Puget Sound ‘recovery’ meetings come to Friday Harbor July 21

The Puget Sound Partnership is hosting another round of public workshops, this time to solicit input on local priorities for an action agenda to restore and protect Puget Sound. One of the meetings is scheduled in Friday Harbor: July 21, 1-4 p.m., Friday Harbor High School, 45 Blair Ave.

July 1, 2008 6:21 pm

The Puget Sound Partnership is hosting another round of public workshops, this time to solicit input on local priorities for an action agenda to restore and protect Puget Sound.

One of the meetings is scheduled in Friday Harbor: July 21, 1-4 p.m., Friday Harbor High School, 45 Blair Ave.

“Whether you live, work or play on Puget Sound, or just enjoy its undeniable beauty, you have a stake in its recovery – and I hope, feel a sense of responsibility to pass on its legacy to future generations,” said David Dicks, executive director of the Partnership.

“The broad, enthusiastic public participation in the development of the action agenda has been overwhelming so far, and we look forward to further conversations throughout the month of July.”

The Leadership Council, the Partnership’s governing body, adopted an initial set of ecosystem priorities for bringing the Sound back to health at its June meeting. The adopted priorities, which will be the cornerstones of the final action agenda, are broad.

Their purpose is to provide focus to the most important issues facing Puget Sound. Scientific input will continue with further analysis of status and threats, and development of measurable indicators for ecosystem health.

The priorities were determined largely through citizen participation and technical expertise in meetings held throughout Puget Sound. To date, 1,100 people have taken part in 19 Partnership-organized workshops.

At this month’s workshops, the public will be asked to identify local actions and programs to help implement these priorities for the community they live in – as well as review newly drafted community profiles that outline local conditions, opportunities, threats and strategies.

The following workshops have been scheduled:

— Bellingham: July 14, 1-5 p.m., Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Ave.

— Kingston: July 15, 1-5 p.m., Port Gamble S’Klallam, House of Knowledge, 31912 Little Boston Road N.E.

— Allyn: July 16, 8 a.m. to noon, Horton Community Center, 4350 Grapeview Loop Road.

— Port Angeles: July 17, 1-5 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln.

— Friday Harbor: July 21, 1-4 p.m., Friday Harbor High School, 45 Blair Ave.

— Mount Vernon: July 22, 1-5 p.m., Best Western CottonTree Inn, 2300 Market St.

— Silverdale: July 22, 1-5 p.m., Silverdale Community Center, 9729 Silverdale Way N.W.

— Tukwila: July 30, 1-5 p.m., Tukwila Community Center, 12424 – 42nd Ave. S.

For additional details and workshop agendas, visit www.psp.wa.gov/aa_meetings.php.

Those planning to attend workshops should RSVP, indicating which meeting(s) they will attend, by sending an e-mail to actionagenda@psp.wa.gov.

Those unable to attend the workshops can submit comments online at http://www.psp.wa.gov/contact.php.

The Leadership Council must adopt the action agenda, the region’s adaptable guide to Puget Sound recovery efforts, by Dec. 1.