The City Council will continue discussion next week on the proposed 2021-22 Budget. The budget topics to be discussed include:

The Biennial Budget is the financial plan for the upcoming two years and expresses the City’s identified priorities and planned service delivery to the community.

The proposed 2021-2022 Budget can be viewed online at https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/1258/Budget.

See the timeline for discussion topics and opportunities for public comment on the Budget webpage.

Throughout the budget process, City staff receives questions about the proposed budget. These questions are referred to as 'queries'. Queries are grouped into sets indicating the order received and the timing for the presentation of answers.

Click here to learn more about some of the questions asked so far and the responses.

Emergency Management Coordinator Anne LeSage will present a proposal to the City Council during next week's business meeting (Oct. 13) to create a COVID-19 community-based testing site on Bainbridge Island.

Based on feedback from community partners and residents, testing is still not widely available on Bainbridge Island unless a person is symptomatic. There are other reasons why people may need to be tested (asymptomatic but had contact with a COVID positive person, needing a negative test to return to work, required for travel, etc.).

The testing site would be located at the City's Town Square (location of the Farmers Market next to City Hall). LeSage is proposing to open the testing site on Monday, Nov. 2. The testing site would be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Testing would be available to anyone by appointment only.

Details on the testing site and how to schedule an appointment will be shared at a later date if the Council approves the proposal.

Click here for a list of current community testing sites in Kitsap County.

Gov. Jay Inslee announced this week modifications to guidance in the Safe Start recovery plan. Some of the modifications include:

View the full announcement with links to the updated guidance here. View the press conference here.

There are no overall changes to the Safe Start recovery plan phases at this time. Kitsap County remains in Phase 2.

Bloodworks Northwest has extended its testing of all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies through Oct. 31, in conjunction with pandemic response efforts.

For more information on testing and to book your appointment, please visit the Bloodworks Northwest website.

The Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC) this week presented a draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) to the City Council and community. The CAP represents nearly a year of work by the CCAC after the initial step of the City's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, which was completed in 2019.

The CAP includes recommended actions and strategies to move the City toward three goals:

The CAP was identified as the top priority in the City Council's 2021-2022 budget priorities exercise earlier this year.

Further consideration and potential adoption of the CAP is expected later this year. Read the draft Climate Action Plan here.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on a land use amendment request that would eliminate a 500’ setback that applies to waste transfer facilities, and increases the allowed lot coverage for two properties (commonly referred to as the Triangle Property).

The land use amendment request was presented to the Council this week. The applicant is requesting two code changes to allow for a composting facility at the site. The code change requests include:

The City Council directed staff to return to a future business meeting with a draft ordinance to set a public hearing date on the land use amendment request before making a final decision on the request.

The City Council makes the final determination on legislative code amendment requests.

Watch the Oct. 6 Council discussion here.

Below are some of the topics scheduled for the Tuesday, Oct. 13 City Council meeting.

If you would like to receive the City Council agenda by email when it's published, sign up on the Council Agendas webpage.

Do you enjoy contributing to a team? Are you a detail-oriented experienced administrator? The Engineering division of Public Works is looking for its next Administrative Specialist III. This position works closely with engineers, project managers and other staff as part of an administrative support team.

The Operations and Maintenance division of Public Works seeks applicants for the position of Maintenance Technician. There are two vacancies in the streets and facilities section. The ideal candidates will have a range of experience and an interest in learning new skills.

Learn more and apply here: https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/203/Human-Resources

Travelers using State Route 305 near Poulsbo should plan for additional commute time today (Friday, Oct. 9).

From 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., a private contractor will remove trees along SR 305 near Northeast Totten Road/Lemolo Shore Drive Northeast near milepost 8.7.

Safety concerns require this work to occur during daytime hours. Travelers will see the highway closed intermittently for 5 minutes at a time while the trees are removed.

Traffic control crews will clear the backups before stopping traffic again for tree removal.

Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT app and the WSDOT regional Twitter account.

The Kitsap County Auditor's Office will begin mailing ballots next Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Beginning 18 days before each election, ballot drop boxes remain open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The Bainbridge Island ballot box is located in the Bainbridge Island School District office parking lot (between the district office and the aquatic center), located at 8489 Madison Ave NE.

Voters pamphlets are now viewable online at https://www.kitsapgov.com/auditor/Pages/elections.aspx

The City of Bainbridge Island, in partnership with Bainbridge Prepares and the Bainbridge Island Fire Department, hosted a virtual Day of Preparedness on Sept. 26.

Approximately 190 community members participated in three different sessions focusing on the history of earthquakes on Bainbridge Island, emotional resilience during a pandemic, and an open question and answer session with emergency preparedness leadership and volunteer team leads.

Click the video below to watch the sessions and learn more about preparing for emergencies.

Please join us next Thursday, Oct. 15 for the Great ShakeOut to practice earthquake safety. At 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, the City of Bainbridge Island will send a Nixle emergency text message asking everyone to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On."

Now that more people are working and learning at home, ShakeOut serves as a great reminder to make sure you have adequate supplies at home to last at least two weeks. Take some time to update your household preparedness kits and make sure you replenish any surgical masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, etc. that you have used during the COVID response.

For more information on earthquake preparedness visit:

Sign up to get Nixle emergency alerts by texting 98110 to 888777 or visit the Nixle website.