Bainbridge Island City Council Regular Business Meeting - June 23, 2026

The Bainbridge Island City Council held its regular business meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 6:08 pm in Council Chambers and via Zoom, adjourning at 7:21 pm. Mayor Clarence Moriwaki presided, with Councilmembers Fantroy-Johnson, Lant, Mathews, and Schneider present; Deputy Mayor Hytopoulos and Councilmember Nelson were absent and excused. The meeting featured adoption of the Groundwater Management Plan, confirmation of multiple board and committee appointments, and a spirited debate over a Race Equity Advisory Committee reappointment. Public comments addressed water conservation, non-profit participation at the farmers market, and procedural concerns from a prior special meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Approved accounts payable and payroll (Agenda Bill B).
• Authorized Interim City Manager to execute a construction contract with New Line Services Inc (dba Agate Asphalt) for the 2026 Annual Roads Project ($726,488.00 from the Streets Fund).
• Canceled July 7 and August 4 study sessions.
• Approved meeting minutes of June 16, 2026, with an amendment correcting "Land Use Element" to "Transportation Element."
• Adopted Ordinance No. 2026-07 relating to the City's 2026 Revised Budget and the 2026 Update to the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan (pulled for clarification on Eagle Harbor Drive grant reduction; passed unanimously 5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Benjamin Harrison spoke in favor of the Groundwater Management Plan, citing its outline for sustainability and need for adaptive management; he also thanked the selection committee for recommending his appointment to the Environmental Technical Advisory Committee (ETAC).
• Gloria Sayler expressed support for the groundwater plan and emphasized the importance of citizen involvement in conservation efforts.
• Malcolm Gander supported the plan and requested adding production well data from 2022-2025 to Appendix H, which he compiled from public records, to aid future conservation planning.
• Ron Peltier applauded the plan and ETAC appointments but criticized the city's handling of non-profit participation at the farmers market, calling it retaliation for the Lehigh exclusion and urging the council to intervene.
• Lisa Neal raised potential legal issues with the June 16 special meeting vote on Ordinance 2026-05 (upzoning Winslow), alleging violations of Roberts Rules and the Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30.080) for lack of proper notice and agenda specificity; she urged the council to void the vote.
• Liz Knobloch recounted water scarcity on the island of Agrigento, Sicily, to underscore the importance of the groundwater management plan for Bainbridge Island.
• Eric Stahl defended non-profit presence at the farmers market, arguing for a policy that allows diverse community voices, and noted his outgoing membership on the Race Equity Advisory Committee.

Discussion Items

• Adoption of Groundwater Management Plan (Item 6A): Water Resources Specialist Christian Berg presented the final plan, highlighting three key points: recharge enhancement, reducing per-capita water use (especially outdoor irrigation), and improved monitoring. He noted no significant changes since the May 12 draft. Council questions covered smart irrigation, rain barrel programs, and a public-facing data dashboard. Councilmember Fantroy-Johnson moved adoption; the motion carried unanimously, 5-0.
• Confirm Appointments (Items 6B-6H): The council confirmed appointments/reappointments to seven advisory bodies, all by unanimous 5-0 votes, except one:
  • Climate Change Advisory Committee (Michael Kleeman, Sanjay Bhatt)
  • Design Review Board (Ted Bumgardner, Lori Weise)
  • Environmental Technical Advisory Committee (Benjamin Harrison, Malcolm Gander, Kelly Leo, David Fuller, Tracy Collier)
  • Ethics Board (Doña Keating, Paula Radloff, Samantha Rist, Jonathan Flesher, Gary Baldwin)
  • Planning Commission (Alexandra Costin, Sarah Blossom)
  • Race Equity Advisory Committee: Reappointment of Caitlin Lombardi (Position 3) sparked debate. Councilmember Lant opposed, citing concerns that Lombardi's public commentary targeted individual council members and could increase division. Councilmember Fantroy-Johnson defended the committee's equity mission and Lombardi's advocacy. Councilmember Mathews moved to postpone the appointment to a future meeting; Fantroy-Johnson amended her motion accordingly. The amended motion to move the appointment to a future meeting carried 5-0.
  • Utility Advisory Committee (Andy Maron, Wanda Schulze, Crystal Fleet)
• City Manager's Report: Interim City Manager Ellen Schroer apologized for the tone of an email to the farmers market board and stated that a lease amendment to allow non-profit tables was expected to be completed by end of June. She also noted that appointments follow BIMC 2.01, requiring a majority-plus-one vote for confirmation.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted the Groundwater Management Plan (motion 5-0).
• Confirmed all committee appointments except Caitlin Lombardi (Race Equity Advisory Committee), which was moved to a future council meeting for reconsideration (motion 5-0).
• Council announced that a subcommittee on the roundabout collaboration with WSDOT is meeting and a resolution may be brought on July 14th.
• Councilmember Matthews highlighted a new housing data tool from PSRC, to be launched July 22.
• Mayor Moriwaki noted that many council members would attend the Association of Washington Cities convention later that week.