ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Dec. 13, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Dec. 13, 2024.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 50^th week of 2024. Hope your holiday preparations are going well.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and video recording for the Tuesday December 10^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • We celebrated two employee service awards: Lynda Austin, Human Services Director, who has served the County for 15 years, and Amie Weatherford in Public Works, who has been with the County for 25 years. Congratulations and thanks to these dedicated public servants.
  • There was no public comment.
  • We certified the 2025 levies for the 20 taxing districts. Mark 0:09:04 in the video.
  • I was selected Chair of the Board for 2025. Mark 0:15:53 in the video.
  • The Sandberg Water Association franchise public hearing was continued to March 4, 2025.
  • The next regular session will occur on Tuesday, December 17th. The agenda for that meeting is here. On the Regular Agenda: two public hearings on waste management (see below). On the Consent Agenda: Resolution C-63-24, which rescinds the resolution passed last week increasing electeds’ pay (due to additional input and concerns received by the Board).
  • At 12 pm, Commissioner Johnson and I will hold a joint swearing-in ceremony in the Board Room. Employees and members of the public are invited to attend. There will be cake.
• Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am)
  • December 17:    Waste Management Contract (Whidbey)
  • December 17:    Regional Disposal Contract (Camano)
  • January 7:          Vafaeezdah Sewer Franchise
  • January 7:          Pleasant View Water Franchise
  • January 7:          Camano Colony Water Franchise
  • January 7:          Delcoure Sewer Franchise
  • February 25:       Race Lagoon Association Franchise
• Work Session. This is the agenda for the December 11^th work session; here is the recording.
  • First item discussed: extending the Rural County Economic Development Fund (RCED) grant awarded to the Port of South Whidbey for the Fairgrounds Redevelopment Project. The Port asked for an extension of six-months; the Board decided instead to extend the grant through the end of 2025.
  • We heard a presentation on an MOU between Island County and Broadlinc of Spokane County. This presentation ended up being an overview of the current status of Broadband expansion activities in the County. Mark 0:15:00 in the recording; the presentation and documents begin on page 17 of the agenda.
  • The Board chose their 2025 committee assignments. Mark 1:19:15 in the recording.
  • The next work session will occur on Wednesday, December 18th. This will be the last meeting of the Board in 2024.  On that agenda: a discussion on the proposal to sponsor a Chum Run at Fort Casey for the Healthy Island Youth Initiative program; a recommendation to extend the current Cooperative Agreement with Pacific Northwest Communities, LLC to allow residents of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island continued use of the County’s established household hazardous waste facilities for an additional four years; another presentation on the proposed contract with Enterprise Fleet Management to increase purchasing power for the Island County fleet; an initial Board discussion of future plans for Island County Boards and Committees; a discussion of the Commissioners’ travel stipend; and for the 2025 Comprehensive Plan – an Analysis of Mixed-Use Rural Areas of More Intensive Development (RAIDs).
• The Board of Health (BoH) will meet next Tuesday, December 17^th, at 1 pm. Here is the agenda, including Zoom information. On that agenda: a presentation and discussion on the status of WhidbeyHealth’s new Behavioral Health and Medicated Assisted Treatment therapy programs; a discussion on the Naval Air Health Clinic patient population served and community integration; a presentation of the Public Health and Human Services work plan items for 2025 and an invitation for the Board of Health to provide input and discussion; a review of the legislative priorities that WSALPHO will be bringing forward in 2025; and the selection of the BoH Chair for 2025.
• Island Transit. Today the Island Transit Board of Directors held a special session to approve the 2025 Budget for that agency.
• Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Update: This is a link to the Planning Commission page. You can find details on their meetings and minutes, including Zoom info, here. The agendas are published at least a week in advance. The Planning Commission meets at 6 pm on the first and third Wednesday of each month in the Commissioners Hearing Room in Coupeville.
  • At the Wednesday work session, the Board will discuss an analysis of Mixed-Use Rural Areas of More Intensive Development (RAIDs); see link above.
  • The next Planning Commission meeting will be held on December 18^th at 6 pm. Here is the agenda. On that agenda: Presentation by Community Based Organization (CBO) Island Roots Housing on their work plan in support of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan, and a review of Mixed-Use Rural Areas of More Intensive Development (RAIDs) Analysis.
• The Public Health Front Office will be closed on Thursday, December 19^th, from 12PM-1:30PM for a staff lunch in the BOCC room.
• Michael Jones, our County Administrator, proffered his resignation this week. His last day with the County will be February 7, 2025. In his resignation letter he said that he and his wife have decided to take a one-year sabbatical to focus on their family, their health, and their personal goals—which sounds to me like an amazing thing to do. I’ve enjoyed working with Michael and wish him the best. I will let you know when the Board posts the County Administrator position.
• I will be available next Monday, December 9^th at Cedar & Salt in Coupeville at 1:30 and Crabby Coffee/WiFire in Freeland at 3 pm to visit with citizens who want to discuss County issues.
  • This will be the last time in 2024 that I will hold these meetings.
  • The next time I will be available to meet with citizens in this forum will be on Monday, January 6, at 3 pm at Crabby Coffee/WiFire in Freeland.
  • Beginning in January, my Coupeville meetings will transition to monthly instead of weekly, on the last Monday of the month (the same day I also hold community conversations in Clinton).
  • The Freeland conversations will continue to occur weekly (after the holidays).

Melanie     

Today is Friday the 13^th.

“Luck? I don’t know anything about luck. I’ve never banked on it and I’m afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work—and realizing what is opportunity and what isn’t.”

~Lucille Ball