Passing the buck has new meaning as Orcas Island School Board continues to work on the transfer of Buck Park to the Orcas Island Parks and Recreation District.

The park, located just a couple of miles outside of Eastsound off of Mt. Baker Road, is a favorite spot for locals. It’s also home to the world-class Orcas Island Skateboard park, the Orcas Island School District ball fields, tennis courts and where the Orcas Island Parks and Recreation Saturday team hangs out.

Parks and Rec and the school board have been discussing the transfer since July 2011. The process has been slowed down by the district focusing on issues like budget cuts and other extensive and expensive repairs needed for the school.

The transfer has also been slowed down by the state’s concern that the county’s road improvements on Mount Baker Road will take land away from Buck Park. Orcas School Superintendent Barbara Kline said that she is letting the state work that out with the county, and in the meantime the district has the approved paperwork from the state to lease the park to the rec district until a permanent transfer is possible.

“We are working on the documents for a permanent transfer,” Kline said. “It’s a step by step process.”

Martha Farish, who is on the parks and rec board, said this type of transfer is usually simple and commonly done between tax supported agencies, but in the case of Buck Park, which was donated in part by local citizens and matched with a development grant through the state of Washington, the situation is more complicated

School districts usually don’t get into the “park” business, but in this case they ended up with the maintenance and operations of Buck Park because, when finished in 1992, the state found there was no other logical, local tax supported agency available to run it.

“It wasn’t until 2009 when Orcas voters established OIPRD that we had a local agency, approved by the voters, for the express purpose of enhancing recreation … and, arguably, maintaining  public recreational assets for public use,” Farish said.

With the lease, parks and rec will be able to work on the most urgent repairs at the park. Farish doesn’t know yet what those are, but said the school district has not had extra money for the skateboard facility, fields or tennis courts for years.

“OIPRD will address any safety issues first, if there are any, and proceed with other repairs and maintenance issues based on professional assessments and recommendations and on a time line OIPRD can afford,” she said.

There will be public discussion and comment on all plans for the park.

“OIPRD seeks to manage Buck Park because the public and the park need and deserve continuous, reliable, upkeep and maintenance of this gift to Orcas Island,” said Farish. “It is a valuable public asset that has been in decline through no fault – there has been no money available to care for it.”

For more information about the lease and/ or transfer, attend the April 26 school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the school library.