Many of you may remember my campaigning on the need for new leadership for a number of reasons, not the least of which was a drop of an over $4 million dollar reserve to less than 1 million in just two short years. 

If you follow my newsletters you'll know that most of those dollars were recovered due to an attorney general's opinion that supported our accounting process which was in question.  You would also know that I have been pointing out we are now depleting our REET (Real Estate Excise Tax) fund in a similar fashion as we had previously done with our reserves.

That particular fund sees about $1.2 million in annual revenue with 1 million already locked up in debt.  The other .2 million is less than the cost of funding our parks department which is also paid out of this fund, for now.

That is an over 83% debt ratio in this fund and my colleagues are seeking to add more.  They have chosen to chase after a grant that would force a loan to put us over 3/4 of a million dollars further in debt with this fund.

Okay, yes, I was looking to spend maybe $300,000 of the surplus in order to rejuvenate and spruce up the current buildings on Camano.  But I also had an idea for paying down some of the REET debt before taking on anymore.

We are beginning to see cities and counties filing for bankruptcy around the nation.  I, for one, don't want to see Island County on that list.  I will continue to urge my colleagues to reconsider having staff spend time pursuing this venture until/unless, we pay down some debt.   

 

While I have, in my nearly 50 years now, lived in a number of states...  I believe the state of Washington to have the most beautiful Constitution of them all...  Dare I say, more beautiful than the nation's.

"All Governments are established to protect and maintain individual rights." Art. 1 Sec. 1 WA Constitution

With those thoughts in mind, I couldn't be more proud than I am of a state board, the Geologist Licensing Board, who have stepped up to the task of researching the statutes and developing policy that promotes the intent of the licensing laws...  Consumer Protection.

With their December 19th policy, this licensing board declared the need for a licensed hydro-geologist to interpret hydrogeological data used to inform the wetland delineation process.  This offers an end to erroneous judgments of land and the enormous costs which can be associated with them. 

A recent opinion from the Attorney General's Office pointed out you do not have to be licensed to delineate wetlands.  HOWEVER... RCW 18.220.190(7) [adopted in 2000] says you must have a license to execute investigations, be in *responsible charge or draw conclusions of geological work hence, the new policy. (Click here for policy)

This gives businesses the ability to keep cost down by not needing a hydro-geologist to do all the work pertaining to the wetland.  While at the same time protects the consumer by requiring the appropriate licensed scientist to inform of the need, if any, to delineate.

I was so proud of this board that I sent them a "Thank You." 
*responsible charge - the exercise of fully independent control and direction of geological work or the supervision of such work, and being fully responsible, answerable, accountable, or liable for the results.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is tasked with, among other things, implementing and enforcing the Clean Water Act.
Since we all know water runs downhill, it's probably easier to regulate those upstream waters than it is to clean up the lower body. 

So, have we gotten so clean, with all those years of regulation and enforcement, that we now have to regulate rainwater in order to have something to clean up?  Or have we just allowed this agency to become far too big and have to find work to keep people busy?

Whatever the case, the regulations proposed on Fairfax County Virginia, to keep stormwater from delivering sediment to the downhill waterway would have cost the state's taxpayers between $300 - 500 Million.  In addition, it would have forced local officials to "take people's houses, evict them, knock the houses down and plant grass." 
The democrat controlled county fought back and just this month, a federal judge opined that water cannot be considered a "pollutant" under the Clean Water Act.  (The EPA's administrator resigned just weeks ago by the way.)

Could this turn the whole NPDES (National "Pollutant" Discharge Elimination System) on its head?  Probably not.  Will this provide counties some flexibility with their stormwater management?  It sure did in Fairfax County.  Does this mean that Island County's new "Clean Water Utility" was/is unnecessary???  We can always use the money.  Any chance we can get Olympia to rein in the Puget Sound Partnership?  Don't hold your breath.

For those of you who think that national issues don't affect local practices, this should change your mind.  And for those of you who think local officials don't have an effect on national issues, well here you go.

Island County Commissioner - District 3

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