Rumblings in the community about an increasingly interesting relationship between the City of Bainbridge Island and the City of Fort Collins, CO have reached an audible pitch following recent developments at City Hall.
As Tristan “the press is back in town” Baurick noted in the Bainbridge Islander last week (and more pointedly on the Islander's blog), two of the five finalists in the City’s search for a new City Administrator have served previously as City Manager for Fort Collins. An interesting coincidence as Fort Collins is a relatively small town not exactly a stone’s throw away. But what really makes the coincidence worth noting is that these are just two of an increasing number of links between the two cities.
The most prominent connection to Fort Collins thus far has been, of course, our current Planning Director Greg Byrne. Byrne served as Director of Planning in Fort Collins prior to taking his current position at the City of Bainbridge Island last year. During his tenure at Fort Collins, Director Byrne helped to craft City Plan, a Winslow Tomorrow-esque comprehensive plan to guide city planning through 2025. Among the consultants participating in the creation the plan was the Fort Collins office of EDAW, former and current employer of ex-Winslow Tomorrow project manager Sandy Fischer. Not to say that Fischer was involved in the Fort Collins plan. At that time, Ms. Fischer was the owner of an architecture firm in Montana where she ultimately played a major role in the redevelopment of downtown Billings, including a prominent streetscape project paid for largely by the benefiting private property owners and grant money (imagine that). She was hired by the Seattle office of EDAW in 2002.
The real “hmmm” moment came last week with the hiring of Clarion Associates for the overhaul of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code. Those who watched the February 13th Council meeting may recall planning director Greg Byrne explaining the fair and thorough process used to evaluate the candidates for the $200,000 contract that resulted in the unanimous decision to recommend Clarion. A quick Internet search finds that Clarion Consultants, a national firm, has an office in Fort Collins. A few more clicks of the mouse and we find that not only has Director Byrne worked closely with Clarion on a number of occasions over at least the last 10 years, including the creation of City Plan, but, as Clarion boasts on it’s website, it was also hired to draft “an innovative new zoning code that … guided implementation of City Plan”.
We could do worse when it comes to intriguing relationships – apparently Fort Collins was Money magazine’s number one best place to live in 2006. Although, if we’re going to draw heavily (solely?) on the talent of one particular geographical location, it could be argued that a coastal or island locale might be a more suitable training ground than one located in the land locked high desert.
So what exactly is the significance of these connections to Fort Collins, CO? Who knows. Perhaps it’s evidence of an elaborate conspiracy related to the redevelopment of Winslow, or perhaps it’s just another case of I-know-a-guy hiring practices. Either way it’s probably worth keeping our eyes out for more visitors from “the FC”.
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13 comments:
One might ask what the endorsement of Fort Collins, in a magazine entitled "MONEY," might signify. Contrary to the observation in the article at hand, one might not be able to do much worse than that.
Good point, Stefan.
In 2005, BI was listed by Money Magazine as the second best place to live.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2005/index.html
Obviously, whatever conspiracy there is, it has to do with Money Magazine. Money is always at the root of all evil, didn't you know?
The city conducted a national search to find and hire a director for our planning department. He was chosen for his expertise, outside-of-the-box thinking, national recognition for developing cutting-edge solutions to common problems facing cities with growth issues, and for his contacts in the planning and city administration fields. Now, as some of those contacts are utilized, the city and the planning director are being criticized??!! Get a grip, people!
I doubt that anyone has a problem with Byrne or anyone else at the City bringing in folks they've worked with and believe are the best candidates for the job, nor would most even fault someone for tipping the scales in favor of a known quantity when all other factors are equal. The issues are transparency and fairness. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate for Mr. Byrne to have acknowledged some prior relationship with Clarion rather than to emphasize only the objectivity of the selection process and in so doing suggest the opposite?
Clarion may very well be the best firm for the job and Byrne's (and the Administration's/staff's) motives may be faultless, but in the context of all that has been known to have occurred, rumored to have occurred or speculated about at City Hall, the time is now for total transparency.
There is good reason to scrutinize our present Planning Director. It is crucial to have good, strong ordinances and resolutions passed by Council, but with lack of equitable enforcement, what could and should be laws to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens and environment, could become mere words with a stamp of approval.
Next to the Mayor, Greg Byrne is responsible for code enforcement decisions - he is the director of the department and the superior of Ms. McKnight. Then look at who has been cited and against whom enforcement has actually occurred and been fully carried out, for, say, unlawful removal of trees, vegation and wetlands fill. This is not conjecture; it is a matter of public record and the record is not good.
We all could benefit from careful scrutiny of the choices made, actions taken and blind eyes turned. The difference of one word in a "code revision" can change the entire meaning.
So thank you, Bainbridge Postscript, for bringing this out. If anything, it would be great if this blog could dig deeper on this story which isn't about money magazine. Rather, the core seems to be about who and what is in control of the government of this island and who and what will determine our future.
I think people are missing the point that there are other "close relationships" in City Hall, including the hiring of Kathy Oeser as Executive Assistant to the City Administrator. Oeser is part owner in Prothman, the search firm that is carrying out this search. Obviously Prothman itself is not above the appearance of conflicts of interest.
-Rod Stevens
I, too, must admit to finally having joined a substantial portion of the island citizenry that is clamoring for “transparency” in government because we no longer trust our city government. The cry has been so strong that even the electeds have joined the chorus, frequently assuring us of their own support for “transparency in city government” operations. No doubt that was one of the reasons why the City Council cut the Mayor’s contracting approval authority back from $100,000 to $10,000 per contract last week—now the content of those contracts must be discussed in open session.
As members of the public, it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, for us to understand even the most basic elements of city deals--contracts so carefully packaged in secrecy. However, thanks to numerous reporters, particularly those on blogs like The Bainbridge Postscript, we know that there’s virtually never full disclosure with this government. So, I thank The Bainbridge Postscript for raising questions, trying to connect the dots, and revealing those few relevant truths that they’ve been able to tweak out. Keep them coming!
No doubt no question would have been raised by the blog if the Fort Collins connection had been noted up front during Planning Director Byrne’s contract presentation to Council last week. Perhaps it’s policy that neither the Mayor nor her staff need share such information with the Council (and the public), but shouldn’t the Council ask who the bidders were, especially when our entire Code is at stake? If our Washington state code was to be revised, would that process have been so under cover? I don’t think so.
If Planning Director Byrne worked with Clarion and was particularly impressed by their work product, then share that with this Council, in open session. The Council is entitled to know (as well as the public) who the three finalists were for the code rewrite and why Clarion was chosen. In a transparent government with nothing to hide, that would be part of the open, public conversation.
Were this not such a major contract, surely the Bainbridge Postscript wouldn’t have noticed. But, they did notice because this is a rewrite of our entire, carefully crafted laws in a city that has earned the public’s distrust. Without revelations in blogs like the Bainbridge Postscript, the pattern of secrecy in the City could continue with too few challenges to have any impact. Can the dots be connected? Perhaps. At a minimum, it’s curious that 2 of the 5 recent finalists for City Manager were also from Fort Collins. From what I know, Fort Collins is very different from our island. Is it being used as a measure for change for us? Perhaps.
Regarding BI's 2005 listing by MONEY as the 2nd best place to live ... I've begun to wonder if the designation is "bought".
Upon noting in the six month period prior to 1/2/2005 that BI experienced 172 known incidents of alcohol/drug use among teens - among them two the loss of two teenage girls and crippling of an emergency room physician riding a bicycle - and that in the first three months of 2005 BI experienced five known suicide attempts, three by 14 year olds - these hardly seem to warrant a designation as the second most desirable place to live in the nation.
Too, it's worth noting that in 2006, BI didn't even rank in the top 100 most desirable places to live.
Sure makes one wonder what's real - or who's driving the train here, doesn't it?
Do the citizens get a say in the process of revamping our codes, since it effects us directly? But really, does it even matter if the codes are revamped? The problem with existing codes is not the way the code is written or what the code is meant to address. Instead it’s about who is enforcing the code and the recurring fact that members of our city and the local police can not, and do not adequately interpret existing laws and codes.
Has our high school educated code enforcement officer taken those training classes yet? Does having a city attorney mean that the city will be able to adequately impart the appropriate interpretation of our laws? Or is it the inner workings of the Bainbridge Mafia picking and choosing which codes and laws are the easiest to misinterpret for their immediate use?
How many people in America have had their single-family resident compost pile inspected by department of health officials, based on misstating laws for Commercial Agriculture facilities? Especially when the resident Director of our Kitsap County Health Department who sanctioned the inspection and found no violations, has his own Island chicken coop (or confined feeding area that Megan is so confused about), less than 200 feet from an existing structure. And, how fast did our new FC planner get on board to help usher in the misuse of city authority? It did not take that long. Does Fort Collins also suffer from similar politics? Is transparency also a major issue in the high desert?
It’s all about self serving needs, and who is getting what by doing favors for each other at the expense of others. Starting with our local city government, then our local police and not just ending with our judges, prosecutors and court system in Kitsap.
Enclosed are statistics for Fort Collins and Bainbridge Island. I hope this blog is sanitary enough for you to print.
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO
As of 2007, Fort Collins's population is 129,467 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 9.11 percent. There are 2,780 people per square mile (population density).
Family in Fort Collins, CO:
The median age is 30.4. The US median is 37.6. 45.80% of people in Fort Collins, CO, are married. 8.55% are divorced.
The average household size is 2.46 people. 22.57% of people are married, with children. 6.70% have children, but are single.
Race in Fort Collins:
CO, 88.51% of people are white, 1.30% are black, 3.08% are asian, 0.64% are native h ispanic, and 7.02% claim ‘Other’.
9.70% of the people in Fort Collins, CO, claim h ispanic ethnicity (meaning 90.30% are non-hispanic).
The median home cost in Fort Collins is $268,400. Home appreciation the last year has been 0.46 percent. Find more data on Fort Collins Real Estate.
Compared to the rest of the country, Fort Collins’s cost of living is 5.21% Lower than the U.S. average. See our full report on Fort Collins Cost of Living.
Fort Collins public schools spend $5,707 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. There are about 18 students per teacher in Fort Collins. Learn about Fort Collins Schools and Education.
The unemployment rate in Fort Collins is 3.30 percent(U.S. avg. is 4.60%). Recent job growth is Positive. Fort Collins jobs have Increased by 2.19 percent. See our full report on Fort Collins Economy.
VS. BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WASHINGTON
As of 2007, Bainbridge Island’s population is 22,178 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 9.21 percent. There are 803 people per square mile (population density).
Family in Bainbridge Island, WA:
The median age is 45.6. The US median is 37.6. 63.74% of people in Bainbridge Island, WA, are married. 10.81% are divorced.
The average household size is 2.49 people. 30.79% of people are married, with children. 6.03% have children, but are single.
Race in Bainbridge Island, WA:
92.87% of people are white, 0.26% are black, 2.15% are asian, 0.58% are native american, and 4.13% claim 'Other'.
2.50% of the people in Bainbridge Island, WA, claim hispanic ethnicity (meaning 97.50% are non-hispanic).
The median home cost in Bainbridge Island is $840,000. Home appreciation the last year has been 12.00 percent. Find more data on Bainbridge Island Real Estate.
Compared to the rest of the country, Bainbridge Island's cost of living is 60.43% Higher than the U.S. average. See our full report on Bainbridge Island Cost of Living.
Bainbridge Island public schools spend $5,432 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. There are about 20 students per teacher in Bainbridge Island. Learn about Bainbridge Island Schools and Education.
The unemployment rate in Bainbridge Island is 4.10 percent(U.S. avg. is 4.60%). Recent job growth is Positive. Bainbridge Island jobs have Increased by 1.60 percent. See our full report on Bainbridge Island Economy.
I think I will go back and live in Fort Collins (Graduated from CSU), sure costs less to live there. Since Fort Collins politicians are coming to Bainbridge, Colorado could be even better.
How can you compare apples to oranges. Check out the difference in population. I hope our government does not have designs on growing to 2,780 people per square mile vs. 803 people per square mile currently on Bainbridge. Ok, city vs. rural. Rural is why most people live here.
Man what a concept. Get another person on the team so that the island nuts and coucil can change their socks every few month. Who needs that kind of progress. What we need is a Mayor with the guts to put the "know it all council" in its place and do what the Mayor has power to do under the law. If members of the council want change, they should should run for Mayor and then see what they can do.
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