05/10/2005: "650M-From State-If State Gets It From Feds"

The Former Windermere Building in Friday Harbor
The County has received a $650,000.00 Grant from the State, IF the State receives the money from the Federal Government. The money can only be used toward the payment of the mortgage debt on the Windermere building, which the BOCC is lease/purchasing to provide a home for mental health and chemical dependency treatment programs. The building is currently being used by San Juan Recovery and Compass Health (an off-island company which recently won a contract away from San Juan Recovery).

The second catch to the grant, is the money may be withdrawn if there are changes "to the work plan activities or commitments from other resource providers", all of which is part of the standard "boiler plate" language that normally accompanies the grant process, and lists all of the requirements that must be met by the County to continue to qualify for the money.

The County hopes to pay for the total cost of the building with a combination of the proceeds from the sales of real estate, and with grant money

At a recent Commissioners meeting it was suggested by Commissioner Ranker that the County should proceed with cataloging property that it owns, so that it might be evaluated, and possibly sold; as the County is doing with the buildings it is selling to help pay for the Windermere building. While Commissioner Miller voiced strong opposition to the sale of public properly, Jon Shannon, Director of Public Works, pointed out that there are properties the County does not need or use, and there may be property the County owns that should be looked at for possible sale, and state law does require that an inventory be completed, and this has not been done. He also estimated that to do the inventory and a study would cost $5000.00. Commissioner Ranker said he would want to see a formal proposal from Public Works on the cost of the study prior to his consideration of it.