Island County is taking action to stop people from camping on the beach alongside the road at Ebey’s Landing. The County Commissioners were informed there has been an explosion of unregulated campers who are leaving garbage, gray water and animal feces behind on the pristine beach. A local resident told...
The State Auditor’s Office issued two findings against the Whidbey Island Hospital District in a just-released audit report covering Jan. 1 2019 through Dec. 31, 2020. The audit found that the hospital district is two years behind in submitting complete and accurate annual financial reports and that the hospital district...
Island County officials took a second shot at finding a legal way to funnel American Rescue Plan Act money to county staff to compensate those who have to work with the public and are exposed to risks associated with the Covid pandemic. After Prosecutor Greg Banks concluded that the original...
The two largest law enforcement offices on Whidbey Island are facing the loss of significant numbers of commissioned officers this year. For some departing Oak Harbor Police Department officers, the significant changes in laws regarding how police officers operate affected their decision to leave. Oak Harbor Police Chief Kevin Dresker...
Island County Commissioners are considering many different ideas on how to spend the $16.5 million of taxpayer dollars given to the County thru the federal governments American Rescue Plan Act. Commissioner Jill Johnson suggested giving $9 to $10 million to Habitat for Humanity for purchasing property and putting in infrastructure...
Based on advice from Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks, the Island County Commissioners have rescinded a resolution that would have provided Island County essential employees bonuses for their “incredible work” during the Covid pandemic. The problem is that Washington state law and the state constitution does not allow for retroactive...
Three current Island County elected officials and former Island County Superior Court Judge Vickie Churchill were fined by the Public Disclosure Commission last week for failing to file F-1 reports that cover personal financial information. The Island County officials are Whidbey Island Hospital Commissioner Nancy Fey, Oak Harbor Councilmember Erica...
Island County has received $16.8 million of taxpayer money from the Federal Government through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which provided counties and municipalities across the nation with large amounts of cash and relatively permissive rules governing the use of the funds. The Island County Commissioners have decided...
