City Hall

This is why all the fuss

In response to “Why all the fuss” with regard to the Poulsbo City Hall problems, Ms. Gearliach’s Aunt Muriel may appreciate another point of view. I was proud of the literally hundreds of Poulsbo residents that stepped forth to express their desire to have the hall located in the downtown area. For myself, the thought of doing another makeshift was just too gut wrenching. After so many years of doing that and with the need so great, I felt let’s start from scratch, let’s think ahead and let’s do whatever it takes to not have to do this again for at least another hundred years. Although I had nothing against the 10th Avenue location, it was pleasing to see the people come forward and express their desires.

As far as the economic situation, no one could have predicted this. When these things happen we can’t blame anyone and usually it turns out all for the better.

Who knows, maybe we’ll be able to make a better deal because of it, maybe we will be able to make a change or two that will be better in the long run and save money.

From my point of view, I never saw one thing on the part of making “Mayor Quade’s dream come true” remark by Ms. Gearliach. All I saw was a city council including mayor Quade working very hard to make all of us happy. This can’t be easy.

I urged them to build a new city hall, spare no expense and the sooner the better.

I also know they could not foresee the future.

And who knows who will benefit from that 10 Avenue Harrison Hospital Cancer Center. Maybe a lot of people wanted the city hall there. I doubt that Harrison Hospital would want to build it in downtown Poulsbo.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank and wish happy holidays to all of the council and city employees for their hard work on the citizens of Poulsbo’s behalf. I am amazed at those who have been working on the sewers in the downtown area.

They need to be commended on their professionalism and warmth as they do the delicate work of dealing with the public while doing the hard work of rebuilding our infrastructure.

Carole Turek

Poulsbo

Reader feedback

What she said, he agrees to

The letter titled “No Room for Wildlife?” written by Molly Lee in the Dec. 17 issue of the Herald was right on! Thank you Molly for taking the time to author such a well written letter. Concerning Mr. Watts, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it most likely is a duck.

Donald H. Danielson

Poulsbo

Kathryn Quade

Putting the cart before the horse?

I could not help but noticing in your paper the throwing in of the hat into the mayor’s race by Mayor Quade for reelection and her taking credit or responsibility for several actions inferred as incomplete. The credit for the sale of a portion of the property on 10th Avenue is premature, like putting the cart before the horse, as they say.

When the land was purchased by the city, it had to be short platted and a part of the conditions prior to the next step were certain conditions had to be met within the county codes.

The hardest part will be the establishment of the boundaries of the creek on the property and across 305 where it submerges. This riparian area that sets a boundary for a green belt on either side of the creek, must be surveyed, and registered with the county by experts. This includes the utilities/garbage trucks parking area and the backside of Centennial Park. As I understand all three properties require this to close the loop to make it happen.

Rumor has it at county that the utilities/garbage truck parking area must be completely moved to meet the requisites for this to happen. Where to move these?

The county’s 12-point check list that was started to make all this happen appears to have gaps and has expired, requiring a start from scratch. Now this seems very tentative to be able to state the property is sold, negotiated maybe. Wait a minute until the sale is done/completed, we were told, that we are not moving forward on our new manorial complex/mayor’s office building. But we do have our hole with its type 2 gravel bed.

Mayor Quade, personally, do you really need the new staff member called mayor’s executive assistant that you added at $53,000 a year?

Maybe you could get your new staffers to bird dog this gap in reality. A full-time mayor must be real busy to need this special help added to the taxpayers’ bill.

Ron Savage

Poulsbo

Ed’s note: The mayor’s assistant’s annual salary is $41,000.