by Toby Cooper
Sounder contributor
The three-member San Juan County Council held its June 13 business meeting in Orcas Center’s Madrona Room.
It was noted that 2023 is the 150th anniversary of the establishment of San Juan County. There are currently no county-sponsored activities to recognize the milestone.
Seated at the table were Councilmember Christine Minney (District 1), 2023 Council Chairperson Cindy Wolf (District 2) and Councilmember Jane Fuller (District 3). County Manager Mike Thomas and Deputy Mark Tompkins and other county staff were present.
In the hour prior to the council meeting, Wolf hosted a briefing to update the Orcas community, including the Orcas builders and tradespeople, on a suite of issues concerning communications, turnaround times, inconsistencies and unexpected delays in permit approvals at the Department of Community Development.
County manager Mike Thomas summarized the issues, which had previously been addressed at a community meeting on April 26, and members of the public were invited to comment. Thomas indicated the search for the vacant DCD Director’s seat was underway. In early June, Norm Gollub was named Interim Director.
Tracy Betcher of Jen-Jay, Inc., later expressed appreciation for the update but noted that DCD still has work to do. Betcher appealed for fairness and timeliness but rejected the notion of “rubber stamp” permit approvals.
Following the DCD briefing and before the full council meeting, Orcas Center’s Executive Director Dimitri Stankevich welcomed the council to the spacious Madrona Room, decorated with 130 pieces of art by 56 local artists.
Following routine procedures and approval of the consent agenda, Wolf read a Juneteenth Proclamation in recognition of the June 19th national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery on June 19, 1865.
Wolf then opened the meeting for public comments, of which there were several addressing the proposed Killebrew Lake Road culvert replacement and the plans for handling local traffic during construction. The Harney HOA requested and Wolf agreed to place the Killebrew project on the agenda for the upcoming June 27 council meeting.
The council then received a briefing on the American Rescue Plan Act funding to assist the county in COVID recovery. The council approved a $40,000 appropriation for each island ($120,000 total) to fund housing support personnel.
Tompkins provided a housing update, indicating that the Home Fund continues to do well and has now built or saved 100 units in the county.
Peter Guillozet of the Land Bank and Barbara Rosenkotter of the Preservation Trust provided an update on preparations for opening the Northshore property on Orcas for public access. Grants and fundraising to meet the need are on track for success.
County Communications Coordinator Erin Wygant provided a summary of a public works survey designed to show which roads receive the most traffic and which might use repairs. Public Works Director Colin Huntemer provided an update on various public works projects around the county.
At the close of the business meeting, the council members supplied brief updates on items of interest to the community. Minney reported on her work with Senator Liz Lovelett to relieve “PFAS” contamination of water supplies on San Juan Island. Fuller reported on grant money obtained from the University of Washington to perform a health-effects study of the noisy US Navy training flights – so-called “Growlers” which often compromise otherwise quiet island life. She also reported on an encouraging announcement from WSDOT concerning the launching of a “crew shuttle” to improve crew levels on ferries and reduce cancellations.
