ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [June 7, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., June 7, 2024.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 24^th week of 2024.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and video recording for the Tuesday June 4^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • Public Comments: We received public comments from 3 citizens: 1 on the relationship between the IRTPO’s transportation plan and the Transportation Element in the Comp Plan; 1 on Island Transit’s change in management; and 1 on access to boat ramps.
  • We held a public hearing on a small water distribution franchise transfer on Whidbey Island. There was no public comment. Mark 0:08:25 in the recording.
  • The agenda for the June 11^th regular meeting is here, On that agenda: we continue the deliberation on whether or not to open the unopened County Road Right-of-Way known as Rowe Road on Camano Island. You may remember that when we discussed that matter last month, I said no, Commissioner Johnson said yes, and Commissioner St. Clair wanted more information. So this should be a pretty lively meeting. After the regular session ends, the Board will return at 1 pm to hold our monthly business meeting with Public Works, Public Health, Human Services and Planning; the agenda for that meeting is here.

• Upcoming BOCC Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • June 25: Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Amendment
  • July 2 (pending BOCC approval of date):  Budget Amendment
  • July 9  (pending BOCC approval of date): Polnell Shores Franchise
  • July 9 (pending BOCC approval of date):  PBRS Freedom Park
  • July 23 (pending BOCC approval of date):  Crescent Acres Franchise

• Work Session. The agenda for the June 5^th work session is here. The recording is here.
  • The Sheriff’s Office had two add-on contracts: training for corrections officers and a digital Field Training Officer program.
  • We received a presentation on the public comments received on the draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). Documents begin on page 24 in the agenda, mark 0:07:21 in the recording.
  • The Board agreed to move forward with funding all three LTAC fireworks applications! So next month citizens and visitors will be able to see fireworks and/or drone shows in Oak Harbor, Freeland, and Langley. Discussion begins at mark 1:11:48 in the recording. In addition, the Board authorized $805,000 for 2025 LTAC grants (the 2024 allocation was $711,351). At next Wednesday’s work session the Board will discuss funding categories for the 2025 allocation, before the applications go live on July 1.
  • The Board discussed hiring a consultant, Transpo, to produce our 2025 Island County Comprehensive Plan Transportation element. The documents attached in the published agenda were incomplete; the complete contract is available here. The discussion on this begins at mark 1:44:00; note: it takes a few seconds for microphone issues to be resolved.
  • Island County will again provide Historical Preservation and Programs Grants to qualifying organizations. The discussion on this item begins at mark 2:14:35.
  • We discussed a recommendation from the Citizens’ Advisory Board (CAB) on a 2024 Conservation Futures Funds (CFF) grant. This is an exciting small ADA-accessible trail project from the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, who will give a presentation on it to the Board at an upcoming Regular Agenda. The documents are available beginning on page 250 of the agenda; the discussion begins at mark 2:36:39 in the recording.
  • There will only be two work sessions this month, due to the Juneteenth holiday on June 19. The agenda for the June 12^th work session is here. On that agenda: a presentation on emergency housing; a presentation on local affordable housing resources; a discussion on a proposed goals and scope for a countywide study of groundwater resources; an update on work completed to date on the Comprehensive Plan, and a schedule for the remainder of 2024 and 2025 work; a continuation of this week’s discussion on the funding for the 2025 2% Hotel/Motel Facilities Tax Program; proposed projects for the 2025-2030 CIP for the Public Works divisions of Roads Facilities, Solid Waste, and Parks; proposed projects for the 2025-2030 CIP for the Public Works divisions of Roads Facilities, Solid Waste, and Parks; and a follow-on Work Session to discuss the public’s inputs on the proposed Marshall Drainage Assessments.
• Island Transit. As you might remember from last week, I’m temporarily filling in as acting HR Director at Island Transit. We held a Board of Directors meeting today. The agenda can be found here.
  • The Board is very concerned about the route cancellations we’ve seen recently due to limited coach operator and dispatch staffing. We’re working on that staffing problem—and in the meantime we’re also discussing how to keep our core routes on schedule without disruption. Effective July 8, Island Transit will cease the summer Parks route (which has seen very little utilization), and will move around one of the shifts that serve Clinton in a way that will maintain the service but with fewer coach operators. These two changes will free up 2.5 drivers to help cover other routes when needed.
  • Again, I want to assure the public that Island Transit remains financially strong. What we’re going through now is not in any way the same issue as was faced a few years ago.
  • The Board is moving forward to search for a new permanent Executive Director.
• 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 Planning Commission meets at 6 pm on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of each month; the agendas are published at least a week in advance.
  • I encourage you to join and participate in the Comprehensive Plan Update public engagement website: https://www.islandcounty2045.com/.
  • The Board discussed a consultant contract to work on the Transportation Element at Wednesday’s work session; see link above.
  • Next Wednesday at work session the Board of County Commissioners will receive an update on work completed to date on the Comprehensive Plan, and a schedule for the remainder of 2024 and 2025 work; see link above.
  • The Island County Planning Commission met June 5th for a workshop with the County Hydrogeologist to discuss drinking water and groundwater. There was also a timeline update on the Comprehensive Plan work from the Planning Department. You can find the presentations here; the audio recording is here.
  • There will be no 2^nd meeting of the Planning Commission this month because the 3^rd Wednesday, June 19, is a holiday. Planning Commission will also only meet once in July, Wednesday, July 17th, as the first meeting falls on July 3rd.
• South Whidbey Parks & Rec have set a public meeting to discuss the design of the six new outdoor pickleball courts. It will be held Wednesday, June 12th at 6pm at the lower gym of the Community Center. RWD Architects will be there to answer any questions and receive community feedback.
• Commerce is now accepting applications for Defense Community Compatibility Account (DCCA) funding for civilian-military compatible infrastructure projects near military installations in Washington. The purpose of the DCCA is to provide funds for development projects that affect the economy, environment, or quality-of-life opportunities for local communities located near military installations. DEADLINE TO APPLY: SEPT. 13.
• You can find all of my newsletters since January 2023 here.
• Since I am now temporarily working two full-time jobs, many of my regular meetings are being put on hiatus until I am no longer needed at Island Transit. Unfortunately, that must include the Monday afternoons I have been spending with citizens in Freeland and Coupeville. I encourage my regulars—or anyone else interested—to continue to meet without me; citizens have found listening to their peers talk about County issues to be very edifying, and I hate to quash that. As soon as I have finished this latest gig, I will return to spending Monday afternoons with interested citizens, talking about County issues.

   Melanie

“We deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise.”

~Elliot Page

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