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Wishing You a Super Spring!
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Commissioner's Meetings

First 3 Mondays at 10am

Fourth Monday at 2pm

 

Commissioner's Workshops

1st & 3rd Wednesday at 9am

2nd Wednesday at 10am  

 

Work is slow but started on my new Blog!

 

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Greetings!  

 

Spring is in the air and hopefully bringing with it some refreshing change for us all.
 

I am trying out a new poll service, please click this link to have your voice be heard on whether or not the Commissioners should create a new Administration Department. 

 

Click here to voice your opinion on Property Rights. 

 

 

 

 

As a reminder, this message is sent from my county e-mail and any replies are subject to public disclosure.  Please don't let that stop you. Just keep it in mind that it will be read by many.

Ault Field NewsAult  

 

As it turns out, a trip to DC wasn't necessary to get a feel for what the Navy is planning for NAS Whidbey.  Admiral Gary Roughead, our CNO, laid it out pretty clearly in a testimony before the Armed Services Committee in early March.

 

He had much to say about how Congress working without a budget, and with one continued resolution after another, is stifling the behind the scenes process necessary to fulfill routine goals for preparedness. 

 

In the 2012 budget, procurement of the P-8A Poseidon has been increased and it will be used to transition from our Legacy P-3 Orion.  We are lined up to purchase 114 EA-18E Growlers for 14 various squadrons all to be stationed at NAS Whidbey. 

 

The Poseidon's are scheduled to begin replacing the Orion in 2013 at a rate of 2 squadrons per year.  Admiral Roughead states this is essential and requests that Congress appropriate the funds needed for this transition.

 

It appears we could do the most to help our local NAS Whidbey, by contacting our Senators Cantwell, Murray and Representative Larson, and ask them to stop the Continuing Resolutions and finally pass a budget.

 

For the full statement from Admiral Roughead to the Armed Services Committee, click here. 

 

Freeland Sub-Area PlanFreeland

I wish I wasn't so concerned about this one, but I am.  We are being asked to approve as-is, a plan that we know had some reccomended  changes.  Some of the changes were from our legal consul.  I am also concerned that the language in the Ordinance will lock us into the $40 Million sewer project and I'm not yet sold on that option.

Certainly, Freeland needs sewer.  But is begining a project so large, in a near economic depression,  during a period of diminished growth, when there are other options, the best way to spend those funds?

This item is on the agenda for Monday's meeting and while it wont be a public hearing, there will be time for public comment. So come on down if you have an opinion, or just want to attend.

Camano Animal Shelter CASA

 

Well, this one was a long time coming but I think we are finally going to get the walls of the dog shelter insulated.  Everybody loves a Hot Dog right?

 

The project took a bad turn  when the past board got involved.  They wanted to require windows (on a windowless metal building).  That was going to mean significant structural changes and cost. ALso, the need for some place to board the dogs while these upgrades were taking place would have to happen.

 

Those revisions would have likely also mean that the Shelter could no longer afford the project.  I wanted to scream, "Commissioners, get out of the way!"  I suggested that since there were no public funds involved, let's leave the details to the staff. 

 

By that, I mean, let the Property Management team decide if it was something they needed to bring to  the Board.  Let the Facilities crew assess the work to determine if the planning department needed to be involved.

 

It just didn't seem to me that either a Legislative or Executive decision was necessary. 

    
Coming Soon!  Island County Chapter of CAPR CAPR
  
CAPR - Citizens Alliance for Property Rights is a group that fights hard for your Constitutional Rights on Property Ownership. 
  
I attended a full-day of workshops, that were standing room only, last weekend and the abundance of information was nearly overwhelming.  Some of the things we learned and/or had confirmed for us were:
  
Government officials are not allowed to step on your property to
investigate a complaint and most of them are aware of that.
  
The trend for Governments is to impose wetland violations and in nearly
all cases, their determinations or findings are wrong.
  
Wetlands are a matter of Hydrogeology and require a licensed
Hydrogeologist to make the correct determinations.
  
I had a chance to speak briefly with one of the group's directors and he informed me that we will soon be seeing an Island County Chapter spring up.  Please stay tuned for details on how to find out more about your local Property Rights group.  In the mean time, let me know how you feel about your rights by taking the poll on not-yet-very-active blog.  Click Here to have your voice heard.   
  
  
 
Environmentalist Issues scrubbed Clean REAL
  
I attended a luncheon meeting last Friday in South Whidbey on the topic of the environment.  Todd Meyers, of the Washington Policy Center, started the event by asking how many people own or know someone that owns, a Prius?  Nearly everyone in the room raised their hand, (I feel the need to add, this was a very conservative group).  He went on to ask how many own or know someone that owns an electric vehicle.  Finally, a hydrogen powered vehicle.  In both those cases the number of hands that were raised decreased respectively.
  
Then he asked, "which one do you think was developed by the free market?"  The answer is the Prius.  The point I took is that Government subsidies for innovations do not seem to show success in product. 
  
He went on to talk about research on Green Schools that showed higher construction cost, negative effect on stated goals and a larger carbon footprint.
  
I did have to disagree with him when he talked about compact fluorescent bulbs.  The may be more efficient, but the incandescent produce heat also, and the lack of that has caused people to turn up their furnaces countering the efficiency. 
 
What's the bottom line? Budget
  
Work on the County budget starts next month.  From what I see so far, it looks as though this year was once again showing anticipated increases in revenues, albeit slight. 
  
There is a serious "Can't Do" attitude in the County complex and I find that frustrating.  I don't believe that reduced resources omits us of our duty to provide the public with core-function services.
  
I intend to find a way to fulfill our obligations and I would like to do it, while implementing a property tax increase moratorium.  I'm going to need your help, please stay tuned.

 

 

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It is an honor to serve you,

 


Kelly Emerson
Island County Commissioner