The autumn weather has arrived and the harvest is upon us. Yes, this is the time to reap the glorious bounty of your efforts. The winter squash is plump for picking. The apples are nearly ready for sauce and the pumpkins waiting to become jack-o-lanterns.

This is also a time for departing. Just as the tree leaves turn vibrant colors and fall to the ground, so too, do some ideas, aspirations, and endeavors. Nevertheless it is a cycle, one that makes way for a renaissance.

Yes, it's true.  My platform of paying off debt and cutting taxes finally gained support, with one board member and in one fund.

For three years now, I have been lobbying fellow board members to pay off the debt in Conservation Futures and go out for a vote of the people on possibly suspending collections for some time.  What I got, after being scolded yet again for desiring a vote of the people, was an agreement to reduce the collection to only that needed to pay off one loan and debt service on the remaining.

This will amount to about a 35% reduction in that fund's levy next year and the ability to reduce it significantly more in 2015.  While that may not be much more than pennies on some of your property tax statements, it could very possibly be Island County's first ever tax cut and still allows us to pay off the loan for the Iverson property on Camano, 10 years in advance.

Paying off debt is not always the prudent thing to do.  At times when you are able to recognize further gains by investing the monies than it is costing you in interest, there is no negative impact.  That is not the case currently.  We are seeing very small returns on our investments and our debt ratio in some funds, is near 80%.

The agreement will be sealed with an upcoming resolution stating the exact levy requirements for the specific purposes and disallowing any other use of the monies.

What an honor it was to receive, enclosed in a thank you card from the Department of Defense, this token of appreciation from the Commander, Naval Installations Command (CNIC). 

The coin bears the CNIC emblem, shown close up on the right.  It is the Trident before a globe and draped with a ribbon carrying the words, "supporting the warfighter."  Along the side of the coin it says, "presented by VADM Bill French USN" and displays his three stars.   

The back of the coin, shown on the left, states the mission of the CNIC and displays the three star flag.   The mission - supporting the fleet, the fighter & the family.  Vice Admiral William French is responsible for worldwide shore installations support for the United States Navy under the Chief of Naval Operations.

Equally honoring was receiving a letter from a top civilian, the Principal Deputy and Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Roger Natsuhara (click here to view).  As well as a quick email message from the, pretty much on par with the CNO (Chief of Naval Operations) Commander, Fleet Forces Command.