09/24/2005: "The Mayor: I Don't Know Why We Can't Just All Get Along"

I don't know why we can't just all get along. (See Visser Column: Why Can't We All Just Get Along? ) Nor do I know why we can't all live happily ever after, or why we don't just give peace a chance, or even why we can't all live long and prosper.

But I do know that the Town has tried on numerous occasions to sell the transfer station to the County, and not for the hyper inflated price that Mr. Visser suggests. There is a difference in opinion between the Town and the County regarding the value of the transfer station. The Town believes that the County's appraiser did not include the value of the improvements to the property: water, septic and power. Most importantly though, the appraisal did not include the value of a permitted use as a transfer station. Even as recently as March of this year the Town repeated to the BOCC its desire to continue to negotiate on the sale of the site.

The Town has always believed that maintaining the current transfer station would provide the most cost effective waste solution for all islanders, a primary reason why we lease it to the County for a dollar a year. At one time we were very close to trading the transfer station to the County for their Guard Street public works yard, until the County changed their mind.

The comment that the Town has somehow taken over control of parking at the County Courthouse is completely erroneous. The Sheriff requested that the Town include the Courthouse parking lot in the Town's traffic control area so illegal parking could be policed. The Town does not patrol the parking in that area, only the Sheriff's department.

I do know that elected officials will try to do what is in the best interests of their constituents, and there will be as many differences between governments as there is between those who are elected to office within those governments. We can't agree on all issues, but we can try to find cooperative ways to serve those on this small island.

Sincerely,
Gary Boothman
Mayor, Friday Harbor