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ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Mar. 14, 2025]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley)
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Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley)
Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley)

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Mar. 14, 2025.

CERT Training
I spent last Sunday afternoon as a volunteer victim for a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. As you can see, I was suitably pathetic and panicky. If you would be interested in obtaining CERT training (which I highly recommend to EVERYONE), you can start your journey at this page.

Today is 3.14 2025 — Happy π (Pi) Day!

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 11th week of 2025.

  • Regular Session.  The agenda and recording for the Tuesday March 11 Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
    • We celebrated new employees and employees reaching significant service dates. Public Works Engineer Edison Manglicmot has been with the County now for 20 years! Thank you, Edison, for your many years of great work and dedicated service to Island County residents.
    • We received public comment from six individuals: five speaking about fireworks, and one focused on the need for the County to pay attention to surface water in the Clinton subarea plan. The individuals speaking about fireworks had three items they want the County to consider: (1) putting an advisory vote on the ballot to establish a no-fireworks zone for parcels in the South Whidbey Fire District jurisdiction; (2) banning mortar-type fireworks from being sold in Island County; and (3) adding fireworks to the list of items banned during a Type 1 Burn Ban.
    • There were no public hearings or items on the Regular Agenda.
    • The next regular session will occur at 10 am on Tuesday, March 18, The agenda for that meeting is here. There are no regular agenda items scheduled, so it should be a pretty short meeting.
  • Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
    • April 8:       2024 Budget Amendment
  • Work Session.  The agenda for the Wednesday, March 12, 2025 work session is here; the recording is here.
    • The first discussion on the agenda was a presentation by Beckwith Consulting Group about the actions taken so far on the Parks Element in the 2025 Comprehensive Plan. The documents for this conversation can be found beginning on page 5 of the agenda. There will be a follow-up survey of the community, developed from the findings of their original survey. Unfortunately I missed this first topic of the meeting, so you won’t hear my voice asking questions.
    • Public Works brought a policy resolution for a drone program to aid them in their road maintenance work. Resolution, manual and presentation begin on page 28 of the agenda; you can listen to the discussion beginning at mark 0:46:03 in the audio recording.
    • Public Works brought us the 2025 Pavement Preservation Projects. The presentation, including lists of the roads that will be chip-sealed and those that will be asphalted this summer, can be found here. You can listen to this discussion beginning at mark 1:08:33 in the audio.
    • Public Health brought an update on their 2025 work plan, beginning at mark 1:27:06 in the recording, page 44 in the agenda. Discussion on the Coordinated Water Systems Plan (CWSP) begins at mark 1:33:20; discussion on the wastewater study project begins at mark 1:43:11.
    • Long Range Planning presented on the Clinton Subarea Plan as part of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update, mark 1:48:24 in the recording, page 65 in the agenda. We spoke about the wetlands concern brought up during public comment on Tuesday. See below for ways you can provide your own comments on the draft subarea plan.
    • The Sheriff and the Facilities Director brought us an important discussion on the need for Island County to build a new jail. This presentation begins at mark 3:03:50 in the audio recording; the slides can be found beginning on page 161 of the agenda.
    • The next Work Session will occur at 9 am on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. The agenda is here. On that agenda: continued discussion with Human Services around aspects of the harm reduction program; discussion of projects for the Federal Community Funding Project funds for fiscal year 2026 and any issues surrounding funds yet to be released for 2025; an update on the status of the BEAD grant applications and the N Camano Broadband Project with Ziply Fiber NW using ARPA funds; the Economic Development Council and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2024 Report; a review of the program status, policies, and balance in preparation of announcing the application window for 2025 Rural County Economic Develop program funds; Long Range Planning will present on the Planning Commission review of recommendations made by Island Roots Housing, Whidbey Environmental Action Network, Agriculture Resource Committee Island County, and the Camano American Legion for the 2025 Comp Plan; the Assessor and the Auditor are each bringing software purchases forward; culvert replacements on Camano Island; and the 2025 County Road Administration Board Annual Reports.
  • The Board of Health (BoH) will meet next Tuesday, March 18th at 1 pm. Agenda and link here. On that agenda: Foundational Public Health Services Update and Foundational Public Health Services Advocacy Letter; Letter to the Stanwood-Camano School Board; Behavioral Health – Administrative Services Organization (BH-ASO) and Behavioral Health Advocacy Letter.
  • Today I attended the Fund Our Ferries meeting, a continuing conversation with local officials in ferry communities, Washington State Ferries (WSF), and representatives from the State and Governor’s office. A few takeaways from today’s meeting:
    • We may have Friday-Monday ferries on the Coupeville/Pt. Townsend route beginning this summer. Details coming.
    • On April 7 they’ll open the bids for builders for 5 new boats; there are three bidders in consideration, including Nichols Bros on Whidbey. They’ll go with the lowest bid.
    • The new boats will be hybrid—including both diesel engines and batteries. Work will start in 2026; first vessel expected in 2029 (previously they had been saying 2028). For those of you wondering why they didn’t just build more diesel boats—this solution would add an additional 2 years to the process, since the company that made the existing diesel boats doesn’t do that work anymore, and they’d need to be redesigned.
    • WSF now has more crewmembers on staff than they did pre-pandemic.
  • The job posting for our Chief of Staff position is now live. This posting will be up until April 9.
  • The Department of the Navy has prepared Draft Amended Analysis to the 2018 Final Environmental Impact Statement and 2019 Record of Decision for EA-18G Growler Airfield Operations at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Complex, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the orders of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The analysis is available online for public review at the project website located at nepa.navy.mil/growler. The Navy will accept comments on the Draft Amended Analysis during a 45-day public comment period beginning on Friday, March 14, 2025, and ending on Monday, April 28, 2025. The Navy will hold two in-person and one virtual public meeting on the analysis.
    • Tuesday, April 1, 4 – 6 pm; Oak Harbor Elks Lodge
    • Wednesday, April 2, 4 – 6 pm; Nordic Hall, Coupeville
    • Virtual meeting Thursday, April 3, 7 – 8 pm; broadcast on the project website. The Navy will answer questions submitted in advance to growler_amended_analysis@us.navy.mil. After this initial broadcast, a recording of the virtual meeting will be posted to the project website.
  • South Whidbey Fire & EMS is holding a Preparedness Conference Call to Action on Saturday, April 19 from 9 – 4 pm at South Whidbey High School. This is a free conference, for people who want to learn what they and their neighborhoods can do to prepare for emergencies. I am really excited about this! You can register here.
  • 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 their meeting on Wednesday March 19, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to discuss amendments to Chapter 17.06 – Freeland Zoning Code to facilitate production of housing in alignment with the Freeland Subarea Plan. This is not part of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan discussion—it’s about a rezoning the Commissioners are considering in Freeland. Also during that meeting: a workshop to review and discuss Housing Solution recommendations from Long Range Planning.
  • 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:
  • The Department of Ecology is now taking 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 Senior Resources will hold a St. Patrick’s Day Pancake Breakfast tomorrow, Saturday, March 15th 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.
  • 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.
  • I will be at WiFire Community Space in Freeland on Monday, March 17, at 3 pm for my regular weekly open discussion with citizens on County issues of interest. We always welcome new voices.

Melanie 

Coming up Monday: St. Patrick’s Day!

“We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English.”

~ Winston Churchill

  • March 14, 2025

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