Thursday, November 19, 2009

Illahee Preserve Rain Garden Project - 11/19/09

Preserve Rain Gardens?  We have been asked some questions about the rain garden project at the Illahee Preserve's new parking lot on Almira.  The project was mentioned at the ICC meeting on Saturday and in the meeting summary Update that followed.
 
Community in Support.  We noted in the last Update community members helped keep the weeds out of the rain garden plots during the summer and with a special effort on Illahee Day.  Attached is a picture of the larger rain garden plot.  The ICC voted on Saturday to officially support the project along with the other organizations that have agreed to help.
 
Request for Volunteers Went Out Today (11/19/09).  There was a request for volunteers to help with the rain garden planning, planting, etc.  We have been asked to keep the Illahee Community informed of volunteer opportunities and have therefore attached the email that went out today. 
 
Jim Aho 
 
 
Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden at the Illahee Preserve, Request for Volunteers
 
The necessary approvals for the Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden at the Illahee Preserve's new Almira Street parking lot have been obtained.

Following is the recent correspondence log of significant emails describing the project in greater detail.

We have just started the planning process and have some ideas for what could done, but would like to get more input.  Basically, we have one area of 10' by 105', and another area roughly 25' by 105', which totals almost 4000 sq ft.  We feel there could be a number of different demonstration plots with different plants and themes.

Signage will be one of the key issues as the demonstration rain garden concept is for it to be self interpretive.  We are anticipating grant monies from the Department of Ecology and the Port of Illahee for signage.  We are already investigating putting in security lights and security cameras with the Illahee Preserve groups to make sure our work remains in tact.  These projects would be paid for by the groups since there are no park's funds available.

We want to get started as soon as possible, first with a plan, and then with plantings.  We have had some individuals already volunteer plants and help with planting.

Aimee Weber is a botanist who just moved back into the area and has designed commercial rain gardens in Northern California and has volunteered to help with the planning.  We would like to have others join her. 

We are trying to figure out how to make this happen quickly in order to take advantage of the rainy season.  The parking lot dedication will be in early spring and the rain garden needs to be completed well ahead of that date.

We need volunteers to help with planning, planting, signage, and possibly some other items we are unaware of, such as the possibility of contacting local nurseries to see if they are interested in putting in a demonstration plot. 

If you can help please respond to this email.


Rain Garden Correspondence Log
Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden Proposal  -- Email of October 26, 2008
A Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden is being proposed for the two rain garden areas interior and adjacent to the new Illahee Preserve Almira parking lot that was completed this past spring. 

Rain gardens are one of the key features that are needed in the Illahee area in particular, and the county in general, to contain storm water and to help replenish the area aquifers, which was a finding of the Parametrix "Illahee Creek Watershed Surface Water Management Plan."  A demonstration rain garden is proposed to help local residents, along with any others, to see what a rain garden looks like, in order to encourage them to install one themselves.  The Illahee Preserve parking lot is viewed as an ideal location because of the increasing volume of people using the Preserve.

The two proposed rain garden areas have the appropriate amended soils that were put in as part of the parking lot contract.  The plantings of appropriate rain garden plants was delayed until the fall wet season (mid-October and later). 

The concept of a demonstration type of rain garden has been proposed informally to date and has received support by those contacted, and it is now past due for getting formal approval to proceed.

There are six (or seven) recommended demonstration plot areas that have been identified.  The 10 foot wide by 105 foot narrow area adjacent to the parking lot entrance is recommended for three 35' X 10' plots.  The nominal 25' by 105' interior area with flared areas at each end is recommended for three or four plots.

The plots are proposed to be distinguished by purpose with each one having a unique design reflecting that purpose, such as a rain garden specifically designed to attract birds, whereas another may be for attractive colors, and yet another to mimic a more wetland type of setting.  Another purpose would be one for those with a limited budget that looks at readily available sword ferns and sedges and plants lending themselves to propagation techniques like dividing.

Signage will be the key component of each plot with the intent of it being self explanatory.  The biggest concern with any sign is vandalism.  We are hoping to use grant monies to help with the signs, subject to available funds.

The key stakeholders of the raingarden are:

KC Parks and Recreation
Illahee Preserve Stewardship Committee
KC Public Works
UW Washington Sea Grant
WSU Extension
Port of Illahee (DOE Grant recipient)
Kitsap Home Builders (if interested)
Illahee Forest Preserve
East Bremerton Rotary

This proposal has in part been discussed with Parks and Recreation, the Illahee Preserve Stewardship Committee, the Illahee Forest Preserve, and the Port of Illahee, and is now requesting a meeting with Jeff Adams of Washington Sea Grant and WSU Extension.

Any ideas or suggestions with the subject proposal are appreciated.

Jim Aho, Project Manager of DOE/POI "Illahee Surface Water Management Plan" Grant


Email of November 1, 2009
Site Visit to Proposed Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden.  On Thursday morning, November 5th, at 10 am, we will be meeting Jeff Adams of Washington Sea Grant at the new Illahee Preserve parking lot on Almira(behind the Bremerton Lowes store) to look over the rain garden site and the proposal that it be a Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden.  We will be discussing the number of possible plots (currently looking at 6 or 7) and what concepts should be presented, along with signage options, and sources of native plants.  You are invited to this meeting.   Jim Aho


Email to Dave Garland dated November 5, 2009
Dave -

We just met today (11/5/09) regarding the attached email describing the Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden Proposal as part of our DOE grant, and all the stakeholders noted below are in basic agreement with this proposed project. 

This project appears to be what is needed to help move people from just being interested in rain gardens, to getting them to see what a rain garden can look like so that they will want to install a rain garden.

The location of the project is the new and primary parking lot for the Illahee Preserve, a 460 acre Kitsap County Heritage Park.  The parking lot was completed in late spring, and was waiting for the dry summer weather to end before planting two relatively large rain garden plots. 

The demonstration rain garden concept needed to go through a number of groups for approval beginning with the Illahee Preserve Stewardship Group, which approved the concept in October.  The Kitsap County Parks Department had agreed earlier that the Stewardship Group would be responsible for the rain garden.

Subsequently, other groups were contacted, including Kitsap County Public Work's Surface and Stormwater Management Program, which are all in agreement with the proposed project.  The current list of groups agreeing to participate in various manners is as follows.

Kitsap County Parks and Recreation
Illahee Preserve Stewardship Committee
Kitsap County Public Works Surface and Stormwater Management Program
UW Washington Sea Grant
WSU Extension & Master Gardeners
Port of Illahee (DOE Grant recipient)
Kitsap Home Builders
Illahee Forest Preserve
Kitsap County Conservation District
East Bremerton Rotary
Illahee Community Club (will vote regarding involvement at their annual meeting in November)

There are many benefits of using this site, the first being location.  It is centrally located between East Bremerton and Silverdale.  The Preserve has ever increasing popularity and therefore visits from the surrounding urban community.  The design was completed using Low Impact Development standards.  And best of all, the rain garden area is complete with amended soils, which have been weeded through the dry summer months, by the Illahee Preserve Stewardship Group, the East Bremerton Rotary, and AmeriCorp.  All that is needed now is the plantings, and that is where the idea for this to be much more than just the planting of native plants that would hardly get noticed being so close to a forest of native plants.

The concept is stated in the attached email below, and with some good signage and displays, we feel that we can help move residents within the Illahee Creek watershed, and beyond, to consider rain gardens to handle the stormwater coming from or through their properties.  With counties strapped for money to do minor and major stormwater improvements, such as were described in the grant funded report, any changes will need to come from concerned landowners.

While we feel this should be an integral part of our Public Information and Education task, given the unique opportunity to take advantage of the availability of the site, it is not specifically listed as a performance item in our task.

We would like permission to add it into our Public Information and Education task.  The primary grant cash costs associated with the rain garden project will be coordination and signage.  A review of the finances indicates that there will be sufficient funds to accomplish the work within the grant's bottomline budget allotment.

Please let us know earliest if this project can be accomplished as part of our DOE task.

Jim Aho


Email to Dave Garland and Pat Brommer of November 10, 2009

Dave & Pat -

We are anxious to move ahead with our Rain Garden proposal, which we consider a rare opportunity to increase the effectiveness of our Public Information & Education Task.  While we feel this falls within the parameters of the task under Item A of Task 2, which states "Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to..." and further "The recipient and designees will develop outreach tools to provide water quality information to the public, ....,"  we want to get your approval.

We have assembled a number of outstanding partners who are ready to get started, especially with this being the rainy season, and would like to give them the go ahead.  The primary direct cost to the grant would be the signage, native plants that aren't donated, and the coordination time.  This will also be a big help the Port with in-kind contributions.

Jim Aho


Phonecon Response from Dave Garland on November 12, 2009
I inquired of Dave if he had received our emails regarding the request to install a Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden at the new Illahee Preserve parking lot.  Dave responded that he was giving us the go ahead to proceed, but noted he was waiting on a call from Pat Brommer.  We discussed that a letter would be required of us to reallocate funds from the other tasks.  I said that we had funds that could be reallocated and we would be sending in a letter.    Jim Aho, Grant Project Manager

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Community Meeting Report - 11/15/09

Requested Report.  We have been asked what happened at Saturday's Illahee Community Club meeting, and responded that we would summarize our response in an update.  We didn't take notes so this is from memory and what we thought significant.
 
How Informed of Meeting?  The ICC president, Barney Bernhard, had attendees tell how they heard about the meeting when they introduced themselves.  There were some who only saw the signs (there were 12 posted at various locations), some got letters (those who were active members without email), and the rest seemed to have gotten emails and most commented they also saw the signs.  What they have found out is that the signs work in letting people know about the meetings, even if they don't attend.  But, then they want to know what happened, and that is what they like about the Updates.
 
Well Organized.  We found the ICC group had established a number of new committees, complete with chairpersons, and seemed more organized than ever.  If you were a member or on their email list all you had to do is check in.  Someone has done some significant work and it showed.
 
Grant Report.  We found the grant information most interesting.  The Port of Illahee's Dept of Ecology grant is huge, over $200,000, that paid for the Parametrix Illahee Creek Watershed Surface Water Management Plan, and the Aquifer presentation at the Norm Dicks Center this summer, along with water quality monitoring of the creek, and future tree plantings along the creek.  The grant evidently also covers a Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden project being planned for the new Illahee Preserve parking lot. 
 
Rain Garden Vote.  The ICC group voted to support the new rain garden, and has already helped with keeping the weeds down this past summer, which was also one of the service projects during Illahee Days. 
 
Why Rain Gardens?  One of the major findings of the Parametrix report was that we as residents could reduce the impact of storm water on Illahee Creek by residents having their storm water go through rain gardens.  Sounds too simple but evidently it works.  That is why the interest in a demonstration rain garden so that individual homeowners could see what a rain garden is and then create one.
 
Another Reason for Rain Gardens?  If we understand the aquifer situation correctly after listening to Dr. Massmann's presentation this summer.  The Manette aquifer is essentially in balance, which means the water we are pulling out through wells, is basically the same with the rain water that is being infiltrated back into the aquifer.  In other words, it is extremely important for us to find ways to help infiltrate the rains that fall on our properties, back into the ground where it can replenish our aquifers.  We are looking into asking the grant people if they can make available the video that BKAT made and aired following the presentation of Dr. Massmann.
 
Port of Illahee Report.  The Port noted they are proceeding with the purchase of property in the vicinity of the community dock for use as an office.  They noted they are purchasing a solar powered speed sign for along Illahee Road that should be installed by the end of the year.  They are taking applications to fill Don Deitch's Port Commissioner position (Don turned in a letter of resignation) and will announce their decision at their December meeting.  It is nice to have involved and dedicated Port Commissioners.
 
Illahee Community Plan.  We saw this item on the agenda, but they appeared to have skipped over it.  What we did see were CD copies of the Illahee Community Plan and a few paper copies.  Evidently they were just made up that morning and they don't know how much to charge for them, or if they should give them away.  We will try to find out more on the availability of copies.
 
Timbers Edge Discussion.  This was most interesting for many in attendance.  Earlier the Board of Directors was approached and encouraged to appeal the Commissioner's decision regarding Timbers Edge.  The Board said they would only do so if the community would come up with the money or pledges as the Board is liable financially for bills and fees.  At the meeting they were still going through the checks and pledges that had come in and no final report was made. 
 
Legal Issues Discussed.  The legal issues were discussed with one that was very interesting -- it read "Commissioners engaged in unlawful procedure to come to their decision as they came into ex parte contact with staff."  One of the resident Illahee lawyers explained what that meant and we will try to explain it here.  Judges, and those in a judicial capacity such as the Commissioners when they hear an appeal, are not supposed to discuss the case with one side without the other side being present.  According to the ICC, they feel there was such contact.
 
Wikipedia Ex parte Definitions.  We looked the term up in Wikipedia and found the following:  Ex parte is a Latin legal term meaning "from (by or for) one party" and "It is also used more loosely to refer to improper unilateral contacts with a court, arbitrator or represented party without notice to the other party or counsel for that party." and "In the United States, the availability of ex parte orders or decrees from both federal and state courts is sharply limited by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which provide that a person shall not be deprived of any interest in liberty or property without due process of law."  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_parte
 
[some parts removed because of confidentiality]
 
Sensitive Report.  We understand that the legal items we are reporting on are sensitive to some in the community (they would rather have us not report on legal issues since they fear they will be prematurely passed on to the other side).  We did reduce our Cc list considerably, which was also a conern.  We are trying to report impartially what we hear and know of so the community will be well informed, and feel that some of this information is too important to wait until items, like probably further appeals, are actually filed.
 
Legal Issues Reporting?  Let us know your thoughts on what you would like to see in our reporting of legal issues.
 
Jim Aho

Monday, November 9, 2009

Miscellaneous Items - 11/9/09

Illahee Community Meeting on Saturday.  The Illahee Community Club's annual meeting will be held Satuday, November 14, 2009, at the Sylvan Way Library from 1:30 - 3 pm.  All Illahee residents are invited to attend.  We just noticed the announcement also appears at the community website illaheecommunity.com that we hear is in the process of being re-engaged, and possibly looking for people to help keep it up.
 
Preserve Wood Thieves Caught.  We heard that thieves were taking wood from the log pile in the Almira parking lot of the Illahee Preserve, and that last night they were cutting wood in the dark and were caught.  Evidently the sheriff had them dump the wood in the parking lot and the Parks Department was notified.  The wood from the log pile is supposed to be used by Kitsap Community Resources for helping those needing wood to heat their homes.
 
Fern Street Vandalism.  We received a report on Sunday of some minor vandalism taking place in the evening among cars along Fern Street.
 
Furniture Dumping.  As long as we are on the subject, we need to be on the alert for people dumping furniture in Illahee.  Because we have areas that have less urbanization, we evidently are looked upon as a place where people can dump things without being seen or caught.  Let the sheriff and us know if you see any dumping activity going on. 
 
Illahee Preserve Demonstration Rain Garden?  We understand there are efforts underway to propose a Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden at the Almira parking lot of the Illahee Preserve.  Rain gardens are a natural way of cleaning and decreasing the impact of storm water on Illahee Creek and Puget Sound.  It is also the finding of a major study of the Illahee Creek watershed.  Additionally, rain gardens replenish aquifers which was another finding of the report, and it is especially needed in the Illahee Creek watershed.  We would support the proposal and are asking that this be an agenda item for the Illahee Community meeting on Saturday.
 
Seattle Aquarium Family Day.  We just received the following notice and wanted to pass it on.
 
What a great opportunity to spend a free day at the Aquarium. Really, who wouldn't want to see Orca poop?! Don't know if they'll get into the chocolate lab trained to find orca poo from the bow of a boat... maybe that's a different story. Free lunch at the Aquarium Cafe is a score too. Just a foot ferry ride away from Kitsap. It's this coming weekend, and RSVP is by Thursday. Cheers! JEff
---------------------------------------------------
Jeff Adams - jaws@uw.edu - (m) 360-229-9398
Washington Sea Grant - Kitsap - www.wsg.washington.edu
Please join COSEE-OLC for a fun-filled day of hands-on marine science for the whole family!
Seattle Aquarium’s Family Science Weekend
Choose to come either November 14 or 15; 9:30am-5:00pm
FREE admission tickets and lunch vouchers for the Aquarium Café provided for up to 4 people per family.
Registration by November 12 is required. Online registration at...
Experiments and displays will be set up throughout the Seattle Aquarium for a fabulous, hands-on marine science experience. Here are just a few of the many hands-on activities:
ü  Be a Poopologist! Check out Orca poop and learn about Killer Whale genetics.
ü Explore the world of plankton with a microscope.
ü  Find out about plastics in the marine environment. How long will it last?
ü Track storm water pollution and salmon impacts.
ü Play with polymers and learn about materials research.
ü Be a Fur Seal researcher!
Questions?  Contact Janice Mathisen at (206) 386-4365 or janice.mathisen@seattle.gov
 
Beach Nourishment Formal Appeal.  This is an interesting subject that puts the community arguing with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).  The previously mentioned studies that were done, appear to have had no influence on DFW, and so the Port of Illahee and the Illahee Community Club are filing a formal appeal of the Illahee Beach Nourishment project.  It is sad that a community has to fight an agency like DFW that is supposed to be more in protecting fish than a community.
 
Bear Still in Illahee?  We would like to know if the bear that was seen a few weeks ago is still in Illahee.  Please let us know if you have any information.
 
Illahee Community Dock.  The Illahee Community dock is a popular place during the winter months in the evening for area squid fisherman.  Attached is a Greg Price photo of the dock in the evening.
 
Jim Aho

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Illahee Community Club Annual Meeting 11/14/09 - Please attend!

The ICC's Annual Meeting of the Active Membership will be held on November 14th at the Sylvan Way Library starting at 1:30 PM.

All Illahee residents are encouraged to attend. The agenda for this meeting will include the election of new Directors to the Board. New committees and Chairs will also be presented. Up for discussion will be how to proceed after the Board of County Commissioner's denial of our appeal ( regarding the Timber's Edge Development) on October 12, 2009. Updates will be given on other issues before the ICC.

The newly elected Board of Directors will meet immediately after the annual meeting.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Missing Dog & ICC Membership Info - 11/4/09

Missing Great Dane. We have been asked to pass the following note on:

Please keep your eyes peeled for the gray/white (blue merle) Great Dane w/purple collar. She is a stray that has been wandering for over a week. She is extremely skinny now and skittish. She has been seen in traffic on Wheaton Way, as well as Sheridan, Cherry Ave, Halvorson, Callahan, Trenton, and Illahee. She has been spotted in Harrison Hospital parking lot, YMCA and Albertson’s parking lot. I spotted her at 1617 Sheridan Ave scratching at door. I went and knocked and no one answered but there was a Great Dane inside. I think she is seeking out other dogs. I want to set up a spot (probably church off Sheridan) to set out food on a routine basis to lure her. Maybe someone could make contact w/Albertson’s personnel and see if they would be willing to keep eye out and call us? Lastly, I would like to organize a search and rescue effort for this weekend if she is not caught by then. Could everyone spread the word and let’s help organize this and rescue this poor girl of the dangerous streets please?

I will be at WSP Academy in Shelton rest of this week, but will be checking my messages (360) 509-5347 and email:
BlackDogLady22@gmail.com and Teresa’s cell (360) 731-8826.

Thanks, Liz
Collar of Hope – All Breed Dog Rescue

ICC Membership? In the last Update (11/2/09) we included the Appeal Letter being distributed in the area around the Timbers Edge development. We have had some questions about how one becomes a member of the Illahee Community Club and what the purpose or the charter of the club is.

Application for Membership. We have attached the application for membership to this email and attached it below but without the pictue of the community dock on it.
For 2009 or 2010? We were asked whether a person would need to pay for both 2009 and 2010 if they were planning on attending the November 14th meeting (at 1:30 pm at the Sylvan Way library). The answer we received was that any membership received in the final quarter would cover the rest of the year and the following year.

Purposes of the ICC? The purposes for which the ICC was reorganized are listed on the attached application. In earlier years it was a 501.c.4 organization, which is more of a social organization. In 2008 it reorganized to become a 501.c.3 non-profit corporation with the IRS and the State of Washington with an emphasis on restoration and preservation.

Why Get Involved? We were asked why residents should join the ICC? The short answer is we have found that a small community doesn't get much respect from government officials and county staff unless they are organized. Some of us have found out that the county doesn't really care about a small salmon stream like Illahee Creek, or the underlying aquifers. If the community hadn't completed some studies, and paid for them through resident's donations, we would have had increasingly devastating impacts to Illahee Creek. Those studies, and the Port of Illahee studies, helped get some areas down-zoned, though Timbers Edge was "grandfathered" with a higher density. The ICC was also successful in eliminating a new stormwater outfall at the community dock and getting the developer to use bioretention features to clean the stormwater. With the new Community Plan we are hoping for no more costly legal battles after Timbers Edge and residents can work at restoration and preservation of our community and its natural features, which are many.

ICC Opportunities. The reorganized ICC is a young organization that is open to those who would like to help and participate. There is a list at the bottom of the application form for areas where help is needed.

Please Complete and Send In. The ICC would like to have all residents become active (voting) members.

Jim Aho

Monday, November 2, 2009

Possible Appeal of BOCC Decision? - 11/2/09

Commissioners' Denial of Community Appeal. On October 26, 2009 the County Commissioners signed the denial of the Community's appeal of aspects of the Timbers Edge project. Once that document was signedthe community has 21 days in which an appeal can be submitted.

Will the Community Appeal the Decision? That is the question that has been asked by many as the article in the Kitsap Sun said the residents were upset with the decision.

Decision Up To Community. It appears, from the information sheet being distributed, that the Illahee Community Club Board of Directors is leaving that decision up to the Illahee Community.

What Happened That Was Upsetting? That is the other question we have been asked and we will attempt to answer it. We know the commissioners did not address all the issues raised by the community, which was one problem. The second appears to be, what has been described as the "wishy washy and weasel word" language of the new condition proposed by the developer and essentially repeated word for word in Commissioner Brown's added condition to the project. Evidently the Community had suggested more definitive language and an added condition, but their request was totally dismissed or ignored. They expected that at least one of their recommendations to be included in the final writeup since Commissioner Brown requested the Community comment on the Developers new proposal. And what was worse was when Commissioner Brown chastised their lawyer for not commenting on the new proposal, which led many to wonder if Commissioner Brown had even read the Community's input. They feel without definitive language in the proposal there are no assurances Illahee Creek's baseflow will be protected. We think that is a fair summation of what happened, based on talking with those who attended the hearing and our viewing of the recordings on BKAT. We have taped the meetings in case anyone is interested.

Mailed Written Decision? We think the written decision will soon be received by the parties of record. We obtained a pdf file of the decision and have attached it to this email for those who won't get it.

Community Appeal Letter. The letter being distributed and sent out to residents and others interested in what is happening in Illahee is provided below. It is self explanatory. It will be interesting to see what the community decides to do.

Jim Aho

ILLAHEE COMMUNITY CLUB - P.O. BOX 2563 - BREMERTON, WA 98310

TO OUR NEIGHBORS ~ The recent decision by our Board of Commissioners approving the Timber’s Edge Project isastonishing. Not seriously considering many issues the ICC brought forth in our appeal on behalf of the residents of the Illahee Community is unacceptable. The Commissioners added modified conditions, but then used ambiguous unenforceable language (with the goal of, with the intent of, to the extent feasible), and then discounted the other six appeal items, and possibly far more serious issues to many residents, such as road and traffic safety, possible storm water runoff, and Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) standards.

The Illahee Community Club (ICC) voted to continue to support the community’s desires with the Timbers Edge project providing sufficient financial support is received or pledged.

The estimated cost for this next round of legal endeavors will be roughly $15,000, and somewhat less if we only appeal to the Shorelines Hearings Board (SHB). In order to reach this goal, we are in need of immediate and pledged financial contributions. According to our attorney, we have 21 days to respond with legal action once the Board of County Commissioner’s written denial has been received by our counsel. The appeal deadline date appears to be November 19, 2009.

We need to advise everyone that this will not stop Timbers Edge, but rather will hopefully allow it to be further conditioned to minimize its negative impacts. We also hope it may help convince the developer to acknowledge the community’s desires and build a lower density development as stated in our Proposal Letter to him. As stated by an Illahee resident “If Mr. James would accept the Community’s proposal, the Illahee Community will help him sell his homes.”

The ICC Board has already pledged nearly $1,500 to show their support. Several have committed to $30 a month for 6 months, while others have pledged outright gifts of $200 & $300. If just 75 families gave $200 we would meet our goal. If 25 gave $200 we should have enough for the SHB appeal.

Any contribution is appreciated during these tough times. And we thank you now for anything you are able to give!! We would like all of you to become Active (voting) Members in the ICC. A yearly membership per individual or family is only $10, and in joining us you can add you name to the many who support our vision and purposes.

Our annual meeting will be November 14, 2009 starting at 1:30 pm at the Sylvan Way Library. Timber’s Edge issues will be addressed at this meeting along with other community issues.

Should by some magnanimous decision by Mr. James, the developer, agree to the community’s desires and build a lower density development with sustainable environmental choices, we would only need a portion of the pledged funds to pay the legal fees to that point, with any remaining going to support those issues which we have defined by our vision and purposes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ICC is a non-profit organization. All contributions are tax deductable, as allowed by law.

Financial support in the amount of $_____________ is pledged to the ICC.

We Pledge this: Monthly _______ ( 6 months) Monthly ________ (12 months)

One Time Contribution $ ________________

Name _________________________________ Email ____________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________ Zip Code __________

Phone Number __________________________

PLEASE MAIL THIS TO THE ICC (to address above) OR BRING TO THE ANNUAL MEETING.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED AND DESIRED


Sunday, November 1, 2009

Miscellaneous Items - 11-1-09


Illahee Bear. After our last update we haven't had anyone else contact us regarding seeing the bear that has been reported in the Kitsap Sun. Please let us know if it is still around so we can let residents know where it might be. We normally do routine water quality checks well inside the Preserve and those collecting samples would like to know if the bear is still around. We have attached the links to the recent articles that have appeared in the Sun.


Illahee Shores Fire. We were sad to hear of the fire Saturday morning and the fact that a person died, and even more tragic is they think it was a homicide. The story was on the front page of Sunday's Kitsap Sun which is linked below, with an update on the possible homicide to appear in Monday's paper, also linked below.


Illahee Pictures. We received some nice digital pictures of Illahee from Greg Price and we will include them in this and future updates.

Jim Aho