Kitsap County budget review hearings for 2015 funding proposals from all county departments and agencies get underway Sept. 15.
County departments will present funding requests for the 2015 budget to the Board of Commissioners, County Administrator and Budget Review Committee, an advisory group made up of a citizen representative from each Commissioner District and a county employee representing organized labor.
The hearings are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15; 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18; and 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Sept. 22 with an Open House from 4:30-5:30 p.m. that day. Hearings take place in the Commissioners’ Chambers of the County Administration Building, 619 Division Street in Port Orchard.
“This is a great opportunity for all citizens to hear details of what goes into making up departmental budgets as they are presented to the Board of County Commissioners,” said Commissioner Charlotte Garrido, Board chair. “You can hear the level of questioning that goes on and learn more about what’s proposed. We invite the public to attend or view the BKAT broadcasts and welcome their input at the Sept. 22 Open House.”
Budget presentations air live on the Bremerton-Kitsap Access Television (BKAT) station, broadcast on Comcast Channel 12 and WAVE Broadband Channel 3. The Budget Review Hearings schedule, including the broadcast times on BKAT, is available here or go to www.kitsapgov.com/das/ and click on “2015 Budget Information.”
Departmental presentations are open to the public to attend, but no public comment will be accepted during the presentations. The Open House provides an opportunity for public input related to the budget process or feedback is accepted online at the website address above.
Commissioners will deliberate and make preliminary budget decisions in September with final deliberations in late October or November. A public hearing and final adoption take place in December.