ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Apr. 26, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Apr. 26, 2024.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 17^th week of 2024.

Today is the last Friday in April, Arbor Day! As I type this it’s cool but not cold outside, perfect tree-planting weather. I hope some of you will be able to take advantage of this opportunity to plant some trees today and this weekend.

I am on my way to meet up with my son’s family (visiting from New Mexico)—my grandchildren (5 and 8) will be walking with me in the Holland Happenings parade in Oak Harbor tomorrow. They are so excited! Should be lots of fun.

There will be no Board meetings next week because it is a 5^th week. So I will not be sending out a newsletter next Friday.

I will NOT hold my normal Monday community meetings on Monday May 6.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and recording for the Tuesday April 23^rd Regular Session is here.
• Three people provided public comment on Tuesday. Two were about Marshall Drainage District (a public hearing on the assessments is planned for May 21); the third person expressed concern because the Robinson and Mackie Beach boat launches have not been maintained. Note: I also received an email about this from an annoyed citizen this week. This is the problem: the County had permits to clear the ramps until around 5 or 6 years ago when both of these boat ramps were sanded in and our permits were rescinded. We are working on a plan for an elevated boat ramp for Robinson Beach, but nothing will be completed this year.
• We began a process change this week: the Board will no longer respond to public comments at the beginning of the meeting. If commissioners have something they want to say in response to public comments, they will wait until the Commissioners Comments time at the end of the meeting.
• Resolution approved on Consent Agenda: C-24-24, Interfund Loan Transfer from Island County Road Fund to Island County Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, for purchase of Solid Waste Compactor.
• There will be no meeting next week because it will be a 5^th week. You will be able to find the agenda for the May 7^th meeting by Friday, May 3^rd, here.
• Upcoming BOCC Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • May 7: Holmes Harbor Franchise
  • May 7: Hensler Sewer Collection Franchise
  • May 14: Deception Park Franchise
  • May 14: Franchise Renewal Saratoga Beach (Whidbey)
  • May 21; Marshall Drainage District Assessment
  • May 21; Sierra Country Club Water Franchise Expansion
  • June 4 (pending BOCC approval of date): Port of Coupeville Broadband
  • TBD: Crescent Acres Water Franchise
• Work Session. There was no work session this week. The next work session will be held on Wednesday, May 8; you will be able to find the agenda for that meeting by Friday, May 3^rd, here.
• Tuesday afternoon the Board of County Commissioners and the Oak Harbor City Council held a joint meeting to talk about the Countywide Planning Policies and the big lift we are asking of Oak Harbor: to  increase their population by 67% over the next twenty years, while still retaining—even enhancing—the high quality of life Oak Harbor residents experience, with healthy ecosystems for wildlife, sea life, and plant life. The agenda for that meeting is here; the audio recording is here; the presentations are here.  
• Wednesday we interviewed six applicants for District Court Judge. The agenda with the list of names is here. The recording of the interviews is here. After an executive session, the Board voted to move forward with second interviews on Tuesday afternoon, May 7^th, with Ronald Costeck, Andrew Scott, Bradley Duncan, and Eric Ohme.
• 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.
  • The Comprehensive Plan Update public engagement website is now live: https://www.islandcounty2045.com/. I encourage you to join and participate.
  • The next meeting of the Planning Commission will be held Wednesday, May 1. This is the agenda. On that agenda: Natural Resources Goals and Policies Review, and IC Geo Mapping Overview.
  • There are openings right now on a number of critical committees, including the Planning Commission, Ebey’s Reserve Trust Board, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), and others. We will be sending out an email next week with details about the openings and how to apply. Please keep an eye out for that— and think about applying.
• I spent last Monday morning celebrating Earth Day touring the Mutiny Bay Blues Farm in Freeland, in celebration of their recent clean energy project funded in part through a USDA grant.  USDA Rural Development offers a number of different kinds of grants for homes, businesses, and communities, including water and wastewater treatment, energy, high speed internet, and electricity; right now there’s funding available to buy, build or improve housing for farmworkers.
• The 30-day public comment period for the Island County Community Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2024-2028 draft is now open. The public comment period is open from Monday, April 15, 2024 until Friday, May 17, 2024 at 5pm PST. You can find the draft and comment link here.
• You can find all of my newsletters since January 2023 here.
• I spend (most) Monday afternoons meeting with citizens in my district—(but NOT Monday May 6). These are opportunities for you to meet in an open group to discuss anything County-related with me and anyone else who drops by. Below is my normal Mondays with Melanie schedule:
  • 1:30 – 2:30 pm, Cedar & Salt Coffee House, 200 S. Main Street, Coupeville
  • 3:00 – 4:00 pm, WiFire Community Space, 1651 E. Main Street, Freeland
  • 4^th Monday of the month (usually): 5:00 – 6:00 pm, Clinton Community Hall, 6411 S. Central Avenue, Clinton. This month, the Clinton Community Council is meeting on the 5^th Monday, April 29, so I’ll be there this upcoming Monday (and am taking off the following Monday, May 6).

Melanie

“The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on earth.”

~Frank Lloyd Wright

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OFFICES ON THE BALLOT IN 2024: ISLAND COUNTY
County Commissioner, District 1: Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) Bacon announced her decision to run for re-election in July 2023. Three other opponents have declared and filed with the Public Disclosure Commission: Wanda Grone (R-Langley), Marie Shimada (D-Freeland) and Steven Myres (R-Freeland).
County Commissioner, District 2: Jill Johnson (R-Oak Harbor) Johnson announced her decision to run for re-election in April 2024.