12/07/2009 - Regular - MinutesCity of Port Orchard
Council Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting of December 7, 2009
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Lary Coppola called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Pro-Tempore Carolyn Powers
and Councilmembers Fred Chang, Jerry Childs, John Clauson, and Rob Putaansuu was present and
constituted a quorum. Councilmembers Colebank and Olin were absent. Staff present: City
Treasurer Martin, Police Chief Townsend, and City Clerk Patti Kirkpatrick were also present.
A. Pledge of Allegiance
Bryce Baird led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Councilmember Putaansuu MOVED and Councilmember Clauson seconded the motion to excuse
Councilmember Colebank from the meeting. Upon vote, the motion passed unanimously.
2. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Public Hearing: 2010 Proposed Budget
Mayor Coppola opened the Public Hearing at 7:03 p .m.
Bek Ashby read a letter from resident Kim Abel regarding the proposed cuts to Bremerton-Kitsap
Access Television (BKAT) and urged the Council to consider broadcasting on both BKAT and on the
City's Website; and in the alternative lowering the Franchise Fee tax from 5% to 4%, which had
previously been increased in 2005 to pay specifically for BKAT services.
Char Burnett, General Manager for BKAT, voiced her appreciation of Ms. Abel's comments,
noting that they had worked hard to get the meetings televised for local residents. She clarified that
her proposal to the City was to use the allocated $5,000 and monitor that money as it depletes,
which she estimated would carry the City through the month of October; and at that point it was
hoped the City would be able to come up with the additional $1,800 to continue the meeting
broadcasts through the end of the year. Further, she noted that the City's failure to pay its
proportionate share of BKAT's services forces the other communities to subsidize that work; and
she urged the Council to keep broadcasting meetings on BKAT while she works with the Mayor to
explore other options in keeping the City's business open and transparent to its local community.
There being no further comments, Mayor Coppola closed the Public Hearing at 7:09 p .m.
3. ADJOURNMENT