County Closing Raises Concerns & Questions

Lori L. Ronhaar, Branch Manager of the Chicago Title company in Friday Harbor has written to say how "grateful to Nancy Fusare and Kevin Ranker for pulling whatever strings they had to pull to get the County courthouse opened from noon to 4 today. It was very frustrating for those of us in private business (who have been working since Monday), to be told the courthouse would be closed yet a fourth day this week. And then for us to find out that their concern was not just employees getting to work, but if they were to declare the courthouse open, those employees who were unable to get in would have to use either vacation or sick leave. The Council apparently did not want them to have to do that. Maybe that is something for them to consider when the unions renegotiate their contracts".

Ronhaar also raises an interesting question on what some of the possible untended consequences are for the County budget, when she asks "Does it make any sense to require the Sheriff's Department and the Public Works Department to be here and pay them time and a half because technically this is not a required work day? Once again it is clear the difference in the mind set of the management of a private business and a government business. When our priority is to serve our customers the best we can, we do whatever is in our power to accomplish that. Our local grocery stores, banks, shops, escrow and real estate companies have been a wonderful example of that this past week. Thank you to all of you who braved the elements and once again did an excellent job of serving your neighbors even if your staff was small".

Ronhaar writes that she also "suggested to Alan Lichter this morning that the Council might want to check with other counties surrounding ours to see what their Disaster Preparedness Plan is for instances such as snow storms. I think the Council will find that many counties remained open over the past four days and used whatever staff could get in to serve the public."


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Benefit Players Present A Ceremony of Carols

A small women's chorus directed by RuthE. Wells will present three performances of Benjamin Britten's popular oratorio A Ceremony of Carols and other holiday music Friday and Saturday, December 1 and 2, at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, December 3, at 2:00 pm. Admission is by donation, and all contributions to San Juan Benefit Players are tax deductible. In honor of the humble Holy family, which is celebrated by this work, audience members are asked to bring an item of non-perishable food for the Food Bank in addition to cash donations for admission. All donations are tax-deductible.
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Local Firm's West Coast Event a Success

The Strategic News Service , run by local entrepreneur Mark Anderson, has just concluded its first successful SNS West Coast Dinner, at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. The event was sold out. Participants included technology leaders from Silicon Valley, and global financial and industry press.

"We're happy to be able to come into the Valley, and find the same success and acceptance here that we have had in New York and London," Anderson said at the gathering. Sponsors included Hewlett-Packard, the Microsoft Technology Officers Network, and Accenture.

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Not Only Cars Having Traction Problems

The pilot lost control of this plane on take off, sliding left and right, and then off the runway, down the hill heading toward the Browne's Home Center parking lot exit before coming to a safe stop, No injuries. Rain expected tonight, so the ice may be gone soon.


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Guest Editorial

Damned If They Do; Damned If They Don't
By Gordy Petersen

It appears that the three sitting council members can't do anything right when it comes to the Charter. They will never be able to satisfy some "home rule" proponents who advocated a "revenue neutral" Charter.

Whether you agree or not with all the costs attributed to the Charter the fact is that the Charter calls for changes that are expensive to implement. It is not "revenue neutral". Many of the costs are real. And so is the finger pointing.
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ICE & More ICE On The Roads

Remember to put out food for the birds and other critters -They are not used to this either…

(P. Visser Photo) More photos

County Offices To Stay Closed On Tuesday County Council Chairman Lichter has announced that all County offices will remain closed on Tuesday; Public Works road crews will be working, the first responders and the reliable crews at OPALCO are still on the job. All schools in SJC remain closed.
The Chamber of Commerce Downtown Forum will NOT meet today due to weather conditions. The meeting will be rescheduled
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Guest Editorial

Bogus! - Costs Attributed to Charter
By Richard Fralick

An imperative of the 1st full County Council will be to implement the Charter consistent with the will of the people who voted it into place. The Freeholders intended charter government to be, at least, revenue neutral, and saw, in the long run, potential for major savings. Of course, they anticipated some one time costs. However, some of the costs recently attributed to Charter implementation are so preposterous that we are compelled to take exception.

Remember that the three incumbent Council Members opposed the Charter and have a vested interest to see that it is not successful. One way to do this is to make decisions that cause the cost of county government to go up and blame it on the Charter.
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"The Swallows Are Home Again"

Westcott Bay Institute presents "The Swallows Are Home Again – Visual Tales of Twenty-Five Island Years" by Artist Alison Johnston. This exhibit is a gathering of her work from the past twenty-five years together in one place. Listen with your eyes, the swallows are home again.

The show runs through December 9, 2006, at The Island Museum of Art, 314 Spring Street, Friday Harbor. Our winter hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00am to 5:00pm. Please call 360-370-5050 for information.

The Institute thanks the Town of Friday Harbor Lodging Tax Fund and all of our members and donors for their continuing support.


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New Well Construction and Contractor Rules

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has updated and modified the state regulations governing construction and maintenance of wells, as well as the professional licensing requirements for well contractors and operators.

The standards for well construction identify specific construction requirements that all wells must meet in order to protect public health, safety, and welfare as well as to protect the ground water resource. The changes to the standards for well construction and driller licensing are required by legislative mandate. The new rules officially go into effect December 21, 2006. To view the documents, they may be viewed online at Ecology's website. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/laws-rules/activity/wac173160_162.html.


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Charter Cost 1.9 Million?

For the first time, all 6 members of the County Council were present at the 2007 budget hearing. The three newly elected Councilors sat in the audience as observers. Although they were quiet during the proceedings that silence did not last long afterwards.

When the official Council finished questioning the Auditor and new Administrator about the budget, members of the public were then given the chance to ask questions. That is when a member of the public specifically asked about the cost of implementing the new Charter in San Juan County.

After consulting with the Auditor and the Administrator, Council Chairman Alan Lichter announced that the cost is in excess of 1.9 million dollars. The laundry list of expenditures included the salary and benefits for the County Administrator and his office staff and three new Council members.

Auditor Si Stephens prepared a spreadsheet estimating charter costs. It was limited to operating expenses. The document itemized costs during the initial phase-in of the Charter totaling $887,718.00. During the hearing no one specifically disagreed about the numbers that Mr. Stephens presented. There appeared to be general consensus between the Council and the Administrator when specific line items were discussed that the numbers were accurate. But when interviewed later, some in attendance made it clear there was room for disagreement.

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Call for Actors – "The Cemetery Club"

San Juan Community Theatre will hold open auditions for the Ivan Manchell's heartwarming comedy, The Cemetery Club, directed by Gretchen Gubelman. Auditions will be at 7:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, November 20 and 21.

So, you think a play called The Cemetery Club must be depressing, right? Oi, Vai! This is about as depressing as TV's "Golden Girls." These three Jewish widows get together once a month to visit their husbands graves, but in a good way. They take love tokens, they talk about what's new, it's like they never died. The bonds of their friendship began years before, but their friendship is tested when one of "the girls" attracts the interest of a widower. So what do you think happens then? You'll have to see the show.

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Click Of A Finger: Send A Card To Those Serving In Iraq

You too can help support our men and women during the holidays who are in uniform, and in harm's way, 14,000 miles from home, by sending a card. Xerox is providing a free link that allows one to send a card -or two- to members of our armed forces that cannot be home for the holidays.

While it only takes a second to send a card, it will matter greatly to someone in uniform that is serving far away from home. Go to, or click on: www.letssaythanks.com , pick out a thank you card, and Xerox will print and sent it to a service member currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

This is not about the war, it is about our guys and gals over there, and their need to know we are behind them and thinking of them.


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First Of Five Arrive San Juan County

The first of the five oil spill response trailers awarded by WA State Department of Ecology to the Port of Friday Harbor, the Port of Lopez, and the San Juan County Department of Emergency Management have arrived in the islands.

Trailers are now in place at Rosario Resort and Deer Harbor on Orcas Island, the Port of Friday Harbor, and Shoal Bay on Lopez Island. The Port of Lopez trailer should be arriving next week.

Stocked with a supply of oil absorbent boom, buoys, anchors, and a host of other response equipment, the trailers will be managed by the Islands' Oil Spill Association (IOSA).

The Department of Ecology will be working with IOSA to provide training to the staff of local businesses and organizations working near that waters the trailers are designed to protect. Deer Harbor Boatworks, Rosario Resort, Shoal Bay Marina, the Islander's Resort and the Ports are taking a strong step towards further protecting our marine waters through the acquisition of these trailers.


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Want To Help Run The Town?

The Town of Friday Harbor will have 90 days to replace Howard Rosenfeld, who will be moving on to the County Council, where he will represent the citizens of Friday Harbor. If the Town fails to appoint in 90 days, the County Council "loses it's authority to appoint…and the Board of County Commissioners has the power to fill the vacancy".

At the Thursday Town Council meeting the Mayor announced that two people have expressed interest in being appointed to the upcoming vacated position, but Council member Debbie Emery suggested that, while she has nothing against the two who have stepped forward, the Town should take steps to clearly state the Town has not made a decision on an appointment, so that anyone who is qualified may feel free to submit their name.

After some discussion it was decided to make a formal announcement of the opening to solicit candidates for the position. Anyone who is 18yrs or older, resides in Friday Harbor, and is eligible to vote, may apply for the position by sending in a letter of intent. The Council will review all submitted applications and invite applicants to address the Council to make their case as to why they should be appointed.

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Not Extinct, & Not Endangered, But To Be Protected

Following a 12-month status review, including concerns and questions raised by the Friends of the San Juans and other concerned individuals and groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has now concluded that the Island Marble butterfly does not warrant listing as threatened or endangered at this time, because threats to the species are not as great as previously thought and the National Park Service (NPS) - the primary landowner of Island Marble habitat - is implementing actions, outlined in a Conservation Agreement with the Service, to ensure the conservation of the butterfly.

"The Park Service efforts, and actions taken by private landowners, have reduced the threats to the species," said Ren Lohoefener, Director of the Service's Pacific Region. He added that he is committed to maintaining the positive momentum of voluntary conservation actions by making Island Marble butterfly conservation a priority for Service partnerships in the Pacific Region. Working with Federal and non-Federal partners through a West Coast Butterfly Initiative, the Service will focus attention on the plight of more than a dozen declining species of West Coast butterflies and provide support for implementing positive conservation actions.

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2007 Rescue Tug Coverage Assured

(Crowley photo)

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Crowley Maritime Corp have now entered into an agreement to station a company rescue tug at Neah Bay starting Jan. 1, 2007. Ecology oversees the rescue tug contract, and as last reported in the Island Guardian, there has been a "shortage of tugs", and the ability of Ecology to obtain a contract for coverage was in doubt.

The agreement fills a gap created when Foss Maritime opted out of its contract in August due to a shortage of tugs. Foss did agree to keep a rescue tug stationed at Neah Bay from Nov. 1 through until Dec. 31, 2006.

While the current storms are with us, Foss has deployed its Neah Bay rescue tug into the Strait of Juan de Fuca as a precautionary measure due to the stormy weather and rough seas.

A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay since the spring of 1999 to help assist disabled ships traveling off the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca from drifting onto rocks and spilling oil. During this time, rescue tugs have come to the aid of 29 disabled ships.

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New Secretary Of Defense Has Orcas Home

While it has become fairly common knowledge by now that the new Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, has lived in Mt, Vernon, what is less well know is the fact that the family also owns a home, and some vacant land, on Orcas Island.

According to a number of reports, the Gates family plans on retiring back to Washington, but according to a story in the Seattle Times, it will be at Big Lake, which is located near Mt. Vernon, and not to the Orcas property.

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Guest Editorial

CC To Take A Position On Global Warming?

By Ray Bigler

Now that our paid County Council has solved the problems in Iraq with their advisory vote, they are now free to move forward with more pressing county matters. It appears that the next item on the agenda is Global Warming. Since the planet has been steadily warming since the last Ice Age, I guess they think that a resolution or an ordinance of some sort will solve the problem. I commend them on this noble effort. Then San Juan County can more on to other county problems, like; North Korea and Iran's nuclear programs, and the genocide in the Sudan.

Once our Councilmen have solved these problems, maybe we can get reimbursement from the UN to cover our costs for the time spent by our paid representatives solving these international issues. Then the Council can start working on additional National and State issues. I am sure that the US Congress and our State House will be more than happy to cover our costs for the time our Council spends solving these many problems and issues. Imagine the money we can save the taxpayers of the United States, Washington State, and specifically, San Juan County.

Since we now have a Home Rule Charter, perhaps we can start an Initiative to form a group of say, six people, drawn from the citizens of San Juan County, to work on our local problems and issues. I suggest that we elect them from the Districts that were formed as a result of the adoption of the Charter. We would probably need to have a special election, but with all the money we saved the UN et al, one would think that the voters would be more than happy to pay for a special election. Can you imagine having a group of citizens, elected by the people, spending the preponderance of their time working for the people of San Juan County?

What an imaginative concept.



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Help Offered For Medicare Enrollment

Two sessions of a workshop will be offered to "Help with Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Insurance". They will take place at 4:00 PM on Thursday, November 16 and Wednesday, November 29 at 4:00 PM in the Library conference room. Space is limited to 12 participants: reservations may be made by calling the San Juan Island Library at 378-2798.

The San Juan Island Library and San Juan Senior Services' Curt VanHyning are offering a workshop for seniors or disabled individuals with questions about Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. The presentation ""Prescription Drug Insurance Plan Open Enrollment" will provide a brief overview of the Medicare program. Participants will gain the information necessary to choose an insurance plan or change plans and have the opportunity to enroll at the workshop.

Participants should bring a list of prescriptions taken, an estimate of the cost of drugs last year, a Medicare Card, supplemental insurance card and prescription drug plan card if applicable. Low-income individuals may qualify for free or low-cost insurance.

The workshop is co-sponsored by Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors and structured so that individuals can sign up at the library for Medicare Prescription Insurance, and ask individual questions.


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Dollars For Scholars Garage Sale

Dollars For Scholars is having a garage sale on November 18th. They are looking for donations of furniture, appliances, tools, and other garage sale items. The donations are tax deductible.

Dollars For Scholars is a local non profit organization. They provide scholarship assistance to students who complete a minimum of 80 hours of approved community service during their high school years. Dollars For Scholars scholarships come from the community at large through local fundraisers.

Donated items can be dropped off at Consignment Treasures at 6739 Roche Harbor Road, or phone 378-6473 to have items picked up.

The Dollars For Scholars Board thanks all who have given help and support over the six years they have provided student scholarships.

"If you think education is expensive - try ignorance". ~ Derek Bok, President Emeritus, Harvard University

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Saying Goodbye To SI

(Former County Administrator David Goldsmith honors Si Stephens at a recent dinner)

A large crowd of friends, associates, clients, county and state government officials joined Auditor Si Stephens in a farewell dinner in honor of his twenty-four years serving the citizens of San Juan County. Joining the large party of well-wishers was Secretary of State Sam Reed, who joined in the good natured "roast" of Auditor Stephens.

The Island Guardian asked Si what his plans are for now, and he said he would still be involved for sometime in the accounting business that he recently sold on Lopez, and that while they may sell the Lopez house, they plan to purchase a larger boat, which they would keep at Lopez, using it as a summer base when they return from warmer climes in the winter.

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"Breaking" News: Tsunami May Hit WA?

A Tsunami Watch is in effect for the Washington, British Columbia and Alaska coastal areas from Cape Flattery, Washington to Sand Point, Alaska. An extreme inundation is not expected in the states. No warning from SJC has been given, and it is not expected San Juan County will be hit by it, nor is it expected that when it arrives that it will be very large. The event, if it happens, is expected late this morning
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CC Meets New Attorney

(Karen Vedder, Randy Gaylord, and Craig Magnusson in the Law Library)

The attorney hired by SJC Prosecutor Randy Gaylord to handle the Growth Management Board's hearings on the Accessory Dwelling appeals met with the County Council on Tuesday to discuss legal strategy with the Council. This was the first time the Council had met Craig D. Magnusson.
Chairman Lichter and Councilman Ranker had questioned Gaylord's decision in hiring Mr. Magnusson. based on comments and complaints made by sources they did not identified, but the hiring decision is by law reserved for the County Prosecutor. (Previous Story)

While the executive session was billed as a strategy session, it was also a chance to for the Council to question Magnusson on matters of concern to them, and after the meeting Chairman Lichter told the Island Guardian that the meeting went well.

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Turtleback Mountain Saved

It was announced at the County Council meeting on Tuesday that the $18.5 Million fundraising campaign to buy Turtleback Mountain on Orcas had succeeded. A partnership of conservation organizations that includin the San Juan Preservation Trust, The Trust for Public Land and the San Juan County Land Bank has now successfully purchased one of the largest and most familiar properties in the San Juan Islands. The acquisition ensures that the mountain will remain an undeveloped conservation area accessible to the public.

Outpouring of Support
This $18.5 million effort represents the largest fundraising campaign ever undertaken in San Juan County. More than 1,500 donors from throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond responded to the appeal. Local schools, social groups and businesses sponsored special events and promotions for Turtleback, and an outdoor rally held in September at the base of the mountain is believed to be the single largest community gathering ever in the San Juan Islands. A Turtleback-inspired cartoon was created for the campaign by Gary Larson, creator of "The Far Side" comic strip, and was used to expand interest beyond the islands.

"This is a realization of a community dream," said Tim Seifert, executive director of the San Juan Preservation Trust. "Turtleback Mountain will be a gift from our generation to those that will follow."

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CC To Take Position On Global Warming?

At a Staff work session on Monday, County Council Chairman Alan Lichter informed the Council that the Islands Trust in British Columbia will be taking a stand on global warming, and suggested that the County Council (CC) also consider taking a position on global warming. While it was not clear if he was proposing another advisory ballot as was recently passed on the Iraq war, or had something else in mind, it was clear that Councilman Ranker was enthusiastic on the County taking a position consistent with action he said has been taken by other counties to address global warming at a local level.

Councilman Bob Myhr has shown an appreciation for the work of the Islands Trust, and had in the past given a report on a meeting of the Trust that he had attended, but he was less than enthusiastic about Lichter's suggestion, repeating an opinion given when the Iraq ballot had been suggested by Lichter, that there are local issues that need to be addressed, stating this time that "I don't think we should be talking about this.. we have specific issues, such as specific environmental issues that need to be addressed".

Ranker responded that other counties and cities are adopting specific things to do that address global warming. Lichter asked Myhr if he saw the suggestion for local action on global warming to be different than he had on the Iraq resolution. Myhr repeated that he wanted the Council to address specific local environmental issues, as opposed to global ones.

The question may come up again at the regular scheduled Tuesday CC meeting.


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America Recycles Day!

by Helen Venada

Today is "America Recycles Day!" San Juan County recycled only about 21% of its solid waste in 2005--significantly lower than both the Washington State recycling rate (an impressive 44%) and the national rate (about 29%)?

A look into the solid waste trailers at our transfer stations would show you why our rate isn't higher. Despite the opportunity to recycle, many of us are throwing away surprising amounts of cardboard and paper, as well as aluminum, glass, and plastic containers. It's been encouraging to hear people say at recent public meetings of our Solid Waste Advisory Committee that they want to see less waste going to the landfill. It is clear that increased recycling is a key component of this challenge.

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Free Electronic Recycling By ‘09'

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has adopted the first of two rules necessary to carry out the state's new electronic product recycling law, passed by the Legislature earlier this year. This is the first important milestone in launching a one-of-a-kind law requiring manufacturers to provide consumers free recycling of electronic products by Jan. 1, 2009.
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Attend Make a Book Workshops at Library

The San Juan Island Library is offering a series of workshops on the art of making books.
One session will be for children from grades 1 – 5, on Tuesday November 14 at 3:30 – 4:30 PM.
A series of two workshops for adults and teens will take place on Tuesday November 7 at 7:00 PM and Tuesday December 5 at 7 PM. Different styles of art projects will be offered in each workshop. "We had so much fun teaching making books at the San Juan County Fair that we thought we should do it again," said outreach coordinator Beth Helstien.


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Just Sitting Out The Rain

This young buck is sitting in a dry spot under fir trees on the west side of San Juan Island
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Project Manager Selected For SJ Initiative

The County Council and Shared Strategies has completed an interview process to select a Project Manager for The San Juan Initiative (Previous story), and have agreed to hire Amy Windrope, from Portland Oregon. Windrope is currently the Policy and Outreach Coordinator for the "Partnership for the Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans" at Oregon State University, and in that capacity one of her responsibilities is to "craft coherent messages for media and public".

Windrope's experience in crafting -as her resume states: understandable explanations for the public, may be a good sign for those in the county who want to understand why the County takes some of the paths to regulatory compliance that it takes. The Council has begun a review and implementation of a host of new policies and regulations that may have direct, and far reaching consequences for the citizens of the county, not the least of which is the updating of the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) that is required by the State Growth Management Act (GMA) The CAO will be one of, if not the major, arena within which Windrope will be working.



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AEDs: SJ County Has Been A Leader

Five years ago Sheriff Bill Cumming realizing the value of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and equipped his Sheriff's cruisers with the lifesaving devices. As a result of this foresight, SJC Sheriffs deputies have four documented "saves" of lives thanks to the use of the AEDs. Some other police departments in Washington are only now equipping their officers with the units; most notably the Seattle police department will begin carrying Automated External Defibrillators in their cruisers.

Local funding for the AEDs has come from a number of sources, including monies from the North Region EMS and Trauma EMS council, and private donations, such the purchase of three units in 2004 by Gordy and Lori Petersen that were presented to First Responders on San Juan Island, and on Orcas the Island Medical Guild has provided funding for the program.

Fire departments and EMTs on all of the major islands are now using the units. Orcas Island Fire Department have their EMT¹s personal vehicles equipped with AEDs, Oxygen and trauma supplies. Lt. Patrick Shepler of the Orcas Island Fire Department put it this way, "It's all about time. How quickly we can get to you to perform CPR and provide defibrillation has a direct relationship on survival."

Bob Lowe, the former Friday Harbor Chief & now the new San Juan County Fire Marshal , and EMT Cheyenne Mauldin once brought a patient literally back from the dead with a "zap" from one of these devices. Sgt. Scott Brennan and Betty Weiss, Lead dispatcher and EMT, have also had a save as well, and Under-Sheriff Jon Zerby is credited with two saves.

The taining for the Sheriff's department has come from San Juan EMS instructors -and EMS advocates- Lainey Volk and Garth Eimers, who have been instrumental in the implementation process.




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Happy Birthday To The US Marine Corps

Two hundred twenty six years ago, on November 10th, 1775, the US Marine Corps was established by the Continental Congress.
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Guest Editorial

Impacts Of Whale-Watching Boats
By Mark Anderson

In a letter written by San Juan Island whale watch operator Bill Carli, he said two things which operators have been saying for ten years.

Here is the first: "There is no scientific evidence that whale-watching boats have a negative impact on the whales."

Knowing even the possibility that boats harm whales, how could any whale watch operator not take the personal responsibility to learn the science on this issue? Indeed, every paper ever published on the question shows only negative impacts of boats on whales.
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Holiday Decorating Contest

The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce is, once again, sponsoring the Christmas Decorating Contest for the town of Friday Harbor. The theme is in keeping with the overall celebration for the month of December, "Island Lights".

Judging for the contest will be Sunday evening, December 3, starting at 6:00pm.
The Grand Prize, awarded for over all "Best in Show" will be $750. Prizes of $250 will also be awarded for Best Door, Best Window, Most Creative and Most Natural. There will also be a prize, amount to be determined, for three Honorable Mentions.

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Officer Candidate Matthew Carter

Ensign Carter received his commission as Ensign in the U. S. Navy on Oct. 22, 2006. Ensign Carter was commissioned in a ceremony at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, and will be stationed there while attending Primary Flight Instruction, and Flight Officer Training over the next two years.

Ensign Carter is a 2003 graduate of the Carter High School on Orcas, and Skagit Valley College in Friday Harbor, and a 2005 graduate of Seattle Pacific University.

He is the son of Dennie and Cindy Carter of Orcas Island, and the grandson of Alan and Corinne Carter of Friday Harbor.

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Violet Richardson Award Applications Now Available for Girls 14-17

Do you know of a young woman aged 14 through 17 who is making a difference through community service? If so, now is the time to encourage her to apply for the Violet Richardson Award, from Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor.

Each year, Soroptimists honor girls who donate their time and energy to causes that make their communities and world a better place - such as working to end discrimination and poverty, assisting women and children who are victims of domestic violence, or mentoring younger girls. Recipients receive a cash award from the local club and become eligible for additional awards through higher levels of the organization. One winner is chosen nationally to receive a finalist award, which includes a contribution of $2,500 to the charitable organization of the recipient's choice.

Applications for the award are now available and must be completed and turned in by December 1st. To obtain an application, please call or e-mail Lori Stokes, at 378-4643 or lori@rockisland.com.

The award is named after Violet Richardson, the president of the first Soroptimist club, in 1921. Richardson believed in personal responsibility and the motto, "It's what you do that counts." She lived her life accordingly, as an active member in her community who was committed to creating opportunities for girls and young women. Friday Harbor joins with almost 100,000 Soroptimist members in 120 countries and territories to contribute time and financial support to community-based projects benefiting women.

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Lichter & Ranker Question Gaylord's Choice of DP

SJC Prosecutor Randy Gaylord's hiring of a new interim Deputy Prosecutor has been sharply criticized by Chairman Lichter and Councilman Ranker. At the CC (County Council) meeting on Tuesday (11-7-06), both Lichter and Ranker expressed to Gaylord their displeasure with the choice Gaylord has made, and were upset that the Council had not received a copy of a resume, and had not had a chance to "meet" him. Gaylord said that he had scheduled a meeting with the attorney and the Council for the following week, so that they might have a chance to meet him and ask questions if they wished

Lichter had placed an item on the Council "Discussion/Other Action Agenda" labeled: "Consideration of Rescission of Motion of October 17, 2006". The motion in question was the authorization of an appropriation previously made by the Council to hire a new interim Deputy Prosecutor. Previous Story When the motion was unanimously approved in October, there was some discussion as to if the approval was also to be tied to the Council approving the qualifications of Gaylord's choice for the position, but Gaylord told the Council that it would be inappropriate for the Council to make the authorization contingent on their review of the legal qualifications of an attorney to be hired by Prosecutor's office.

The Council voted to authorize the funds, and Randy said he would send them some information about the attorney he had selected, and would set a time when he could introduce him to the Council. But at the November Monday Staff meeting, both Lichter and Ranker said they had received information that led them to question Gaylord's choice. This then led to what became a confrontation at the following Tuesday Council meeting between Lichter, Ranker and Gaylord.

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SJC Joins NW Marine Industry Project

CTED (Wa State Community Trade and Economic Development) has awarded five regional partnership "economic development grants". The Northwest region's Marine Cluster-based Industry Project is one of the award recipients, and spans Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties.

Bob Myhr, Vice Chair of the SJ County Council pointed out in a press release that the marine industry has been identified as a major growth industry in this region for a number of years. This region hosts one-third of Washington State's Ship Building & Repair and Boat Building sectors. The waters surrounding the San Juan Islands have long been a focal point for scientific research. The San Juan Islands are home to some of the top scientists and researchers, entrepreneurs and technicians including Northwest Marine Technology, the UW Friday Harbor Labs, Islands Marine Center, Jensen Shipyard, Tanbark Marine, and the UC Davis SeaDoc Society.

For the past several years, on-going cluster-based efforts focused on the marine industry in this region including the marine manufacturing industry panel facilitated by the Northwest Workforce Development Council and the San Juan County Marine Enterprise Cluster Study completed in 2005 by the San Juan Economic Development Council.

According to Council Member Myhr, "This Marine Cluster-based Industry Project will support expansion of this region's active collaboration. The objectives of this project are to develop regional strategies to support business attraction, expansion and retention within the Cluster, which will result in creation of additional living wage jobs. I am delighted we will be an active participant."

"This grant will provide essential resources to enhance existing work in support of the industry's competitiveness and the continued growth of this cluster with living wage jobs expansion" added Gay Dubigk, Executive Director, Northwest Workforce Development Council.

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Agricultural Survey Completed

A recent survey by the SJC Agricultural Resources Committee (ARC) found three most important issues are: (1) preservation of agricultural land, (2) increased education and technical support, and (3) addressing restrictive and often inappropriate regulations.

ARC was established in 2005 by the former BOCC -now the County Council- to be a volunteer citizens advisory committee reporting to the SJC County Council, to assess and address issues and the assess the needs of the county's farmers, food producers, and other citizens involved in agriculture. The ARC's mission is to "achieve the protection and restoration of the agricultural resources of San Juan County".
As a step toward that goal, two hundred surveys were mailed to agricultural producers in the county. Twenty-three questions were asked in the survey in order to better understand the needs of our islands' farmers. The survey included questions regarding land use, farm labor, economics, education, technical support, markets, regulation, land preservation, and their reasons for farming.

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Lichter: "Revoke Funding For Deputy Prosecutor"

(Gaylord requests funding at 17 Oct County Council meeting)

At the Tuesday (11-6-06) CC (County Council) Staff meeting, Chairman Alan Lichter expressed concerns to his fellow Councilmen that the new temporary Deputy Prosecuting Attorney selected by SJC Prosecutor Randy Gaylord, may not be suited to fully represent the Council's position in the upcoming ADU (Accessory Dwelling Units) appeals.

Prosecutor Gaylord had come to the CC on October 17th to request funding to hire a temporary replacement for attorney Cameron Carter, who previous to his resignation, had handled the ADU lawsuit and appeals for the County. (Past related stories)

At the October meeting Lichter had asked Ranker and Myhr for their input on Gaylord's request, and in the insuring discussion it was decided that the Council's authorization for the hiring should not be, as Gaylord put it: "contingent upon their review of the attorney's qualifications". Myhr said that he was "happy to defer to the Prosecuting Attorney to make the proper decision".

After much discussion the CC agreed to a onetime "Emergency Appropriation" for the position, and Gaylord told the Council that he would be happy to introduce them to his choice for the position, who he had described as being "qualified and familiar with San Juan County and the ADU issues".

At the Tuesday meeting Lichter said he had concerns about the person Gaylord had selected, and without naming his sources, said he had been informed that the attorney had "iffy qualifications " for the job, lacking GMA (Growth Management Act) experience. Lichter reminded the Council that in the past Gaylord had opposed the Council positions on how the lawsuit and appeals should be handled. Councilman Ranker said that he too had become aware of some expressed concerns, and that his own concern was that Gaylord had said he would introduce them to the attorney, but that had not yet happened.

There was some disagreement between Lichter and Ranker as to what had happened at the October meeting, but all three agreed that "we should meet this guy", as Councilman Myhr summed it up

Lichter requested the other Councilmen to support him in a motion to withhold the approved funding for the position until they had met and approved the hire. Ranker said that it was a little late, since Gaylord had already entered into a contract with the attorney.

Myhr asked Lichter if he was "suggesting we tell the PA we have the right to approve the attorney?" Lichter responded that "we have an obligation to spend County money wisely".

The matter will be discussed with Gaylord in attendance at the regular Tuesday (11-7-06) Council meeting.


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A Child In Need Of Community Help

(Ryan and Bill Crosby, Sr. holding Ryan's two daughters, Taylir and Montana a little over a year ago)

Montana Crosby is the eighteen-month-old child of Ryan and Trina Crosby, and she and her family need financial help, and they need it right now, David and Mary Ann Anderson of San Juan Island explain that "Montana has a rare stage 4 liver cancer called "hepatoblastoma" and is in dire need of a liver transplant to save her life. The cost is $700,000, of which $500,000 must be paid in advance. The Crosby's do have medical insurance, but it does not include transplants".

Jim Carroll of the San Juan Lions said the Lions have come forward, and have set up an account that can be used to accept donations. Jim stated that "Although the amount seems huge, when I calculated the real cost per household, it would amount to 5000 households setting aside only 38 cents a day for one year which amounted to $140.00 per household. Pocket change can add up when everyone pulls together." Donations can be sent to

San Juan Lions Foundation
Post Office Box 54
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Checks should have "For the Benefit of Montana Crosby" written on them.

Ryan and Trina are trying to sell everything they have, including their car, home and their property on San Juan Island to pay for the operation.

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Turtleback To Remain In Natural State

One of the possible uses of a portion of Turtleback Mountain on Orcas Island was to sell off a small portion for the development of affordable housing. The Land Bank thought this may provide some land for OPAL and Homes for Islanders to develop affordable housing, and at the same time provide additional property taxes to the County, since the land bank does not pay taxes, but the affordable housing groups do.

After a review of the proposal by The San Juan Preservation Trust, the San Juan County Land Bank, and OPAL (Of People and Land) Community Land Trust, they announced this week that the building of affordable housing on the lower reaches of the Turtleback Mountain property will no longer be considered. (Past story on proposal) According to a press release, the property's zoning, its location, and the complicated structure of the transaction presented too many barriers to the potential collaborative effort.

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SJC Sued Over "Ballot Tracker" System

(File photo, Elections Supervisor Dan Gillespie responds to comments from Greg Hertel )

A lawsuit has been filed against the SJC Auditor, charging that the system used to keep track of, and count mail in ballots, is in violation of state law.

Green Party members Tim While and Allan Rosato filed the suit, explaining "We filed this suit as a measure of last resort. During the County's first six all-mail elections over the past 12 months, we've attempted to get action by presentations to the Board of County Commissioners, the new County Council, the Elections Department, the County Elections Canvassing Board, and the County Prosecuting Attorney". .

The issue generating the lawsuit results from the method used to process ballots. A bar code is used by the current system to track ballots, and because the bar code is a "distinguishing mark" on the ballot, the suit alleges it is contrary to state law, which prohibits the placing of any markings on a ballot that can be used to "distinguish an individual voter's ballot card from other ballot cards",


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Guest Editorial

The Time Is Finally Right!
By Becky Rusnak

I am writing to anyone who has an interest in making San Juan Island a safer place to live and love. With the recent news of Chief Bill McLaughlin's resignation, coupled with the current recruiting efforts of the Town of Friday Harbor to find a Fire Chief, this is the perfect time to encourage the Town of Friday Harbor and San Juan County Fire District #3 Fire Commission to merge the two departments under positive, well-respected, and experienced leadership.
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Survey Underway On SJC Preparedness

The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management has started a multiphase project to objectively assess family/individual preparedness within San Juan County and The Town of Friday Harbor.

James Kellogg, Preparedness Educator for the Department of Emergency Management, offered his thoughts on the survey initiative: "This project will help us to better understand the baseline needs of our community, to determine how we can best meet those needs, and to assess the effectiveness of our preparedness programs. I know we are all busy, but the time and effort put in by members of our community will help us to ensure that fewer citizens will be catastrophically affected by the hazards that threaten our island community."

Participation in the survey is completely voluntary, and all contact information is strictly confidential. Such information is only used for purposes of survey contact and follow-up. Individual responses are completely anonymous, and are used to create a general picture of the preparedness levels within San Juan County and the Town of Friday Harbor.

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Leadership SJI Schedules 2 Open Houses

Leadership San Juan Islands (LSJI) will hold two open houses in November in order to recruit candidates for the Class of 2007 and to network with graduates of other leadership programs held around the country who now live and/or work in the San Juans. Alumni from LSJI Classes of 2005 and 2006 are also invited. (Story on the Class of ‘06'))

The first open house will take place on Sunday, November 5 at the Heartwood House on Orcas Island, 70 Langell Lane, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. The second will be held on November 29, 4:00-6:30 p.m. in the Friday Harbor Labs Commons and will include a soup supper.

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Permit Director: "Abolish The Owner Builder Permit"!

(file photo)
Planning & Building Director Ron Henrickson took the County Council -and the audience- by surprise on Tuesday, when near the end of his budget presentation he asked the Council to "abolish the Owner Builder Permit". Under questioning by the Council, Henrickson strongly attacked the ordinance, listing a litany of complaints, calling it "outdated, dangerous, and expensive to administer".

When it came time for questions and comments from the Council. Councilman Kevin Ranker told Henrickson that he had no interest in getting rid of the ordinance. Under questioning by Chair Lichter, it seemed that Henrickson was not overly familiar with the history of the OBO (Owner Builder Ordinance), and his responses to Lichter's questioning seemed at odds with some of the basic facts and intent of the OBO, and how it works.

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Rear-Ender In Friday Harbor

Failing to stop in time to avoid the truck in front of her, a young woman totaled her car on Tuesday in front of the court house. There were no injuries to the driver and passenger of the truck, and no apparent serious injuries to the driver and the passenger of the car. First responders were on the scene within moments of the accident, and shortly afterwards the car did catch on fire, but the fire was quickly put out
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Chief McLaughlin To Move On

After 16 years of service, San Juan County Fire District #3 Chief Bill McLaughlin will be pursuing new career opportunities. The department wishes him well.

Over the years, Bill has had many accomplishments with the department, such as expanding the department's wildland capabilities; developing the stations and the department's infrastructure; and adding new technologies, such as the compressed air foam system.

The District will be seeking to fill the position after the first of the year. Until the position is filled, Assistant Chief Brad Creesy will serve as the Acting Chief.


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Rescue Tug Service Starts Today

A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay during the past eight winters to help assist disabled ships before they drift onto rocks and spill oil. The Department of Ecology (Ecology) oversees the rescue tug contract. Winter storms present a higher risk of oil spills from the more than 7,000 tankers and cargo ships traveling through the strait each year.

The state Legislature provided $1.4 million with the goal of providing 200 days of service for the 2006-07 winter season. For about $6,000 a day Foss Maritime was slated to provide rescue tug coverage this winter.

In August, the tug and barge company notified Ecology that the company is experiencing a shortage of tugs in the Pacific Northwest and exercised its option to opt out of its 2006-07 contract for the month of October. Foss will now station a rescue tug at Neah Bay for the months of November and December.

Ecology sought to find coverage for October 2006. The department, however, received a single bid for $22,500 a day to place a rescue tug at Neah Bay.

"Unfortunately the bid was too high. If we had accepted it, we would have been in the position of spending nearly all the money earmarked for the tug in three months - with some of the worst winter months to come," said Dale Jensen, who manages Ecology's spills program. "The current contract issue highlights the need to find a stable, long-term funding source for a rescue tug," A major spill could cost millions to respond and cleanup and hurt Washington's fishing and shellfish industries, further endanger salmon runs, kill birds and marine mammals, ruin public beaches, halt vessel traffic, and dampen tourism, said Jensen.

Cargo ships can carry up to 1 million gallons of cargo oil, and oil barges or tankers can carry up to 33 million gallons of oil.
Since 1999, the rescue tug has assisted 29 disabled ships plying state waters.

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