In spite of all the local excitement about Nextel, American Financial Solutions, a nonprofit debt counseling agency affiliated with the North Seattle Community College Foundation, opened Kitsap County’s first call center on May 1.

The company begin operating its new downtown Bremerton call center, from the renovated location of the former Montgomery Ward’s store on Fourth Street. The company commenced operations with an initial staff of 12. Its eventual goal is to employ up to 100 people at the site.