Marina Blatt reports from the Oak Harbor City Council meeting of Tue., Dec. 2, 2025 for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity.ai
The Oak Harbor City Council voted 5–1 to take no action on annexing the Valley High Mobile Home Park, which has suffered years of sewage failures and related health impacts for residents. Councilmember Eric Marshall cast the lone dissent, arguing the city has a moral obligation to help the 56 households living there. Most councilmembers, however, agreed with residents and staff that the property owners, David and Happy Mangat, should be held fully responsible for repairs and that annexation would shift financial burdens to city taxpayers while allowing the owners to benefit from higher property values. The decision gives the Mangats more time to work with Island County and pursue long‑term plans, likely transitioning the site from non‑conforming residential to industrial use.
They Said It
Marshall stated that the concerns brought up during the meeting were outweighed by the fact that the tenants, fellow members of the Whidbey Island community, are suffering at no fault of their own and that the city has the power to help. The park is home to 56 mobile homes.
“My heart goes out to these people who are struggling,” Marshall said. “That was our mantra, find a way to yes. And that’s kinda where I’m at with this project is: Let’s look at all opportunities to help members of our community.”
In addition to Marshall, Councilmembers Bryan Stucky, Jim Woessner, James Marrow, Mayor Pro Tempore Tara Hizon and Mayor Ronnie Wright each expressed concern for the tenants dealing with the deteriorating sewage system.
However, Wright, Hizon and Woessner each stated that annexation did not appear to be a viable solution for either the tenants or the Mangats.
“I don’t know that the property owner totally understands that what their long-range vision is, is not doable” through an annexation, Woessner said. He noted this is for their best interest, not the city’s.
“I mean let’s face it, the city annexes into city property, the city makes more money; we get some property tax revenue,” he said.
Nothing would prevent the Mangats from selling the property once its value increased, Wright said; Marrow echoed the comment. Additionally, Wright said assuming responsibility for fixing the property would shift the financial burden onto current Oak Harbor residents, and increased utility costs could push current tenants out of affordable housing.
Stucky expressed disappointment that the Mangats did not attend the meeting in person or via Zoom, instead sending an economic consultant, David Toyer, president of Toyer Strategic Advisors, Inc. He said the lack of direct communication made him unsure of how seriously they wanted the annexation.
In support of doing something, Marshall said residents of the mobile home park frequent businesses in Oak Harbor and use the city’s services, contributing to its economy. He said it is Oak Harbor’s duty to help them.
He said he also found it offensive that the tenants could be dismissed on the basis that they have the option to relocate, a point raised by Councilmember Barbara Armes. Many of the residents own their mobile homes, he noted. With no effort to fix the situation for them, they are left to face consequences due to a property owner’s negligence, he said.
Wright pushed back against Marshall’s claims that the city has ignored the issue. He emphasized that Oak Harbor has attempted to work with the Mangats and tenants since 2014, that the application has not materially changed and the owners have made no visible progress on addressing its failures. More recently, the mayor met with the property owners on Oct. 14 to go over seven options that the owners were presented with in June, according to a News-Times article.
“I’m not unsympathetic to these people that live in this development, but I am not about to put this on the backs of my citizens that are paying their fair share,” Wright stated passionately. “My staff has spent hundreds of hours with these individuals trying to work with them and bring this to resolution. We are not the hurdle for these landowners. They’re their own worst enemy in this situation.”
At a commissioner meeting, Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson, who’s been working on the issue for many months, said the owners wrongly believe that annexing into the city would allow the property to be rezoned from industrial to residential.
