ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Feb. 28, 2025]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Feb. 28, 2025.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 9^th week of 2025.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and recording for the Tuesday February 25^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
• We heard two public comments: one from a citizen unhappy with their phone service from Ziply, the other from a citizen expressing concern about the federal government’s intentions regarding Ebey’s Reserve.
• We continued the Race Lagoon Water Franchise renewal discussion to a future meeting.
• We held public hearings on a franchise renewal for Comcast Cable and a new franchise for Ziply Broadband. No public comment was offered, and both franchises were approved. The Comcast presentation and discussion begins at mark 0:08:55 in the recording; the Ziply presentation and discussion begins at mark 0:12:56.
  • The next regular session will occur at 10 am on Tuesday, March 4,^, The agenda for that meeting is here. On that agenda: the three public hearings shown below. Also: On Tuesday during Commissioners Comments I intend to address the Racial Restrictive Covenants Project’s report on the over 900 properties they found in Island County that have ownership restrictions based on race embedded in their plats and deeds (documents primarily from 1930 – 1950).
• Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • March 4:             Review and receive comments on Island County’s past performance using $605,579 in Community Development Block Grant–Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Funds for homeowners and renters who were financially impacted by COVID-19 and were in arrears.
  • March 4:                 Lincoln Street vacation
  • March 4:                 New franchise, Sandberg Water Association
• On Tuesday afternoon we held the first Roundtable of 2025, a meeting of elected officials and department heads to discuss items of mutual interest. This meeting was very well attended; the primary discussion was on decisions the Commissioners made regarding the Training, Travel, and Supplies budgets for 2025. You can listen to our Roundtable here.
  • I was glad to learn at that meeting that volunteers stepped up to serve on both the pro and the con committees drafting arguments for the explanation of the ICOM 911 sales tax increase ballot measure scheduled for April.
• On Wednesday the Council of Governments (COG) and Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization (IRTPO)
  • Agenda for COG; recording. Note: the recording is silent until mark 0:01:30. The first item: a presentation on Emergency Housing and the 5 Year Homeless Housing Plan.  Also: Broadband Informational Presentation begins at mark 0:28:31. Both presentations can be found here.
  • Agenda for IRTPO.  First item on the agenda (after electing Commissioner Johnson as Chair): a really interesting conversation on the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP). Recording. Note: the sound for this recording also doesn’t kick in until about a minute has passed.
•  Work Session.  The agenda for the Wednesday, March 5, 2025 work session is here. On that agenda: an audio visual upgrade for Superior Court; presentation of two bids for official County legal newspaper this year; small community emergency response plan notification; the harm reduction program in Human Services; and the Port of South Whidbey’s request for a scope revision on the Fairground Workforce Housing Feasibility Study project.
• 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.
  • The next meeting will be held during the evening of March 5^th; the agenda is here. On that agenda: the draft Clinton Subarea Plan; review of the Community Based Organizations’ (CBOs) recommendations; and I believe they will also discuss the possibility of transitioning to holding many or most of their meetings by Zoom only.
• As the southern gateway to Whidbey Island, Clinton is a pivotal transportation node in the area. Through the subarea planning process, residents, stakeholders, and County staff will work together to determine potential future residential and commercial growth options and establish a vision for the community. A draft of the Subarea Plan is now available for public review, here. Comments will be accepted until March 21, 2025, at 4:30 PM. There are multiple ways to submit a comment:
  • Via the comment form on our public engagement website.
  • Via U.S. Mail: Planning and Community Development Department, 1 NE 7th St., Coupeville, WA 98239.
  • Via email to compplan@islandcountywa.gov
• The Department of Ecology is now ready to hear public comment on the County’s draft Shoreline Management Program (SMP). Public Comment Period: March 1 to March 31, 2025 5:00 p.m. The draft SMP can be found here. Email your comments to: stephanie.barney@ecy.wa.gov.
•  Island Transit will hold their monthly Board meeting next Friday, March 7, at 9:30 am. The agenda will be posted here:  https://www.islandtransit.org/Agendas-and-Minutes. This is the Zoom link.
• Island Senior Resources is holding a Patrick’s Day Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 15^th from 9 – 11 am, to benefit the Meals on Wheels program. They will be serving pancakes (including gluten-free), sausage, fresh fruit, and scrambled eggs, and will have door prizes too. Location: 14594 SR 525, Langley (across the highway from The Goose). RSVPs appreciated, call 360-321-1600.
• The latest Parent-to-Parent monthly newsletter is out.
• There are two upcoming events associated with the County’s food program.
  • Monday March 10, Consumer and Food Industry Meetings, both meetings to be held in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room in Coupeville. Industry meeting 9 – 12; Consumer meeting 1 – 3 pm. Both meetings will be facilitated by the Island County Food Safety Team.
  • Thurs & Fri March 20 – 21, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm, Certified Food Protection Manager training. An in-person class, available for those in the food industry. Includes class, book and test. $150 per attendee. Training will be given in Room Room 116, 1 NE 7th Street, Coupeville (the County Admin building). You must register by 3 pm on March 17; this is the registration form.
• Habitat for Humanity of Island County will hold a Homebuyer Program Information Session on Saturday, March 8 at 10:30, at the Oak Harbor Habitat Administrative Office, located upstairs at the Oak Harbor Habitat Store, 290 SE Pioneer Way. Please RSVP by 2 pm Friday, March 7^th at office@islandcountyhabitat.com. During this session they will go over the application requirements and answer any questions attendees may have regarding the application process.
• I am hoping to be at WiFire Community Space in Freeland on Monday, March 3, at 3 pm for my regular weekly open discussion with citizens on County issues of interest. One caveat: I am having furniture delivered on Monday, and if they don’t show up by then and I’m the only one at home, I won’t make it to Freeland.

Melanie 

March is Women’s History Month.

“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.”

~Eleanor Roosevelt