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Bainbridge Islanders,
The complicated Eagle Harbor Drive/Wyatt Way project has reached an important milestone. The Cooper Creek 15-foot culvert overpass is now open to vehicle traffic. This project has been complicated. Very complicated.
The City originally envisioned the fish passage and full non-motorized pedestrian and bicycle improvements from Ashbury Court around the Head of the Bay to Bucklin as one cohesive project under a single contractor. Everything was intended and planned to fit together neatly.
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Because the Eagle Harbor Drive/Wyatt Way Non-Motorized Improvement Project is a long corridor, it’s costly. We decided to apply for federal grants to supplement the City’s contribution. We received two. The grants were awarded on different timelines and came with layers of federal oversight. To make matters more interesting, fish passage work can only occur between July 15 and October 15. As design progressed, we realized the fish passage might not be permitted in time to fit the federal schedule. To avoid losing funding, we separated the fish passage into its own project with a separate contract.
Federal grants also require oversight by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Local Programs Office, and sometimes, WSDOT takes its time. While waiting for approvals, we worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure the required fish passage permits. To our surprise, those permits came through quickly enough for us to build the fish passage concurrently with the non-motorized improvements (huzzah!). We also received a grant from the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board to help fund that work.
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While the bid process for the fish passage contract went smoothly, the bid process for the non-motorized improvements did not. The low bidder made a math error in their paperwork, and WSDOT would not allow us to award the bid. We had to re-advertise for the non-motorized project, losing about six weeks in the process, and in construction time, that can quickly escalate in sourcing materials and battling weather.
So, where there was once one envisioned project, there are now two with separate timelines. The good news is that the fish passage work is about 85% complete, with some remaining drainage, water line, and handrail work. From now until early December, there will be intermittent flagging during work hours around Cooper Creek (the flagging is related to the Cooper work previously identified and the water line and storm work associated with the upcoming non-motorized improvements project) but both lanes will remain open outside of those times. In early December, the project area will likely be winterized, and construction will pause for the season depending on the weather. The road will stay open. Around mid-March, work will resume on the non-motorized improvements, which are expected to be completed in 2026, giving us a beautiful, safer corridor for bikes, pedestrians, and freely swimming fish.
Best,
Blair King
City Manager
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For decades, Cooper Creek was forced through a narrow 30-inch culvert, a concrete choke point that blocked fish passage, trapped debris, and muted the natural rhythm of the stream.
That barrier is now gone. In its place, a 15-foot-wide culvert now carries the living pulse of the creek, where salmon and other fish can once again find their way home. This transformation is more than infrastructure; it's restoration. This stunning transformation reminds us that Cooper Creek was never just a trickle of water, but a vibrant, living stream and a vital corridor for fish passage.
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Anticipation is building for the return of salmon monitoring on Cooper Creek.
Staff are keeping a close eye on the creek for signs of ecosystem recovery and will walk the stream weekly to monitor salmon activity.
The 2025 salmon monitoring season is already underway in other systems on the island, and observers are reporting above-average numbers of juvenile fish in Murden Creek!
| | Rotating Public Art on Bainbridge - Something New VIII | | Five new sculptures go up every year around downtown Winslow for the Something New art program. The program is administered by the Public Art Committee in partnership with Arts & Humanities Bainbridge with funding and installation support provided by the City. Check out the video to see the new pieces. | | | | |
Indigenous Peoples Day - October 13 | | On Oct. 13, we honor Indigenous Peoples Day. Please come learn with us at Woodward Middle School from 3:30-5:30 p.m. We are proud to be a partner for this beautiful event. |
| 2026 Budget Public Hearing - November 12 | | Property Tax Public Hearing - November 12 | | In accordance with state law, City Council will hold a public hearing on Nov. 12 for Ordinance No. 2025-27 related to 2026 property tax revenue sources. Each year, the City must certify its levy amount to the Kitsap County Assessor by Nov.30. The City’s share of local property taxes is about 8% (or roughly 8 cents of every dollar paid by island property owners). This is lower than the collection rates for the Bainbridge Island School District, Bainbridge Island Fire Department, and Bainbridge Island Metro Parks & Recreation District. State law limits annual increases to 1% plus a small amount for new construction. Final calculations from the County Assessor are included in the draft ordinance for Council consideration. | | Winslow Water Tank Off-Site Improvements at 305/Madison and Fletcher Bay/Foster | | |
Crews made solid progress this week. The contractor successfully bored a 210-foot path about eight feet below SR 305 at Madison Avenue and installed a 20-inch steel casing beneath the highway. New pipe was also installed along Madison Avenue from Yaquina toward 305.
Next week, work will continue as the team extends the casing and begins installing the new water main. A new water main will also begin installation at Fletcher Bay and Foster.
At the Miller Road staging area, the contractor has fenced the site but is adjusting materials to allow angled parking for Kol Shalom’s weekend services. City staff are staying in close communication to help minimize disruptions.
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The new Winslow Water Tank will boost fire flow and enhance water quality for the Winslow system. To ensure these upgrades are safe and reliable, crews are adding new water lines and pressure-reducing stations, including a new line under SR 305 at Madison Avenue, to keep household water pressure steady, protect your appliances from the stronger flow and improve water quality.
| | Short-Term Rental Certificate Renewals | | |
Most short-term vacation rentals (STR) on Bainbridge Island are now up for annual renewal. Don’t forget to renew your STR Certificate each year. Staying current helps you avoid fines and keeps our community fair and transparent. We saw near perfect compliance in the first year of the ordinance!
The ordinance requires every STR to have a local contact who can respond within one hour, ensuring quick action and neighborhood peace of mind.
Check out the Short-Term Rental Public Portal to see registered STRs, license details, occupancy limits, local contact info and where to report concerns.
| | Political Sign Regulations on Bainbridge | | Questions about political sign regulations on the island? Learn more HERE. | | Disaster Hub Readiness Exercise a Success | | |
On Sep. 28, emergency management volunteers were activated at 14 disaster hub locations and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the Ted Spearman Justice Center to test radio communications and review disaster supply inventories. More than 75 volunteers participated across the island, helping evaluate communications, supplies, and overall hub readiness.
Disaster Hubs are vital to Bainbridge Island’s emergency response, serving as neighborhood rally points for communications, medical aid, resource coordination, and limited shelter and supplies in the event of a major disaster.
Learn more about Disaster Hubs HERE. Become an emergency management volunteer HERE.
| | Winslow Water Tank Mural Up for "Tank of the Year" - Vote Now! | | |
Our stunning new water tower mural is up for “Tank of the Year!”
Cast your vote for Bainbridge Island’s tank in the People’s Choice competition and help us win best in the world! Voting is open through October 17, and it’s one vote per email address.
The Tank of the Year program, sponsored by Tnemec Company, Inc., celebrates the most beautiful and innovative water tanks across the globe. Let’s bring home the title, Bainbridge!
| | Join the Public Art Committee | | |
Are you passionate about art and want to make a difference in the community? The Public Art Committee (PAC) is looking for new members! PAC is a group of volunteers dedicated to making public spaces more vibrant and engaging through art.
PAC members are chosen by Arts & Humanities Bainbridge (AHB) for their artistic, cultural, or community expertise. As a member, you'll help propose new art projects and programs to City Council, aid the City in considering new art pieces and maintaining the existing collection. AHB supports PAC with press, community engagement, project management, grant applications, and coordination with the City.
PAC is looking for people who have knowledge in art, design, landscape architecture, or architecture and are excited about advocating for public art on Bainbridge Island. The time commitment is just one to two hours a month, with meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 12:30 p.m.
Interested? Contact Glynnis Cowdery at ed@bainbridgeartshumanities.org
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| Become the next City Poet Laureate! | | |
Applications are now open for the position of Poet Laureate for the City of Bainbridge Island.
This is a unique opportunity to inspire, engage, and connect with residents through the power of poetry.
Deadline to apply: October 15, 2025
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| BI Reads Event: Build a Community in a Crisis Simulation | | |
Build a Community in a Crisis Simulation
When: October 3:00-4:30 p.m. or 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Where: Bainbridge Island Senior & Community Center - 370 Brien Dr SE.
What: This event places participants in the roles as leaders during a fictionalized, but realistic, community crisis on a table top board! Inspired by the 1964 Alaska earthquake (and Bainbridge’s own seismic risks), teams must respond to a sudden disaster, make group decisions, allocate limited resources, and keep their “neighborhood” functioning. It’s part strategy, part empathy-building, part improvisation and all about what holds a community together when the ground shifts.
Register: Eventbrite Page!
| | Hometown Halloween - October 31 | | On Oct. 31 from 4- 6 p.m., all ghosts and goblins, witches and warlocks can make their way to Winslow Way in search of tasty treats, spooky tunes and more! Hometown Halloween is brought to you by the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association and co-sponsored by the City of Bainbridge Island. | | |
Councilmembers from left to right: Leslie Schneider (Central Ward - District 4), Clarence Moriwaki (Central Ward - District 5),
Ashley Mathews (South Ward - District 6), Brenda Fantroy-Johnson (North Ward - District 2), Joe Deets (North Ward - District 7),
Kirsten Hytopoulos (At Large - District 1), Jon Quitslund (South Ward, District 3)
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October 14 City Council Regular Business Session Key Topics
- Proclamations: October 2025 "Resiliency Awareness Month," October 2025 "Filipino American History Month," October 2025 "National Community Planning Month"
- Adopt Ordinance No. 2025-26 related to Pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Units
- Authorize the City Manager to Issue a Request for Qualifications for State Lobbying Services
- Receive Update on Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
- Confirm appointment of Thomas Alpaugh as Municipal Court Judge for a Four-Year Term
The above agenda key topics list is not a complete list of agenda topics. Click on the button below for the full agenda. City Council Agendas are available to view the Friday before the meeting by 5pm.
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Ways to Watch
- In-person at the City Hall, City Council Chambers
- Zoom
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City website livestream (visit the Agendas & Minutes page, then click on "In Progress" when the meeting starts)
- BKAT (Channel 12 on Comcast & Channel 3 on WAVE)
Please visit the City Council page for more information on individual City Council members.
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