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Police report on derelict boats; council discusses coordinated legislative push for more state funding
Summary
Police described progress removing derelict boats from local waters; the council discussed urging state action and using regional forums to advocate for increased derelict vessel removal funding and possible fee increases.
Sergeant Dave Halsberg and Police Chief Harding updated the council on derelict vessel enforcement and cleanup during the Oct. 1 workshop. Staff described recent actions: one abandoned boat was taken into custody and is being processed for disposal, though asbestos and other complicating factors increased disposal costs. Staff said some transient encampments and abandoned vessels have moved to nearby areas but that the department is actively removing vessels that pose pollution or navigational hazards.
Councilmembers and staff discussed the limits of current state funding for derelict vessel removal and the idea of pursuing legislative remedies. Staff and council referenced prior interjurisdictional letters to the legislature and suggested using upcoming venues—the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council (KRCC) legislative dinner, the Association of Washington Cities district meeting and an upcoming port commission joint session—as forums to press for increased state funding or modest increases in state derelict-vessel registration or excise fees.
Chief Harding said the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been supportive and that reimbursement for some removal costs is likely; staff flagged that statewide funding still can be limited and that derelict vessel programs can exhaust available money quickly if multiple large removals are needed.
Why this matters: derelict and abandoned vessels can sink, pollute waterways and create safety hazards; funding and statutory tools at the state level often determine how quickly local jurisdictions can respond and recover costs.
Next steps: staff recommended coordinating with regional partners and the city’s lobbyist to explore a coordinated legislative ask this session and to raise the issue at the KRCC legislative dinner and related forums.
