As I write this brief article, I am reminded of Earth Day which we celebrated on April 22nd. On Earth Day I always think about the beauty of Poulsbo; the cleanliness of Liberty Bay and the backdrop of our green forests. Thank you to West Sound Academy who celebrated Earth Day by picking up trash around the streets of Poulsbo.
Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park is looking especially beautiful as we installed new benches around the freshly painted Pavilion. The big birthday party for Bill Austin and Ardis Morrow is Saturday May 2 from noon until 4:00 pm recognizing 170 years of service; Bill turns 80 and Ardis turns 90. Happy Birthday!! Poulsbo is a fundamentally different place because of the public service and volunteerism of Bill and Ardis.
There is a tired soccer field in the middle of the mobile home park at Lincoln and Caldart. It needs new sod, painted goals with new netting and an overall clean up. Many fine soccer players grew up in this neighborhood. The Poulsbo Police Department, Poulsbo Rotary, Mayor's Office of Poulsbo and Skelly Works Inc. are teaming up to repair the soccer field and install new play equipment. This neighborhood has many children that would benefit from a newly improved play area. If you would like to help with this project, please contact the Mayor's office at the City of Poulsbo (360) 779-3901.
The Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is already working on the new bicycle pump track to be located at the Little Valley ball field located north of Central Market. They have been removing the scotch broom from the hillsides and getting ready to bring in and move dirt to establish the tracks. Meanwhile, we continue to look for additional ball fields for both the Diamond Dusters and North Kitsap Little League.
The City of Poulsbo has been recommended to receive a $73,000 grant from Kitsap County's 1/10th of 1% for mental health. The Kitsap County Commissioners were briefed about the grant on April 29th. The funds will be used to pay Kitsap Mental Health to hire and place a mental health specialist in the Poulsbo and Port Orchard Municipal Courts. Poulsbo took the lead on the grant and will function as the lead agency to administrator and manage the new program. This will be the first program of its kind in the State of Washington. People with mental health problems that have been arrested for minor crimes will be better treated for their illness rather than face expensive incarceration.
The old City Hall property continues to move forward with initial drawings of the new apartment - mixed use building. The old police station is being actively marketed with a price drop to $950,000.
Olympic Crest, our newest neighborhood, achieved it final plat status April 15th. The project is located on Pugh road close to Lincoln and is almost sold-out. Poulsbo is a very hot housing market. Coming soon to Poulsbo are the neighborhoods of Mountain Aire on Noll Road and Summerset on Viking Way. Thank you to the Kitsap Realtors Association and the Kitsap Homebuilders Association for meeting with me on April 27 and 28th as we discussed our changing housing market.
Representative Drew Hansen and our police department have worked tirelessly on HB 1917 which would support the use of body cameras for police in the State of Washington. We don't know if the bill will pass, but the conversation has been raised not only at a state but a national level by crafting this bill. We hope legislation will pass that supports police accountability and preserves the individual's right to privacy when body cameras are in use.
Jump on the #44 bus as it travels around Poulsbo. We have worked hard to establish the new routes serving and circulating through Poulsbo. Soon it will be sporting a new look with a brand new paint job.
Finally, Viking Fest is coming!! A new bicycle ride call the Viking Tour will be Sunday, May 17th starting at Fishline on Viking Avenue.
For more information go to www.poulsbovikingtour.com.
Becky Erickson, Mayor
