Review Bainbridge Island
SPARTANS COME OUT STRONG: BHS wrestlers host Island Invite. A11
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2014 | Vol. 114, No. 3 | www.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.com | 75¢
CRIMINAL CHARGES FILED IN ‘CHICKAMAUGA’ SINKING
BI Fire board says no to Cho COMMISSIONER WILL HAVE TO STEP DOWN AS FIREFIGHTER BY BRIAN KELLY
Bainbridge Island Review
Brian Kelly | Bainbridge Island Review
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announces criminal charges against the owner of a tugboat that sank in Eagle Harbor last October during a press conference in Seattle.
Tugboat owner could face major fines, prison BY LUCIANO MARANO Bainbridge Island Review
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark announced the filing of charges against the owner of the neglected 100-year-old “Chickamauga” at a press conference Wednesday in the
Seattle office of the Attorney General. Anthony R. Smith, the owner of the tugboat that sank in Eagle Harbor in October and leaked approximately 200 to 300 gallons of diesel fuel into Puget Sound, will face criminal charges including one count of theft in the first degree, one charge of causing a vessel to become abandoned or derelict and
one count of discharge of polluting matters into state waters. The charges, along with separate charges relating to a similar incident in Pierce County, are the first environmental crimes involving derelict vessels to be filed by the state turn to TUGBOAT | A10
Bainbridge Island Fire Commissioner YongSuk Cho will have to hang up his firefighter’s helmet as a volunteer with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. Actually, he’ll have to turn it in, along with his bunker gear and other firefighting equipment. Commissioners for the board of the fire department turned down Cho’s request Wednesday to continue serving as a volunteer with the fire department. Cho, who was elected to the Position 2 seat on the fire board and took the oath of office Wednesday, had hoped to continue as a volunteer with the department while also serving as a commissioner. Cho has been a volunteer firefighter/EMT for Bainbridge for more than 20 years. State law, however,
requires a unanimous vote from commissioners to allow an elected official to serve in both roles. At the commissioners’ meeting this week, Fire Chief Hank Teran recalled a board decision that set the current policy in place of not allowing commissioners to serve as volunteers in the department. That decision came after much talk, Teran recalled, and one of the main concerns was that as a volunteer, a commissioner would be under the supervision of staff. Commissioners, though, oversee the chief as well as set the direction and budget for the department. The dual role would muddy the chain of command, officials said. “It put the staff in a very awkward position,” Teran said. turn to CHO | A16
Council gives initial nod of approval for conceptual Waterfront Park design BY CECILIA GARZA Bainbridge Island Review
The Bainbridge Island City Council saw the first look into the future for Waterfront Park this week. The first glimpse was good, city officials said. Studio Cascade, the consultants enlisted for the redesign, held a four-day open studio to gather community input over this past week, and in their presentation to council Wednesday, the design team said a village park with a visitor friendly scheme will be the central theme for the master plan. “If people here love it, other people will, too,” said islander Felicia Burzell. “Part of what we love is this process of being involved and being able to represent others who may not have a voice ... so that we can help bring a vision that is inclusive.”
The design team began the open studio process with four general themes the community could work from to help draft a new park design. The themes considered affordability, the local economy, environmental and historical elements and a village-driven approach. The village theme focused on the needs of local residents and made space for water sports, multiple play areas, outdoor performances and water access. Bill Grimes of Studio Cascade said the team did not think any single concept would be exactly the right fit. But by having citizens pick and choose and add features to the themes, the team could create a hybrid design plan that met the majority of the community’s requests. “While we were coming into this project we had anticipated a certain amount turn to PARK | A4
Cecilia Garza | Bainbridge Island Review
Students from the Madrona School offer input to Waterfront Park designers on what park amenities would best lend to their outdoor education program. The students were just one group that attended the consultants’ open studio sessions this week.