Can Churchill House In FH Be Saved?

(Photo by Sandy Strehlou)

The lovely yellow house that graces the hill above the ferry line is once again in danger of being demolished. Previous story. Plans to move the Churchill House to a new Argyle Street site have fallen through.

The Churchill property was purchased last summer by Friday Harbor businessman Charles Thomas and a partner. The partners are planning to start construction in January on a mixed use development. They believe that including the old house in the development does not make financial sense and would like to find a new home for it.

For the last few months, the town Historic Preservation Review Board and staff member Sandy Strehlou have been actively working with a private developer on a plan to move the building to his Argyle property. Unfortunately, he has decided that he will not be able to undertake a project of this size by the mid January deadline. With just two months before the projected start of construction, the fate of the Churchill House remains uncertain.


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Neighbor Appeals Boundary Line Modification

(Deborah Nash-Strasser prepares to testify before the SJC Hearing Examiner)

When the BOCC approved the purchase of property this year for the use of Public Works, they allowed the seller of the property to move property lines to condense 6 of the 5 acre lots into one 10 acre area, retain the newly formed 6 lots, and then sell the remaining one lot of 27 acres to the County. The resulting BLM (Boundary Line Modification) was approved by the CD&PD (Community Development & Planning Department) last August, has now been appealed by local resident and neighbor, Deborah Nash-Strasser.

The Kellsey South property was purchased by the BOCC as a site for Public Works to develop. What, exactly, is planned to be placed on the property by PW is not certain, but the BOCC resolution passed to acquire the property listed a new "Solid Waste or Recyclable Materials" site for a Transfer Station (commonly called a "dump", in recognition that is what one does at a transfer station), and the Appraisal Report noted the use would be "for relocation of their (PW) service shops".

As a part of the sale agreement, the County agreed to move the property lines of the seven contiguous parcels that made up the 37.13 acres, creating one 27.1 acre that the County would purchase for 1.8 million dollars, and six smaller parcels raging in size form 1.51 acres to 2.01 acres that the County would not own, but would be retained by the seller, David McCauley, dba: Kellsey South, LLC.
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BOCC Caught Off-Guard On Moratorium

While the BOCC has imposed an emergency moratorium (Ord.1200-05) on the issuing of construction permits for the Deer Harbor area Previous Story , state law requires that they hold a public hearing within 60 days of the declaring of an emergency that necessitates the passing of a moratorium. The "emergency" was defined as a concern that, while a Sub-Area plan was being fine-tuned for adoption into the SJC Comprehensive Plan, construction might take place that would be contrary to the plan.

The public hearing on the moratorium was held on Tuesday (11-29-05), and as the Commissioners received public input, it became increasing clear that all was not well with how the public process was being conducted by the DHP&RC (Deer Harbor Planning and Review Committee), and the SJC Planning Department, that is charged with overseeing the process.

The first sign of trouble came when Bob Henigson of Deer Harbor, a retired attorney and the de-facto spokesman for the DHP&RC, submitted a letter to the Board requesting that all construction permit applications submitted to the County from Trend west (the largest landholder in Deer Harbor) be reviewed for completeness, and a "Determination of Completeness" of the review be sent to the DHP&RC; and then told the Board that the Committee was concerned about the "impropriety of Trendwest being allowed to participate in the meetings" being held to draft language that may become part of the Sub-Area Plan for Deer Harbor, and that while it was "less objectionable if they (Trendwest) only wanted to observe", the group had concerns that allowing others than the members of DHP&RC to participate might slow down the process.

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BOCC To Hold Hearing On Smoking Ban

SJC Health Department's Dr. James recommends the Board impose a smoking ban on county property

Siting as the SJC Board of Health, the Commissioners received a report from the SJC Health Department on a Tobacco Prevention & Control Program. According to the State Department of Health, Washington state and San Juan County are decreasing the use of cigarettes by a larger per cent than other counties in the state.

According to the data, only 13.3% of adults ins SJC smoke, compared to 19.7 statewide. To put this in some historical perspective, the data has been collected for five years, and in that period there has been a general decrease in smoking of about 13%.

Another interesting number is the 69% margin of victory in San Juan County for Initiative 901 (the ban on smoking in public places); the highest in the state.

After the data was presented to the Board, a proposal was made by the Health Department to ban smoking outright on all county property. This would include county parks and fairgrounds; in short, it would simply ban any smoking on. or in any county building or property. This would be a ban not unlike the ban on smoking in Thurston County

After some brief discussion on the pros and cons of an Ordinance., or simply amending the existing county regulation (Resolution 103-2004) to ban smoking, Bob Myhr suggested the Board pass a Ordinance, as this would require a public hearing. The suggestion was agreed to by the Board. A date for the hearing on the proposed Ordinance has not been set.

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Draft Model Rules For Public Disclosure

Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced his draft model rules for public disclosure are now available for public comment.

"We visited 13 cities around the state from July through October to gather input from people who request public records and people who respond to these requests," McKenna said. "These Open Government forums provided us with tremendous insight and great ideas for best practices to help improve access to public information. Once the model rules were drafted, we exposed them to intensive internal scrutiny before filing them for public comment."

The proposed model rules were widely distributed to a group of nearly 1,000 stakeholders, including local government, state agencies, legislators, community activists, the media, and others on November 23, 2005. The proposed model rules and a web-based comment form are posted on the Attorney General's Web site .

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No Money For Town-County Bld

Superior Court Clerk Cahail presents the Town of Friday Harbor with $1.00 toward a new joint-use building

True to her word, Mary Jean Cahail recently appeared before the Friday Harbor Town Council to make a pitch for a joint-use building to be used by the Town and the County. Mary Jean had previously presented the idea to the BOCC Previous Story, and found support for the idea from the Board. But while the Town Council members thought it an interesting idea, the general sentiment was expressed by Councilman Wally Gillette's comment that he was "not very optimistic we can go forward with this" due to a lack of adequate funding being available for such a large capital expenditure.

County Commissioner Ranker was in the audience -after having presented the Council with a general up-date on county business- and decided to join the discussion by telling the Council members that "You have money and the County has land", and that it should be possible to move forward on the project to everyone's benefit. Unfortunately for the opinion, one of the council members pointed out to Ranker that, while the Town did indeed have money in the bank, the amount was far less that was already earmarked for upcoming capital improvements and repairs to their existing infrastructure and utilities, so the Town was in no position to become involved in spending money it did not have, to build a new administrative building on county land.

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DOL New Fees & Requirements

Vehicle owners in Washington will notice changes on their next tab renewal notice. New laws created this year will affect the fee total for most vehicles and vehicle owners are now required to provide driver license information.
Vehicle owners are now required to present an unexpired Washington state driver license for each registered owner when they register a vehicle for the first time or renew their license tabs.

This new law is intended to reduce sales tax evasion by ensuring individuals who have a car registered in Washington don't have a driver license issued by another state. An out-of-state driver license can be used to claim an exemption from state sales tax on purchases.

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SJI: Dump Closed Until Thursday

The San Juan Island Transfer Station will be closed today (Monday, 28th) until Thursday (December1). The closure is required while the deteriorated shed building that covers the dumping area is removed. Previous Story
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December 3: "Island Lights" Celebration Begins

San Juan Island will once again take on a magical air beginning December 3rd when the "Island Lights" holiday celebration begins.

The celebration's main events occur on the first three Saturday nights in December, starting with the official lighting of the Town and the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce's Memorial Park Tree Lighting December 3rd, at 5:00 PM. Enjoy carolers, cookies, cider, and treats handed out by the San Juan Island Chamber Elves, as the 50-foot tree is lit. Immediately following this ceremony, stroll down Front Street for the Port of Friday Harbor and Marina lighting at 5:30 PM. During the evening will be the judging for the Friday Harbor Holiday Decorating Contest and the Port of Friday Harbor boat lighting contest. Grand prize is $1,000!

December 10th the Lighted Boat Parade and Santa Ship will begin in Friday Harbor at 5:30 PM, sponsored by the Friday Harbor Sailing Club, the Kiwanis and Lions Clubs. Then Santa will hop aboard a fire engine and head to Friday Harbor Middle School to welcome all the children.

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New Medicare Rx Coverage Available

Now is the time to sign up for a new Medicare program that will start on January 1, 2006. New Medicare Prescription drug plans will be available for all people on Medicare. The following information is meant hopefully to give you a thumbnail sketch. and is not an in depth description by any means.

Most people have some type of other insurance sometimes called Medigap or Medicare supplemental insurance. There are other forms of coverage, for example: employer plans, retired Military (Tricare for Life), managed care, Private Fee for service, Preferred Provider Organizations and for the lower income Medicaid, sometimes with something called a spend down.

Prescriptions have been a long sought after coverage for those on Medicare. Starting in January of 2006 the Medicare prescription drug plans, also known as Part D, will be open to ALL people on Medicare, 65 and over or under 65 and on Social Security Disability Medicare.

The MOST important phase of this Medicare prescription drug coverage is going on right now. This phase is getting people who may be eligible enrolled in the Low Income Subsidy or EXTRA Help in paying for the plan and prescription drugs.


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Cowan, Erickson win first annual Turkey Trot

(Island Athletic Events photo)
After days with low clouds and fog, the skies broke over Friday Harbor for a mostly sunny first annual Turkey Trot. Eighty-eight runners and walkers braved chilly but ideal late November temperatures to work off some yet-to-be-eaten calories. Young, old, families and individuals, locals and visitors traveled the 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) out and back course on Lampard Street.

Winning the men's division with a time of 20 minutes, 44 seconds was Friday Harbors Brendan Cowan. The first overall woman was Kim Erickson, also of Friday Harbor, with a time of 23 minutes, 52 seconds. Each walked home with a pumpkin pie as their "first pies trophy". Complete results will be posted at www.sanjuanislandmarathon.com in the near future.

Other winners included the food bank, with nearly 200 cans of food and the Thanksgiving Community Dinner, who will receive the proceeds from the event.


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5h Annual Thanksgiving Dinner On SJ

While it was not necessary for Scout Ron Groseclose (photo left) to kill any of the turkeys donated by King's Market, no Thanksgiving dinner is quite complete without a roaring fire in the backgroung. Ron and others were all part of the large team of volunteers from the Grange, American Legion, Kiwanis, Lions, Soroptimists and the Rotary Club who, with additional sponsors Islanders Insurance, Windermere and others, all pitched in to make dinner happen. The first wave of volunteers cooked 23 turkeys and dropped them off at the Grange Hall, where the set-up and decorating crew got to work on the tables and the room in anticipation of the eager eaters that would soon be a part of the gathering of community.
We showed up to do our part (boiled potatoes for the estimated 500 dinners) and found Main Coordinator Minnie Knych had a smoothly operating crew that worked in well timed stages to produce the meals. Once the 23 turkeys and all the food was ready to go, dinner was served.

All ready to go.


All that was left was for the clean-up volunteers to do their part, and then start thinking about next year.

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Gretchen Shaw Winner Lions Annual Shopping Spree

(Kenadi Thompson picking the winning tickets from the bowl, with Lion Treasurer Bob Nieman while current Lion President John Towson, and past Lion President, Don Galt oversee the operations)

Kenadi Thompson, a local 4 year old, picked the Grand Prize Winning Ticket (Ticket Number 2116) which was awarded to Gretchen Shaw, for the Lions Annual Shopping Spree that took place on Tuesday, November 22 at 1:15 PM at King's Market.

The Shopping Spree Winner had 4 minutes to rush around Kings Supermarket filling shopping carts with as much as possible in that time frame, with a few restrictions.

Also, four Turkey winners Consolation Prizes were picked and awarded.

The entire profits from the raffle ticket sales benefit local scholarships to be awarded by the San Juan Lions.


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Guest Editorial

by Ray Bigler

Public Interest and Participation in our local Government. I believe that we need more concerned citizens taking an interest in what our County Government is doing or in some cases not doing.

My hat is off to Piet Visser for the time and energy that he is spending digging into the inner workings of our County Government and keeping them open and above board. If it were not for people with a genuine concern for how our government is being run we could have problems that one could not imagine.

We MUST have a government that is transparent and open to the public. These behind closed door meetings and secret dealings and deals can not be allowed if we are to have a true democratic government. All concerned citizens need to get involved and support those that already are.

I hope that Piet will continue to pursue his efforts for an open and transparent government and continue to present the facts to the citizens of San Juan County. It takes time, effort and in some cases money to keep up this work and I would encourage anyone that wants an open government to give Piet a call and offer their support. I know I have and encourage others to do so too.

Ray Bigler
San Juan

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DOE: Know Of Any Polluted Water Bodies?

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is seeking suggestions from community groups, local officials and interested citizens regarding which polluted water bodies in San Juan (and also in Clallam, Jefferson, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Whatcom counties) should be targeted for cleanup planning next summer. State seeks comment on which waters to clean first: "We have made great progress in improving water quality throughout our state," said Dave Peeler, who manages Ecology's water quality program. "We value the input of the public in deciding which water bodies should get our attention next."

Ecology has developed water quality improvement plans for 450 of nearly 700 polluted lakes, rivers and streams in Washington. A legal agreement signed in 1998 commits Ecology to complete improvement plans for these polluted streams by 2013.
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Volunteer: Children's Festival Planning Committee

The Children's Festival Committee is seeking 3-5 people to join existing members Mary Kate Panaro and Jan Bowinkle-Smith to plan this spectacular community event.

Become part of dynamic group that is now forming that will create the to 16th Annual Children's Festival. This day-long event celebrates island children on the first Saturday of May. Island Rec is the coordinating agency for this long-standing island tradition under the leadership of Recreation Director, Sally Kerr.

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Temporary Ferry Slip To Be Removed Starting On 28th

Work will begin to remove the temporary slip at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal on Monday the 28th of November. To convert the temporary slip to a permanent slip would require a new permit application, further discussions with tribal governments, and additional environmental mitigation. There are currently no funds available for undertaking design, permitting and construction of a second operating slip in Friday Harbor. WSF estimates it would cost an additional $5-7 million to convert the temporary slip to a permanent operating slip.

The slip was designed and permitted for short-term use and was always meant to be temporary. It is built with bare steel that will corrode rapidly in the marine environment, so it is not suitable for permanent or even longer-term use. Permit conditions require that WSF remove the slip and that in-water work be completed by March 21, 2006.

The project was put out to bid on August 22, 2005 and the contract to remove the temporary slip and construct a tie-up slip was awarded to General Construction Company of Poulsbo on October 12, 2005. The project is expected to be complete by the end of February 2006.

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Photography Gallery Reopens

MICHAEL BERTRAND has reopened his FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY, overlooking the ferry landing (85 Front Street, next to The Doctor's Office) in Friday Harbor. Gallery is now open Wednesday through Monday, 10:00 – 4:00.

Michael's sense of light, color and design (taken from his Architecture career) now come together to create stunning photographic images of our region (Oregon, Washington and British Columbia). His work captures the feel of the Pacific Northwest, enabling us to relive special memories with each gaze. Michael's subjects include dramatic landscapes, creative still lifes, nautical studies and emotional black and white images.

Michael and his wife, Kim, are celebrating the new Gallery with an OPEN HOUSE (Saturday, December 3 ~ 10:00 – 6:00). Refreshments will be served and PRIZES drawn. Special pricing too! Your attendance will be appreciated

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SJI Library: Audio & Large Print Books Online

The San Juan Island Library has two new subscriptions available--online audio books and online Large Print books.

The first are just like books on cassette tape or CD, narrated by professional readers or authors; many of them are licensed from the same producers of library audio books seen on library shelves: Blackstone, Highbridge and others. These books, however, play on a computer, over the Internet, using streaming technology.

One benefit of this type of subscription is that multiple readers may listen to the same book at the same time, so the library doesn't need to buy duplicate copies and readers don't need to get on a waiting or "hold" list for a title--a book group might like to try to listen to a book together. Since patrons listen to the books over a computer, you won't need to even visit the library to use these books.
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$10 To Bellingham? Yes: New Passenger Ferry

A new passenger ferry to Bellingham will begin regularly scheduled service to Friday Harbor beginning November 28th. The 100' vessel "Victoria Star" can carry up to 150 foot passengers between Bellingham and Friday Harbor.

The service will run Monday through Friday with 2 round trips per day. The ship will sail from Bellingham at 7am and 3pm and from Friday Harbor at 9am and 5pm. The cost is $10 dollars each way. A commuter book of 10 tickets will be available for $75.

The idea of a passenger ferry between Bellingham and Friday Harbor is not new. It has been tried several times before. Doug Smith, Bellingham Port Comissioner, remembers when the passenger ferry "Osage" sailed between Bellingham and Friday Harbor. The service ended in the late 1940's. He said that during that era there was frequent commerce and social interaction between Whatcom and San Juan families. It has been his dream for about the last 12 years to try and return to those days when the our Counties were connected by boats. He has played an important role in putting the deal together.


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Town Approves Athletic Fields For School

(Michael Bertrand, Land Use Adminstrator for Town presents Staff Report)

Another hurdle was cleared last night (11-17-05) in the path leading to new public athletic fields for San Juan Island. (Story on previous hearing) By unanimous vote, the Town Council approved, with only one minor change and one addition, a Conditional Use Permit application by the SJI School District to develop a number of sports fields on property owned by the school district.

While the project has generated understandable concerns by some within the surrounding neighborhood as to what the impacts will be, and may be in the future, one could not help but get the feeling that the proponents and town staff had convinced many of them that their questions had been answered, and their fears allayed, by the conditions that town staff was recommending being imposed on the project.
At the start of the hearing there were nearly 80 people in attendance, (less than at the previous hearing -see link to story above), and after a five minute break was taken half way through the meeting, more than half of the audience took the opportunity to leave the hearing.

In the end, the town agreed to put controls on hours that heavy equipment would be used to work on the development of the fields, and to work on some language that would allow other community groups to build walking trails on the property.


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Cars Wait To Unload Trash On SJI

(Gordy Peterson photo)
While Public Works has committed to keeping the dump open while they solve the building problem Previous Story, the short time closure of the site resulted this morning in long lines that backed out onto the road as drivers waited their turn to dump their trash. Most of the backup appeared to be related to previously canceled trips due to the temporary closure of the site. Staff is working hard to get back to normal, and have asked the public to make less frequent trips by holding on to the garbage until they can bring larger loads.
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Public Hearing On SJI Sports Fields Tonight

The long awaited hearing on a Conditional Use Permit for the proposed community sports fields ( Previous story ) will be held in the Friday Harbor High School Commons Room (45 Blair Avenue) at 5:30 P.M. tonight, Thursday, November 17.

This is a chance for the public to voice opinion on the project to the Town Council, who will decide if the proposal will be allowed to go forward as presented, or add conditions that must be met as a part of the allowed project, or to deny the application outright.

The intent of the hearing is for the public to give argument as to what action the Town should take. Once all members of the public have had an opportunity to speak (at least once), the Town Council will close public input, and then enter into deliberations amongst themselves and Town staff, as they work toward a formal decision on the application. The Town Council may, or may not, reach a decision on the application the same night as the hearing.


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Update: The New CD&PD Director

Ron Henrickson has accepted the job of the Director of the CD&PD (Community Development & Planning Department), and will start work on December 5.

After 18 years in Blaine Minnesota, where he held several progressively responsible positions directing and managing in the areas of Planning, Economic Development, Building, Code Compliance, Housing & Fire Inspection; Henrickson has been working his way back to the west coast, he next went to Mason County, WA, serving as County Administrator/Director of Community Development in February 2001, with added duties of County Administrator in August 2002; left Mason County January 4, 2005, with a short stop in Franklin County, Kansas as a County Administrator - May 1, 2005 - October 2005, and now will be coming to the San Juans.

While he may be looking forward to leaving the cold winters of the east, one hopes he will not find his new seat in county government to be too hot. In response to the question of how he handles "hot topics", he said that education of the public to the good points of a topic is important; that they understand the topic; that he believed in reaching out to the stake holders; and the importance of understanding there are different "right" answers to different places, are but some of the things that need to be done when dealing with controversial topics.

Henrickson has a number of accomplishments and qualities that should aid him in his task of, as Kevin Ranker has said; "re-building the department", even though those that work with the department, from the employees within, to the frequent users of the services provided, find little that needs rebuilding, other than -perhaps- a stable leadership, and based on Hendrickson's answers to interview questions, there is reason for optimism that he will provide that leadership.

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SJI Transfer Station Closed By Town

At the Request of Director Jon Shannon, the town of Friday Harbor has inspected the transfer station located on Town property, and found it to be unsafe due to structural damage.

According to Town Administrator King Fitch, some of the main corner support posts of the building have been repeated struck over the years in the process of using the building to receive garbage.

In addition to the damaged posts, there are a number of areas where the metal siding has come loose and is hanging off of the walls, and the bearing posts have clearly been impacted by exposure to strikes by trucks and equipment. The seriousness of the disrepair was made apparent when a contractor refused to work on the building due to its condition. When asked if the lack of maintenance and repairs was the result of a lack of money for Public Works, County Auditor Si Stephens said that Public Works "just spent 1.8 million on buying new property, so they don't have any money now to build a new building, let alone for day-to-day maintenance and repairs".

According to King Fitch, the building was designed and constructed by the County and the land is leased from the Town. King said he had received a call from Shannon, and was told that Public Works would tear down the building, but that solid waste service would not be stopped. John Manning, Public Health Director, told the Guardian that PW will use tarps to cover the open 40' long haul trailers to keep rain water from entering the trailers as they sit waiting to be filled, and this will satisfy code requirements.

Because the tarps will have to removed when the trailers are filled, and then covered again when not being filled, the public is being asked to help by bringing large loads, as opposed to a number of small loads.

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Contaminated sites created by Victoria's sewage

VICTORIA B.C - Sierra Legal Defence Fund, on behalf of the Georgia Strait Alliance and T Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation, made an urgent request today that the Province of British Columbia formally designate the underwater areas surrounding Victoria's sewage outfalls as contaminated sites. The groups provided new scientific and legal analysis of the Capital Regional District's own monitoring data, conclusively demonstrating that the areas in the immediate vicinity of the outfalls have levels of toxic chemicals higher than the levels prescribed under both provincial legislation and national guidelines for contaminated sites.

"Contrary to its repeated claims, the CRD's own data has clearly documented that the dumping of raw sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca is creating contaminated sites," said Sierra Legal lawyer Margot Venton. "We are simply asking the province to designate those areas as contaminated sites and ensure that the CRD quickly and effectively deals with the associated environmental and health risks."

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Peacock & Robins New SJIVB Board Members

The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau board of directors has voted in two new members - Christopher Peacock of Rosario Resort & Spa and Stephen Robins, M.D. of Pelindaba Lavender. The vote was held to fill two unexpired terms; an election for expiring terms will be held at the Bureau's spring membership meeting. All board positions are for staggered three-year terms.
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Charter Supporters: Thank You!

To the citizens of San Juan County who voted for the Basic Charter and for the Amendment in large numbers, we thank you for your support.

To those who wrote letters, signed petitions, publicly endorsed Home Rule, stood out in the rain to distribute informational materials on the charter, hosted neighborhood meetings, went to the League of Women Voters debates and seriously listened to both sides, thank you for participating in this great exercise in democracy.
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County May Have A New CD&PD Director

Ron Henrickson has been offered the job of the Director of the CD&PD (Community Development & Planning Department). Henrickson was the first choice of the BOCC of the five applicants that were selected to be interviewed for the position. The fact that the offer has been made came to light at the Tuesday (11-15-05) BOCC meeting when Dave Zeretzke asked the Board to increase the pay level for the position to $79,000.00, and to pay moving costs up to $3,000.00. The Board approved the requests, and is now waiting to see what happens next.

Chair Ranker told the audience that Henrickson was "head-and-shoulders" above the other candidates interviewed, but Commissioner Lichter stated that: "All of the candidates were top-notch." A member of the local county-wide builders organization sat in on the interviews, and agreed that while all of the candidates were impressive, Henrickson would be his first choice as well. One thing that did set him apart from the others: He was the only one that has served as a county administrator, in addition to his years of experience as a planning director.

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Orca Relief Applauds ESA Listing of Orca Whales

(Mark Anderson)

Experts Caution More Work Ahead to Save Population. Orca Relief Citizens' Alliance applauds the National Marine Fisheries Service for today's decision to list the Southern Resident orca whale population as an Endangered Species. The three pods spend up to eight months of the year in the San Juan Islands of Washington State.

The group has just been listed as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) announced today.

Known officially as Southern Resident killer whales, they were proposed a year ago for "threatened" status under the Endangered Species Act.

"Recent information and further analysis leads our agency to conclude that the Southern Resident killer whale population is at risk of extinction, and should be listed as endangered," said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service's Northwest region. "By giving it protection under the ESA, we have a better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations."

"We are encouraged that scientists understand the damage that has been done to this specific orca population, but much more work needs to be done to save these animals," says Mark Anderson, founder of Orca Relief Citizens' Alliance (ORCA).

In fact, Orca Relief has recently proposed three new ideas including whale weekends (giving the orcas two days off from whale-watching boats), longer days for whales (limiting the whale watch viewing hours from 10am-2pm), and giving the whales more room (expanding the current 100 yard rule, to 400 yards).

"We must put these animals before tourism and tourism dollars," says Dr. Birgit Kriete, executive director of Orca Relief. "We hope increased funding will be available to protect this population," she added.

"Recent information and further analysis leads our agency to conclude that the Southern Resident killer whale population is at risk of extinction, and should be listed as endangered," said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service's Northwest region. "By giving it protection under the ESA, we have a better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations."

A species listed as threatened is at risk of becoming endangered; an endangered species is one at risk of extinction.

The Southern Resident killer whale population experienced a 20 percent decline in the 1990s, raising concerns about its future. Many members of the group were captured during the 1970s for commercial display aquariums. During that same period, the number of motorized whale- watching boats in the area has increased dramatically -- reaching up to as many as 140 boats in a single day.

Harassment by marine vehicles is among the factors cited by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife as contributing to the whale population decline.

The new listing under the Endangered Species Act will require federal agencies to make sure their actions are not likely to harm the whales. NOAA Fisheries Service said its ongoing efforts to restore salmon stocks in Puget Sound should benefit the whales. Other federal agencies' efforts are likely to focus on toxic chemicals and vessel traffic.

The population peaked at 97 animals in the 1990s and then declined to 79 in 2001. It currently stands at 89 whales, including a solitary male that has taken up residence in a small inlet in British Columbia.

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Software Training for Staff

(File photo of Si Stephens: has nothing to do with the new software, but is illustrative of the fun of using computers)

With a new accounting software program to learn, the BOCC has authorized the use of the old Public Works building (next to the SJI Library) to be used as a training facility. A number of computers will be installed in the building, and staff members will receive training from consultants in the fine points of using the new program.

The original allocation was for $10,000 to provide for the installation networking through OPACO to three sites on San Juan Island: the Court house, the College, and Spring Street. With the addition of the Guard street PW facility to allow the training to take place, the amount has been adjusted upward to a total of $27,005.00, which will also cover an OPALCO membership that will run for three years.

The new accounting software has generated a great deal of interest and enthusiasm in county government as a move toward greater ease of use of producing a budget, that will result in a more transparent and reader friendly budget, both in the process of generating and presentation; but also it is hoped the system will allow better tracking and forecasting of department costs.

While the end product has been forecasted to be simple and readable, county staff has been warned and reminded that learning a new accounting system, and a new software program, is going to take some time and money to get staff up to speed on the use of it.

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Ex-Freeholders Call For Advisory Committees

Ex-Freeholders and supporters listen to speakers on the need for citizens' committees)

If anyone expected the ex-freeholders, and the members of the "Islanders For A Charter Government"- the citizens that convinced the BOCC to put the idea of a Charter on the ballot, to now quietly return to their "farms and villages", as was the case after the battles of the American Revolution, they have misjudged these citizens. At a celebration on Sunday at the Pelindaba Downtown in Friday Harbor, a party was held for the supporters of the campaign for Home Rule, at which it was announced that a new group has formed to "ensure Home Rule is smoothly implemented". The new group is called Citizens for Responsive County Government, and its initial focus will be on "seeing that the Charter is responsibly, transparently, and efficiently implemented."

While the group currently has a cross-section of citizens from all of the islands, anyone interested in joining the group is encouraged to contact Richard Fralick, the current chair of the group. The current members are: Charlie Bodenstab, Jeff Bossler, Lola Deane, Richard Fralick, Stephanie O'Day, Linda Thretheway, Cameron Devore, Nanae Nagaoka Fralick, Les Gunther, Dick Keefe, and Stephen Robins.

It was announced that the groups first action has been to send a formal request to the BOCC asking them to name a "citizens' advisory committee with individuals having experience in recruiting senior-level executives to help evaluate candidates for the County Administrator position mandated by the charter."

Susan Robins said that "further requests for similar citizens' advisory committees will be made as various aspects of the transition are enacted." She added that "The campaign for Home Rule was a call to civic involvement that will not abate with the passage of the charter."

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Invasive Spartina Threatens SJC Bays

(Jeremy Snapp and Bob Rowland remove Spartina from a wetland preserve -Land Bank photo)

Armed with shovels and clad in rubber boots, a crew of volunteers gathered early one recent fall morning at the Land Bank's Weeks Wetland Preserve on Fisherman Bay. The task at hand was the removal of a patch of invasive, non-native spartina from the preserve's sweep of tidelands. This bright green, vigorous clump of grass may look innocuous - but it's a plant that islanders are advised to start paying attention to.

Spartina (Spartina anglica and other species), also known as cordgrass, is an aggressive weed that has caused serious environmental and economic damage across the Pacific Coast. In Willapa Bay in Washington state, for example, spartina has radically changed the nearshore habitat, with dire consequences for many of the area's oyster growers. Spartina control efforts in Willapa Bay have cost state taxpayers millions of dollars.

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Lions Proud Of Lion Andrew McLaglen

(Left to right, Lions: Lloyd Vaughn, Bruce Rowe, Laurie Wangenheim, Ariel Greenelsh, Verne Howard, BJ Miner, Jonathan Piff, Andrew McLaglen, John Vejoda, Warren Jones, Jim Carroll (standing).
Seated to the right of Andrew McLaglen is Lion President John Towson and Dick Goff.)

Each year, the San Juan Community Theatre invite the Lions for Special Night to support Lion Andrew McLaglen and reserve a section for Lions to join in the fun and Lion camaraderie.

Over 20 Lions, and their spouses, friends and partners attended Friday night "Lions Night at the Theatre."

After the performance, a few Lions stayed and had a group photo shot with fellow Lion Andrew McLaglen as shown in photo.

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Rhea Miller To Return To Lopez?

A number of sources have told the Guardian that former Commissioner Rhea Miller will be returning to the San Juans soon, "Life's opportunities do not always coincide with elected terms of office," Miller said when she announced that she would be resigning her position as County Commissioner in July of this year to take a job in New Zealand

A New Zealand agency had offered an expense paid trip and honorarium in November to conduct workshops on affordable housing and alternative techniques on building, and this lead to her accepting an offer to work with the Waitaha, an indigenous people of New Zealand.

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November is Veterans' History Awareness Month

Washington is home to more than 670,000 veterans and, according to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 25 million living veterans in the country.

Members of the SJI American Legion Post and Auxiliary took part in a Flag
Folding Ceremony at the Friday Harbor Elemengtary School on Wednesday,
November 9, 2005. Post members Shannon Plummer, Karl Mueller and Peter
DeLorenzi were joined by Auxiliary members Sue Ross, Barbara Capron and
Michele DeLorenzi in an instructional hour of the historical meanings of
our flag, and what it means to be a veteran. The assembly of 3rd, 4th and
5th graders were very attentive and were able to ask a variety of questions
after the ceremonial folding of the flag was performed by 6 member teams
from each grade.
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San Juan Woman In Fatal Accident.

A local San Juan Woman was fatally injured Friday morning when the car she was driving was struck by a 10 yard dump truck.

According to two witnesses who were waiting at the stop sign on Egg lake road, the subject car drove up behind them, and then instead of stopping, it passed their vehicle on the left, and without stopping or slowing down it swung south onto Beaverton Valley, directly into the path of an oncoming dump truck.

A witness driving behind the dump truck said that he saw the truck bounce up, then sparks showered out from under the truck just prior to the ejection of the car from under the truck. He stated the car spun around and then came to rest beside the road. The drivers of all of the vehicles quickly rushed to the woman's aid, but found there was nothing that could be done to help her.

Emergency workers and the Sheriff's office have blocked off access to the location and are conducting an investigation into the accident. The names of the parties involved have not been officially released at this time.

In an earlier interview with Sheriff Cumming, he told the Guardian that he was concerned with the increasing number of drivers that are tail-gateing and running stop signs in San Juan County.

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Gaylord On Campaign-Finance Suit

(Editor's Note: The following is a copy of a letter that was submitted to the Seattle Times by Randy Gaylord and Mike Vaskas. The letter refers to legal action related to the NoNewGasTax organizers and supporters of the NoNewGasTax Initiative that failed in the past election. We have inserted a link into the letter that will take the reader to some of the past entries in the Guardian that have appeared on this issue)

Even radio shock jocks must obey campaign laws
By Randall Gaylord and Mike Vaska

If you listen to certain radio talk-show hosts, you just might think they're above the law. But they're not, especially if they lead initiative campaigns. That wisdom was reaffirmed last month when a Thurston County Superior Court judge ruled that two local radio talk-show hosts must obey campaign-finance laws just like anyone else. ( (Past story) )

Radio talk-show hosts want you to believe the judge trampled their free-speech rights. But Judge Christopher Wickham was just confirming that anyone running an initiative campaign, no matter how prominent or powerful, must tell the public who is funding their campaign.

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Ferry News: Extra Service & Smoking Ban

Washington State Ferries will help families spend the Thanksgiving holidays together by adding extra service during peak travel times this November, and they are working on how the passage of I-901, the tough new ban on smoking will be implemented on ferries and in the terminals.

Extra Sailings For The San Juans

"Thanksgiving is not typically one of our heaviest traffic holidays, but we still expect it to be heavier than usual over the four day weekend. We have planned to provide enough service everywhere to ensure our customers can go where they need to go—either to work, to Thanksgiving dinner or shopping," says Director of Marine Operations Traci Brewer-Rogstad, and adds that "We have worked within our budget to provide the maximum amount of service."

On Thanksgiving (Wednesday, November 23), the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route will operate on a Saturday schedule to provide extra evening sailings for customers traveling to the Islands for the holiday. On Thursday, the route will provide regular weekday service.

Smoking Ban

"We face a variety of issues," admits Director of Operations Traci Brewer-Rogstad. "While it is fairly easy to eliminate smoking on vessels for the public, the terminals are a different matter."
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Tanker assisted by tug and towed to Port Angeles

Today, November 10, the oil tanker Puget Sound carrying 13.8 million gallons of jet fuel on its way to Anacortes had to reduce power due to its engine overheating. It returned to Port Angeles Harbor with out incident.

The tanker's engine problems began at around 10 a.m. The ship was then underway off Dungeness Spit. The tug Hunter, based in Port Angeles and owned by Crowley Marine, was accompanying the tanker as required by federal regulations. The tug assisted the ship into Port Angeles with partial assistance from the tanker's engines.

The tanker is owned by Puget Carrier Corporation and is owned by OSG Ship Management Inc.

Once in port, the tanker will be repaired and inspected and allowed to depart for Anacortes.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port required the vessel to return to Port Angeles with a tug escort. The state operates a rescue tug based in Neah Bay for similar emergencies.

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New Form Of Government, So Now What?

For awhile life will go on as it has, but changes, they are a'coming. in the second week of January, the first meeting of the new Legislative Body (LB) will convene at 10 A.M.; but don't expect too much to happen that is new and exciding, with one major exception: An Administrator Pro Tempore will be appointed. To whom this task will fall is, at this point, anyone's guess. The second item of business is to begin the search for a "County Administrator qualified to carry out the duties of the office".

The first new members that will lead the county will show up after the November 2006 election, when Districts #2 (SJ North), #3 (Friday Harbor), #5 (Orcas East) and #6 (Lopez/Shaw) are elected. The new members will receive compensation that will be set by a new Citizen Salary Commission.

Citizen Salary Commission.

How about money? The salaries for the current commissioners will stay the same for now, but as the new members come on board, their pay rate will be set by an appointed Citizens Salary Commission.

This will be a new process for the county. The BOCC salaries have been set by the BOCC, but that is about to change. Under the Charter a Commission of ten will decide how much money the new Councilmember's will receive. As per state law: "Six of the ten commission members shall be selected by lot by the county auditor from among those registered voters… The remaining four of the ten commission members must be residents of the county and shall be appointed by the county commissioner or executive with approval of the county legislative authority,… No person may be appointed to more than two terms." There is an interesting note from the legislature that "finds and declares that:… the compensation for state and county elected officials will be fair and certain, while minimizing the dangers of midterm salary increases being used to influence those officers in the performance of their duties." What may come as a surprise to many -including those who set the salaries- is a provision in the law that allows the public to petition by referendum salary increases and decreases, which would stay the Salary Commission's decision until after the referendum has been voted on by the people.

What else?

All of this is going to take some time to get use to, and one of the unforeseen issues may be what effect the Charter will have on some of the existing boards in the county. For example the BOCC is also the County Board of Health, and as of January, a new Board of Health will have to be appointed, and it is expected the new Board will be comprised of medical and health experts -or at least those with appropriate professional experience.

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New Planner: New Building Code?

(Planner Shireene Hale meets the BOCC & is introduced to Alan Lichter's humor)

Interim Directory Matt Zybas of CD&PD introduced new interim planner Shireene Hale to the BOCC, and told the Board that among other projects she will work to adopt the International Building Code and amendments that will allow a new flexibility in the building code provisions that the county is currently is using. (Past Story)

Hale has over 20 years of experience in both County Health and Planning Departments, and stated her work has "included writing and enforcing regulations; managing contracts, programs and personnel; facilitating citizen committees; securing grant funding; conducting field studies; and providing community education. Positions I held include Principal Planner and Senior Environmental Health Specialist. Programs I managed include Development Permitting, Long Range Planning, Aquifer Recharge, Food Protection, Environmental Epidemiology, and Critical Materials."

Her experience areas outside of pure planning may prove to be a bonus, as Matt Zybas has informed the BOCC in the past that his intention was to work more closely with the Health Department in the speeding up of the processing of permits by the sharing of information and resources.

Hales past work as been as a Principal Planner, Kootenai County, Idaho and Senior Environmental Health Specialist, Panhandle Health District. She has also been an Instructor at North Idaho College, and a past President of the Idaho Environmental Health Association

It is hoped she will retain her sense of humor in her new environment.

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Attend Make a Book Workshops at SJI Library

The San Juan Island Library is offering a series of three workshops on the art of making books. The first workshop will take place on Thursday November 10 at 3:30. Three different styles of art projects will be offered in the course of the series. "We had so much fun teaching making books at the Children's Festival and the San Juan County Fair that we thought we should do it again," said library director Lauren Stara. "We made keepsake books at Children's Festival, and at the County Fair, we showed two varieties that could be made from the same original materials. We have a third surprise in store for our finale in January."
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Lose A Dog??

Dog was found on San Juan Island in the Point Caution/Sutton Road area: Old female Basinji wearing a collar. She was sick, cold and hungry, but is now comfortable and on antibiotics. She seems to be looking for her home.

Please call 360 378 6355 with any information.

Thank you. Rebecca Barnard

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CHARTER WINS BIG & THERE WILL BE 6 COMMISSIONERS

3,480 YES to 2,056 NO

Si holds a copy of the Charter, which he began to read as the votes are counted in the background
By November of 2006 there will be a full board of six commissioners, or as they will now be known: County Council Members. Ranker and Lichter will remain in office until November 2008, and Myhr will come up for election in November of 2006. (with thanks to Jeff Bossler for working out the time-line of the transition)

(For the full official election results, click on the link: Official Results )
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Quall To Meet County School Boards In FH

(Official photo)

Dave Quall, our local State Representative for the 40th District will take part in a special county-wide meeting with the School Boards of San Juan County. The meeting is scheduled to start Wednesday, November 9, at 12:00 P.M. and run to 2:00 P.M. The meeting will be held in the Gubelman Room of the San Juan Community Theater.

The agenda item to be discussed is: "Current Challenges facing San Juan County Schools – (A discussion with San Juan County School Board Directors, Administrators, and Concerned Citizens with Representative Quall"

One aspect of "current challenges" that may come up is a recent bill sponsored by Quall that allows schools to be included in the state list of "essential public facilities", and for the San Juan School District this bill may make the process of constructing new athletic fields a bit less costly and more likely to be approved by the permitting process; a process that has already begun, and is scheduled to be heard by the Town of Friday Harbor Council this month.

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Last Chance to Enjoy a Suite at the Plaza

It seems that your best chance of seeing a suite at the Plaza (full story below) will be to enjoy the San Juan Community Theatre production of Neil Simon's comic trilogy, Plaza Suite, in its final four performances this weekend. Thursday's 7:30 p.m. performance is "bargain night" with tickets available at 25% off the regular evening price. Full fare shows are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., with a discounted matinee at 2:00 p.m. Sunday.

The Plaza Hotel – where F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald pranced in the fountain and Eloise burbled "Oooooooo, I absolutely love the Plaza" as she danced through its corridors – was sold by a Saudi prince to the New York unit of an Israeli developer for $675 million in August 2004.
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Busy Week For The BOCC

Director for CD&PD- & A Stormwater Utility -& Then CP & UDC Amendments

Starting today, Monday, November 7, at 9:00 A.M. the BOCC will conduct the first of five scheduled Interviews with candidates for the CD&PD (Director of Community Development and Planning Department). Matt Zybas, the interim Director, had declined to put his name forward as a candidate, and will return to a position with Public Works. The Monday meeting will be held in the Commissioner's Conference Room

On Tuesday the BOCC will a hold a number of Public Hearings, starting at 10:00 A.M. with a Proposed Storm Water Implementation Ordinance that will include a "Storm Water Utility"; then on to a second Public Hearing at 11:00 A.M. on amendments to the seven year update of the CP (Comprehensive Plan) and the UDC (Unified development Code) (Related Visser Column) . The Tuesday meeting will be held in the Commissioner's Hearing Room

On Thursday at 9:00 A.M. the Board will resume the interviews of candidates for the CD&PD. The Thursday round of interviews will start in the Conference Room, and then move to the Gubleman Room at the Community Theater for a 1:00 P.M. interview.

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County To Increase Bld & Land Use Fees

County Commissioners Review Chart of CD&PD Expenses)

The CD&PD (Community Development & Planning Department) will be raising some permit fees for both land use and building permits. The decision to raise the fees was approved by the BOCC, with the understanding that the increase would allow the department to base the fees on the costs of service. Some of the fee increases will be set "in-house", and without a public hearing, while others will be subject to a public hearing.

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Our Thought For The Weekend

Boy, what a relief to know this!

(BOCC webpage)
The above shot is from the BOCC webpage. Just thought you would find it interesting. We think it means that a topic is "hot" only when it is new -and the BOCC wants you to know about it- and not that there are no longer any hot topics that the BOCC is working on. We like the red font.


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Influenza Immunization Clinics for High Risk

The SJC Health Department is conducting adult immunization clinics at local senior centers to offer influenza, pneumonia, and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines to high risk individuals.

● Lopez: November 7 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Woodman Hall
● San Juan: November 9 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the San Juan Senior Center (Mullis Center)
● Orcas: November 15 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Orcas Senior Center

Influenza vaccine is prioritized for people at highest risk of serious illness or death from influenza: those 6-24 months and 65 and older, those 2-64 years with chronic medical conditions or working or living with high risk people, pregnant women, health care workers and those living with one or more children less than 6 months of age.

Vaccine will be available for the general public through the Health Department the last part of November, through December and as late in the winter as is needed and supply lasts. Vaccine availability will be posted.

Contact the Health Department at 378-4474 if you have questions regarding the vaccines.

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Visitors Spend Record $113.5 Million In SJ County

Visitors, tourists, or by any other name, for better or for worse, there is no denying they are a major contributor (15.1%) to the economy of San Juan County. According to a study released by CTED (Washington State Office of Community, Trade and Economic Development), visitors to San Juan County supported the local economy by spending a record amount in 2004. The 113.5 million is a $7.3 million increase in visitor spending from 2003, and represents an overall increase of 6.1% from 1991 to 2004. The state total increase for the same period was 4.2% The study was conducted by Dean Runyan Associates, specialists in economic and market research for travel and recreation, with public and private sector projects throughout the U.S.

In 2004, the San Juan Islands' economy benefited from visitor spending in the following areas:

• $35.5 million on food and beverage services
• $28.8 million on lodging
• $19.1 million on the arts, entertainment, and recreation
• $17.5 million on retail sales
• $12.5 million on other categories combined (food stores, ground transportation, gas)

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Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite" Opens

(Doug Schirmer and Susan Williamson)

The opening night performance is Friday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m., and is followed by a free reception with the cast
The splendor of New York's luxury Plaza Hotel greets the audience at San Juan Community Theatre for the next two week, as the Theatre presents Neil Simon's comic trilogy, Plaza Suite, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen.

The series of three short plays present the scenarios of various people who occupy Suite 719 at the Plaza. The first occupants are a couple – Tina Grenville-Cagwin and Hunter Wood – celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Juliet Flint plays the husband's secretary, Daryl Bacon is the bellhop and Warren Baehr portrays the recurring room service waiter.

They are followed by old high school sweethearts – Doug Schirmer and Susan Williamson – who are meeting for the first time as adults.

The Tom Steers set includes richly upholstered furniture procured by Charlia O'Neil and Penny Torkington, amid the striking scene painting of Lyne McPherson, and is elegantly lit by Keith Busha. Costumes are by Kim Burns.

This production is sponsored by Kings Market. Further performances will be: at 7:30 pm Nov. 5, 10, 11, 12, with matinees on Nov. 6 (at 5:00 pm) and Nov. 13 (at 2:00 p.m.). Ticket prices vary by date and time: $12-$16 for Adults, $7-$9 for Student Reserved. $5 Student RUSH is available one hour before any performance except Nov. 4. A private donor has made provision for free tickets to anyone needing financial assistance to attend a Theatre event. The SJCT Box Office is open Tuesday-Friday, 11-4, Saturdays 11-2, and one hour before any performance. Call 360-378-3210, or go to www.SanJuanCommunityTheatre.org.
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Land Bank Closes On Two Properties

(Orcas: Stonebridge outlined, other Land Bank properties labeled)

On Friday October 28th, the Land Bank purchased Stonebridge Farm on Orcas Island and a conservation easement on Crane Island, adjacent to Pole Pass.

The 74-acre Stonebridge Farm connects two existing Land Bank holdings, Crescent Beach Preserve, to the south, and the Terrill Beach Wetlands, to the north. Stonebridge Farm is best known for its expansive hay field to the north of Mt. Baker Road and for the covered bridge constructed by the previous owner, Burton Burton. The Land Bank acquired the site for its scenic and ecological values and recreational potential. The purchase price was $1,825,000.00.

"With this purchase, it could be possible to walk from Crescent Beach up to the Terrill Beach wetlands," stated Lincoln Bormann, Land Bank Director. "It also gives us the opportunity to restore the wetland areas on Stonebridge and on the former Greer property running to the north," Bormann added. "This is a key purchase for the residents and for the ecology of Orcas Island."

Under the Conservation Buyers Program, the Land Bank has the option of reselling a portion of the property to help defray purchase costs. Any portion of the property sold would likely be encumbered with a conservation easement to protect views and open space values.

67-acre Pole Pass Easement

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County Urged To Attend Quarantine Workshop

(JoAnne Campbell, John Manning and Mark Tompkins address the SJC Board of Health -aka: BOCC)

It is not common knowledge that the members of the Board of County Commissioners also are the County Board of Health, and in that capacity they met with the SJC H&CS (Health & Community Services) recently to receive a report on Public Health Standards and a Communicable Disease Report.

The good news is the Health Department has scored 80% on the State Health Standards, but even that has not satisfied John Manning, Director of the SJC H&CS, who told the Commissioners that while the less than 100% score was due to "paper standards" that had to do with how well his department informed the public on what the department does, he was "disappointed in our performance and what to assure you that improving our performance on the next review is a priority for this department".

Part of the Communicable Disease Report addressed the regulatory powers of the Health Officer, which include the power to legally quarantine infected or potentially infected individuals; but pointed out this is rarely done. At the end of the presentation, Manning told the Board that the State Board of Health has scheduled an "Isolation & Quarantine Workshop entitled "Law and Policy" that may be attended by invitation only, and urged the Board to send a representative to it.

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Public Participation Plan Set For ADU Ordinance

(File photo: Example of a legal guest house that will become "non-conforming" and would be illegal to build on the property under the proposed ordinance)

The ongoing struggle to resolve the ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) -commonly called guest houses- will soon reach a point where the public will be able to comment on the County's plan to resolve it. The BOCC will be asking the public to review and comment on a controversial ordinance that was agreed to by the BOCC and The Friends of the San Juans, outside of any public participation, and against the strongly delivered advice of their own attorney ( "BOCC Ignores PA Advice, Stays Guesthouse lawsuit" ).

Leaving aside the question of the BOCC have held discussions that excluded the public when they worked out the details of the new proposed ordinance, there are a number of questions about these details that, based on the past public process, may well be raised again in the new round of public hearings. Some of the details in the new ordinance are clearly in response to complains, such as the prohibition on renting out guest houses on a short term basis, thereby removing them as potential low income housing. But there are other regulations that were discussed and excluded when the original, and current, regulations were accepted, that have now shown up once again, some of which -according to past testimony- will restrict the construction of guesthouses both in number and location, and would, like the short term rental problem, decrease the potential number of affordable housing units in the county.

There is also the big question that some members of the public and county staff are already asking that will not be part of the new hearings: Is this all a waste of time that will simply lead to a new round of appeals and law suits if the proposed ordinance is passed, or will the BOCC follow the advice of their lawyers and let the current legal process proceed without the BOCC second guessing their attorneys?

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CD&PD To Retain Consultant, Make Changes

(Kurt Latimore presents assessment report to the BOCC as Matt Zybas looks on)

The CD&PD (Community Development & Planning Department) has received an assessment of the permit process, and some findings and recommendations on how the department can be improved (Link to past story) . The last time this was done was by an appointed committee of local professionals, but as the years have gone by, and the department has been reorganized, combined, un-combined, and re-combined, and with a turnover of staff, planners, directors, a few controversial resignations and one firing, Interim Director Matt Zybas felt it was time to once again have some outside review of the department. This time the Latimore Company consulting firm was retained to come into the department, review the existing programs and see if there were ways of making some improvements. His 24 page report was recently presented to the BOCC, and after the presentation, Zybas came back to the BOCC with his list of changes that he will have the Latimore Company help implement in the department, at an approximate cost of $10,000.00.
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Women's Summit Nov 4th & 5th at Rosario Resort

One Topic: SJC Highest Rate Of Breast Cancer In US


In 2002, Washington State had the highest breast cancer incidence of all 50 states in the US. Within Washington, San Juan was the county with the highest incidence of breast cancer. Islanders for a Healthy Environment/SJC Cancer Detectives is working to find out why San Juan County has so much cancer, and what can be done to make the place we live safer for all of us.

At the Islands Women's Summit (to be held at Rosario Resort on Orcas November 4th and 5th : Past Story & Information on the Summit), Women will share two days of informative group sessions, special guest speakers, roundtable luncheon discussions, an Artisan's Marketplace, the Island Women's Resource Room, relaxing spa time, plus evening music and entertainment. (Click below for more, including information on a free shuttle to Rosario Resort)
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