What Do SJC & Ho Chi Minh City Have In Common?

They both have a bunch of veterans that have a war in common, and they are both going to get a lot of visitors in 2007, thanks in part to Orbitz, one of the top online travel booking sites on the web, which has named the San Juan Islands (and Ho Chi Minh City) as one of the "Seven Hotspots for 2007" -the other five are the city of New Orleans, Jamestown, Alaska Cruises, Valencia, and Krakow.

This is really good news, or really bad news, depending on why you moved here, and what you wish to do while you're here, but for sure things are clearly going to get better, or worse. How did this happen? The short answer is "Money".

The somewhat longer answer is the listing of San Juan county as a "hotspot" is the result of aggressive advertising by the Visitors Bureau (San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau), a non-profit economic development agency that works to promote the San Juans as a vacation destination.

The Visitors Bureau's financial support is a tax that is collected from hotels and motels. The tax may be used by local governments for a number of things, including the arts and -mainly- the promotion of tourism. The concept at work is the more tourists there are, the more money there is to attract more tourists, which it turn…well, you get the idea. It is a model that has been highly successful, and the local Visitors Bureau has an annual budget in excess of $300.000.00 that is used to sell the San Juans as a place to come to.

We asked public relations manager Robin Jacobson how instrumental was the Visitors Bureau in getting the county listed on the Orbitz list, and he replied "very", and went on to explain that "It's my job, for instance, to get and keep the San Juan Islands in the radar of quality magazines and newspapers, television producers, A-list journalists, etc. Outfits like Orbitz monitor the destination buzz and watch for new and louder buzz coming from these people and their publications".

The Visitors Bureau does not automatically get the money. How the collected tax money is spent is up to the County and the Town of Friday Harbor, and there has been some indication the County may wish in the future to spread more of the money around to other groups. This has caused some consternation within the Visitors Bureau, and they have been working hard to stress the overall benefits to the community at large by allowing them to receive most of the money. They point out visitor spending in the San Juan Islands directly benefits county parks, historical museums, community theaters, and local businesses".

One of the concerns that has been given voice by some members of the County Council is that not enough money has been spent on mitigating negative impacts of tourism on county services and infrastructure. The thought is more of the costs to government should be paid for by the money used to attract people in the first place, and less to keep attracting more people here, and less should be paid by the tax payers who live here.

Problem with that idea is, how to determine what the impacts are from visitors, and how much does it cost to mitigate them. There is also the little problem of will the law allow governments to start using some of the money for things other than what has been specifically spelled out in the law?

In the mean time, for better or worse, the county can expect more visitors in our county.

Click below to read what Orbitz has to say about us. (and read a letter to the Editor from the Visitors Bureau):

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More Legal Action Up North On Sewage

Environmentalists in B.C. laid a another charge against both the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and the Province of British Columbia over the toxic sewage our good neighbors in BC have discharged from a treatment plant in Richmond, BC.

Environmental investigator Douglas Chapman laid the charge before a Justice of the Peace in Richmond Provincial Court. "My investigation shows that Iona sewage frequently fails toxicity tests designed to protect fish, and that the GVRD and the Province are fully aware of these toxic discharges," said Chapman.

Working with Georgia Strait Alliance, T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation and the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union – CAW, Sierra Legal and Mr. Chapman launched a similar private prosecution against the same accused in August, over the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant in West Vancouver. In October, the North Vancouver Provincial Court ruled that there was enough evidence against the accused for the Lions Gate private prosecution to proceed

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Kelley Balcomb-Bartok New FH Council Member

After two nominations failed to receive a second, Kelley Balcomb-Bartok was nominated and selected to replace Howie Rosenfeld on the Town of Friday Harbor Council. Four town residents had come forward to express an interest in the open position, and while all four were praised as being well qualified, in the end it was Balcomb who got the necessary votes.

While Balcomb has little administrative experience, he is no stranger to politics, boards and committees, and no stranger to how government works in San Juan County. He ran an unsuccessful bid to be a County Commissioner, and worked at the Journal of the San Juan Islands as both a graphic artist and a Section Editor. He is perhaps best known for his involvement in photography and work with Orca and related environmental issues.

The other big news at the Thursday Town Council meeting was the announcement by Councilman Wally Gillette that he does not intend to run for reelection when his term ends in December 2007


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CC Discusses Hiring A Consultant

Now that there are six members of the CC (County Council) representing the citizens, the discussion of what the Council priorities should be has itself become a Council priority. So far in the discussion the idea of asking the citizens what they think those priorities should be, has not come up, except as passing peripheral musings along the lines of: The voters elected them to make the hard decisions.

When the topic of priorities showed up on the agenda on Tuesday, Councilman Rosenfeld, one of the self-described "newbie's" to the Council, rhetorically asked it they would be able to add their ideas to the list too, and then suggested "affordability" should be included.

Some of the Council members were, while not against it, not quite sure what sort of things one might find within such a priority. But another Council newbie, Gene Knapp suggested that since the voters had turned back the affordable housing measure by "a large margin, I have concerns about including that on the list".

This then led to an observation that ferry fares have to do with affordability, and that in turn, took the Council into how best to influence the State Legislature on issues that are council priorities.

Rosenfeld suggested that perhaps individual council members could be given "a generous per-diem to make if more worthwhile for them to do it (travel to Olympia on County business).

County Administrator Pete Rose, with years of experience in such matters, suggested that the council may want to consider hiring a lobbyist who has an expertise in an area of Council concern.

Myhr said he had reservations on hiring a lobbyist to represent the County. Rose responded he was not suggesting the Council hire a fulltime lobbyist, or one that would deal with additional topics, but only one who would take on a particular issue, and who had the right connections and qualifications to be effective for specific issues of concern, such as the loss of the Capon Funds.


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County Council Travel Money

A small part of the County Budget is a travel allocation for each member of the Council. It is intended to help offset expenses occurred when Council members are required to travel on County business, such as mandatory meetings, legal proceeding, planning issues, and occasionally to Olympia for legislative matters.

Councilman Ranker has prided himself on how much time he spends in Olympia, and has in the past suggested that "Council travel money be put into a pot", as opposed to a set amount allocated to each councilman. The idea of a pot of money from which travel expenses would be paid would solve the problem of a Councilman having to ask for additional money, which is what happened when Ranker, in his words: "burned through" his travel budget more than once.

When Ranker had previously requested more money to cover his trips, Lichter and Myhr had finally consented to it, but only as a one-time grant. Myhr had also asked Ranker to report back to the Council on what he had accomplished by making his frequent trips, and suggested he might submit a one page report to the Council, but Ranker had refused, saying he did not have time, and it was inappropriate for an elected official to have to submit a report to the other council members, but that he was attaching agendas to his vouchers to show where he had been, and what the topics were.


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Local Company "Goes Global"

Computer San Juans Inc. announced today they have just launched a new remote connection and support service that enables them to offer computer support to anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.

Tom Doenges explained that If someone has any computer related problem, and have an Internet connection, "we can access your computer through the Internet", and this means "Your computer stays where you need it most and where the problem may also be found, such as with other peripherals attached.

Doenges said this "saves time, saves gas, and there is no tear down to take to a shop", and added the "you remain totally in control of the session which ends when the connection is terminated. It cannot be re-connected without your knowledge and help to allow the installation of a small connection software to load on your PC"

The system allows the customer to observe us as them "live" as they solve your computer issues. Examples they give are: "We can reboot your computer while remaining connected, add drivers, add files, and diagnose any problems - All with 256 bit encryption and is HIPPA compliant!"

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FH Wants County To Honor Dump Agreement

At the recent County Council public hearing on solid waste fees, Town Administrator King Fitch appeared before the Council to remind them that the Town has been allowing the County to use some of the Town land at the current dump site, for what amounts to free-of-charge. The Town and the County have a lease that allows a portion of the Town property to be used by SJC Public Works.

In return for a ten dollar a year lease payment, and use of a recent second portion of the land for a monthly charge of $300.00, the Town use to receive a preferential rate for the dumping of town garbage. The Town in turn charges it's property owners a monthly fee for garbage pick-up.

Unfortunately for the Town, the County has not been honoring the past "gentleman's agreement". Apparently because there is nothing in writing that allows enforcement, and a hesitancy on the part of the Town to take an action that would be, well, less that "gentlemanly" toward their big neighbor, the problem has not been resolved. Now that the Charter has put a town resident (Councilman Rosenfeld) on the County Council, the matter has been coming up whenever there is discussion about solid waste

The Council was in agreement that the County should honor commitments made by their predecessors, but they also wanted to get on with the passing of a rate hike on garbage, so in the end they decided to go ahead with proposed rate increase -including the full charge to the Town- and then come back at a later date -not determined- and review the request from the Town to at least give the Town the same consideration given to commercial haulers, which Fitch explained as being the same level of use as the commercial haulers. The only real difference may be that the commercial haulers have a written contract, and the Town does not.

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A Local Judge For SJC?

After hearing the pros & cons of San Juan County having it's own elected Superior Court Judge, or simply adding a third judge to the pool currently shared by SJC and Island County, the County Council hesitantly agreed to move forward on the idea of requesting the State Legislator to approve "splitting" San Juan County off from it's current judicial partnership with Island County. If approved, this would result in SJC having it's own elected judge, and accompanying court administration.

The sudden interest in the matter resulted from a realization that with the election of Judge Churchill to the presidency of the Superior Court Judges Association, this may be the moment in time -perhaps the only moment- to make the move toward SJC having it's own judicial district and it's very own locally elected Judge. Superior Court Judge Churchill is an advocate of the idea, and according to the second hand discussions between the Council members and local attorneys, there are indications the request may be looked upon favorably at the State level, where a decision to grant or reject the request would be made.

Newly elected Councilman Gene Knapp, a former SJC Prosecuting Attorney, told the Council that from his perspective there are more reasons to take advantage of this moment in time than not; and not the least of which is the County "may never get another chance" to do this.


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Garbage Goes Down, Rates Go Up

What do garbage and the state ferry system have in common? Okay, perhaps a number of things come to mind, but one thing at some level is: irony. When the ferry system raises fares, ridership goes down, but according to Bob Distler, the money collected goes up. At a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed 9% fee increase (Previous story), Solid Waste Manager Ed Hale told the CC (County Council), that when the efficiency of re-cycling goes up, the cost to the County to run the solid waste program goes…down.

Councilman Rosenfeld response to the news was that "it is insane that when we reduce our waste we reduce our income". So what to do? Raise the rates to cover rising costs of labor, transportation, and general costs attributed to inflation, or, as suggested by the SWAC (Solid Waste Advisory Committee), come up with a new funding source.

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Islanders Bank Sold To Off Island Group

Banner Corporation (Nasdaq: BANR), the parent company of Banner Bank, today announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement with San Juan Financial Holding Company, the parent company of Islanders Bank, Friday Harbor, Washington, in a stock and cash transaction valued at approximately $40.8 million. In connection with the transaction, San Juan Financial Holding Company will merge into Banner Corporation. The merger will expand Banner's presence in the North Puget Sound region of Washington State.

Banner Corporation is the parent company of Banner Bank, a commercial bank that operates a total of 58 branch offices and 12 loan offices in 24 counties in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Richard Kneipp, president of the Islanders told The Island Guardian that the "Customer will not notice any changes in the bank; adding "The same staff will be here, the Board of Directors will remain; however there will be two new members added from Banner, but "the bank policy will remain the same as it is, and if any new policy is made, it will be made at the local level by the board"


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Board Raises Health Fees 5 %

The cost of living and doing business in San Juan County just went up again. This time the fees collected by SJC Health & Community Services (Health) will be increased 5% across the board for such things as water and septic system permits and inspections, annual license fees, and health permits for food related businesses. The impacted businesses include contractors and homebuilders, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, markets, taverns, athletic clubs with pools and spas and a variety of small stands like espresso, ice cream, and farm related produce. If you use he County's professional health services you will also pay more in fees.

It was almost a foregone conclusion that the fee increase would pass because the additional funds were already included in the 2007 budget. Health fees in 2005 provided just over a half million dollars in revenue to the Department, but while revenue has been dropping off, administration costs have increased. With the new 5 % increase the County expects to raise a total of $426k in 2007.

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100 Yrs: Courthouse Re-dedication Today, Dec 19

(Photos courtesy the San Juan Historical Museum & the San Juan County Courthouse)

In the early 1900's the County Commissioners began discussing "a new and credible county building" to replace the inadequate old frame building then in use. The citizens of San Juan County approved a proposal by ten to one to build a stately new Courthouse. On December 17, 1906 the Auditor and Commissioners took possession of San Juan County Courthouse as the "House of Law and Order" (See story below for a history of the Courthouse).

One hundred years later, On December 19th, 2006 at 12 Noon the San Juan County Courthouse will be re-dedicated and celebrated. Join in at the Old Courtroom for a ceremony followed by the hanging of the Centennial Quilt.

The quilt is made of 100 squares designed and donated by community members. The quilt commemorates 100 years of the Courthouse and Fair and will be permanently displayed in the Courthouse.

The public is invited to the ceremonies for a Traditional High Tea Luncheon.

A "History of the Courthouse" is currently on display in the Courthouse lobby

For more information call Christine Miller at, 378-4310 or email to, info@sanjuancountyfair.org

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THE SAN JUAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE 1906—2006

100 Years as Our House of Law and Order

By Nancy Larsen

For one hundred years the San Juan County Courthouse has occupied the promontory overlooking the commercial hub of Friday Harbor. Austere and stately, the brick Courthouse has served as the county's seat of government, " our house of law and order," as islanders called it, where the civic, legislative, and judicial affairs of San Juan County were conducted for 75 years.

Friday Harbor was chosen as the county seat when San Juan became a county in 1873. Until 1906 the affairs of the new county were conducted in various wood frame buildings on Spring Street, the last a two-story building at the southeast corner of First and Spring Streets. By 1903, the building was no longer adequate and the County Commissioners began to discuss the need for "a new and credible county building," to better represent a growing and prosperous community. The population of the county had swelled by some 40% between 1890 and 1900. By 1903 there were almost 4,000 county residents. The pioneer and the homesteading years were giving way to a new and flourishing economy.

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Public Cautioned On Post-Storm Tree Care/Cleanup

This round of winter storms which struck Western Washington wreaked havoc on many landscape trees, but Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) arborists advise caution in dealing with the aftermath of the storm.

"Homeowners may be anxious to have cleanup and tree work completed," said Sarah Griffith, a Certified Arborist with DNR. "However, it is quite possible that more trees will be damaged as a result of clean-up than were damaged directly by the storm."

Arborists throughout Washington can attest that many of our oldest landscape trees are still feeling the effects of the 1962 Columbus Day storm, which resulted in many trees being topped or improperly pruned as an over-reaction to tree damage. Topping, the practice of removing large branches and tops of trees, actually creates future hazards rather than eliminating them. A previously topped tree is much more likely to break or uproot in a storm than a tree that has a normal branch structure.

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Property Tax Relief For Seniors & Disabled

Some senior citizens and the disabled may be missing out on property tax relief.
Nearly 116,000 individuals saved $161.5 million through property tax exemptions in 2006, and almost 500 individuals deferred payment of $700,000 in property taxes and special assessments, but county assessors believe that not everyone who qualifies for these programs takes advantage of them.

Applicants with a disposable household income of $35,000 or less can be exempted from all voter-approved levies and bonds, and those earning $30,000 or less can be exempted from a portion of regular levies as well. In addition, the assessed value of a home is frozen at its value as of Jan. 1 of the application year.

To qualify for this program and receive a reduction on 2007 property taxes, an applicant must be at least 61 years of age or disabled by Dec. 31, 2006, and have a 2006 annual household income of $35,000 or less. Assessors encourage people to apply before they receive their tax bills next spring. Under the deferral program, the Department of Revenue pays property taxes and special assessments for the homeowner.

When the property is sold or inherited, the deferred amount is repaid with interest. The interest rate will be five percent for payments made in 2007. To qualify for this program and receive assistance in 2007, an applicant's 2006 annual household income must be $40,000 or less and he or she must be disabled or at least 60 years old by Dec. 31, 2007.

Household income for both programs includes the disposable income of the homeowner and spouse and any co-tenants. Only the applicant must meet the age or disability requirement. Tax relief is limited to owner-occupied residences and up to five acres of property, depending on zoning.

For more information on these programs, contact your county assessor or visit http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/Pubs/Prop_Tax/SeniorDefs.pdf and http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/Pubs/Prop_Tax/SeniorExempt.pdf.


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National Bill of Rights Day

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) would like to remind everyone that The National Bill of Rights Day is December 15, 2006. The local chapter of the ACLU is asking all citizens to reflect upon, to honor, and to express gratitude for the legacy of civil liberties passed down to us from previous generations.

The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was adopted on December 15, 1791. They serve to limit and to define the powers of the government, to remind all members of the government that they serve the citizens, and to state that the citizens hold the right to restrain government.

The Bill of Rights protects our freedoms of speech, of the press, of assembly, of religion, to petition the government, to keep and to bear arms; protects us from unreasonable arrests, searches and seizures, excessive bail, double jeopardy, coerced confessions, cruel and unusual punishment; and secures our rights to probable cause, due process, counsel, jury trials and to defense witnesses.

The ACLU press release also stated that citizens have a continuing obligation to be ever vigilant and to defend vigorously the liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The lesson of our founding fathers is as true today as was the lesson more than two centuries ago; Liberty depends upon the people, not the government.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded in 1920. The reason for the foundation of the ACLU then and now is that freedom cannot defend itself. The only client of the ACLU then and now is the Bill of Rights. Please join with us in the recognition and celebration of Bill of Rights Day.


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Legislative Priorities

The County Council is preparing a list of "Legislative Priorities". A current draft list is the result of input from Councilman Lichter, Myhr and Ranker, but now that there is a full council, the list is expected to grow. The current listed priorities are:

(1) Environmental – Salmon Recovery Council Programs;
(2) Public Finance – Streamlined Sales Tax – Sourcing Rule;
(3) Open Space Preservation – Lopez Hill, Lopez Island;
(4) Community Health – Support of Community and Mental Health Funding;
(5) Transportation – Restoration of Capron Funding for Both the "5-Cent and 9.5-Cent" Fuel Tax Increases.

The goal is to rank the list, based on agreement from the Council as a whole, but each Councilman may continue to push individual priorities. The idea of prioritizing a list for Council action resulted from Councilman Bob Myhr, who said he was concerned that the Council comes up with issues that they agree need to be addressed, but then they seen to "fall between the cracks", and he felt having a dynamic list would be helpful to the Council.

The Council has also been discussing having a retreat, where, as Councilman Ranker stated, the Council can discuss concerns and issues without interruption and in a relaxed environment, and the original and new council members can get to know each other better. To that end Ranker suggest the Council hold the retreat out of the county. There was discussion that the cost to the County may be too high, since there would be the need to spend the night, and there could be other related costs. It was also discussed that while the meeting would be billed as a retreat, the public would have the right to attend.

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Santa & Boat Parade At RH Saturday

Children and adults alike will enjoy the afternoon and evening in the Courtyard, Pavilion, and on the yellow-brick road. There will be activities with Club Mudd and photos with Santa in the Pavilion from 2-4, and a spot for mom and dad to rest and watch the game in the Fireside Lounge.

The presidential tree will await decorations and lighting front and center at the Hotel. Treats for young and old alike will be available inside and out. The street will come alive with merriment – costumes of the past will be available for the event, or feel free to don your holiday best. The lighted boat parade begins at 5:00 and is followed by decorating and lighting of the tree and caroling accompanied by the High School Jazz Band!

There is no charge for children's activities and photos, however, donations will be gratefully accepted and forwarded on to the Band Families and Friends fund for their upcoming trip to New York!

If you would like to wear a costume, please contact Barb between Dec 9 and 15th at 360-378-2155 ext. 825 (evenings)

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SJ Singers Gloria Concert Sat & Sunday

San Juan Island's mixed-voice community chorus – San Juan Singers – will perform Vivaldi's oratorio, Gloria, as part of their holiday concerts December 16 (at 7:00 p.m.) and 17 (at 5:00 p.m.) at San Juan Community Theatre.

The classic Baroque choral work features a 50-voice chorus and 15-piece orchestra, led by Victoria conductor Yariv Aloni. Soloists for the work are Friday Harbor's soprano Corinne Stevens and mezz-soprano Ruth E. Wells.

Maestro Aloni led the Singers' 2004 concert performances of Handel's Messiah, and has appeared on several concerts with Chamber Music San Juans as a violist. Currently he is conductor and artistic director of Galiano Ensemble of Victoria, the Victoria Chamber Orchestra and the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre. Aloni also is associate music director for the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra.

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"Quest For The Pacific" Lecture Series

Pelindaba Cultural Forum Series: Wednesday, 13 December At 7pm, Steve Brandt presents the first in a series of four talks covering the exploration, by sea and land,of what turned out to be named the North, Central, and South Americas

I. Europe to the San Juan Islands by Sea - 500 AD to 1792 - 13 December
The next three in the series of four are:
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Council Passes Stormwater Ord To An Empty House

(Full County Council in new seating arrangement)

The County Council (CC) held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance of regulations and fees to address stormwater in San Juan County, and no one showed up; that is, unless you count the press and two members of the committee who advised the CC to pass the ordinance.

The ordinance will result in a new "fee" of $46.20 that will show up on property tax bills for each "developed" piece of property. The CC was told the majority of the money collected will be spent to provide stormwater improvements to Eastsound and other "essential large capital improvements". The CC was informed that in determining the amount to charge, it was decided that all property owners with developed property should pay into a stormwater fund, since it was developed property that had been identified as the source of negative impacts from stormwater.

It was also noted that if only those directly effected by stormwater paid their way, then some property owners in Eastsound would be paying as much as $50 a month, as opposed to a yearly charge of $46.20 if all property owners paid into a general fund. Individual property owners outside of such Urban Growth Areas as Eastsound will continue to be responsible for paying for the planning, permitting and installation of stormwater mandated improvements on their own property, in addition to paying the yearly $46.20 into the stormwater fund.

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John C. Volk Has Passed

John C. Volk, San Juan Island, has died. John was flying a friend on a business trip when he experienced a chest pain, and his passenger landed their plane at the Whidbey Island Air Station. Because of bad weather on Monday, the normal MedVac was unable to land, so a military helicopter flew John to St. Joseph Hospital where he was taken to surgery, but he did not survive the attempts to save him.

John and wife Lainey moved to San Juan County after John retired, and John soon became well know in the county, and in 1998 John ran for County Sheriff. He was a boater in addition to being an accomplished pilot, and was the president of the SJI Pilots Association.

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Public Hearing Today On New Fees: Stormwater

The County Council will hold a public hearing today, Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. to consider amending the SJ C Storm Water Utility ordinance by passing a new ordinance that will include a new base "service charge" of $46.20. For some property owners the bill will be greater than the base service charge, depending on the amount of impervious surface, and the "class of property" they own. For those properties that have not been touched by the hand of man, they may be able to avoid the new charge.

The collected money will be used to fund the new Storm Water Utility the County Council has created. As set out in the ordinance, the "utility is authorized to exercise all lawful powers necessary and appropriate to planning, designing, establishing, acquiring, developing, financing, constructing, operating, managing, improving, maintaining, controlling and requesting stormwater facilities".
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Tonight: River & Sea Otters Lecture

(SeaDoc Society Photo)

Tuesday, December 12, 2006, Joe Gaydos of the UC Davis SeaDoc Society will discuss river otters and sea otters. This is the third lecture of the 2006/07 season in Orcas Island's accessible marine science lecture series for the general public. The program begins at 5:00 PM at the Camp Orkila Larry Norman lodge on Orcas Island. The lecture is free to the public.

This is a special Family Night presentation and will feature free dinner for attendees and activities for kids.

"Otters are charismatic top level predators that tell us a lot about our marine ecosystem," says Joe Gaydos, Regional Director of the SeaDoc Society. "They are a scientifically fascinating animal with a storied regional history."

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Help Determine Bird Population In SJC

It is that time of year to participate in the Christmas Bird Count with San Juan Islands Audubon on Saturday, December 16th. Get your neighbors together to walk your road for a few hours and count birds and enjoy nature in winter. You can also count the birds in your yard or feeder.

So why is this data important? Bird populations are indicators of the overall health of our environment. As the database continues to grow and becomes long-term, it is possible to monitor the abundance and distribution patterns of wintering bird populations. If you go to Audubon's website at: www.audubon.org/bird/cbc you can look at the results from our area, make charts, and look at trends for specific species. For more information and to join call: Barbara Jensen, 378-3068. Many routes need better coverage so call today.

A Bit of History - In 1900 ornithologist Frank Chapman along with other conservationist were disturbed at the slaughter of birds in the annual holiday event called the "side hunt". The team that shot the most birds and other small animals was the winner. As a protest, Chapman organized 27 friends in 25 locations on Christmas Day, 1900 to count live animals instead of shooting them.

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$250 For Illegal Parking In Disabled Spot

For those few who illegally park in a disabled parking spot, the fine for doing so is now $250.00. While the majority of drivers understand that a disabled person may not be able to enter and exit a vehicle unless there is room next to the car to allow exit and entry, there are still those few who are too lazy to walk some extra distance when there is no parking near where they wish to shop, and so park in a spot reserved for the disabled.

Using a designated disabled parking spot without a disabled parking license plate or placard will result in an unexpected holiday expense when the car is noticed by law enforcement, or as often is the case, turned in by a good citizen.

The Washington State Department of Licensing tracks disabled parking credentials for more than 300,000 citizens. It is essential for drivers with disabilities to have access to spots reserved for them.
For more information on the disabled parking program visit the DOL Website at www.dol.wa.gov or call 360-902-3770.

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Public Input Wanted On Fee Increases

The County Council wears more than one hat, one of which is when they sit as the SWDB (Solid Waste Disposal District Board). As such, they will hold a public hearing at 3:00 PM on the 19th of December in the Community Meeting Room of the Islanders Bank Administration Building in Friday Harbor. The purpose of the meeting is to accept testimony on a proposed ordinance from Public Works that will increase the "solid waste tipping fees" (i.e., how much it costs to dump your garbage), by 9%, and if adopted the new fees would become effective March 31, of next year. The new budget assumes the fees will be adopted.
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In The Spirit Of The Season

By Chris Sly-Prochnow

‘Tis better to give than to receive"…With the Pension Protection Act of 2006 passed this past August, direct distributions from an IRA can be made to certain charities without it counting as taxable income. In the past the IRA owner had to recognize the distribution from the IRA as taxable income and then received a charitable deduction for the contribution to the charity. Under this law, while the IRA distribution will not count as income under the new provisions, there will be no charitable deduction allowed either. This provision is only applicable for tax year 2006 and 2007.

What are the requirements?

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Barge Landings at LaFarge Beach

Now that the County owns the former gravel pit and the waterfront that was used to load barges with the mined sand and gravel, what is to happen to the waterfront? Read Complete Story

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End Of An Era

(Back, L to R: Assessor Paul Dossett, Auditor Si Stephens, Court Clerk Mary Jean Cahail, and Treasure Kathy Turnbull)

The face of government for some decades in San Juan County has been the elected officials shown above. They have been rock solid in winning elections, and have been, to paraphrase Dr. Eisenhower when he once addressed the professors of Columbia University as "employees", the four retiring officials "are the government of San Juan County"! But no more, now there are newly elected officials that will replace them, and they will, over time, become the new faces of county government.

At a well attended ceremony in the Council Chambers on Tuesday, each were thanked and presented with an inscribed desk pen set that acknowledged their years of service to San Juan County.


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Letter On "Stop Dock Study" Put On Hold

The inclusion of a letter on the Consent Agenda requesting "the Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to terminate implementation of the "experimental moorage float" program immediately" was removed Tuesday from the Agenda by Councilman Rich Peterson, who stated he wished to discuss the matter. The letter was in response to a request by the MRC (Marine Resource Committee) that such a letter be sent to the State.

Councilman Kevin Ranker immediately asked the Council Clerk to notify the MRC so they could be in attendance for the discussion- which he seemed to assume would be held later in the day, but Chairman Alan Lichter said the agenda did not allow discussion until next week. Ranker protested that the letter was "time sensitive", but Lichter informed him it would be put on a later agenda.

There was no discussion if any other interested or potential effected parties -such as the State of Washington- would be informed of, or invited to, attend the review of the issue of experimental dock program, and if the program had value for the State and the County.


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"Dog" Ordinance Receives Update

It has taken over a year (original story) , but the County has finally updated an ordinance that regulates dogs "and other animals".

The primary issues addressed in the ordinance was how best to control and regulate dogs at large, and if that fails, to what degree should the owners be charged and fined. Also strongly debated was the question of should the current "livestock fund" be retained, and if so, how much money should be granted to the owners of live stock injured or killed. There was testimony that the County was in the "insurance business" by collecting money that was used to reimburse owners of livestock that are killed by dogs, but Councilman Ranker pointed out that the money is collected and used only for those cases in which the owner of the dog cannot be identified, and added that it is not a new policy or regulation, but simply an update of an existing program that has been in place for some years.

Karen Vedder from the Prosecutors Office explained that it is not uncommon for the justice system to award damages through Court action, and that is what the ordinance does. Sharon Kivisto testified that the awarding of damages for lost livestock is similar to other crime victim funds, and she was in support of the proposed ordinance, noting that the lost of livestock to dogs running at large has a financial impact on farmers.

Making only minor changes to the draft that had evolved from a number of workshops held over the last year, the Council set out a Damage Schedule of values for various animals, ranging from $15.00 for a dead chicken, up to a $1,000.00 for larger animals, such as sheep (but the lowly ram has a value of only half that -Hey! What's up with that?), cows, horses, and the like.

The penalty for a violation of the regulations may be a civil infraction, a criminal offense, or a combination of the two, depending on the circumstances, but in any case, there can be expensive repercussions to the owner of an offending dog.

A first offense is $100, a second offense is doubled up to $200, and for those repeat offenders, they will start getting hit with a $500.00 fine for each subsequent offense. This can quickly add up, and is intended to send a strong message to the offender.

If that fails to get someone's attention, the return of signs on county roads will state what can happen to dogs at large, and may help remind dog owners that they put their pets at risk if they fail to control them. The very last section of the ordinance states:

Signs:

The San Juan County Public Works Department shall install and maintain appropriate signs with the following notice:

"All dogs at large are subject to impound. Dogs seen chasing or injuring livestock may be shot by property owner."

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At Last: A Full County Council

(Howie Rosenfeld, Rich Peterson, and Gene Knapp receive oath of office from Si Stephens)

The County Council is now running at full power; well, maybe not quite up to speed just quite yet, but after Auditor Si Stephens had sworn in the three new County Councilmen in front of a packed council chambers, it became evident the new members were not shy, had opinions and were willing to share them with their more seasoned colleagues.

In his introductory remarks prior to the swearing in ceremony, Si stated that he was "Proud to be part of this great and historic experiment of the Charter" and expressed his opinion that the "actions of you three will have a huge impact on success or failure" of the Charter. SI said be believed the three of them possessed the "wisdom, an ability to engage in open and thoughtful deliberations, integrity, and had the enthusiasm" necessary to do the job.

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CC Tells State To Stop Dock Study

It is expected the County Council will agree to sigh a letter at the Tuesday (12-04-06) Council meeting, informing Dr. Jeffrey P. Koenings, Director of WDFW (Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife), to end a WDFW "Experimental Dock" program designed to acquire data in San Juan and Whatcom counties on the potential impacts of docks on eelgrass. The draft letter was placed on the Consent Agenda, which means the "Council" has already discussed it, and agreed to sign it and send it off. in this case however, the Council that discussed it, is not the same Council that will pass it as a part of the Consent Agenda, for there are now three new councilmen who have not been a part of the discussion, and may not be aware of the potential impacts of the action.

Consent agenda items are normally non-controversial items that need some action, and "have been distributed to each Council Member for reading and study, are considered to be routine, and will be enacted by one motion of the Council with no separate discussion". But the letter to WDFW is anything but non-controversial or "routine", and it is possible the new councilmen may not be supportive of it for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the need to send a letter "requesting the experimental moorage/float program being implemented in SJC be terminated immediately".

Brian Williams, of WDFW told the Island Guardian that the County can prohibit experimental docks in the county They so he is puzzled as to the reason, or the necessity, for the letter.

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WSF Draft FH Master Plan

The Friday Harbor Intermodal Transportation Committee will meet on Wednesday, December 6 in the Key Bank Garden Room (95 Second Street) in Friday Harbor from 10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.

The committee includes representatives from the Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan County and the Port of Friday Harbor who are advising Washington State Ferries as it develops a master plan for the area around the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal. This will be the group's final meeting in 2006.
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New Council Members Take Office Today

The long wait for a full County Council will come to an end on Monday morning, December 4th ( Agenda ), when three newly elected council members, Gene Knapp, a former SJC County Prosecutor who will now represent Orcas; Howie Rosenfeld, who resigns as a member of the Friday Harbor Town Council to become the town representative, and new comer to the political scene, Rich Peterson, will be representing San Juan Island, will join the County Council. And all of the council members will of course represent San Juan County as a whole.

One of the first questions that will need to be addressed is how many of them will be present to pass the 2007 budget, since some of them are expected to attend a short course that is put on for newly elected county officials, and this has presented a conflict with the agenda date allocated for a hearing and passage of the budget.

A more mundane matter much discussed by the current Council, is where will all of them work, and where will they sit when in session? Should be an interesting first week, and as time goes by it may become more interesting as the dynamics of the new Council become apparent; not only between the council embers, but also how it may affect County government as a whole. (Read a Letter to Editor on this subject: The Day Has Come )

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Emergency Declared By County

(While not everyone is convinced the last storm has created an emergency for the county, we are convinced this heron may be feeling a personal emergency as it stands on a frozen pond looking -we presume- for something to eat -photo sent in by Piet Visser. Speaking of emergencies, the following is a press release from the County that was emailed to us at 9:30 P.M. Friday Night:)

San Juan County continues to struggle for a fifth straight day from the worst storm to hit the islands in over twenty years. Schools and county offices remain closed for the fourth straight day. At one point, the majority of county residents were without power, many had no water for up to three days and thousands of trees came down, stranding residents in their homes as temperatures plummeted into the teens.

"This storm was one of the most severe storms I have experienced in 22 years", said Councilmember Bob Myhr. "Trees were falling in numbers never seen before."

"This storm gave us a combination of heavy snow, strong winds, and a deep freeze on the back end that really left us reeling. Roads have been extremely dangerous since Sunday, and even today we're facing treacherous conditions," says San Juan County Public Works Director Jon Shannon. Shannon also noted that it will take months to clean up debris.
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Storm Over, Driving Problems Remain

This small truck slid off the Roche Harbor road just out of town and just before the turnoff for the dump. The owner and the tow truck owner re-load the truck while cars and trucks back up on both sides of the accident. No on injured, little damage to the car, and still time to get to the dump.
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Two Attorneys Join PA Team

Two new attorneys have been hired by County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord. Stephen A. Brandli will be working on misdemeanor cases, and Jonathan W. Cain will take will be involved in land use and Child Support cases. Story in the Government section of the paper.
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