ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Sep. 13, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Sep. 13, 2024.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 38^th week of 2024.

• Regular Session. The agenda and video recording for the Tuesday September 10^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • We heard public comment from citizens representing the Stanwood-Camano Veterans and 1^st Responders Health Initiative, informing the Board about the mission and goal of their organization.
  • Four resolutions were passed on the Consent Agenda: Resolution C-40-24, Cancellation of Warrants; Resolution C-43-24, Disposal of County Surplus Property; Resolution C- 41-23, Initiating a County Drainage Project designated as Edgecliff Drive Outfall; and Resolution C-42-24, in the matter of amending interfund loan from Island County Road Fund to Island County Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.

• Another Consent Agenda item I want to highlight here: we approved acceptance of a Commerce Department grant of $317,325 for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program for the Island County Law and Justice and Juvenile Detention Center energy audit project. This grant, which uses federal funds, would allow us to complete an audit of the building and plan the new building systems which will electrify the Law and Justice building, eliminate fossil fuel use in that building, increase energy efficiency, and comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standards. We went through this same audit process a couple of years ago, resulting this year in an energy efficient Administration building—so I’m pretty excited to see us transfer that success to other aging buildings in the County complex.
• We approved an Interagency Reimbursable Agreement with the City of Langley for the Edgecliff Drive Water Replacement Project. Mark 00:13:19 in the video.

• We held two public hearings to pass the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). There were no public comments. Mark 00:19:51 in the video.
• The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 17^th. Here is the agenda and links to documents. On that agenda: Initiating a Public Works Project designated as Rhododendron Road to Patmore Road Trail (Phase 3), and a Water System Franchise Public Hearing for the Glenwood Beach Water Association.
• Upcoming BOCC Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • Sept 17:  Glenwood Beach water franchise
  • October 15: Sewer system franchise transfer (Camano), Louis Saekow/Yaowapa Trongtham & The David L. Wood Living Trust
  • October 22 (pending Board approval of date): Comcast Franchise
  • October 22 (pending Board approval of date): Planning Work Plan docket
  • December 2 (pending Board approval of date): Finalize Budget
• Budget Workshops. We held one Budget meeting this week; our next Budget meeting will be on September 24. You can find the most current version of the schedule of upcoming budget meetings here.
• Work Session. The agenda for the Wednesday, September 11^th work session is here; the recording is here.
  • The big work session issue this week was the County’s role in buying Island Senior Resources (ISR) time to find solutions to continue fully funding their nutrition and transportation programs into the future. First item on our agenda and in the recording; presentation on level of service here. Michelle Cato of ISR told us of their funding issues. This was sometimes an emotional discussion, because we all recognize the importance of this agency’s work in our community. The Board of County Commissioners is committed to ensuring reliable, consistent service for our senior population and will continue to work with ISR to make sure there are no gaps.
  • We met with Long Range Planning to discuss their 2025 Work Plan and Docket. No surprise—most of their work next year will be on the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update. Mark 0:52:19; page 10 in the agenda.
  • The agenda for the Work Session on September 18 can be found here. On that agenda: Legislative priorities; LTAC; Diking District #3; Interlocal with Coupeville for Misdemeanor Prosecution services; Merchant McIntyre presentation; Langley RCED contact extension; Changes to CAB and CFF evaluation criteria and application; Wastewater Proviso Agreement with Biohabitats; Safeway – Oak Harbor Environmental Health issues; Moderate Risk Waste Management Agreement with NASWI.
• 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 next Planning Commissioner meeting will be held next Wednesday; Meeting ID: 936 3689 2599 Passcode: 122086. On their agenda: George Hernandez, Island County Human Services, will provide a presentation on affordable housing development, and a public hearing will be held on the Keystone Farm and Forest Preserve Comprehensive Plan Amendment to create a Special Review District.
• We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Here are the events on my calendar:
  • Saturday, September 14, noon – 4 pm, Military Appreciation Picnic at Windjammer Park. Hosted by the Oak Harbor Chamber and the Oak Harbor Navy League.
  • Sunday, September 15: The world-famous Langley Soap Box Derby. Races start at 10 a.m. on First Street. Soup will be served on the Healing Circles lawn from Noon to 2 p.m. after the races. Soup made by St. Hubert’s Catholic Church and Langley United Methodist Church. bring a blanket, sack lunch and enjoy the after race excitement.
  • Sunday, September 15, 2 – 4 pm, the Whidbey Watershed Stewards is sponsoring the Freeland Wetland Preserve Celebration. 1820 Newman Road, Freeland. An event to acknowledge the preservation of the Freeland Wetland Preserve and its 48 acres of wetlands, forest, trails and wildlife, now protected in perpetuity.
  • Sometime this weekend I may also show up at the Cornfest at Whidbey Farm and Market, 11 am – 6 pm Saturday and Sunday, 1422 Monroe Landing Road, Oak Harbor: live music, corn hole games, face painting, hay and barrel train rides, and a bale pyramid for the kids to explore.
• I will be available in Coupeville and Freeland on Monday, September 15 to meet with citizens interested in discussing County issues: at Cedar & Salt in Coupeville, 1:30 – 2:30, and at the Wi Fire Community Space in Freeland, 3 – 4. I will hold my first Listening Session with Veterans at the Whidbey Veterans Resource Center, 723 Camano Ave, Room 403, Building C, in Langley, on next Friday, September 20 at 2 pm.

Melanie

“The most valuable possession you can own is an open heart. The most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace.”

~Carlos Santana

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