The Peninsula Gateway Blog

The Washington state Transportation Commission voted to leave tolls the way they are for another year. Below is the press release issued by Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor and his legislative office.

OLYMPIA — Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, issued the following statement Wednesday after the state Transportation Commission voted to leave Tacoma Narrows Bridge tolls alone for the next year:
“I’m very pleased by the commission’s decision. Folks are struggling enough in this lousy economy without having to pay higher tolls on a bridge they’ll cross hundreds of times each year.”
“This is why we worked so hard this legislative session to defer the Narrows Bridge startup loan and change the way tolls are collected and how fines are administered. This is why we scrub the bridge budget so hard to make sure dollars that are supposed to be spent on bridge operations are actually spent for that purpose.”
The commission had earlier considered increasing electronic tolls from $2.75 to $3.25 and cash tolls from $4 to $5.
During this year’s legislative session Kilmer worked to reduce pressure to raise tolls on two fronts.
First, he successfully included language in the supplemental transportation budget to have a $5.3 million startup loan, due June 30, 2011, deferred into the future. Second, he successfully amended a toll administration bill to divert fine revenues from toll violations to the Narrows Bridge account to pay off that loan.
“Keeping Narrows Bridge tolls down is a battle fought on many fronts,” Kilmer said. “I’m really pleased that citizens from our neck of the woods got actively involved on this issue. This year it’s really paid off.”

When a soccer match ends in a tie, does the outcome ever have a feeling of, well we didn’t lose? But on the other hand, we didn’t win. So how are we supposed to feel?

Against a talented Bellarmine Prep squad – they advanced to the Class 4A state tournament quarterfinals last year – the Tides should feel pretty good about the outcome, despite blowing a lead in the second half.

Gig Harbor (0-0-1 Narrows League, 1-0-1 overall)  tied its league-opener against Bellarmine Prep (0-0-1 league, 1-0-1 overall) with a 2-2 decision at Bellarmine Prep High School Tuesday night under windy, rainy and cold weather conditions.

Gig Harbor’s Tyler Clark scored in the 25th minute of the first half during a corner kick, 1-0. This was his analysis of the goal.

“It came off Robby’s (Ubben) head and went passed two defenders,” Clark said. “I was sitting near the far post by the keeper. I turned and poked that far post.”

The half concluded,  but the action on the muddy field heated up. Bellarmine Prep’s Curtis Peterson tied the match with a score in the 12 minute with 28:30 remaining.  But the goal simply ignited the Tides’ offense. In less than three minutes, Gig Harbor’s Ubben scored on an assist from Clark for the second lead of the night, 2-1.

This was Ubben’s description of the goal.

“I know Tyler (Clark) is one of the fastest kids on our team. He was going to beat the defender,” Ubben said. “I knew I had to make my run to the middle. It just happened the ball was placed perfectly and I made my sliding goal.”

With the lead again, Bellarmine Prep’s David Savitz took matters into his own feet with a mesmerizing display of physicality and footwork. He single-handedly scored in the 23rd minute with a sprint-dribble down Gig Harbor’s sideline, initializing a slight push-off on his closest defender and juking-out the secondary defender. After that, it was only him and Tides sophomore goalkeeper Korey Durkee.

The match would end in a 2-2 tie.

It’s going to be interesting to see the Tides when they are  healthy. Gig Harbor was missing several key starters  due to minor injuries. If the Gig Harbor boys soccer team can stay healthy, they will be a formidable team in the Narrows League.

The Puget Sound Youth Wind Ensemble will host its spring concert
from 7 to 8 p.m. March 21 at Schneeeck Concert Hall, University of Puget Sound at the corner of Union and 14th St. in Tacoma.

Tickets are $8 at the door and $4 for students. The ensemble is under the direction of Gerard Morris, director of bands at the University of Puget Sound. Students in the ensemble attend school in Auburn, Bethel, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Peninsula, Puyallup, Mercer Island, Tacoma, University Place and Vashon Island. For more information, call the Puget Sound Youth Wind Ensemble at 253-333-8138, e-mail,psywe@pswye.org or visit www.psywe.org.

The state Senate has confirmed a former 26th District representative to serve on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Pat Lantz, who served for 12 years in the state House, will be part of the Recreation and Conservation funding board. Now retired, she’s a member of the board for the Northwest Sinfonietta, and she’s involved in the Washington Wildlife and Recreation, the Tahoman Audubon Society, and the University of Washington-Tacoma Advisory Committee.

Lantz graduated from Kent-Meridian High School, received a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree from the University of Puget Sound.

Gig Harbor police are looking for the suspect who robbed the Borgen Boulevard Umpqua Bank, formerly Rainier Pacific Bank, last Monday evening.

The suspect, after grabbing the cash, fled the bank on a bicycle an was last seen leaving the bicycle in a nearby Costco parking lot and entering a waiting green sedan, which then sped away from the area.

The suspect is described as a white male, 35 to 45 years old, 6 foot 2 inches tall, slender build with an auburn/brown wig and a goatee. During the robbery he was seen wearing blue jeans, a dark blue baseball hat, a dark coat, one black and one white fabric gloves.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and charges filed for the person in this case.

Call 253-591-5959. All callers will remain anonymous.

Dancers from the Gallery School of Music and Dance will perform at a fundraiser at 6 p.m. March 19 at the Inn at Gig Harbor, 3211 56th St. NW. The auction/ dinner event is to raise money to assist the dancers with their trip to Austria. The dancers have been invited to perform at the dance festival in Innsbruck. Tickets are $45. For more information, call Kara Morkert at 360-895-9214.

The Professional Photographers of Washington have announced that applications are available for the 2010 Student Photographer of the Year Award, which is open to all high school seniors in Washington State, graduating this year.

The winning student will receive a $2,000 scholarship grant, which will be used to further the applicant?s study in the photographic arts. A panel of photographers who are members of the Professional Photographers of Washington will select the finalists.

The Student Photographer of the Year will be chosen based upon photographic and scholastic achievements and the student?s wish to continue their studies in the photographic arts.

Applications must be postmarked by March 20. For more information, call Mary Lou Guinn, Point of View Photography by Lou, at 253-225-7108. Applications are available by visiting PPW.org.

Bill Sehmel, a current member of the Board of Commissioners for the Peninsula Metropolitan Parks District, announced today he will run for a Pierce County Council position.

Sehmel, a fourth-generation resident of the Gig Harbor peninsula, plans to run for the District 7 seat, which will be vacated by Terry Lee, R-Gig Harbor, on Dec. 31. Lee will reach the maximum limit of two four-year terms.

“Pierce County is a great place to live and work,” Sehmel, a republican, said in a statement. “As our next County Council member, I will work to preserve our quality of life, maintain a balanced budget while ensuring public safety by prioritizing funding law enforcement.”

Sehmel’s family settled in the Gig Harbor area in 1884, and the homestead is about to become one of the largest parks in the PenMet Parks District, according to a news release. Sehmel led the effort to preserve the homestead’s open space and to make it available for public use.

“This spring, the land that my family homesteaded will become a 100-acre community recreation area, a success for both conservation and private property rights,” he said in his statement.

Sehmel praised Lee’s service for the county district, which covers the Gig Harbor and Key peninsulas, Fox Island, University Place, Fircrest and parts of Tacoma.

“Terry Lee and I have been friends for years,” Sehmel said in his statement. “I admire his thoughtful approach to county issues, and I can think of no better example of how best to serve the people of Pierce County.”

Sehmel and his longtime girlfriend, Suzanne Ellingson, live on Fox Island. He has three grown children, Lindsay, William and Stephanie, from a previous marriage. He also has a grand-daughter, Rylee. All four live in the area. Sehmel’s parents, Donald and Mary Ellen, live in Gig Harbor.

Sehmel holds a real estate broker’s license and works as a plumber. He graduated from Peninsula High School and enjoys shooting, gardening, and reading espionage thrillers and history.

Three other candidates have previously announced their intention to run. They include Todd Iverson, D-Gig Harbor, who also is a PenMet Parks commissioner; Larry Wingard, R-Lakebay, who unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 1994; and Stan Flemming, R-University Place, a former University Place mayor and city council member.

Here’s a news release from the City of Gig Harbor:

GIG HARBOR — The City of Gig Harbor has been upgraded to AA- long-term rating by Standard and Poor’s. The rating increase will mean a significant saving over the years to the city and its ratepayers — about $92,000 in interest savings over the life of the bonds.

The S&P report justifies the rating upgrade on:

• Location in the economically diverse Pierce County service area with above-average income levels
• Track record of maintaining adequate debt service coverage (DSC) and good liquidity
• Implementation of rate increases

The reports says the foregoing strengths are partially offset by the city’s additional debt needs to fund its current capital improvement plan and near-term need to expand capacity in both its water and sewer systems.

The stable outlook reflects S&P’s expectation that the city will maintain sufficient system net revenues to ensure good DSC and cash on hand, and the stability of the rating will depend on the city’s ability to pass along future rate increases and remain in line with its forecast.

“I would like to thank Finance Director Dave Rodenbach” City Administrator Rob Karlinsey said, “as well as City Engineer Steve Misiurak, and all their staff for their outstanding work in demonstrating professionally and conservatively run city finances and a well-planned capital program in order to make the case for a higher bond rating.”

The S&P report is available at www.cityofgigharbor.net.

Here’s a news release we received today from the office of state Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor:

OLYMPIA — The House Transportation Committee today approved legislation to continue efforts to reform the Washington State Ferries system. The legislation, House Bill 3209, offers new guidance on labor contract negotiations and makes clear that reform efforts within the state ferry system need to make fare payers the top priority.

Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, helped write the measure and has been pushing ferry system reform for the last four years.

“Ferry riders expect good service and good stewardship of the fares they pay,” Seaquist said. “We’ve made progress in recent years, and this year’s reform bill is the next step in ensuring fare dollars are used as efficiently as possible.”

Rep. Judy Clibborn, chair of the House Transportation Committee, introduced the legislation, which, in part, makes changes to the way the state negotiates contracts with ferry workers.

One significant piece would do away with the current baseball-style arbitration system, where the two parties bring in two final offers, and one must be selected. Arbiters would now be able to select compromise solutions that meet somewhere in the middle of the two offers.

An arbiter would now be able to also consider the financial feasibility to the Department of Transportation, and the Office of Financial Management would be able to consider financial feasibility before funding an arbitration award. An arbiter would also be able to compare ferry wages to other Washington state employees, or to ferry worker pay in other states or provinces.

The committee also expressed a desire to look at administrative overhead costs at comparable ferry systems.

“These changes are common-sense ways to improve contract negotiations with our ferry workers,” said Clibborn, D-Mercer Island. “As we continue to modernize our ferry system, including our ships, these changes will make sure contracts are kept up to date as well.

“We want contracts to work for the state, workers, and most importantly, fare payers.”

The legislation also requires transparency around the system’s reimbursement policies, the way work schedules are developed, and other aspects of Washington State Ferries operations.

“Ferry reform didn’t start this year, and it’s not going to end this year,” said Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, who co-sponsored the bill. “This agreement is another step toward making sure our ferry system will be able to serve us in the future.”

The current legislative session is scheduled to end March 11.