DISTRICT 1 NEWS

November 2013

It is the time of year for counting blessings and so I want to say how grateful I am for your interest in County government. The bedrock of our nation is an informed citizenry. Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter.

Conservation Futures Fund

In front of a standing room only crowd at Monday's meeting the Board of County Commissioners reached a compromise in our action approving the 2014 Conservation Futures Fund (CFF) levy. The first proposal put forward by the other commissioners was to reduce the CFF revenue for 2014 to only cover debt payments and accept no new grant applications for easements, acquisition or maintenance. We received hundreds of comments from citizens across both islands; the overwhelming majority were urging us to maintain this program. The City of Langley, Whidbey Audubon, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Whidbey Watershed Stewards, the Navy and others advocated to fully fund this important tool for preserving farmlands, woodlands, beach access and wildlife habitat. The unanimous decision was to take the full amount of the levy (without a 1% increase as allowed by law), pay off a Dept. of Ecology loan on the Camano Island Iverson Spit property, make our annual payment on the Greenbank Farm bonds and accept grant applications with priority given to buffering Navy properties, as well as maintenance and conservation easements on private property. Land acquisition will not be a priority for 2014. These priorities apply for one year and the Board will review the entire program in the coming months.This was a win for conservation advocates as it maintains the current level of funding and allows for grant applications to protect the islands' precious open spaces. It was also a win for local government, demonstrating that if elected officials are willing to seek common ground, the community benefits.

Shop the Islands

Shop in local stores and not only will you be supporting local businesses, jobs and generating income for hard-working local families; you will also be strengthening our local safety net. Your purchases are greatly appreciated by local merchants who consistently and generously support island charities. The sales tax generated through those purchases pays for transit service, mental health and criminal justice programs, and local government services such as elections and public health nurses. Buy it here whenever possible or get it delivered from a Washington State business (such as Costco or Amazon, for example) and the sales tax follows your purchase to support local programs for our community. Every dollar makes a difference.

Clinton Ferry Meeting

Mark your calendars! Join Washington State Ferries and your Whidbey Island Ferry Advisory Committees at a community meeting on December 5, 2013 to discuss route-specific issues, the legislative session, liquefied natural gas, new vessel construction and long-range planning. This is an excellent opportunity to listen to WSF executives speak about ferry issues and plans that affect most Whidbey Island residents.

Date/Time:

Thursday, Dec. 5, 6-8 p.m.

Location:
Clinton Community Hall
6411 Central Ave

Clinton

This is our periodic opportunity to listen to the Ferries Director Moseley and give him and his staff feedback on the ferry system's performance, plans and strategies.

"I look forward to hearing from our customers at our community meetings," said David Moseley, assistant secretary, ferries division, for the Washington State Department of Transportation. "I always find this feedback valuable, and it helps us when we consider making changes to the system."

For more information, click on the link below:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/CommuterUpdates/pub_meetings

Thanks to Ferry Advisory Committee Chair Dave Hoogerwerf for this info.

Please give generously to our local food banks. Many families have less food stamp support due to the federal sequestration and who now depend more heavily upon the generosity of our local community for basic nutritional needs. To quote a Carole King song, "we are all in this together." Best wishes to you and yours this Thanksgiving weekend.

It is an honor to serve you,

Helen Price Johnson
Island County Commissioner, Dist. 1

district1@co.island.wa.us

(360)679-7354

PO Box 5000

Coupeville, WA 98239