POULSBO — Like children enduring a long trip to grandma’s house, the question from the public surrounding Poulsbo’s latest city hall adventure is, “Are we there yet?”
“Almost there” might be the right answer, as Poulsbo Mayor Kathryn Quade said she hopes the city council will make a final decision on the issue in July.
First residents and city officials will drive through an open house on the matter, slated for 6:30 p.m. Monday in the council chambers in city hall on Jensen Way.
The three finalists for the project, The Pioneer Group, King Olav Development, LLC and the Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority, will each have 30-minutes to make their case before the full council and the public.
Those unable to attend Monday’s meeting can catch it during its rebroadcasts on BKAT Channel 12 at 2 p.m. June 26, 10 p.m. June 29 and 10:30 a.m. July 2.
“This might be the best way for the public to get its arms around this project,” said Councilman Ed Stern.
After the finalists’ presentations, the members of the city’s long-range planning committee will give their opinions on the three proposals before the full council discussion begins, Quade said.
“Each council member will need to weigh the pros and cons of each proposal and form their own opinion,” she said.
The earliest any definitive decision could be made on the city hall issue is July 11, as there will not be a council meeting on July 4, she said.
“We could get the permit process moving and see construction in 2008,” Quade said.
However, at the June 18 long-range planning committee Councilman Dale Rudolph unveiled a potential fourth option that could delay the city hall project for at least six months before it reaches its current point.
“I think we can do better than the proposals,” Rudolph said. “There are some options that would make it better.”
Among those options is to put the city hall building on Jensen Way between Poulsbo Place and Front Street, he said.
“We don’t have to accept one of the three proposals,” he said. “They guessed what we might like. They didn’t talk to us about what we might like.”
The Pioneer Group has proposed a mixed use element for downtown, while the KCCHA has focused on tourism, he said, adding that he would be inclined to accept the housing authority’s proposal if it moved city hall to Jensen Way.
“If we were to settle for the best of three, I don’t know which one I would choose,” Rudolph said.
Instead of automatically rejecting all three finalists, Stern said the entire council needs the opportunity to make the call.
“We need to stay on course, so we’re not making the all important decision,” Stern said. “They need to be brought in on the three before we proceed any farther.”
Councilwoman Connie Lord agreed.
“I think it’s important we follow the process,” Lord said. “We need to hear from the full council if we’re going to scrap these three.”
Rudolph also proposed that the committee combine the best elements of the three proposals and contract with the KCCHA to have it build the new city hall.
Doing so would mean scrapping the current request for proposal and developing a new one because, legally, the city can’t modify the existing request for permits and give the contract to one of three groups, planning director Barry Berezowsky said.
“I’m not pushing for any one. I’m just trying to keep us on track,” Berezowsky said.
The full council can make its decision based on the committee’s recommendation, but it needs to remember one thing before possibly rejecting all three proposals, he said.
“Then we’re back to where we were six months ago or we’re talking about a public works project,” he said.
Public works projects are awarded to the lowest bidder, so there is no guarantee as to whom might get the project should the council choose that route, Berezowsky said.
