POULSBO — When the calendar turned to Jan. 1, 2006 on the shores of Liberty Bay, only one thing was guaranteed: change was coming to Little Norway.

From the abrupt resignation of Public Works Director Jeff Lincoln shortly after Mayor Kathryn Quade took office to the ugliness marring Jasmine Campbell’s reign as Miss Viking Fest 2006 to the joy on students’ faces as they got a taste of what the Marine Science Center’s rebirth might bring, nothing stayed the same in 2006.

Lincoln steps down

as Quade takes office

Mayor Kathryn Quade announced Public Works Director Jeff Lincoln’s resignation at the first council meeting of 2006.

Councilman Dale Rudolph said he was impressed with Lincoln when he was hired, but was more so with his departure.

“I am very proud to serve the City of Poulsbo and this is a time of change for Poulsbo,” Quade said.

Wal-Mart, The Home

Depot open at Olhava

As the city prepares for the traditionally slow season when sales tax revenues plummet along with retail activity, Wal-Mart and The Home Depot have both announced their opening dates.

Even though The Home Depot got a later start than Wal-Mart, it will open its doors Jan. 26.

The Home Depot will not be alone for long as Wal-Mart opens Jan. 31.

Sons lodge turns 90

Even before the Sons of Norway formally organized in 1916, Norwegian culture had been a staple of life in the city.

Now 90 years after signing its charter on Feb. 22, 1916, the Sons is celebrating 90 years of doing its part to keep Poulsbo’s nickname, “Little Norway,” alive and well.

Marine Science Center gets $250,000 from state

The closure of the Marine Science Center in March 2005 left many wondering if it would ever resurface on the shores of Liberty Bay. It got the buoy it needed this week when the state Legislature included $250,000 in its 2006 budget to help with the start up costs of the new center.

Stevenson quintuplets

finally arrive home

Anniston and Belle were the first to come home and Scarlett and Camilee are expected to join them the weekend of May 6-7. Westin was be the last to arrive a few weeks later.

After giving birth to Kitsap County’s first quintuplets March 30, Courtnee Stevenson and her husband, Mike, have had their hands full with the babies and their 3-year-old daughter, Lilli.

Mayor supports Miss Viking Fest 2006

When Mayor Kathryn Quade presented Jasmine Campbell, Whitney Glebe and Elisabeth Almond a key to the city May 10, she didn’t see one thing: the color of their skin.

After Campbell, who is African-American, won the 2006 Viking Fest pageant April 22, festival organizers received at least 11 e-mails decrying her victory and stating that she shouldn’t wear the crown because of her race.

“We don’t tolerate intolerance in our community,” Quade said.

Campbell and all of the contestants in the pageant showed their leadership in their participation, she said.

City hall goes to voters

With every member present, four more votes were cast before a 5-2 majority of the council agreed to put the municipal campus project before the voters in the November election May 10.

Councilmen Ed Stern, Dale Rudolph and Jim Henry along with councilwomen Connie Lord and Kimberlee Crowder voted for it. Councilmen Jeff McGinty and Mike Regis were opposed.

Sherry White retires

After almost 19 years in the basement of city hall on Jensen Way, Sherry White is moving up as she retires at the end of July.

White has served as the deputy city clerk in 1991, after starting her career with the city in the planning department in 1987.

“Over 19 years, I’ve only missed 72 meetings and by the middle of April I had done about 5,200 pages of council minutes,” White said.

Mitzel’s a total loss in May 30 morning blaze

Mitzel’s general manager Marsha Rayburn was at a near loss for words May 30 as she surveyed the smoldering debris that just hours earlier was one of the city’s most popular restaurants.

“I’m totally at a loss as this time as I look at this building,” Rayburn said as she huddled with Mitzel’s corporate representatives outside the building.

State Route 305

widening project begins

Even as the State Route 305 Force Main installation nears completion, the first phase of the highway widening project was set to begin July 31.

The $14.9 million project, which will expand SR 305 from two lanes to four lanes from Bond Road to the south city limits of Poulsbo, is expected to be finished by the fall of 2008.

With the fish window opening Oct. 18, City Engineer Andrzej Kasiniak said contractor Stan Palmer Construction of Port Orchard will be rerouting portions of Dogfish Creek and installing culverts on SR 305 between Forest Rock Lane and Liberty Road as well as on Lincoln Road during that timeframe.

Noll Road residents

fight development

After losing their fight against annexation in March, several residents along Noll Road believe their fears are coming true.

When the 133.82 acres bordered by Mesford Road to the north, Noll Road to the east, Heron Pond Lane to the south and Poulsbo Elementary School to the west were annexed, Councilwoman Connie Lord and other council members assured the neighbors there would be ample opportunity to fight potential development.

Five proposals — all of which are planned unit developments — total 516 homes on 100.28 acres, but as of Sept. 7 no formal applications had been submitted to the city’s planning department.

Council supports

Vinland cell tower

Citing material errors of fact in the city’s Hearing Examiners denial of a Verizon Wireless facility, Councilman Ed Stern led the reversal of that decision Sept. 13.

By a 4-3 vote, the council cleared the way for Verizon to construct a 120-foot monopole and supporting wireless facility at the intersection of Finn Hill Road and Rhododendron Lane.

Two citywide

moratoriums enacted

After avoiding the dreaded “m-word” for months, a united Poulsbo City Council voted to bring a halt to new development in the city Sept. 13.

Under two moratoriums proposed by Councilman Dale Rudolph, the council decided not to allow any new applications within 200 feet of any critical areas and also said no to any new Planned Unit Developments under the section 18.80 of the Poulsbo Municipal Code for the next six months.

Sewage spill leaks 3,000 gallons into Liberty Bay

A weekend sewage leak closed Liberty Bay for the third time in less than a year as Poulsbo public works crews responded to a cracked pipe Nov. 4.

“It was 3,000 gallons, and it was not caused by a defect in the pipe,” city Public Works Director Jeff Bauman said Monday morning.

The leak occurred in a section of pipe south of the Marine Science Center pump station that carries raw sewage uphill to Fjord Drive and into the rest of the city’s sewer system. It took city crews about an hour to stop the leak.

KCCHA sets its housing

sights on Olhava property

It may not be Wal-Mart or The Home Depot, but the Oct. 11 announcement of plans for Nordic Place Apartments were just as welcomed to city officials.

Since the inception of College Market Place, the Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority has expressed interest in the multi-family component of the development. The result is the Nordic Place Apartments.

The apartments are part of a 100-unit, 10 building mixed-income development, which will include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, being built by the KCCHA.

Voters put new city

hall building downtown

A 5-2 vote Nov. 7, 2005 put the city’s future city hall on 10th Avenue. Exactly one year later, residents voted to keep it downtown in the Nov. 7, 2006 general election.

The city council took that advice as it passed a resolution stating its commitment to building city hall downtown with a 5-2 vote.

“The Poulsbo City Council is committed to following the will of the public as expediently as possible,” said Councilwoman Kimberlee Crowder as she read the resolution into the record.

Fireworks on the Fjord

organizer moves on

The maestro of Little Norway’s Third of July sonata won’t be directing the community-supported orchestra when its 2007 performance rolls around.

Instead, event organizer Mary Graves is confident that community groups and individuals will play the many different parts in the event’s planning and execution the way she has since 1994.

“It’s always been a community effort, and it still is one,” said Graves as she bid her farewells to Little Norway Nov. 20.

Even though, many people believe organizing the event is an enormous challenge, Graves offered a different view.

“It will be easy,” she said. “The event has an energy of its own.”