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1. How do I watch a City Council meeting?
2. Where can I find City Council agendas?
3. How can I comment on an agenda item?
4. How do I contact council members?
5. What is the easiest way to access public records?
6. How do I submit a public records request?
7. Is any information exempt from a public records request?
8. How long does it take for the City to respond to a public records request?
9. How can I learn more about the City’s public records request process?
10. How can I access the Municipal Code?
11. How can I find ordinances and resolutions passed by Council?
12. How do I submit a claim for damages?
13. How can I find real property records?
14. Who administers elections?
15. Does the City Clerk issue business licenses?

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1. What is a franchise agreement?
2. What benefits do residents receive from the current franchise agreement?
3. Cable prices vary significantly between Bainbridge Island and other areas of the country. What can the City do to reduce this variation?
4. What can the City do to improve the quality of cable services provided by Comcast?
5. What is the City doing to foster competition among cable companies operating on Bainbridge Island?
6. Does the franchise agreement address tree trimming?
7. Does the franchise agreement address broadband internet access service offered by Comcast?

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1. Who assigns water rights on the Island and who licenses well construction?
2. Where can I find information about how many wells are on the island and/or information about a particular well?
3. Who do I talk to about the quality of my drinking water?
4. Who do I talk to about the city’s water utility?

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1. Who needs a City Endorsement on their State Business License?
2. How do I apply for or renew a City Endorsement on my State Business License?
3. Do I need a State of Washington Business License to obtain a City Endorsement?
4. How much does a City Endorsement on my State Business License cost?
5. Where do I post my Washington State Business License that includes my City of Bainbridge Island endorsement?
6. How do I renew my City Business License Endorsement?
7. Are there City Business and Occupation Taxes?
8. What if my business moves to a new location and/or the mailing address changes?
9. How do I cancel or close my State Business License with a City Endorsement?
10. What if I sell my business?

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1. How loud is the grinder pump?
2. How long will the pump operate each day?
3. What is the average yearly electrical cost to operate a grinder pump servicing the typical single-family home?
4. What can I flush with a grinder pump?

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1. What should I wear and how should I act in court?
2. What is an arraignment?
3. What are my constitutional rights?
4. My car was impounded when I was arrested for a DUI - where is it?
5. Should I talk to a lawyer before entering a plea?
6. What if I am financially unable to hire a lawyer? How do I qualify for a public defender?
7. If I plead guilty what will happen?
8. What happens if I plead not guilty?
9. What happens if I am sentenced to jail?
10. What alternatives are there for serving a jail sentence?
11. What must I do if I can't pay my entire fine at sentencing?
12. What is the process for sealing records and vacating convictions?
13. I missed court and have a bench warrant. How do I quash the bench warrant?

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1. What is mediation?
2. Who should use mediation?

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1. Do I have to appear in person to mitigate my parking ticket?
2. I forgot to put up my employee parking pass and got a parking ticket. What do I do?
3. I forgot to put up my handicapped placard and got a parking ticket. What do I do?

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1. Does the Public Records Act apply to the Judicial Branch?
2. What is the purpose of Rule GR 31.1?
3. What judicial administrative records in Washington State are available to the public?
4. Why are some records not available to the public?
5. If a record is available to the public, why may portions of the record be blocked out (redacted)?
6. How long are administrative public records kept?
7. How do I request a record?
8. What is the Municipal Court's process for responding to the request?
9. What if I disagree with the decision of the Public Records Officer?
10. Can I view public administrative records in-person?
11. How can I get paper copies of records?
12. What is the cost of obtaining or viewing administrative records?
13. Does the public records officer keep track of requests for administrative public records?
14. Is the court responsible for what happens when other people use information they received from an administrative public record?

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1. What do I do if I receive a ticket for a traffic infraction?
2. What is a mitigation hearing?
3. What is a contested hearing?
4. May I have a lawyer at a contested hearing?
5. Can I mitigate or contest my ticket by mail instead of appearing in court?
6. Can I keep my traffic ticket off my driving (Department of Licensing) record?
7. If I request a court hearing and later decide to pay my ticket do I have to appear for my court hearing?
8. Will a traffic infraction appear on my driving record?
9. What if I do not pay my ticket or appear for a hearing?
10. What about a no liability insurance ticket?
11. What if I can't pay my penalty all at once?

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1. Hasn’t the City’s SMP been challenged and overturned in court?
2. Aren’t requirements for shoreline buffers and setbacks a “taking” of private property rights?
3. We keep hearing that the SMP has drastically lowered our property values and will make it extremely difficult to sell our home. Is this true?
4. Can I be fined for not getting City approval for everyday activities?
5. Do I need City approval to maintain my yard?
6. Can I make changes in my garden without City approval?
7. Do I need City approval to prune my trees?
8. If I remove a hazard tree (dead, diseased or dying), do I have to leave it in my yard?
9. Is the goal of the SMP to phase out all single-family docks over time?
10. Is the intent of the SMP to phase out all homes & docks on the shoreline over time?
11. Can I replace my bulkhead under the new SMP?
12. I keep hearing that the new SMP made virtually every home along the shore “non-conforming.” Is this true?
13. How is my existing shoreline home affected by the new buffer standards in the updated SMP?
14. Can I rebuild my house in the same location if it burns down?
15. If my home is unoccupied for 12 months in a row, do I forfeit the right to live in my house?

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1. What plastic bags are prohibited?
2. What stores does this apply to?
3. Are there any exceptions?
4. What about food vending trucks, farmers’ markets, street fairs, festivals, and events?
5. Is there a fee for all paper bags?
6. Can retailers just “eat the cost” of large paper bags and not charge their customers?
7. Are there any restrictions on stores, restaurants, or bakeries choosing to charge a fee on all bags?
8. What about smaller paper bags?
9. What about low-income customers?
10. Do stores have to keep track of how many paper bags they sell?
11. Is this transaction taxable?
12. What is the minimum recycled content requirement?
13. For those labels, are there any requirements for ink color or type size?
14. Does the 40% recycled content have to be post-consumer or can it be industrial?
15. Does the 40% recycled content rule apply to all paper bags?
16. Why did the City ban lightweight plastic carryout bags but allow heavy-weight, thicker ones?
17. Are stores required to charge 5 cents for the heavy-weight plastic bags?
18. What about hanging-garment bags?
19. Is there a requirement for the heavy duty plastic bags to have recycled content?
20. If restaurants are selling items other than prepared foods are the bags they use still exempt?
21. Are grocers’ deli counters exempt like restaurants with to-go food?
22. What about bakery goods?
23. How can I tell the city about stores using plastic bags after Nov. 1?
24. How will this be enforced?

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1. When is it okay to call 911?
2. How do I get a copy of my police report?
3. You have some of my belongings. How can I get them back?
4. Somebody tried to scam me. What do I do?
5. How do I report a collision?
6. How can I get one of the speed reader signs in my neighborhood?
7. Is there a way to report a crime online?

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1. Why an annual test on the backflow prevention assembly?
2. Who can test backflow prevention assemblies?
3. What will happen if I don't test my backflow prevention assembly?

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1. How do I schedule an inspection when the work is complete?
2. How do I make a payment?
3. If I live on a private road, do I need a ROW permit?
4. Someone has painted colored lines on the right of way. Who does this? What are the lines for?

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1. May 2018
2. September 2019
3. November 2019
4. August 2020
5. March 2021
6. April 2021

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1. March 2014 - Hearing Examiner Decision
2. Summer 2015 - Based on Comprehensive Plan Discussions,
3. Fall 2015 - PW Staff Prepares Conceptual Trail Alignment on West Side
4. 2016 - Wetland Delineation, etc.
5. Spring 2017
6. June 2017
7. Fall 2017
8. Winter 2017
9. February 2018
10. April 2018
11. Summer 2018
12. Fall 2018
13. 2019
14. 2020
15. April 2021

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1. Frequently Asked Questions
2. What is the Sound to Olympics Trail? Where will it go on Bainbridge?
3. Who is the trail intended for? Won’t it mainly serve people who live off the island?
4. Why does the trail have to be so wide? I’ve seen bike trails in other places that aren’t so wide, and they work just fine.
5. I’ve heard that the trail is so wide because it’s funded with grant money from the federal government. Is that correct?
6. Why would we want to build a trail next to the highway?
7. I saw what happened with the first section of the trail, and I’m worried about impacts to the trees along the highway. Won’t building the trail change the character of the highway corridor?
8. Why would the City spend money on the STO Trail when we have other more pressing needs to address safety for walking and biking on the island?
9. How can we justify spending so much money on the trail when so few people are using it?
10. Why do we need a separated trail along the highway when we already have decent shoulders along most of the highway where people can ride?