently owned by the state, is home to an old wooden pier and an uplands area that has been used for overflow vehicle holding for Washington State Ferries during the reconstruction of Colman Dock.

Kitsap Transit Executive Director John Clauson told the Kitsap Sun that the agency will now pursue an environmental assessment of the site and said the agency will need to discuss with state officials how potential use of the site would work, through an acquisition or a long-term lease.

WA Holds First Cap-and-Trade Auction

The 2021 Climate Commitment Act set a limit on carbon emissions statewide, requiring that businesses that generate more than 25,000 metric tons of CO2 a year purchase allowances for their emissions. The allowances will be for sale at quarterly auctions. 

Over time, the emissions cap will be lowered – and fewer allowances auctioned – to help Washington reach its commitment to dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The idea is to incentivize businesses to cut emissions as the number of allowances shrink and increase in price.

On The Agenda: City Council Regular Business Meeting

Tue March 14 at 6pm

Key Items:

• City Council appointments to Police and Municipal Court Building Naming Advisory Committee
• Review 2022 Year-End balance and provide direction for the disposition or expenditure of remaining funds.
• Update on Sound to Olympics (STO) Trail Study Corridor
• Budget request workplan for Race Equity Advisory Committee

On The Agenda: Planning Commission Special Meeting

Thu March 16 at 6pm

Key Items:

• Consider adjusting the timing of future Planning Commission meetings
• Consider updates to the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code regarding the community engagement process around this year's Winslow Subarea Plan update.

We Want You - To Volunteer at the Chamber Front Desk

Come help us help Bainbridge...

The Chamber has a couple of volunteering slots available (4-hour shifts) helping assist visitors (with local advice and information) and locals (in picking up their license renewals).

And you'd be in the community hub - supporting the Chamber & local businesses, while assisting your friends & neighbors who come in to do business with our Department of Licensing.

It's fun, it's dynamic, and it's valued work!

Call tj Faddis at 206-842-3700 or stop by the office for a chat.

Voting Underway + Tickets On Sale For 2023 Business Awards

Sat Apr 29, 5:00-9:00 pm

The Chamber looks forward seeing you at our 2023 Business Awards on April 29 at The Manor House!

We are proud to present the 35 nominees across 7 award categories for the 2023 Business Awards.

Chamber members and their guests can join us for the evening by purchasing an all-inclusive ticket (priced at $70).

Members – check your email inbox for your official ballot to vote for a winner in each of the seven categories between now and March 31…

March After Hours - Only A Week Away - Secure Your Space on the Standby List

The Chamber's March After Hours at Sisters' Cider House is completely sold out, there is a standby list to join us at Hildebrand on Tuesday March 21!

Many thanks to Kinetic Capital for sponsoring food for the event.

If your schedule has changed, and you can no longer attend, please let us know and we can add guests from the waitlist.

Tickets are always free for Chamber members, and available to non-member guests for $20.

A Fond Farewell To Two Bainbridge Entrepreneurial Spirits

The Chamber is sad to announce the passing of two long-standing island entrepreneurs from different generations and industries...

Steve Shawley moved to Bainbridge in 1951 when 8 years old, and in 1972 he took over Winslow’s existing flooring & carpet business. With long-time friend Judy Dulay and integrity in their hearts, they ran their downtown store for 42 years, before retiring in late 2014. “Steve was a tall, imposing figure who initially projected a gruff exterior; however, once you came to know him, you embraced the generous teddy-bear person that he was. Bainbridge Floor Covering is still missed to this day,” shared long-time Islander tj Faddis.

Jeff Crawford graduated from BHS in 1984 and opened his independent music store, Glass Onion, in 1991. Business thrived for 17 wonderful years (and thousands of personal recommendations) until iTunes and file sharing drove many record stores into desperate straits. But even as he closed his doors in late 2008, Jeff still saw the silver lining in his efforts: “This was the ultimate hobby for me, and I turned my hobby into a career.”

Nirvana Restaurant

At Nirvana, the goal is to provide guests with an authentic Indian & Nepalese dining experience.

From the moment you step through the doors, Santosh and his team wants you to feel surrounded by Indo-Nepali culture with staple foods such as Samosas, Momo and Biryani, to fusion-style dishes - making it blissfully easy to find something delicious to eat at Nirvana.

Open 7 days a week for lunch & dinner, upstairs in the Pavilion.

Make a reservation & view the menu

Apply for Leadership Kitsap's Class of 2024

Leadership Kitsap Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded 30 years ago (1993) by community leaders, the Kitsap County Chambers of Commerce, and the United Way of Kitsap County.

The mission of Leadership Kitsap is to promote informed and committed civic volunteerism during the 10-month long curriculum.

Participants acquire both a fuller sense of the critical issues affecting Kitsap County, and the leadership skills necessary to motivate and engage others in collaborative efforts to resolve them.

Find out more, apply by April 3

Time to Apply for a BCF Community Nonprofit Grant

BCF’s Community Grants Cycle is now open and accepting applications for the 2023 Community Grants Cycle from all sectors of the nonprofit community through April 4.

Nonprofit leaders are encouraged to reach out to Debbie Kuffel to discuss funding opportunities for specific programs, capital projects, and general operations.

Learn more and apply

Puget Sound to Pacific Collaborative Envisions

200-Mile Multi-Use Trail

The new Puget Sound to Pacific Collaborative is bringing communities together to complete a 200-mile multi-use trail stretching from the ferry docks on Bainbridge Island, Kingston and Port Townsend across to the Pacific Coast at La Push.

The PS2P Collaborative includes and is funded as a partnership between the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation, North Kitsap Trails Association, and Peninsula Trails Coalition.

Read more about the PS2P

Chamber Workshop: BIPD Public Safety For Business Owners

Wed April 5, 9 - 10am

Business owners – come get guidance on best practices when it comes to securing your location, and understand what the Police can and cannot do in response to property crime on Bainbridge - in a special Chamber workshop led by Police Chief Joe Clark and Community Resource Officer Zach Burnham.

Register & click here for more info

Community Offering: Free Notary Services

Islander Gerald Simonsen is available to meet and help locals by notarizing documents for free.

Schedule an appointment at Winlsow Green

Each month the Chambers of Commerce ask a single question to gather information on our communities and our county...

Q: How often do you shop at local stores (not including grocery stores)?