Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent out this newsletter on Mar. 4, 2022.
Some weeks I struggle to think of things to share with you—and then there’s weeks like this one. Thank you for reading my week 9 update for 2022.
- My heroes today are my colleagues Commissioners Janet St. Clair and Jill Johnson. The Board of Island County Commissioners met with the interim CEO and two Commissioners from WhidbeyHealth on Wednesday to hear about the financial and personnel situation at the hospital and get an update on actions they’re taking or hoping to take. You can listen to that conversation here, starting at the 1:31:51 mark:https://www.islandcountywa.gov/Commissioners/worksessions/2022/03022022%20Audio%202.mp3. As a result of that conversation, Janet and Jill burned up the phone and email lines, connecting state and federal legislators, the governor’s office, the Washington State Department of Health, and the Health Care Authority, to find solutions to the hospital’s financial needs. They pulled from their vast networks developed over years of work as County Commissioners, to help our hospital through this difficult time. We don’t yet know what’s going to happen—but people in important places outside of our county are now working on it. I expect there will be an update on this at the Board of Health meeting on March 15 at 1 pm, if you’d like to listen in—I’ll include a link to the agenda and access information in my update next week.
- I serve on the Island Transit Board. At our meeting this morning, Executive Director Todd Morrow informed us that Island Transit’s mask rules follow the federal mass transportation mandate, which as of now remains in effect until March 18. This is different than the Washington State mask mandate, which ends on March 12. I am concerned that there will be confusion and perhaps some disputation during that one week when people think they don’t have to wear a mask because this is Washington, but their nice bus driver tells them no, masks have to stay on. Please share this information—and encourage everyone to be kind to their Island Transit bus drivers, who are only following the rules.
- At our Wednesday work session, our Budget Manager Doug Martin brought us a presentation from a budget software vendor that would completely change how our budget can be accessed and understood by the public. The Commissioners were very excited by it, and whether we buy this product or another, I fully expect that soon the residents of Island County will be able to go online and drill down easily into how their county tax dollars are being spent. This was a priority of Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, and I’m so happy that it looks like soon it will come to fruition. I’ll let you know when it does.
- Almost a month ago I heard that Tokitae (aka “Lolita”), the Southern Resident killer whale who was captured in the Penn Cove waters 50 years ago and taken to live and perform in a sea aquarium in Miami, was ill. Over the years there has been a lot of concern about the environment in which Tokitae was living, so along with many others I reached out to the government in Florida to ask for an independent third-party expert evaluation of her medical condition. This week I received a message from the Miami-Dade mayor’s office saying that Miami-Dade County and USDA inspectors are tracking Tokitae’s condition very carefully, and they are in communication with the Lummi Nation here in Washington who have also expressed these same concerns. Yesterday the Miami Seaquarium, who are selling their business to another organization, The Dolphin Company, announced that one condition of the sale was that Tokitae would no longer perform and the Whale Stadium will be closed to the public. To stay current on this quickly evolving story go to www.sacredsea.org .
- And…some more good news.
- This week the Board approved purchase of new playground equipment for Freeland Park.
- Public Works published details about the upcoming Clinton to Ken’s Corner Trail: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WACOISLAND/bulletins/30d15b0
- On the dike abutting Deer Lagoon, Island County’s Department of Natural Resources partnered with our Public Works group to reduce invasive species and replace the native plants that were mowed down last summer. These replacements were planted last Friday.
- A group of students from the Island Christian Academy visited County offices this week, including spending time in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room while we discussed ARPA and Affordable Housing. We really enjoyed having them, and I understand they had a great time too. I encourage and welcome all schools to consider setting up a similar visit for students to learn how their local government works.
Thanks,
~Melanie
“In response to criticism of its treatment of killer whales, Sea World said it will build them a larger habitat. When asked for comment, killer whales said, ‘Hey, you know what’s a larger habitat?’ THE OCEAN.”
— Conan O’Brien
