Council grapples with parking woes

The Port Orchard City Council meeting ran late on Monday night as Councilman John Clauson made a last-minute motion to authorize Mayor Kim Abel and staff to negotiate a temporary parking agreement with Kitsap County, despite months of non-cooperation between the two entities on the issue.

The agreement would allow the county to use city property to park while a new administrative building is under construction.

Councilwoman Rita DiIenno added an amendment to the motion designating the lots at Sidney and Division, and on Taylor, as the only two the county can use.

Councilman Ron Rider concurred.

“It’s not just a matter of considering the county,” Rider said. “It’s a matter of considering the people who are going to be affected by the parking lots.”

The motion to amend failed with only DiIenno and Rider voting affirmatively.

The underlying motion to allow the county parking access passed with DiIenno and Rider in dissent.

It is unclear when negotiations will begin, but the county will only be allowed the space until the administrative building’s construction is complete in October.

Other council actions:

-- The council voted unanimously to a $97,000 change order with Strider Construction in an effort to bring the construction company back to the negotiating table regarding disputed charges.

-- The council voted unanimously to appropriately spend any revenue the city receives from the law and justice sales tax measure on the ballot this fall.

-- The council voted unanimously to allow Cingular Wireless raise the Mitchell Avenue monopole to 113 feet.

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