North Kitsap Herald Letters to the Editor | Nov. 12

Scandia Creek

Who were those masked volunteers?

They came on a snowy cold April Saturday and descended on the beach at the mouth of Scandia Creek. There must have been 30 or more dedicated volunteers.

All day long we watched them pull up and remove the ugly rebar that has scarred the inlet for many years. In mid-October the job was finally finished and they silently left us, as they came, with a cleaner and more beautiful creek.

I’m sure our neighbors join us in thanking you, whoever you are.

Pam Hamon

Poulsbo

City Hall

This stone stew is pretty tasty

When Poulsbo City Council decided in April 2004 that the Morris property should be the site of a city park, Council Member Connie Lord, as council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission, shared that Poulsbo should have a setting in the city for busy minds to contemplate and relax. Then, Mary McCluskey, Parks and Recreation Director, laid out the work-timelines, funding, interviews, and countless coordination.

In 2006, a selection committee of Connie Lord, Mary McCluskey, and Herb Kai for a landscape architect interviewed and recommended Larson & Casteel Company. Then, in 2007 Mayor Kathryn Quade and Council Member Lord advocated Art in Public Places, which meant more interviews and, finally, Wendy Armstrong’s team for the steel sculpture. And, yes, all work was carefully supervised so as not to disturb the stream running in the property.

The vision for the lay of the park was Mr. Morris back in 1988 or so when he hired Laurie Larson and Brad Pugh-Casteel to plant some trees, etc. on this property, which soon became a nursery, in a manner that would take advantage of the stream. So, when Brad drew up the master plan in 2006 for project 2006-41, he knew about the stream, topography, trouble spots, and had an inventory of the vegetation already on site.

So, credit to Centennial Park must be given to a whole stew of people: Poulsbo citizens for buzzing the concept, Lord for sensing a need, Morris for starting a dream, Larson-Casteel for being there, and here, then putting it on paper, McCluskey for total management, volunteers for blackberry removal, Public Works for operations, Debbie Booher for checking the money, committees for pushing the ‘bandwagon,’ Wendy Armstrong for artisan skill, Suquamish Tribe for stream attention, someone for bird photos, Herald for write-ups, someone for coffee and cookies, the council for approvals, the Mayor for ‘whipping,’ Gordon Stedman for introducing Gary Morris to me in the sauna, and critics for their erasers. And others unintentionally missed!

A delicious ‘stone stew!’ Mahalo nui loa o kou (Thank you very much).

Herb Kai

Poulsbo

Hansville

Are we losing our community?

I have been reading with increasing sadness about the lawsuit brought by Citizens for Accountable Government in Eglon and Hansville against the Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council.

I have come to know Hansville as a community of intelligent, welcoming, passionate people willing to extend themselves to develop a satisfying place to live in a beautiful natural setting. Eventually this current polarizing cloud over our community will dissipate. However, there may be consequences that the majority of the members of the community do not want.

We are a community with a strong tradition and pride in volunteerism. Most programs in Hansville are run exclusively by volunteers with the intention of making a better community for all of us.

Do you suppose that people will be hesitant to assume community responsibility as a result of this lawsuit?

I fear so.

I can only speak of my personal experience. As a resident of 2 plus years in Hansville I was aware of the meetings held about the traffic tables. I have attended a couple of GHACC meetings as an interested citizen and found them informative. However, that is not the point I want to make today.

I have joined activities in the community. I have not seen the individuals who are part of this negative agenda participating in community building.

I have not seen them helping in the Greenway, contributing time to the docent program at Point No Point Lighthouse, working at the annual rummage sales nor participating in the mentoring programs at Wolfle Elementary School.

All of our neighbors named in the lawsuit, that I know, participate in these or other programs.

I want to thank the volunteers that work to enhance our lives in Hansville. Please continue. You are appreciated.z

Judy Tallman

Hansville

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