BUSINESS & COMMUNITY NEWS
Image courtesy of COBI
CITY COUNCIL STARTS WORK ON WINSLOW MASTER PLAN
Council members will begin discussing their approach to updating to The Winslow Master Plan at tonight's council meeting.

In upcoming months, council members and city officials will address information, goals and policies for land use, transit, open space, housing, utilities and coordination with WSF.

Tonight, council members will also receive a presentation on the state's Livable Cities Program from UW.

The last update to the Winslow Master Plan was back in the very different world of 2006.


Also on Tonight's Agenda:
  • Public Hearing on House Design Demonstration Project
  • Proposal to modify the Subarea Planning Process
  • Confirm scope of work for the Housing Action Plan
  • Approve the purchase of new police vehicles

HRB CHAMPIONS BETHANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT
The Bainbridge Planning Commission meets this Thursday, February 10 to discuss the outstanding request by Bethany Lutheran Church for a density bonus under RCW 35.70A.545.

This project is a special opportunity to create a significant number of affordable homes located within 1.5 miles of downtown Winslow with access to public transportation.

In the words of Housing Resources Bainbridge Executive Director Phedra Elliott, our community should support this measure because:

"HRB has been a part of the housing discussion at Bethany Lutheran for many years and has great confidence in the church to deliver a project that helps meet the profound need for affordable housing on the island, advances the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, and respects the spirit of our community."

Photo courtesy of Washington State
STATE BUSINESS LICENSING WEBSITE STILL OFFLINE AFTER MASSIVE DATA BREACH
In late January, State officials discovered a data breach of Washington's POLARIS database, which stores sensitive information for about 250,000 professional and occupational licensees (such as driver's license numbers, birthdates, and social security numbers).

In recent days, indications are being seen that some of this information is already circulating on the 'dark web'.

Currently POLARIS is shut down while the breach is still being investigated. There will be no fines or penalties for failing to renew licenses on time during the shutdown.

Other DOL systems, including driver and vehicle/vessel licensing and hunting and fishing licensing are still operating normally.

Photo courtesy of COBI
COBI OFFICIALLY OPPOSES OVERRIDE OF LOCAL AUTHORITY ON RESIDENTIAL ZONING
House Bill 1782 and Substitute Senate Bill 5670 seek to replace local zoning authority with state oversight.

The bills are designed to increase the state's housing supply by mandating increased housing within one-half mile of major transit stops and mandate the acceptance of four-plexes in all lots currently zoned for single-family residential use.

In the word's of City Manager Blair King, "...the process wrongly preempts local government land use authority and includes blunt mandates that could have severe negative impacts with multiple unintended consequences on this Island community."

COMMISSIONERS AND SHERIFF SUPPORT REVISIONS TO POLICE REFORM LAWS
In response to multiple recent incidents where police vehicles were rammed by fleeing suspects in their bid to escape, Kitsap County Commissioners joined Kitsap County Sheriff Gese in sending a letter this week to state legislators, asking for support of Senate Bill 5919, which provides critical and practical modifications to recently enacted police reform laws.


Photo courtesy of BI Historical Museum
AGATE PASS BRIDGE DELAYS
A reminder that emergency utility work continues 9pm to 6am each weeknight from until Friday, Feb. 11.

In addition, annual bridge cleaning is scheduled from 9am to 2pm each day from Monday, 2/14 to Sunday, 2/20.

Delays of at least 30 minutes are estimated by WSDOT.
NEWS IN BRIEF
YOUR INPUT REQUESTED
KITSAP BUSINESS SURVEY
Q: How confident are you today that your business can emerge from the pandemic stronger than it entered it?

(please choose one answer)
Very Confident
Somewhat Confident
Neutral
Somewhat Concerned
Very Concerned
Results of our previous Business Survey:
Q: The way we do business has changed over the last two years. What new systems have you implemented that you plan to keep after we say goodbye to the pandemic?
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
KITSAP COUNTY
101 Total Responses
MEMBER NEWS & EVENTS
Photo courtesy of Joe Deets
MEET THE MAYOR
Mayor Joe Deets has announced open virtual office hours on selected Saturdays from 10am to Noon.

All Islanders are invited to meet with him to talk about City business. 

HOPE GLOWS ON WINSLOW WAY THIS FRIDAY
Friday Feb. 11, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Hope Glows, a community luminaria walk organized by Bainbridge Youth Services will close Winslow Way to vehicles between 2:30 and 8pm on Friday, February 11.

"We see Hope Glows as an opportunity to focus on the importance of taking care of our mental health, the need to let others know they don’t need to be alone in their struggles, and that connection with others is vital to a positive outlook, as is hope."
Courtney Oliver, BYS Exec Director

The Chamber is proud to partner with BYS alongside the Downtown Association and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in presenting Hope Glows.

Photo Courtesy of Wineries of Bainbridge Island
LOVE IS IN THE AIR AT WINE ON THE ROCK 2022
Roam Bainbridge Island and explore our seven artisan wineries for a great weekend of fabulous, decadent wine & chocolate.

Available by reservation only, just in time for Valentine's Day, tickets are good for one flight plus tasty treats at each winery...

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NOW OPEN AT SUQUAMISH CLEARWATER CASINO RESORT
Just in time for the Super Bowl, the new FanDuel-sponsored area is now open at the Clearwater Casino.

In the Sportsbook, a huge 32x9 foot screen is flanked by 17 smaller screens, live betting windows, self-service kiosks and comfy armchairs, while nearby a 24x12 foot screen awaits in the Beach Rock Music & Sports Lounge along with seating for 250 people.


Clearwater Casino and the Chamber would like to remind all players to wager responsibly, within your own limits.
Photo courtesy of Colleen Parker
FOR THE BIRDS - JOIN THE GREAT 25TH ANNUAL BACKYARD COUNT
February 18 - 21
Grab some seed from a local store, and join the Audubon Society in celebrating 25 years of their annual four-day global survey.

Each February, the world comes together for the love of birds - all are invited to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and report.

Your observations will help scientists better understand Bainbridge's part in the annual migrations of the planet's global bird populations.

BAINBRIDGE JOB OPENINGS
SR. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST AT COBI
MGR OF FUNDRAISING & MARKETING AT SENIOR CENTER
ISLAND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR MEMORIAL, PRITCHARD PARK REFRESH AHEAD OF 80TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
Saturday Feb. 19, 10am to Noon
The BI Parks Foundation is requesting help to prepare the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and surrounding Pritchard Park for the March events celebrating 80 Years of Healing since the forced wartime exclusion of Japanese Americans from Bainbridge Island in 1942.

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) BASIC ACADEMY TRAINING SESSIONS 
March & April
Be prepared to aid your fellow islanders in an emergency - The City is offering free CERT Basic Academy training sessions in March and April for all interested Bainbridge Island residents aged 18 and older.

BUSINESS EDUCATION & SUPPORT
STATE PROGRAM HELPS EMPLOYERS KEEP WORKERS
Wednesday February 9, 11:50am
The SharedWork program provides a way for businesses to restart and bring their employees back from unemployment with reduced hours.

Businesses gradually build back their team with qualified workers receiving partial unemployment benefits to replace a portion of their lost wages.

GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITY UPGRADES
The Washington State Department of Commerce's Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program will open new funding to child care providers next month.

Grants will be available for eligible centers to help with both minor renovations and small capital purchases.

LOCAL COVID UPDATES
COBI ROLLING BAY DRIVE-THRU TESTING SITE REDUCES HOURS
Beginning Feb. 7, the city's drive-thru COVID testing site at Rolling Bay reduced its operating times due to decreased demand.

Hours of operation are now 9 am to noon (instead of 1 pm).

FREE AT-HOME COVID TESTS + N95 MASKS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Free tests from the new federal website are being distributed by the million:


Free tests from Washington State are being depleted and restocked - get in line for yours online:


Millions of free N95 masks are being distributed to pharmacy and supermarket chains across America, including Safeway, Rite Aid, Walgreens on Bainbridge (limit 3 per person).

COUNTY COVID RATES START TO FALL, ISLAND RATES DROPPING
In today's latest Kitsap County numbers, 511 cases per 100,000 residents are recorded (down another 50% from last week).

Island numbers are continuing to slowly fall, and sit today at 335 cases per 100k.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have now been 1,662 total cases recorded on Bainbridge, 101 of them new over the past week.


Vaccination rates on Bainbridge continuing to lead the county - more than 99% of Islanders aged 12 and above are vaccinated, alongside 73% of our 5 to 11-yr-olds.


Drive-through testing is offered 6 days a week in Kitsap County, with the Rolling Bay testing site on Bainbridge open Mondays and Wednesdays.


CHAMBER RESOURCES
ERASE THE WASTE TABLE-TENT SIGNAGE AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
To help explain Bainbridge's new restrictions on single-use plastic to consumers, COBI has begun to send out free table-tents to our local eating and drinking establishments.

If you have not yet received yours, or need some more, please come pick them up for free at the Chamber office.

FREE MASKS, HAND SANITIZER STILL AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES & NONPROFITS
With the support of the City, County, and Bainbridge's own Breath Café, the Chamber has fresh supplies of N95 masks, disposable masks, and hand sanitizer available for free to all public-facing Island business and nonprofit organizations.

We also have free posters available to help businesses make it clear to all customers that masks are required for entry at their location.

To grab yours, give us a call, stop by our offices, or email us - we are here to help...