ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Sep. 27, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Sep. 27, 2024.

Please get involved in creating a safer Island County by participating in the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) survey and attending an open house. Click on the QR code above or this link.

Upcoming Open Houses for the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan:

Monday, October 7, Langley : Starts at 6:30 pm (Right after the City Council Meeting 5:30 – 6:30pm)

Langley City Hall

122 Second Street, Langley, WA 98260

Tuesday, October 8, Coupeville,: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Town of Coupeville Recreational Hall

901 NW Alexander St, Coupeville, WA, 98239

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 40^th week of 2024 (only 12 more weeks left in this year!?)

• Regular Session.  The agenda and video recording for the Tuesday September 24^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • We heard public comment from one individual regarding funding for the IRTPO, and from three individuals (one was twelve years old!) about a need for mountain bike trails in Island County parks.
  • Since we had time (there were no regular agenda items or public hearings scheduled for Tuesday) Commissioner St Clair asked that we pull item 2 from the Consent to the Regular Agenda so that she could speak to it—the project awards for the 2025 2% Hotel-Motel Tax Tourism Promotion (LTAC awards). Mark 00:13:40 in the video.
• The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 1^st. Here is the agenda and links to documents. This will be a short meeting as again there are no regular agenda items or public hearings scheduled—but you might be interested to know that on the Consent Agenda there is a contract for repair and renovation of the Freeland Dock. You can find out details about that contract by clicking on the pertinent documents in the agenda for the meeting. I expect to move this item to the Regular Agenda so Public Works can talk about this project.
• Upcoming BOCC Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • October 15: Sewer system franchise transfer (Camano), Louis Saekow/Yaowapa Trongtham & The David L. Wood Living Trust
  • October 22: Finalize the 2025 Work Plan and Docket to comply with the Growth Management Act (GMA) for the Comprehensive Plan update process.
  • October 22 (pending Board approval of date): Planning Work Plan docket
  • December 2 (pending Board approval of date): Finalize Budget
• Work Session. On Wednesday, October 2^nd Commissioner Johnson and I will be out of town at a Board of Health conference. So the next work session of the Board of Island County Commissioners will be held on Wednesday, October 9^th. The agenda for that meeting will be posted by next Friday.
• The Council of Governments (COG) and the Island Regional Transportation Planning Commission (IRTPO) met on Wednesday, September 25^th.
  • The COG went over the legislative priorities of the different jurisdictions (City of Langley, Town of Coupeville, City of Oak Harbor, Port of South Whidbey, Port of Coupeville, and Island County), to create the list we wish to discuss when we meet with our legislators next month. Our emphasis will be on these concerns that we each share: (1) Public Records reform (policy concern); (2) Climate Resilience (funding issue); (3) Affordable & Workforce Housing (funding); (4) PFAS cleanup (funding); (5) Ferries (funding); (6) Childcare (policy and funding); (7) Public Safety (policy and funding); and (8) Options to allow local government to keep pace financially with inflation and mandates (policy and funding).
  • The IRTPO heard two presentations—one from our Safe Streets 4 All consultants, updating us on the status of our Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP; see more info at top of this page); link to presentation.
  • The second IRTPO presentation was from WSDOT, informing us that by the end of next year they will be building a roundabout at the intersection of SR 20 and Fakkema (more about that to come later; construction will require a 5-day closure of SR 20, which will not be popular with very many people when the time comes; they’ve identified 3 detours they’ll set up).
• 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 usually meets at 6 pm on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of each month (but it is not meeting next Wednesday). The agendas are published at least a week in advance. The next Planning Commission meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 16th.
• Budget Workshops. The next Budget meeting will be held on Tuesday October 8^th at 1 pm. This is the agenda and zoom info.
• The Clinton Community Council will meet at 6 pm on Monday, September 30^th. Zoom info. New business items on the agenda: Board Retreat/WCF Grant; Community Meeting; and Dan Porter Park cleanup.
• The Island County Auditor has posted the Voters Pamphlet for the November 5^th general election here. This pamphlet includes information on all of the initiatives and candidates that we’ll find included on our ballots when we receive them in a couple of weeks..
• I am available in Coupeville and Freeland on Mondays 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. This Monday, September 30th, I will also be at the Clinton Community Hall from 5 – 6, prior to the Clinton Community Council meeting.

Melanie

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

~Jim Davis

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