ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Nov. 7, 2025]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Nov. 7, 2025.

There will be no Board meeting next Tuesday, November 11, in commemoration of Veterans Day. The Board will meet in work session on Wednesday, November 12, but will not meet the following week, November 17 – 21, due to all three commissioners’ attendance at the annual meeting of the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC).

I am writing this from La Conner, where I’m attending the annual Marine Resources Committee conference.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 45^th week of 2025.

• Regular Session.  This is the agenda and recording for the Tuesday, November 4^th  regular session.
  • We received public comment from six citizens, all speaking in support of the resolution on the agenda to put an advisory vote on fireworks on the November 2026 ballot.
  • We passed Resolution C-62-25 to place an advisory vote of the people residing in unincorporated Island County regarding a ban on consumer fireworks in unincorporated Island County on the November 2026 ballot. Mark 0:10:54 in the recording.
  • We passed a motion for the Chair to sign advocacy letters to community partners to support food security in Island County. Mark 0:20:22 in the recording; please also see my comments below.
  • The next regular session will be held on Tuesday, November 25. The agenda will be posted on the Friday before, November 21, here.
• Tentative Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • Tuesday, November 25:  Planning/Community Dev. Docket & Work Plan
  • Monday, December 1:     2026 Budget and Levies
  • Monday, December 1:     Real Estate Excise Tax (change from 2 funds into 1)
  • Monday, December 1:     Law and Justice Sales Tax
  • Tuesday, December 2:    Fireworks code amendment ( re: sale of mortar-style)
  • Tuesday, December 9:    2 PBRS Applications
• Work Session. This is the agenda for the November 5^th work session; here is the recording. Reminder: if you want to scroll through the recording to get to one of the times I note below, you will need to download it first.
  • The Sheriff brought two items. The first was a discussion of a proposed fee schedule for kennels in response to our change to the animal control code made a few years ago. There were some matters that were not clear, and the Sheriff will bring this item back to the Board in January. Mark 0:19:10 in the recording.
  • The second item the Sheriff brought was an amendment to the jail food contract. This was actually a pretty interesting conversation, since we were facing an increase of $108,000 per year if we kept the program as it is (3 hot meals a day). We decided to change to a cold breakfast with a hot lunch and dinner, for an increase of $53,000 next year. Presentation begins on page 23 of the agenda; the discussion begins at mark 0:38:23 in the recording.
  • During the discussion of our contract with the Whidbey Island Recycling and Transportation Services, the Commissioners brought up our concerns about the lack of automobile recycling (again). Public Works is committed to putting this issue on its 2026 work plan. Discussion begins at mark 1:11:17.
  • We discussed a draft code for the establishment of a Public Defense District. Discussion begins at mark 1:27:05 in the recording.
  • Planning brought us two items. We discussed code updates for the mixed-use Limited Areas of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRD—the new word for RAIDs). Mark 2:05:22.
  • Planning’s second item was a discussion on the best ways to incentivize people to transfer from the Designated Forest program to the Public Benefit Rating System (PBRS). Discussion begins at mark 2:28:23 in the recording.
  • We spent the afternoon with our Department Heads going through the departments’ 2025 work plans. Mark 3:12:07 in the recording.
  • This is the agenda for the Wednesday, November 12 work session. On that agenda: the Board will discuss our priorities for the possible use of Opioid settlement funds; we’ll discuss an agreement with the State for reimbursement for extraordinary costs of resentencing and vacating sentences as required by State v. Blake; a discussion on recommendations for including representation on Boards and Committees (rescheduled from November 5 meeting); discussion of a contract to conduct an inventory and GIS mapping of all privately-owned septic systems in the shoreline that are expected to be impacted by sea level rise, king tides, and other inundation effects; we’ll hear a proposal for curbside recycling in unincorporated Whidbey Island; and Planning will bring draft development code updates and an updated schedule for the comprehensive plan.
• The Island Transit monthly board meeting was held this morning.
  • We approved a labor agreement between Island Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1576.
  • We received a report from the State Auditors on the 2024 annual audit.
  • We amended the Rideshare Policy to temporarily waive fees for up to 60 days for riders who lose paychecks when impacted by such things as government shutdowns.
  • We received an update on the results of the Oak Harbor Police Department safety training project.
  • We discussed Draft #2 of the annual budget.
• During this difficult time for SNAP, Island Senior Resources welcomes SNAP recipients and all members of their households regardless of age to participate in the ISR community meals. Meals are provided “by-donation” and clients pay what they can. To see the times, locations, and menus, go here.
• Food Shelves. Island County is taking direct action to support local food banks and residents facing an urgent food access gap. This response is prompted by ongoing uncertainty surrounding federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. 5,500 Island County residents who rely on the program—including children, seniors, and veterans—now face significantly delayed and reduced payments for November. This is expected to create a community-wide food purchasing gap of nearly $500,000 this month alone. To provide immediate, frontline relief, Island County approved $54,000 in immediate, direct-award grants to local food shelves.
  • In addition, I call on everyone to consider how they can help. Commissioner Jill Johnson had a great idea for Christmas this year—if you’re trying to think of a present for someone who has everything, why not make a donation to a food shelf in their name?
  • When I got my haircut yesterday, I was delighted to see that Seaside Spa was accepting food donations to take to the food bank. I know many other businesses and organizations (including Island County) are doing the same. Thanks and kudos to you all.
  • To stay current on all county response activities, find donation links, and learn more, please follow Island County Public Health on social media and visit our County News Flash.
• Food shelves and nutrition providers can also use cash donations. Here are links for donating locally:
  • Stanwood Camano Food Bank: https://stanwoodcamanofoodbank.org/
  • Good Cheer Food Bank: https://www.goodcheer.org/
  • Gifts from the Heart Food Bank: https://www.giftsfromtheheartfoodbank.com/
  • North Whidbey Help House: http://www.northwhidbeyhelphouse.org/
  • Island Senior Resources: https://senior-resources.org/
  • The Whidbey Community Foundation: https://whidbey.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2366
  • Whidbey Island Nourishes: https://www.whidbeyislandnourishes.org/
  • And I liked this story in this week’s paper about two neighborhood food collections: Whidbey community members help hungry neighbors | South Whidbey Record.
• Lone Lake. I’ve received a number of letters from Lone Lane residents wanting the Commissioners to apply for a grant to treat their algae problem. This is the response I received from Public Health about this request: “Lone Lake needs $250k for the treatment, and the maximum grant award is $50k, so we are working with partners to determine feasibility.  There is no way to guarantee we will get this money annually for the five years necessary to treat the lake entirely, so we have been working to decide if it is worth starting if we cannot finish. We would bring this to a work session or regular session for approval to apply as this would be a new book of business for us.” So stay tuned—I’ll let you know in this newsletter if we move forward on this.
• 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 usually meets at 6 pm on the first and third Wednesdays of each month in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room in Coupeville.
• You are invited to join me at the WiFire Community Center in Freeland on Monday, November 10 at 3 pm to talk about whatever is of interest to the attendees. I will NOT be able to meet citizens on Monday, November 17 (WSAC conference), but I expect to be available there on the last Monday of this month, November 24^th.

Melanie

“You can’t make everyone happy. You’re not a taco.”

~ sign seen at The Mill at The Kasteel, Oak Harbor