The League of Women Voters report on array of public meetings

Published 1:30 am Sunday, September 11, 2022

Submitted by the League of Women Voters.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. In a recent initiative, the Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.

San Juan County Council Aug. 23

Council proclaimed September Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Citizens thanked council. Budget Amendments for September approval were reviewed. Changes included allocating new grant funds and Lodging Tax for the greenhouse gas survey; Agate Beach Restoration (Council member Jamie Stephens requested attention to cost/necessity of new stairs); Early Education; Fair Grounds stormwater system, Lopez state park security cameras, and reallocating money from a Land Bank purchase that came in under budget. Final approval is scheduled for Sept 13. County Assessor John Kulseth reviewed the current and designated use of special tax programs and how they worked.

The Environmental Stewardship Director Kendra Smith and other staff provided updates on an array of programs. Sustainable Tourism Management Plan: Goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve bike trails and transport, increase year-round activity, and local control of tourist activity. There had several rounds of public and stakeholder comment and prioritization. They are reviewing information and building out a detailed implementation plan. All documents are available at www.sjctourism.com.

Marine Program: Conducting a census of mooring buoys in the county. In the last count, over ten years ago, there were 1914. That number is more than half of all mooring buoys in the state. Public mooring buoys are being installed in “anchor out” zones, to protect eelgrass beds and herring spawning habitat. Creosote pilings are being removed, and a major project removing derelict pilings at Jackson Beach is underway.

Solid Waste: Hazardous Waste drop days had fewer people dropping off. They are exploring better options for recycling. There is community support for creating large-scale composting at the SJI transfer station. They are looking at getting a glass crusher on SJI as using the one on Orcas is not cost-effective; they have researched local uses for the crushed glass. Doing education on plastic reduction.

The council approved $23,500 in historical preservation grants. The Eastsound Sewer and Water manager was designated as the certifying Officer for the Community Development Block grant for the Eastsound plant expansion.

The council discussed the Prune Alley Project Ribbon Cutting ceremony and approved the Public Works Department spending $500 on the event set for Aug. 24. On Oct. 11, the council meeting will be held on Orcas. On Oct. 31 there will be a joint Friday Harbor, San Juan County and Friday Harbor Port Commission meeting.

Appointments and reappointments were made to boards and committees.

San Juan County Public Hospital District 1 Commissioner meeting Aug. 24

Peace Island Medical Center Half Year Report: Review of services provided. They have added in-house physical therapy and speech therapy and are looking for an occupational therapist. They have pharmacy services and can dispense Paxlovid. Both the hospital and the clinic side are interviewing for social workers. They are looking for a medical director. They are planning to replace the CT Scanner. Commissioners asked about meeting the need for urgent care. PIMC agreed there is a need; they have seen a significant increase (about 30%) in people coming to the emergency room for after-hours urgent care. They would need more staff to expand clinic hours, but have tried to address some cost issues by creating three ER billing levels depending on the service. Standard ER service is level 3, but they now have levels 1 and 2. An open question is whether PIMC should be the community urgent care provider.

The commission approved the six-month subsidy for PIMC

Staff Reports: The PHD has plenty of cash on hand and will make a bond payment shortly. Finances were normal for the month. They are finalizing a contract with Faber on the feasibility study for the Village expansion. The contract came in under budget. They will move forward on adding a Medicaid room/s. They may do a similar contract for the EMS building expansion. They have confirmed that the PHD legally could provide housing for medical staff and will explore this issue further. There is a delay in finalizing a contract for new office space on Market Street.

The commission approved pursuing a low-interest loan via a state program to finance EMS equipment.

The commission approved waiving their fee ($400) for EMS stand-by services for the Pride Festival on Aug. 13 as one-time support to healthcare for a marginalized community.

The commission approved the disposal of furniture and non-working room refrigerators from The Village.

The commissioners discussed the ongoing review and overhaul of their policies and procedures.

Friday Harbor Port Commission Aug.24

2023-2027 Airport Capital Improvement Plan: Several members of the public spoke in support of the airport stocking Jet A fuel, noting that despite its name it is mainly used not by jets but by helicopters and fixed-prop planes. The commissioners revised the sequence to get an earlier start on components of the aviation fuel storage and supply. There were public comments on environmental stewardship, with one person advocating better compliance with the Port’s own policies, especially regarding solid waste. Another public comment raised questions about the cost and impact solar panels on the airport roof. Commissioners said cost/benefits and other issues would be closely looked at in the study portion the project. They approved the plan with the revised sequence for initial submission by the end of August; out year elements can be amended later.

The commission approved a Request for Proposals for the Spring Street airport parcels. Several local parties are interested in the properties with one ready to present a preliminary proposal. The commission wants to review all potential proposals before making a determination. The main question was whether to proceed now or wait until they finalize a new lease policy. The Port Manager will do a draft lease policy and they will schedule a working session to review and approve it.

The Commission approved: new boatyard rates; expanded medical coverage for employee dependents, and a letter to Arts Committee about a sculpture on Port property.

The Commission deferred: Review of the Draft Greenhouse Gas Policy, 2023 goals for Port staff and scheduling the Port Director’s Review.

The Pride Festival at Jackson Beach was lauded as a great success.