Council Seeks Volunteer Candidates for Boards and CommissionsFriday, Feb 3 2012 - County Council is searching for San Juan County citizens to fill current and upcoming vacancies on various boards and commissions. Click on the "Read Full Story" link below for a list of opportunities.
(Read full story) Brann Cabin Restoration Project Needs Private Donations
The Brann cabin has been stabilized and is getting a new roof.
Thursday, Dec 8 2011 - The San Juan County Parks and Fair Department is hoping to raise approximately $37,000 in private donations or in-kind services and materials to complete the historic Brann Cabin restoration to a fully functional, open to the public, building.
Using funds raised by Friday Harbor school children, County Historic preservation grants, and the Park Fund, the first phase of the project is nearly complete. Log cabin restoration expert David Rogers has squared up and stabilized the 111-year-old cabin, installed a foundation, replaced rotting floor structures,; and made repairs to the loft where Brann’s daughter lived during the early 1900s.
Along the way Rogers found some artifacts – 1919 -1930’s era newspapers used for wallpaper, flattened cans and cardboard from depression-era boxes that had been used for insulation and more wood rot than the project planners had hoped for. Rogers is now putting the finishing touches on the new shake roof.
The Brann Cabin was built on land that is now San Juan County Park, overlooking smallpox bay at the close of the 19 th century. It is believed to be the sole surviving building from San Juan County’s homestead period in its original location that is easily accessible, on public land. It was built by Civil War Veteran Levi Brann of Maine, who came to San Juan Island in 1892. He homesteaded a 92 acre tract of land on the bay and was granted title to the land in 1902. (Read full story) Council Honors County Employees
Council and staff honored employees with a pot luck luncheon on Tuesday, December 6
Wednesday, Dec 7 2011 - At its December 6 th meeting , the San Juan County Council honored County employees who’d reached their 5 th, 10 th, 15 th, 20 th, 25 th, 30 th and 35 th anniversaries of employment the the County.
Chair Lovel Pratt noted that despite lay-offs, mandatory furlough days and other cutbacks in recent years, County employees have worked hard to maintain essential services.
Click Here to view a slide show of the honored employees.
(Read full story)
Council Tries New Format for Public Conversation on CAO November 28Tuesday, Nov 22 2011 - On November 28, the San Juan County Council will conduct a moderated “Conversation” with groups and individuals interested in the update of the County’s Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO). The special meeting with the full Council will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room in Friday Harbor. Residents will also be able to participate via video link with the Orcas and Lopez public libraries.
“Some members of the public have told us that the standard format for public participation in public hearings and workshops has been too restrictive to deal with this complex issue, so we are going to try something different,” said District 5 Council Member Patty Miller. “This meeting is being organized to let interested people present positive suggestions on some of the most contentious areas of the CAO, then discuss those suggestions with the Council, staff and other members of the public. (Read full story)” Volunteer Positions in San Juan CountyTuesday, Nov 22 2011 - The County Council is searching for San Juan County citizens to fill current and upcoming vacancies on various boards and commissions. The following is a list of current vacancies:
Agricultural Resources Committee - (3) Positions
Eastsound Design Review Committee – (1) Position (Architect)
Fair Board - (1) Lopez District, (1) Shaw, (1) Friday Harbor
Board of Health – (1) At Large Position
Human Services Advisory Board - (5) Positions, all Islands
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - (2) Contributors (3) Receivers (thru December)
Northwest Agriculture Business Center – (1) Lopez Seat
Open Space Advisory Committee - (2) Positions
SJC Park Board – (1) San Juan Island, (1) Lopez Island
Solid Waste Advisory Committee – (6) Positions
Veterans' Advisory Board - (6) Positions (SJI, Orcas, Lopez)
Water Resources Management Committee – (2) Positions
If you are interested in volunteering or would like information, please contact our website: http://www.sanjuanco.com / call our County Council office and ask for Maureen See at 378-2898 /email us at maureens@sanjuanco.com (Read full story) Annual Revaluations Are Coming To San Juan CountyTuesday, Nov 1 2011 - As of today November 1, 2011, San Juan County has been approved by the Washington Department of Revenue to become an annual revaluation county beginning in 2012. This change should lead to greater equity and uniformity among properties on different islands. Taxpayers should see the effects of the change in the appraisal notices that go out next fall.
County Assessor Charles Zalmanek agrees with some critics of the current system which appraised properties only once during a three of four year cycles. “It has hardly been fair when Orcas Island was last reappraised for tax purposes in 2008, near the top of the real estate market, while other parts of the county were reappraised before or after the peak in market values,” the assessor said.
Current State law allows for counties to perform property tax assessments either on an annual basis or on a cyclical basis not to exceed reappraisal of real property every fourth year. In 2009, the legislature passed a law requiring that by 2014, all counties shall perform revaluations on an annual basis. At that time, about half of the counties in the State were on a cyclical basis of assessments, while the other half were on an annual basis (Read full story). Brann Cabin Restoration Underway
Log cabin restoration expert David Rogers at the Brann Cabin in early October
Monday, Oct 24 2011 - (More pictures available on Brann Cabin Project page.) Restoration work is underway on the historic Brann Cabin, which has overlooked Smallpox Bay and the Haro Strait for more than 100 years in what is now San Juan County Park.
Much of the work is being done using authentic early 1900s tools and building techniques by David Rogers, a specialist in the restoration and preservation of log structures.
The Parks and Fair Department, which is overseeing the renovation, encourages people who are interested in island history and those who would enjoy seeing turn-of-the 19 th century-era restoration in progress, to visit the park.
(Read full story)
The new Buck Bay Bridge is open!
Ribbon Cutting for the new Buck Bay Bridge (from left) County Engineer Rachel Dietzman, Engineer Dan Vekved,Public Works Dir. Frank Mulcahy, County Council Members Patty Miller & Richard Fralick
Thursday, Oct 20 2011 - The new 43-foot Buck Bay Bridge on Orcas has been completed. Traffic began crossing the bridge on Wednesday September 28 at 4:35pm.
The official bridge ceremonies were conducted at noon on October 20 th with County Council Members Patty Miller and Richard Fralick cutting the ribbon. The County's new public works director, Frank Mulcahy was on hand to witness the opening of the first bridge to be built in San Juan County in approximately 40 years.
The new bridge replaces a roadway fill where Cascade Creek flowed through two culverts. The new stream channel is 18 feet wide. The culverts were sometimes overwhelmed by the stream’s flow resulting in flooding of and damage to the roadway. Additionally, the culverts were an obstacle to fish passage.
Razz Construction of Bellingham won the construction contract in April of this year and used several local suppliers and sub-contractors. Final work on vegetation restoration will be complete by 21 October.
A State Salmon Recovery Funding Board grant of $472,000 helped pay for the improvements with the county providing matching funds.
For more project information, contact Dan Vekved at Public Works 370-0504 or danv@sjcpublicworks.org.
(Read full story)
Historic Tharald Homestead Tour Nov 5
The Tharald Historic Homestead on Shaw Island
Tuesday, Oct 18 2011 - The San Juan County Land Bank invites the public to view the Tharald Historic Homestead on Shaw Island Saturday, November 5, 2011 from 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm Boyd Pratt, architectural historian, will be available to provide historical background on the homestead which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is protected by an Historic Preservation Easement held by the San Juan County Land Bank.
The privately owned Tharald Homestead is a pioneer farm on the west side of Shaw Island. It serves as a significant example of early Scandinavian settlement and “Nordic” style architecture within Washington State. It’s one of the best and oldest examples of its kind to survive in San Juan County. For information on the property tour and driving directions call the Land Bank Administrative office at 360-378-4402 or email judyc@rockisland.com
(Read full story) Frank Mulcahy Named Public Works Director 
Frank Mulcahy will become public works director on October 17
Tuesday, Sep 13 2011 - The San Juan County Council today voted to confirm County Administrator Pete Rose’s appointment of Frank Mulcahy of Groton, Connecticut, as the new head of the County’s Public Works Department.
Mulcahy has just concluded a career of more than 20 years with the U.S. Navy. His most recent assignment was as Public Works Director of the Navy’s submarine base in New London, Connecticut.
The San Juan County position came open in April of this year when Jon Shannon stepped down after serving as Public Works Director for 8 years.
In all, 36 candidates were reviewed by the County Administrator, staff, and consultant Lynn Stokesbary of the Prothman Company of Issaquah.
Five finalists were invited here to attend a three-day interview process, which began September 8. Participants included members of the community, a council representative, members of the public works management team, three department heads and the County Administrator.
The newly affirmed Public Works Director holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Military Institute and a Masters in Construction Management from the University of Washington (Read full story). |
Expanded Hours For Health Dept "Walk-In" ServiceMonday, Feb 6 2012 - San Juan County’s Health and Community Services Director, John Manning, has announced that customer service hours at the Department’s main office in Friday Harbor will be extended effective Monday, February 6.
The office, located at 167 Rhone Street in Friday Harbor, will now be open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. It will be closed to walk-in visitors on Wednesdays; however Department staff will be available by telephone, e-mail and by appointment.
Last July, budget cuts and a backlog of required office work forced the Department to begin closing its doors to the public at 1:00 p.m. daily - reducing walk-in access to services by 17.5 hours per week. The new schedule adds back about 9 hours.
Manning said his department set the new schedule after reviewing the community’s need for walk-in services, and his department’s workflow.
(Read full story)
San Juan County Offers 2012 Homeowner Septic Inspection ClassesTuesday, Jan 17 2012 - San Juan County Health & Community Services has announced the 2012 schedule for its popular on-site sewage system operation and maintenance workshops for homeowners. During the past three years more than 2600 San Juan County homeowners have attended the free workshops and been certified to inspect their septic systems.
Workshops are scheduled for Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Island through September of this year ( see class schedule).
The workshops provide an opportunity for homeowners to earn certification to complete inspections of their on-site sewage systems (septic systems) and avoid the expense of hiring an outside inspector.
The classes also present information on how septic systems function, and how they can be maintained to extend the longevity of the system, reduce expenses and protect the environment.
Homeowners in San Juan County have been required since 2007 to have their septic systems inspected on a regular basis. Gravity systems that are not in designated sensitive areas must be inspected every three years. All other systems, including gravity systems in sensitive areas, require annual inspections.
The class schedule is available online at: http://www.sanjuanco.com/health/ehswaste.aspx or through San Juan County Health & Community Services at 360-378-4474.
(Read full story)
Charter Review Commission Starts Work January 7Thursday, Dec 22 2011 - The San Juan County Charter Review Commission will convene its first meeting at 9:00 A.M. on January 7, 2012, in the County Council Chambers, 55 Second Avenue in Friday Harbor.
The County’s Charter calls for a review by an elected Charter Review Commission after five full years of operation under the new form of government, and at least every ten years thereafter. The County’s home rule charter was adopted by voters in 2005 and put in place in 2006.
At its January 7 meeting, the Commission’s members will select officers, be briefed on its mission and the resources they will have available, and establish ground rules for the Commission’s work.
The 21 members of the Charter Review Commission were elected in the November 8 election. Membership slots were allotted by Council district, with population factored in. Ten members are from districts on San Juan Island, 7 from Orcas, and 4 from Lopez/Shaw. Click Here to view Agenda. (Read full story) Solid Waste Plan Moves ForwardFriday, Dec 9 2011 - The process of revising San Juan County’s solid waste plan has continued in the background during the debate and vote on the ballot issue which will force a change in the way the County’s solid waste is handled.
Public Works Director Frank Mulcahy said this week that he anticipates the changeover from a primarily self-hauled system to a primarily roadside pickup to occur in late summer. But before the changeover occurs, the County Council must adopt and the Department of Ecology (DOE) must approve a revised County Solid and Hazardous Waste plan that accommodates the new system.
The preliminary draft presented to the Solid Waste Committee is now available online at: http://sanjuanco.com/solidwasteplan and at County Libraries (Read full story). Solid Waste Changes? No Sooner than SummerWednesday, Nov 30 2011 - Public Works Director Frank Mulcahy told the San Juan County Council Tuesday that County residents should see changes in the solid waste system around the end of August 2012. The changes follow the November 8 election in which voters rejected a proposal to establish a parcel fee to help fund the financially troubled County solid waste utility.
When the County Council placed the proposed fee on the ballot, its members said that a vote against the new fee would be construed as a vote for “Plan B” – which ends the County utility’s operation of solid waste facilities on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands and moves to a system that will pick up almost all residential trash and recycling at roadside.
Since the vote, the County Public Works Department, a Council subcommittee, and Administrator Pete Rose have been working to flesh out Plan B and come up with a time table.
“It’s not quite as easy as just throwing a switch,” said Mulcahy. “We want to make sure we have a smooth transition to the new system, which means we have to coordinate with a lot of agencies and entities including the County Council, the Department of Ecology, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission and -- of course – San Juan Sanitation, the certified hauler that will take over many of the services we now provide. (Read full story)” For the Record: The Closing of Jones Family Farms StoreMonday, Nov 21 2011 - The owner of a small store on Lopez that sells live shellfish frozen seafood, meat and produce has distributed a two page letter to the media, public officials and some organizations, criticizing two County employees by name and blaming San Juan County for forcing him to shut down at the end of the month.
For the record no enforcement action has been filed against Jones Family Farms.
The action that provoked Mr. Jones response was a letter from the County enforcement officer Chris Laws, asking him to contact the County to discuss a land use complaint filed more than two years ago -- which the County has decided not to pursue at this point -- and a concern about the use of an unpermitted structure as a store. (Read full story) Whooping Cough Spreading in San Juan County. Vaccinations UrgedWednesday, Nov 9 2011 - San Juan County Health officials report the Whooping Cough (Pertussis) outbreak is continuing. To date there have been 27 probable and confirmed cases among County residents and health officials urge all residents to take precautions to prevent the disease from spreading further.
Immediate vaccination is highly recommended for children and adults. Residents should contact their health care provider or the San Juan County Health and Community Services Department to arrange for the vaccination.
Despite its reputation as a childhood disease, Pertussis infects people of all ages. In 2005, two-thirds of all diagnosed Pertussis cases were among adolescents and adults. Studies have shown that teens and adults tend to have the disease in its milder form and rarely “whoop” after a coughing spell; however adults can go on to develop pneumonia, broken ribs, and fainting from the severe coughing spells. Even people with mild symptoms can infect others. (Read full story) Preview of Solid Waste Plan ReleasedWednesday, Oct 19 2011 - The San Juan County Public Works Department today released a preliminary draft Solid and Hazardous Waste Plan. It is limited to information that will help voters make an informed decision about the ballot measure which would create a solid waste user charge on developed parcels of land. The proposal is on the November 8, general election ballot.
Major chapters of the draft released today include three chapters projecting how solid waste operations would function in the county with and without the proposed solid waste user charge. The first chapter summarizes and contrasts the two potential systems. The others contain background on the current system and the legal requirements for what a revised and updated Solid and Hazardous Waste Plan must contain.
The draft plan is available online at http://sanjuanco.com/SWMP
(Read full story) Council Adopts Resolution Explaining Solid Waste ChargeMonday, Oct 17 2011 - At its October 11 th meeting, the San Juan County Council devoted more than four hours to defining the issues surrounding the Solid Waste Charge proposal it placed on the November 8 th ballot, and incorporating them into a resolution to inform voters.
The result is the Council’s view of how solid waste will be managed in San Juan County after the election, whether the issue passes or fails. The resolution is available online at: http://sanjuanco.com/SolidWasteOptions .
If approved, the Solid Waste Charge would be assessed on all developed parcels of land, except those within the town of Friday Harbor. The base annual charge for the first year was set at $100 for each residential parcel containing a single family home. The charge is proportionately higher or lower on parcels with different types and amounts of development, based on waste generation studies. (Read full story) 7 Pertussis Cases Reported on San Juan IslandFriday, Oct 7 2011 - There are now 7 confirmed or probable case of pertussis on San Juan Island according to County Health Officer Frank James. Already this year state wide there have been 58 cases in infants less than one year of age 22 have been hospitalize, including one from San Juan. Of the 22 infants that were hospitalized 18 were 3 months of age or younger including two that died.
“Pertussis is a very serious disease in young children and there is no vaccine to protect children under 2 months of age, and the vaccine requires a series of doses to be fully effective” said Dr James. The best way to protect infants is for all adults and children who come in contact with them to get vaccinated. “Community Immunity” is the most important protection there is for babies according to Dr James.
Close contact, particularly now that school is back in session, is one of the main ways that the disease is spread. State Law and School Policy both direct schools to keep children who are susceptible to the disease out of school so that they do not transmit the infection to classmates and school personnel. (Read full story) County Health Dept. Schedules Flu Vaccination ClinicsMonday, Sep 19 2011 - With cold weather and flu season approaching, the San Juan County Health and Community Services Department has scheduled adult flu vaccination clinics on Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Islands.
Health officials note that, because different strains of flu develop and spread each year, protection needs to be updated annually. The Health Department’s clinics offer this season’s “trivalent” flu vaccine and will give residents a chance to update protection against other diseases including pneumonia, tetanus and pertussis.
The clinic dates are:
San Juan Island – Wednesday, Oct. 5, 1-4 P.M. at the Mullis Senior Center (in partnership with San Juan Healthcare) Adults only
Orcas Island – Friday, Oct. 14, 9:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M., Orcas Senior Center
Lopez Island – Tuesday, Oct. 25, 11 A.M. – 3 P.M., at the Lopez Senior Center. (Read full story) Canvass Board dismisses Severson challengeWednesday, Aug 24 2011 - The San Juan County Canvassing Board earlier this week heard a challenge to the candidacy of Laura Jo Severson for Charter Review Commissioner. The Board unanimously determined that the candidate does meet eligibility requirements for the office, and dismissed the challenge to her candidacy.
The Charter, adopted by the voters in 2005, requires that five years after adoption the County Council call for election of a Charter Review Commission. Candidates for Charter Review Commissioner filed as candidates in June; the commission will be elected in the upcoming general election in November. The purpose of the CRC is to determine the adequacy and suitability of the Charter to the needs of the County. It may propose amendments to the Charter, which would be voted on at the next general election.
The Charter requires that candidates for Charter Review Commission “must be registered voters who have been residents of the County for at least five (5) years preceding their election.” The challenge, submitted by Shari and Harold Harrison, alleged that Ms. Severson does not meet the five-year residency requirement.
(Read full story) Local Election ResultsWednesday, Aug 17 2011 - After the Counting Tuesday night, 55% of the ballots Counted in the San Juan Island Library Levy election favored the 12 cent levy lid-lift to support its library.
In the Port of Lopez primary contest for District 2 Commissioner, Suzanne Berry finished the evening with a 42 vote lead over Stephen K. Adams. Berry and Adams will be on the ballot November General Election Ballot. Third place finisher Ken Knutsen received slightly less than 17% of the votes.
The Elections Department received ballots from 45.2% of the voters eligible to vote on the two islands. 2642 ballots were cast on the San Juan Island issue. 714 ballots were cast on Lopez.
Official ballot counts are posted on the County Elections Page (Read full story). Land Bank Renewal Qualifies for November BallotThursday, Aug 11 2011 - The Land Bank renewal petition for has been certified by County Auditor Milene Henley for inclusion on the November general election ballot.
Pursuant to RCW 82.46.070, a group of local citizens calling themselves “Renew Our Land Bank” circulated a petition to place the renewal of the Land Bank real estate excise tax on the ballot.
Of the 2,670 signatures submitted, 1,160 were checked by the County Elections Office. Of those, 1,005 were valid signatures. The Elections Office stopped checking at that point, as only 938 signatures—10% of the voters who voted in the last general election—were required.
The validation means that County voters will have an opportunity in November to vote “yes” or “no” on a proposal to renew for another 12 years a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of real estate in San Juan County. The tax supports the acquisition and maintenance of conservation areas managed by the County’s Land Bank.
(Read full story); San Juan County secures 50-year lease on Odlin South property Friday, Jul 8 2011 - San Juan County has just concluded a 50-year lease with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the Odlin South school trust land on Lopez. The state paid DNR $1,096,000 through the Trust Land Transfer Program for the lease. These funds will be in turn used for school capital projects around the state. There was no cost to the county in the transaction.
The lease was negotiated by the San Juan County Land Bank. The property will be managed by the San Juan County Parks Department. (Read full story)
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Charter Review Commission Favors 3-Member, Full-TIme CouncilTuesday, Jan 31 2012 - (Release from CRC) The next meeting of the San Juan County Charter Review Commission (CRC) is on February 4th at the San Juan Grange from 8am to 2pm (with a break for lunch). Public input is welcomed and there is time set aside for it early at 8:30 again at noon. At this meeting the CRC will hear presentations from current and past San Juan County department heads.
The CRC members were elected in November 2011 and began meeting in early January 2012. This board of 21 San Juan County voters is charged with reviewing the Charter “to determine its adequacy and suitability to the needs of the County.” Changes that they propose will be put on the ballot for the public to vote on in November. The schedule of meetings through March can be found at the CRC website (Read full story). Eastsound Constructed Wetland Completed
Eastsound Wetland will let pollutants settle out of stormwater runoff before it reaches marine waters
Wednesday, Dec 7 2011 - After seventeen years, the Eastsound Constructed Wetland is complete.
The County purchased the 0.9-acre “Mount Property” next to the Village Green in 1994 to create a facility to treat surface water runoff. During the next 12 years, a number of studies were completed to evaluate stormwater treatment options best suited for the site. The final concept was designed into a three phased project.
A grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, funded the construction of phase 1 in 2010. That phase included the installation of pipe from the treatment facility to Fishing Bay. Phase 2 was just completed with the installation of the constructed wetland treatment facility. The final phase of the project, planned for 2012, will include piping to convey stormwater runoff from A Street, and part of the Prune Alley and North Beach Road drainages, into the constructed wetland.
(Read full story)
Mosely, FAC Invite Public Participation in Dec 1 Meeting on Ferry ServiceWednesday, Nov 30 2011 - Washington State Ferries will hold a public meeting on Thursday Dec. 1 from 5:30-7:00 PM at the County Council Chambers, 55 2nd Street in Friday Harbor.
This meeting, meant for both the San Juans and Anacortes, will be streamed live from the county website, http://sanjuanco.com/council/video.aspx#mode.live
David Moseley, Assistant Secretary for Transportation and head of WSF, will attend along with members of his management team, and will make a presentation on state and local ferry issues. There will be ample opportunity for questions and feedback, either in person or via email for those watching the video.
(Read full story) Administrator Presents Preliminary Budget Proposal to Council
Administrator Pete Rose presents the preliminary 2011 County budget to the County Council
Tuesday, Oct 18 2011 - San Juan County Administrator Pete Rose began his budget message by saying, “A funny thing happened on the road to recovery” and proceeded on through nine pages of bad news.
He noted that the 2012 will be the County’s fourth consecutive year of cutbacks and the workforce in the County’s general fund departments, which have been reduced from 154 to 131.3 over the past four years will probably shed another three full-time equivalent jobs.
“We have spent three years trying to hold the core of the county government together,” Rose said. “We are not able to do that in this budget. Previous reductions have harmed the effectiveness of the county organization. The reductions proposed in this budget harm the organization itself and its capacity to deliver its services in the affected departments.”
He added that the cutbacks are “Destined to frustrate citizens and burn out staff.”
The County’s economy has not rebounded as quickly as anticipated. The County’s share of the Retail sales tax has dropped from $4.02 million in 2008 to a projected $3.56 million in 2011. At the beginning of the 2011 budget year, the County anticipated $1.17 million in building and land use permit revenue and has to reduce that estimate by nearly 40%.
The 2012 Preliminary Budget Book is available online at: http://sanjuanco.com/2012Budget
(Read full story) SJC Council, Administration Find Video Conferencing Effective
County Administrator Pete Rose speaks to both a live and video audience Thursday.
Friday, Sep 30 2011 - Video conferencing is making citizen access to government and management’s interaction with County employees easier and more cost effective in San Juan County.
On Thursday, County Administrator Pete Rose led two, 90-minute meetings with employees to discuss the County’s financial status and take questions. Though County employees gathered in five separate locations on the three islands where they work, Rose never left the County Legislative Building.
Thursday’s all-employee meeting was the largest trial so far of the County’s video conferencing capability, and Rose called it a success.
“We value interaction with our staff,” Rose said, “but the tough logistics have kept us from doing enough of it on an all-staff basis.”
Rose added that video conferencing the meeting saved both time and money. “We undoubtedly saved a couple of hundred employee-work hours because we didn’t have to transport dozens of people by ferry or boat, and we didn’t have to rent a meeting space that could hold the entire staff.”
San Juan County began looking seriously at video conferencing about four years ago, as a way to dealing with the challenge of communicating with staff and citizens in a community of islands. Given ferry schedules, a resident living on Lopez Island who wanted to offer five minutes of testimony at a Council hearing often had to spend more than a half day traveling and waiting for ferries.
(Read full story) San Juan Islands Scenic Byway Wins New Federal FundingThursday, Aug 25 2011 - (From the SJI Visitors Bureau) The San Juan Islands Scenic Byway Partnership is proud to announce two recent National Scenic Byways Program awards to continue their work on Washington State’s newest scenic byway, as funded through the Federal Highway Administration.
The first is a branding and wayfinding signage grant to mark the actual byway driving routes on Orcas and San Juan Islands, as well as the marine/ferry route from Anacortes, for $33,190.
The second grant, which was announced jointly on August 17 by the Washington State Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, is to explore transportation alternatives for traveling the Byway, namely a shuttle pilot project, for $171,680. Both grants must be matched by 20% in local, in-kind services.
(Read full story) Council asks Voters to Decide: Solid Waste Plan A or Plan B?Friday, Aug 12 2011 - On November 8th, voters in San Juan County will choose between two alternative ways of providing and funding recycling and solid waste disposal services. The County Council formally agreed this week to forward the choice to the voters.
County Council Solid Waste Subcommittee Chair Patty Miller noted that both alternatives would change the current solid waste system because, “The economics of the current system have failed.”
The amount of solid waste brought to San Juan County waste facilities has declined each year since 2007. The reasons for the decline are not entirely clear, but nationally, decreases in solid waste volume have been attributed to the economic recession that has slowed construction, reduced the cash available for discretionary purchases, and – in some part – to a stronger participation in reuse and recycle programs.
Adding to the decline here, increases in fees charged at County solid waste facilities caused the Town of Friday Harbor to pull out of the County system and haul its garbage directly to the mainland.
San Juan County has unique challenges in handling solid waste because it is comprised of islands, only some of which are served by ferries. For several decades, the County has addressed those challenges by servicing its communities through solid waste facilities on each of its three largest islands. Each of these facilities has substantial fixed costs for maintaining infrastructure and staff. Mainland communities, whose waste systems have a similar or even much larger customer base, are able to provide service with a single facility.
Reductions in the volume of garbage here have created a critical situation because the solid waste program relies almost entirely on income from fees based on the weight or volume of the waste brought to its facilities. For many years this revenue was sufficient to cover costs.
Now, because of the declining volume of waste and increasing costs for state-mandated capital improvements, the economics of the system have failed. In the past three years, despite cuts in staff and service hours, the system’s expenditures have exceeded revenue by more than $1 million. In March 2011, the Council agreed to prepare a ballot measure that would give the citizens of San Juan County a choice of how solid waste services will be delivered and paid for. (Read full story)
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