SJC Fair Volunteers Needed

(SJC Fair Board photo )

By Rev Shannon:

Would you like to be a part of the team that makes our Fair great?

The San Juan County Fair is in need of several Department Superintendents and volunteers for the 2009 Fair. Each Fair department has a Superintendent or team of Superintendents who coordinate the exhibits, volunteers and demonstrations.

The Superintendent works closely with the Fair staff to ensure that all entries are submitted correctly, displayed and judged.

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Council Needs To Cut $1 Million From Budget

San Juan County Auditor Milene Henley presented the County Council with an early r1st Quarter Financial Review on Tuesday, the news was bad.

Henley said the primary sources of revenue are strong at the moment, but a predicted “poor summer could change that.”

County Administrator Pete Rose informed the Council that “We will need to look seriously at the core functions of County government that are funded by general revenue, and we may find ourselves in the position of asking not ‘What is important?’ but ‘what is legally required?’ We are going to have to decide what we aren’t going to do.”
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Official: Council To Move Forward With Sutton Road Transfer Station

The vote is in, but where a new transfer station for San Juan Island ends up will likey be dependent on an agreement with the Town of Friday Harbor to allow the County to lease, and then buy, the Sutton Road site from the Town.

It took three hours and failed motions, but by 3:30pm on Tuesday, the County Council ended the day with a four to one vote to make Sutton Road the number one choice as a site for a new transfer station. Councilman Gene Knapp abstained on the vote, citing a need for more information, but appeared to otherwise be in favor of the motion.

The Council will now contact the Town of Friday Harbor to determine if a deal for a lease-option-to buy can be negotiated with the Town. If so, this will allow the County to move forward with making improvements to the Sutton Road site; improvements that will bring the site into compliance with the state DOE demands, and will be used in the final construction of a new transfer facility on the site.

But if the Town and the County cannot come to an agreement, then it is likely that Beaverton Valley will move up to the number one choice.

If so, there may be financial impacts. County Administrator Pete Rose responded to questions from the public and the Council on recouping some of the 1.8 million PW paid for Beaverton Valley. Rose said “A pathway can be devised to recover the Solid Waste investment” by “selling the Beaverton Valley site to the [Public Works] road fund, which would allow a “recovery of $800 thousand dollars.”

After the completion of a short staff report from Rose to the Council, Chair Rich Peterson started council discussion by stating "I think we are close to the moment of truth."

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Public Hearing Today On Transfer Station

A continuation of a public hearing will be held today at 1:30 (4-28-09) on where to build a new transfer station for San Juan Island.

Some of the top officials from the state Department of Ecology (DOE) met with Town of Friday Harbor and SJ County officials last Thursday to do a site visit at the Sutton Road Transfer Station. The site visit was scheduled to discuss progress on bringing the site into compliance.

Council member Rosenfeld reported “I was very impressed that according to the DOE staff, most -I’m going to use a very technical term here- most of the bugaboos of locating a new transfer station next to the existing landfill have gone away."

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No Swine Flu In Wa..(Yet) Some Facts:

There may be some advantages to living on an island, but protection from the flu is not, in this day and age, one of them.

The San Juan County Health and Community Services Department (HCS) is passing on words of caution and fact sheets (see below) concerning the swine flu outbreaks that have been reported in parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere.

“No cases of swine flu have been detected in San Juan County yet,” HCS director John Manning said today. “But given the widespread nature of the outbreak, with cases reported from New Zealand to British Columbia; we would not be surprised to find cases in the state of Washington.”
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If You Catch It, Put It Back!

(-Oregon Fish & Wildlife photo)

NOAA’s Fisheries Service (Northwest Regional Office) has proposed to list three populations of rockfish in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia for protection under the Endangered Species Act. A final decision on the three will be made a year from now.

The Georgia Basin populations of two of the rockfish species - canary and yelloweye - are proposed for “threatened” status. A third rockfish species - bocaccio - is proposed as “endangered.” An endangered species is at high risk of extinction; a threatened species is vulnerable to extinction in the near future and in need of protection.

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Funding Needed For Cancer Treatment Trips

For a number of years transportation for those in need of treatment for cancer on the mainland has been provided for by local volunteers, and non-profit organizations. One of the early providers was a a volunteer pilot air transportation service on Orcas called Mercy Flights; which served as a model for a similar group, the San Juan Island San Juan Eagles. Both groups were organized to provide a transportation for those willing to fly to their cancer treatment services.

Soroptomists International Soroptomists International of Friday Harbor has developed a system developed a system for the volunteer flights of the San Juan Eagles, and ferry tickets for cancer patients on San Juan Island. They are active in local fund raising efforts to make these services available for San Juan Islanders with all types of cancers.

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Governor Receptive To SJC Ferry Needs

(Councilman Rosenfeld -4th from L- meets with Governor & others -contributed photo)

San Juan County Council Member Howard Rosenfeld presented a letter from the San Juan County Council at a Tuesday meeting with Governor Christine Gregoire, Department of Transportation officials and a group that included area legislators, elected officials and involved citizens.

The meeting was set up by ferry activist Debbi Lester of Bainbridge Island to push for the accelerated construction for a 144-car along with the 64 car ferry that has already been given priority.

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Orcas Island Fire & Rescue Emergency Rescue Training

( L to R:Bat. Chief Patrick Shepler with radio, Lt. Chad Kimple, Lt. Paul Turner, FF/EMT Jim Schuh, Lt. Dylan Wachtel, FF/EMT Jim Scheib -OFD photo)

Firefighters and EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) trained together on April 21st to learn new technical rescue skills using the skate park bowl as the rescue site.

Orcas High school student Di Wang Mowrey posed as a skateboard grinder with life threatening trauma. Using a roof ladder and rescue stokes basket, responders were able to successfully lift their patient over the high concrete wall.

[link]

Lights Ouuuuut!

By Dave Halloran

When the lights went off throughout San Juan County at about 5:30 PM Thursday, we weren’t alone. Just like the old time radio show “Lights Out”, the experience was shared by many thousands of people. A single car accident striking a power pole in Sedro-Woolley left more than 100,000 people in five counties without electricity Thursday night.

Here at the end of the long “extension cord” to the islands, power restoration started about 9:00 PM, with some areas reporting the outage lasting until 10:30 PM. In the islands we are more used to these outages occurring during wind, or winter storms. After these storms and outages, we usually remind folks of the steps we can take as individuals to help our community prepare for these events.
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SJSCD Cuts 6 Teaching Positions

The San Juan Island School Board has decided to eliminate six teaching positions as a part of a plan to deal with an expected shortfall of one million dollars. The action is based on assumption the State education budget cuts will necessitate the local cuts.

The action was taken this week to meet a May 1st deadline contained in State law -and Teacher’s Association contracts- that require Districts to provide anticipated “Reduction in Force” (RIF) notices to affected employees by the May 1st.
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DOE Responds To PW Inspection Request

(WA Health & Safety Consultant John Moller (right) with Solid Waste Utility Manager Steve Alexander (To Moller’s immediate left) and members of county staff his visit to SJI transfer station)

The State Department of Ecology (DOE) responded Wednesday to SJC Public Works Director Joh Shannon’s recent request for an inspection of the Sutton Road Transfer Station by ordering him to correct the well known and documented stormwater improvements at the site.

The DOE order was signed by Richard (Dick) Grout, currently the Manager of the DOE Bellingham Field Office (DOEB); and a past Planning Department Director of San Juan County. The order contains two “violations” that need to be addressed.


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Town May (Be Forced To) Apply For DOE Cleanup Grant Money

The Department of Ecology (DOE) has confirmed that vinyl chloride is showing up in the monitoring wells around the Sutton Road dump site. The issue for DOE is the concentration of it relative to the concentration in surrounding groundwater areas.

SJC Environmental Health Officer SJC Mark Tompkins told Solid Waste Advisory (SWAC) members and the Town that the level found at the Sutton Road site, was “below the drinking water threshold,” however, “if you had a community water supply with vinyl chlorides at this level, you could drink it, but it is above ‘background levels’, so…you have to address it.”

At a recent Solid Waste Advisory Meeting (SWAC) it was suggested that Public Works (PW) had neglected to inform the members of SWAC that grant money may be available from the state for clean-up of the Sutton Road Site.
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State Education Bill Passes

Friday Harbor High School PTSA president Deborah Nolan has been in the forefront of the battle to improve funding for education, and wrote in to express her satisfaction with the news that “Late last night the house voted 67 to 31 to pass (ESSB 2261) . The final passing vote on the Engrossed Substitute House Bill was passed Wednesday that will create a new funding system for education.

Nolan said “the governor has said she would sign it if it passed: the final hurdle. Thank you to everyone who made calls or sent emails. They really made a difference. There will be a lot more work of course to make sure the follow through and funding are put in place, but you know if everyone comes together, we really can get it done.”

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Earth Day

By Paul Prouty

Earth Day is today, April 22, and it brings with it a stark reminder of the importance of protecting our environment and natural resources.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. Nearly four decades later, and despite the difficulties in our economy, protecting our environment is still center stage. In fact, protecting the environment holds one of the keys to the nation’s economic recovery.


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Stewardship Award Winners Announced

(Lopez Reefnet fisherman Jack Giard)

Eight Good Stewardship awards were presented at “Sustainable San Juans: Greening Your Home, Business and Food”, an Earthday event held Saturday in Friday Harbor. The awards were part of a three day celebration of environmental stewardship sponsored by the San Juan Stewardship Network and the San Juan Island Community Foundation .

The Business Stewardship Award went to Lopez 4-Way Reefnet and Jack and Joan Giard, owners for over 40 years. Reefnet fishing is the most selective of the commercial fishing techniques and allows salmon stocks of conservation concern as well as other bycatch to be returned with zero mortality.

Lopez 4-Way Reefnet was selected for this award as they have shown reverence not only for the salmon that they are catching, but for the greater marine environment as well. They have demonstrated to us all that sometimes the best way of doing things… is the old way of doing things. Jack serves on the Marine Resources Committee and is a quintessential resource on all things salmon.

Julian Glasser; Dr. Eugene Kozloff; Peter Fisher; Bob and Pat Jester; Dr. Mike Kaill; Douglas, Joseph and Sam Bullock; and Lynn Danaher were the other award recipients; they and their photos will be featured in separate stories over the next few days.

[link]

"The Mr. San Juan Island Competition"

With federal and state funding dwindling, Friday Harbor Elementary School needs community support, now more than ever!

The Friday Harbor Elementary School PTA is putting the "fun" back in fundraising with a new twist on an old idea. Six of San Juan island's finest father's will compete for the title of "Mr. San Juan Island."

The pageant is Saturday, April 25th in the Pavillion Room at Roche Harbor. A limited number of tickets are available and are $25 per person (21 years and older). They can be purchased at Market Chef, Griffin Bay Bookstore, or San Juan Island Fitness, or by calling Tanja Williamson at 378.6004 or Kerry Andrews at 378.1007.
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Clean Water Matters!

Clean water is a critical resource. Water quality matters. The public is invited to attend the League of Women Voters April 20th monthly general membership meeting 12 noon, Monday, 4-20, SJI library). The public is invited and welcome.

(to hear a panel of resident experts explain threats to our water quality, current research projects and practical steps we can all take to preserve and protect the quality of our marine and fresh water in our environment.

Speakers Mike Kaill, marine zoologist; Russel Barsh of the conservation laboratory Kwiaht, and Brian Rader, SJC Pollution Prevention Specialist will present perspectives on water issues on and around the islands and explore solutions.

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Marine Naturalist Workshop On Wednesday

A workshop limited to working marine naturalists and graduates of The Whale Museum's Marine Naturalist Training Program on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at the Grange Hall in Friday Harbor, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This one-day workshop is offered as continuing educational training for naturalists.

It will feature sessions about some of the other wildlife and issues around the Salish Sea including the topic of commercial fishing by-catch and ghost nets. Participants will learn how to engage children in the study of whales from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales.

If you are interested in attending, please call The Whale Museum (360) 378-4710 ext. 23 to confirm your participation or download a registration from www.whalemuseum.org. Advanced registration is recommended and there is a $25 fee for attending.

[link]

Sunday: SJI Museum Reception

(Marty Stewart).

A reception will be held on Sunday (4-19-09) at the Roy Franklin Terminal at Friday Harbor Airport to celebrate the occasion of an annual update of the San Juan Aviation Museum.

Roy Franklin was the first featured pilot at the museum. On Sunday the SJ Pilots Association and the Port will recognize the second museum featured pilot, Martin V. "Marty" Stewart.

Marty’s flying career spanned 60 years, including 36 years in the Air Force during three wars: "World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. After retiring to San Juan Island in 1990, he continued to fly actively until just months before his death from cancer in 2005. As a Deacon in the Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church, he regularly flew various pastors to visit hospitalized parishioners, and his Cessna 182 soon became known as “POB Airlines” (Presbyterians On Board). We hope that Islanders and visitors alike will join us in this celebration of our aviation history.

The museum was started in 2008 at the request of local pilots, and is now jointly sponsored by the San Juan Pilots Association and the Port of Friday Harbor.

The Museum records the history of aviation in the San Juan Islands since the early years after World War II when Roy Franklin first established scheduled air service linking San Juan Island with the neighboring islands and the mainland.
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SJC Theatre Garden Dedication

Friday Harbor’s Gordon Steele has given a special gift to the San Juan Community Theatre: a new garden and patio.

Last Saturday (4-18-09) islanders were invited to help dedicate the Beverly Steele garden, and to thank Steele for his generous donation in memory of his wife, Beverly.

Gordon and Beverly arrived on the island in 1979 and immediately became involved in the Theatre, which at that time was still holding performances at the Royal on Spring Street (now the location of the movie theater).

Over the years, the Steeles gave time, talent and resources beyond measure. Beverly appeared on stage in the title role of Hello, Dolly! She and Gordon raised thousands of dollars for SJCT. He led the board of trustees; she was a CATS president. Beverly’s death several years was a great loss to her family, friends, and the community as a whole.
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Stand Up Tea Party On The Lawn

(Part of the Party on the court house lawn)

There may have been larger Tea parties in other towns and cities yesterday to protest taxes, but they may not have been as smiley and happy of the a small group that showed up on the court house lawn.
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A Very Close Call On Lopez

(George Wills photo of the totaled Beechcraft Bonanza)

"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space," and "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing" -John Rutter

Mr. Rutter would seem to have lived up to what he cites as "my two mottos," and while most of us may have less adventurous mottos, it appears Rutter is living his.

A Bonanza Beechcraft airplane piloted, and owned, by John Rutter, owner of Seattle Avionic Software of Woodinville, made an emergency landing, with three passengers, on Lopez last night (4-15-09), but not at the airport. Fisherman Bay road was the strip of choice when the plane lost power and he was forced to find a place to set down -right now.

The good news is no injuries of note, but only a few reported bruises. As for the plane, it is still there, but being moved this morning if the inspection by the National Transportation Safety Board is complete.
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20+ Years Service & Sorry To Leave

(Council members Pratt; Knapp; Fralick, Peterson & Rosenfeld -Myhr on vacation- wish Sears the best. -SJC photo)

The County Council broke into their transfers station discussions on Tuesday to rise and read a County Council Proclamation highlighting his long and successful career with the Public Works Department of San Juan County.

Sears ends his professional life with the county as the person responsible for the Facilities Division of Public Works, including more than 160,000 square feet of office and shop space. Since then, as the Council’s proclamation noted, “He has dealt with fires, floods and torrents of water flowing from pipes buried under reinforced concrete.”

Council Chairman Rich Peterson read the Proclamatioin honoring Mr. Sears, after which Sears said that it was a difficult decision to make to retire, because "this is my family and you just don’t up and leave your family,' but added that if needed, he will always be available.
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Beachwatchers & Birders Wanted For Observation & Seabird Surveys

On Saturday April 18th from 10:00am to 4:00pm, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) will deliver a free training session at the UW Friday Harbor Laboratories in Lab 5.

COASST volunteers help make a difference for the environment by collecting data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds on a monthly basis to establish the baseline pattern of beached bird mortality on Pacific Northwest beaches. Data collected helps address important marine conservation issues and protect marine resources.

Through an interactive, hands-on workshop, trainees will become acquainted with the custom COASST field guide, Beached Birds, and have a chance to try out their newly acquired identification skills on seabird species common to the Pacific Northwest. The COASST training provides volunteers with the tools to monitor for potential changes in the marine environment and promote stewardship of local marine resources.

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Warm Up For Earth Day

By Helen Venada

Visitors are drawn to our area by its rich marine environment. My visitors from southern California often remark that they are stunned by the deep green of the Pacific Northwest.

We islanders are so fortunate -surrounded by the north Salish Sea and by a green backdrop that inspires us and nurtures and supports all life in the San Juans. To re-energize this Earth Day we, as individuals and as a community, can express our appreciation for our bountiful environment as we pledge to give back to nature. We can learn to better protect and steward the place where we live. We can challenge ourselves to be greener!

The theme of the upcoming (April 22) celebration of Earth Day, “Sustainable San Juans,” is “GREENING YOUR HOME, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR FOOD."


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Many Questions On Transfer Station EIS

Prior to the beginning of a County Council and PW (Public Works) session Tuesday on the final EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) County Administrator Pete Rose warned PW staff to be ready for a lot of questions from the Council.

It was good advice, and he might also have warned them many of the questions would reflect some deep skepticism on the validity and completeness of the EIS, and the PW responses to past citizen and council member’s questions.

The questions lasted for three hours, with some questions being repeatedly re-phrased and re-directed to staff in an attempt to obtain clear and direct responses; but in some cases the responses seemed to confuse further, or were seemingly contradictions to past statements and responses.


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CC Nixes Directors Interpretation

Council tells Hendrickson to leave things as they were, and to continue to permit buildings accessory to a main house.

The Director of Community Development and Planning will no longer be able to deny a building permit for buildings in residential areas if there is not already, or submitted plans for, a house.

After the work session on Monday, the subcommittee on General Governance worked up a motion to stop Hendrickson from refusing to permit accessory buildings.

Tuesday morning, without fanfare, Orcas Councilmember Gene Knapp made a motion to “Direct the Administrator to prepare an amendment to the UDC that will allow the permitting of accessory buildings prior to the construction of the principle or primary dwelling; it is also the intent of the Council to permit such structures in the interim to allow the permitting and construction of accessory buildings.”

The motion passed unanimously.

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Unhappy Boater Questions $5K Fine

When Terrence Clark reported in to the Friday Harbor office of U.S. Customs, he had no reason to think anything was amiss, but, as it turned out, it was.

Clark had called in to check on proper procedures, but received information that was no longer valid, and this, and a lack of communication with a local Customs official, led to a fine of $5000.00 dollars.
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Council Uneasy With Henrickson Rulings

(CD&PD Director Ron Henrickson & Building Official Rene Beliveau answer Council questions)

The County Council held a work session on Monday to discuss a new interpretation of the construction code by Ron Henrickson, Director of Community Development and Planning, that a building “customarily accessory to and incidental to that of the dwelling” cannot be built until the house is built.

When the issue of sequencing of construction was brought to the attention of the council by local contractor Tom Nolan, the council seemed surprised by the news, and asked for a review by County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord and additional information from Henrickson; and scheduled a review time. (Related Story)

A number of people showed up for the 10:00 a.m. public access on Monday, and then again for the work session at 11:30. There was no support shown for Henrickson’s new interpretation of the existing code.

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RFID Data Collection Outlawed

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is a tagging-and-tracking technology using tiny electronic tags or chips embedded in household products, ID cards, and even clothing. When prompted by a radio transmission from a chip reader.

“While RFID technology certainly offers some advantages for consumers, retailers, and marketers, most people aren’t aware of the potential threat to their privacy and personal information from carrying around transmitting microchip in their wallet,” said House Speaker Pro Tem Jeff Morris’ (D -Mount Vernon)
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New ‘Sign’ For Lambiel Museum

(Lea Lambiel with a greeting for CD&P Director Ron Henrickson)

When Mr. Lea Lambiel received an enforcement action in 2007 from CD&P (Community Development & Planning) to remove a sign in front of his Orcas museum, Lambiel contested it. He lost.

Lambiel had constructed an expensive, well built, and by all accounts, an attractive sign, constructed out of rock and mortar, to advertise his museum at 688 Olga road. Lambiel is said to have considered it to be a piece of art work, that also served as a sign for the museum.

The sign had been in place since 2006, so Lambiel was more than a little surprised and, as it turned out, rightly concerned, when he was informed the sign had to be removed; but in any case, he proceeded to apply for a sign permit.

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Orcas Fire Fighters 2009

(Detail of photo: click below for photo)

Orcas Island Fire & Rescue has added new members to their firefighting team:
Recruits and instructors spent March 28th battling live fire at Central Widbey Fire & Rescue’s training facility as part of their Firefighter 1 certification.

As for activity, from April 2 through 9, Orcas Fire & Rescue responded to 1 major structure fire; 1 citizen medical check; 1 citizen medical assist; 3 fall patients; 3 chest pain emergencies, and 8 other medical emergencies, all which resulted in 5 off-island transports by AirLift NW.

Photo and list of names below:
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Comedy Stage Hypnotist April 17

(Contributed photo)

Tickets now available for a hilarious, entertaining and fun night with Scott Kealoha, Comedy Stage Hypnotist on April 17, 2009 at the FHHS Turnbull Gym at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $7.00 at Islanders Bank or contact Gina at 378-1233 or Ginny at 317-5820 or virginia015@centurytel.net. Tickets will be on sale at FHHS during the lunch break. Tickets will be $10.00 at the door.

We will be serving a hot dog dinner before the show starting at 6:00 pm for $5.00. Bring your family for this night of fun and amazing power of creativity and the human mind. All ages welcome! You may even become a star of the show! Proceeds from this event fund the Friday Harbor High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association Project Graduation Night.

What is Project Graduation???
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Voices Coming Through Water Off SJI

It sounds like the beginning of a grade B science fiction show, but sonar pings and human voices traveling through the water on the west side of San Juan Island have caused concern about the negative impacts on the Orca population.

The noise was picked up Tuesday night by a woman (who goes by the blog name of Jeanne) as she was monitoring underwater listening devices placed off of Lime Kiln State Park. As was suspected, the noise was US Navy generated, and in this case by the submarine USS San Francisco that was moving through the strait



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No Action On Housing Element -Yet.

No action was taken Tuesday work session by the County Council to adopting the revised Housing Element to the Comprehensive Plan, but they did schedule another work session for Monday May 18.

One of the reasons for another work session is the need for more answers to a large number of questions council members have asked about the proposed changes, and the difficulty the Council is having in deciding if they want to create a housing authority for San Juan County, and if so, shall also create a dedicated funding source for it. ( Related Story )

In prior discussions on creating a housing authority, Council member’s Gene Knapp and Rich Peterson express concerns about starting a housing authority for the county
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FH Centennial To Be Honored Saturday At Elegant Edibles Sale

Island pioneer recipes, “The Baker Boys” and a “Peep Hunt” for the little ones are just a few of the new additions to CATS’ annual Elegant Edibles on Saturday, April 11.
The gourmet bake sale and fundraiser takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the San Juan Community Theatre.

The event starts off with a colorful “Peep Hunt” for children six and under. The free hunt will have children searching for those sweet marshmallow treats in the Theatre’s new garden (weather permitting).

Inside, the bake sale will feature delicious goodies just in time for Easter celebrations. One table of treats will be prepared by The Baker Boys. More than a dozen talented island men have each given their best to Elegant Edibles, and lots of different items will be on hand.

Click for full story on Elegant Edibles

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Appeals On Dump FEIS Delayed By County

The two recent appeals of the FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Statement) on proposed sites for a new -or upgraded- transfer station for San Juan County will not take place anytime soon.

County Administrator Pete Rose explained to the Council they could decide to use an exception in state law that would allow the County to ignore their own county code to “consolidate the appeals hearing with the hearing on the first governmental action, which would be the Conditional Use permit to place the [solid waste] facility,” and instead, hold a hearing just on the appeals, without consolidating with a future permit.

County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord told the Council that the exception to a requirement that consolidation of appeals with a hearing on a permit must take place at the same time, is granted only to local governments “when the applicant is an agency that is a proponent for the project; which is what we have here: Public Works is a proponent of the project;” in which case the “consolidation need not occur.”


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Comments On Wetland Mitigation Banks?

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is seeking Public comment on draft wetland mitigation banking rule

A wetland restoration project along the Skagit River near Mount Vernon received has received approval from state, local and federal agencies. The project is the first one of its type in Skagit County, the fifth in the state in an Ecology pilot wetland mitigation bank program.

San Juan County is in the process of updating it's wetland regulations, but the County does not have such a program available for the county projects. Wetland mitigation banks generate credits which represent the increase in wetland functions at the bank site.
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Ranker: $93M For 40th District

OLYMPIA - Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island, announced this week that the proposed 2009-2011 Capital budget contains more than $93 million in investments and construction projects for the 40th district over the next two years.

“The construction projects that are funded in this budget are going to create local jobs and provide valuable infrastructure that will benefit our community for years to come,” Ranker said.

“Our state’s budgets were hit hard by the global economic crisis, but I’m glad we can help bring over $90 million to our community to help stimulate our local economy.”

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Cell Phone Regs Update Sent To CD&PD

With five votes for, and one vote against, the County Council forwarded the work product of a citizen's Cell Phone Task Force to CD&P (Community Development & Planning) to begin the process of public hearings, and possible adoption of a new set of regulations on the permitting of cell phone installations, maintenance, replacement, and installation of new sites.

The meeting was ostensible scheduled to determine if the Interim Draft Ordinance drafted by the Task Force, with staff support from CD&PD, should be moved forward for full public review and comment, or rejected.

Councilman Bob Myhr, who had first abstained from voting on the issue in the past, argued against sending the draft ordinance forward for review and public comment, insisting that changes were not needed.

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Poster Contest Winners

Island Rec's Childrens' Festival Committee has announced the top winners in its "Under The Sea" poster contest.

First Place winner, Jessica Procaccini (photo left) a first grader from Stillpoint School, came up with a lovely watercolor of a fish; won a Wildlife Tour for four on the Western Prince II.

Fourth grader, Ally MacDiarmid took second place winning poster shows an entrancing water wildlife scene and won a gift certificate to Osito's Toy Store. Third place winner, Kenzie Serrat, a third grader, depicted sea life under a submarine won a gift certificate to The Toy Box.

With so much young island talent, it was a difficult decision.
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Spring is Coming! Catch the Bloom!

Wondering what that flower is that you saw on the trail? The San Juan Island Trails Committee (a committee of Island Rec), has developed a new web tool for island wanderers on many of San Juan Island's trails.

Just go to the San Juan Island Trails Committee's website ( http://sanjuanislandtrails.org/ ), click on "Trails", click on the name of the trail that you wish to walk, and print its map if needed. Then click on "Plants" to access the new downloadable pdf file of plants to be found along your selected trail.

(Note: Plant lists for all trails are not yet available.) Print the specific trail plant list and the legend, grab your favorite field guide book, and you are ready to go for a "walk in the woods".
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Greener Energy Alternatives

OLYMPIA - The state Senate on Friday cleared the way for greater investments in alternative energy, approving the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund sponsored by Speaker Pro Tem Jeff Morris (D -Mount Vernon) by a vote of 43 to 2.

The Mount Vernon resident and energy-policy expert by trade, Jeff Morris, worked with energy utilities, energy reps, and lawmakers from around the state to develop HB 1007 -landmark legislation encouraging growth in small energy projects designed for residences or small businesses.


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CC Work Session Tuesday On Housing

The county council will hold another work session Tuesday (1:30pm) on the proposed changes to the housing element of the comprehensive plan, and based on the written questions and suggestions from the individual council members, this is no rubber stamp council.

The council has taken the unusual step of not only submitting their questions and suggestions in writing to the each other and to staff, but making them available to the public (Click below for copy of the council member comments).

While this can lead to instant criticism -and second guessing- from the public, it serves the public by allowing them to understand the issues from the viewpoint of their elected officials. This in turn allows the public to give informed and on-point feedback to their elected representatives -stress: "representatives."

Participatory government. What a concept.


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Help Wanted & Help For Small Businesses

Looking for work or help for a small business? Summer jobs that may lead to full time employment are now available. Minnie Knych of the Northwest Workforce Council Career Center said they are now accepting applications for the employment int the following areas:
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Lecture Series On Toxins in Our Water

"Toxins in Our Water: Problems and Solutions", are the topics of a series of free spring lectures that begin on April 16th.

Topics will include -among others things- how storm water can transport toxic levels of detergent into marine waters; how products we may think are benign, from shampoo to weed-and-feed, are not as simple as we think; and how hormones and other chemicals that can shift metabolism are getting through water treatment plants.
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Computerized Food Handling Training

The San Juan County Health and Community Services Department is now offering a computer-based food handling training program that allows people to do the required coursework and take the test to qualify for a food handling card in less than an hour.

The training stations are available on San Juan & Orcas on a first-come/first-served basis between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Friday (except holidays). The fee is just $10.


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Thank You San Juan Island

This Saturday items will once again be collected at Market Place to send to our troops overseas. The idea is simple, shoppers may donate items (see suggested list below) and/or money. The American Legion Auxiliary will have a drop-off table by the door to receive the items.

The following is a letter of thank you sent by Brandon Barkell, one of the men serving overseas:

To San Juan County & members of the American Legion & American Legion Auxiliary :
Thank you so much for the package! I just picked it up from our company CP about 20 minutes ago and I was excited to see what goodies you sent. I know my squad mates will surely be happy when I pass the stuff out at tonight's meeting. It's good to know people back home are actually doing something to support their troops rather than to just simply say they do.


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Busy Time Again For Orcas FD

PHOTO HERE
(Orcas Fire Department photo -Max Jones)

The transport from the Deer Harbor area (photo above) saved precious time for patient suffering from cardiac arrest, but while the helicopter is in motion, the road had to be closed to all traffic. Orcas Fire Department informs the public to expect delays if you see AirLift landing near a roadway!

From March 27th to April 2, the Orcas Fire & Rescue responded to: 2 burn investigations, 1 motor vehicle crash, 1 citizen medical assist and 8 medical emergencies in which 2 resulted in an off-island transport by AirLift NW and 1 via the Sheriff’s boat.

When Orcas Fire and Rescue responded to a reported "vehicle over the embankment on Saturday, March 28th, they found no injuries, however the driver was taken into Sheriff’s custody at the scene. Lt. Jeff Jones coordinated the scene and traffic while law enforcement investigated the cause of the accident.
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EIS On Dump Selection Appealed

The FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Statement) has received it’s first appeal. The appeal from Mike Macdonald cites the lack of “adequacy and compliance…with “controlling regulations and codes” of environmental issues for a new transfer station on San Juan Island. In addition to the Macdonald appeal, a second similar appeal has been jointly filed by John Gauthier, Jack Yelvertson, and Juniper Maas.

While the Macdonald appeal is an unusually pellucid statement of complaints, it also contains a bombshell of irony when Macdonald notes the Beaverton Valley site contains an unofficial, and undocumented, existing landfill, the extent of which is unknown.

The site was once used as an airstrip, and was even considered years ago as a possible new location for the Friday Harbor airport. The landfill noted in the appeal resulted from years of filling in the north end of the strip by the dumping whatever was unwanted, including garbage, construction materials, and even junked vehicles.

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Accessory Buildings Topic For Council

Responding to complaints that Director Ron Hendrickson of CD&PD (Community Development & Planning) will not issue building permits for buildings common to a house, such as a garage, unless there already a house on the property -or a permit is submitted for a house- the County will review his actions on April 13.

San Juan County contractor Tom Nolan asked the County Council to intercede and direct Hendrickson to accept applications for building permits for accessory structures on land designated as residential land, even if there is no residence or a proposal to construct a residence.

Nolan had taken advantage of the Citizen Access agenda slot at 10:00 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday when the Council meets to explain to the council that for the past six months he has been unable to obtain permits for four separate property owners who want to build garages or boathouses on otherwise vacant properties.
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Sidney Run Stays In Transportation Budget

(L to R: Speaker Pro Tem Jeff Morris, Anacortes Mayor Maxwell Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen -Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee) & Rep. Judy Clibborn -Chair of the House transportation Committee)

Under a plan unveiled yesterday by the majority Democrats in the state House of Representatives, massive amounts of new spending will help spur an extremely active construction season and keep afloat the international ferry run connecting Anacortes to Sidney, B.C.

The run was once again on the chopping block as in years past, with Gov. Gregoire planning for its elimination in her early budget proposals. But thanks to heavy lobbying and a cooperative effort to strike a deal by both ends of the route, the state House and Senate both agreed to keep funding for the route in their budgets.

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Improving Waldron Parking On Orcas

(Photo provided by SJC Public Works Department)

It has been a long road with stops, starts and not a few speed bumps, but San Juan County Public Works will hold a Public Informational Meeting Friday April 17, 2009, at the Deer Harbor Community Club (Sign-in 12:30pm, meeting at 1:00) to address an existing parking problem for the residents of Waldron Island who park their vehicles on Orcas.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide background information, to present the preliminary plan prepared and recommended by the Public Works Department, to discuss the issues, advantages and disadvantages of the preliminary plan, and to listen to your comments. The meeting is being held for both Waldron Island and Orcas Island residents concurrently.

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Crack In (Empty) Oil Tanker Found

The 780-foot oil tanker, S/R BAYTOWN, is scheduled to arrive at Port Angeles this evening for repair of a small crack on its main deck.

On March 24, crew members on S/R BAYTOWN discovered a four-inch-long fracture on the port side of the vessel's main deck as the vessel was preparing to take on a load of crude oil in Valdez, Alaska.

The Coast Guard Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection in Valdez, in consultation with the American Bureau of Shipping surveyor, determined the vessel was safe to proceed to Port Angeles without any cargo aboard. The decision followed inspection of temporary repairs.

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Additional Time To Comment On Transfer Station

Another one of a continuing number of public hearings on the San Juan Island Transfer Station was held Tuesday by the County Council, and as the old line goes, the usual suspects turned up to testify.

The arguments are split on the need to move the dump to a new site, and the need to keep it where it is, but upgrade and improve it. Little new was introduced to the council to support either side of the argument, however once the council completes their work sessions later this month (see schedule below), the comments to the council may become more focused arguments directed toward the options available to the council.

Many of those in favor of moving the site lectured the council against taking into consideration the public’s opinion on the subject, and to restrict themselves to the recommendations of Public Works and the SWAC (Solid Waste Advisory Committee).

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Over 30 Foreclosures on Homes Coming Up? Nope.

The County Council held a continued public hearing on suggested changes to the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and were told that there may be as many as 30 homes entering into foreclosures in the County.

During the testimony portion of the hearing, Charles Anderson of the San Juan Community Foundation said he was representing a Critical Needs Community Task Force that would be supplying the Council with additional data on housing needs, but that in the meantime he wanted to “apprise you we are getting reports of a growing wave of home foreclosures that are just happening as we speak,” however he was quick to add that the information was not confirmed that there had been "nine foreclosures last week and over 20 pending… so may be just at the tip of the iceberg of the homeless.”
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