Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Jul. 22, 2022.
Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 29th week of 2022.
- Regular Agenda: This week the Board approved two actions using Conservation Futures Funds. We approved a request from the Whidbey Camano Land Trust for $650,000 for their Lagoon Point Community Forest Acquisition project on Whidbey. And we approved a request for $125,000 from Island County Public Works for an addition to English Boom County Park on Camano Island. You can read the agenda and watch the Board meeting here
- Resolutions passed this week:
- Resolution C-47-22 (consent agenda), Initiating a Public Works Project for the Goldie Street to Hoffman Road Trail Connector.
- Board of Health:
- Human Services provided the Board of Health with one of the most detailed (yet fascinating!) presentations I’ve ever seen since becoming a public servant (and that includes presentations I’ve written and given myself). It was a summary of the Human Services COVID-19 response, including information on services provided to citizens by Human Services from March 2020 through June 2022. An amazing presentation about some really great work. You can find the agenda, audio, and the Human Services presentation all here; the presentation begins at mark 00:05:06 on the audio.
- Our Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Leibrand let us know that you can get the BA.5 COVID variant again as soon as 4-5 weeks after the last time you had it—the benefit of getting all your vaccines and boosters is to keep you from having a severe case and ending up in the hospital.
- Work Session
- Agenda
- Audio
- We spoke with representatives from Ziply and WhidbeyTel to discuss broadband opportunities on Camano and South Whidbey. You can hear that conversation beginning at mark 00:00:02 in the audio.
- When discussing her Treasurer’s report, Wanda Grone mentioned again that this next Monday, July 25th, the Tax Title properties come up for auction. You can find information on those properties here. If you have any questions, contact Island County Treasurer Wanda Grone at w.grone@islandcountywa.gov. Please note: most of these properties are unbuildable.
- During the Public Health work session, we approved a new grant for a Youth Marijuana Education Prevention Program. Public Health begins at mark 01:54:34 in the audio.
- I am determined that we will pass both a Climate Resolution and a Climate Action Plan in 2022. We are now having conversations every month and getting updates from staff. This month’s conversation begins at mark 2:08:05 in the audio.
- We’ve been hearing from citizens concerned about the potential intimidation activities occurring that could impact people’s ability to exercise their right to vote. The Board is also concerned about mail being slow on South Whidbey and how this might impact people receiving and mailing their ballots. The Board discussed this at mark 01:46:30 of the audio. I herewith offer to any of you who feel intimidated or worried about getting your ballot to the mailbox or to the ballot drop box, contact me and I will go with you to ensure you can safely exercise your right to vote. I feel fairly confident that any of our county’s elected officials would do the same. And don’t feel shy about calling 911 if someone tries to intimidate you against voting—if you are a registered voter in Washington, it is your right to safely vote in the August 2nd election. If you expected a ballot and have not yet received it, contact Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider at s.crider@islandcountywa.gov .
- There’s a lot of COVID out there, but thankfully since most people are vaccinated and boosted, we have not overwhelmed our local medical providers. This week’s COVID report. To obtain a rapid home test kit you can call the Island County COVID Response Call Center at 360-678-2301; or to have free test kits mailed to your home, go online to https://sayyescovidhometest.org/ or covid.gov.
- 988 Hotline: The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline went live last Saturday. It’s designed to be as easy to remember and use as 911, but instead of a dispatcher sending police, firefighters, or paramedics, 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors.
- We are updating our Human Services Transportation Plan now, which addresses transportation gaps faced in our community by those local residents with special transportation needs. We want to hear from citizens who have experienced difficulty getting to medical facilities, work, school, grocery shopping or appointments due to their special transportation needs. We also want to know if the pandemic has increased this difficulty. There will be a meeting on August 4th at 6 pm in the Island County Commissioners Hearing Room in Coupeville to talk about what those challenges are and get your ideas on what we might do to fix them; you can also join virtually at https://meet.starleaf.com/4534207527/app, meeting ID 453 420 7527. If you have any questions, contact IRTPO Transportation Planning Benjamin Jones at 360-240-5546 or email him at benjamin.jones@islandcountywa.gov.
- Solid Waste Text Updates: We now have texting capabilities in Solid Waste, so you can be informed if there is a shut-down due to lack of containers, or if some other emergency occurs that impacts our Solid Waste functions. To sign up, send a text to the number 8559997728, giving the message ICSOLIDWASTE. You’ll get a text back saying you’re now signed up.
- Upcoming Public Hearings: On July 26, 2022, there will be a Public Hearing to update our fees and charges for public records to include fees to redact body worn camera video.
- You can find the agenda for next Tuesday’s regular Board of Island County Commissioners meeting, including how to attend virtually, here.
- You can find the agenda for next Wednesday’s Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization Executive Board (IRTPO) meeting, including how to attend virtually, here.
- My sincere apologies to everyone who showed up to speak with me at the Crabby Coffee this week. I had a medical procedure off-island and got back late—and then I was too out of it to hold a coherent conversation with anyone. I’m hoping this next Monday’s medical visit doesn’t take so long. Monday Tea with Melanie is at 3 pm at Crabby Coffee in Freeland in the WiFire Community Space, 1651 E Main St, Freeland. Tea is on me.
Thanks,
Melanie
“Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country, and this world.”
— Sharon Salzberg
