Rant to San Juan County for absolutely refusing every single one of my family’s completely reasonable requests that it take action to deal with the very real repercussions we experience every day due to its sending the entire world through our farm.
Yesterday I did not get to talk to my grandmother because I was having to copy and file and serve legal documents — and today it is too late. She died last night in her sleep.
My family should not have been forced to fight this battle. Nor should the county be spending its resources fighting this battle.
The land bank should manage its “preserves” in a manner that protects neighboring property. The Land Bank should not open a county park and then refuse to have methods in place to deal with garbage, human bodily waste, loose dogs and liability.
The land bank’s inflated ego is in control rather than reasonable minds or common sense. The county has no effective risk management nor does it engage in any real oversight of the land bank.
My family asked for four very sensible things: a garbage can, a fence (any kind at all), a restroom and indemnity. In exchange, we would rewrite the easement to clearly allow the general public. The land bank repeatedly and completely rejected our many offers. The county has now spent far more than the cost of those four items fighting us on legal jurisdiction alone. It is ridiculous and outrageous and the county’s citizens should be aware of this. The county instead chose to risk losing access completely.
The citizens of this county should not forget that the county government works FOR its citizens and its citizens tell it what to do. Somehow that has been turned upside down here. I encourage every citizen who sees the fallacy of our county’s decisions to call, write, email, Facebook, Instagram, stop by, show up at land bank meetings, show up at county council meetings and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. Don’t be afraid to make waves. Don’t be afraid to step up to the front of the room. Let us take our county back.
Rami Amaro
San Juan Island
