Big stories of 2008

2008 – for just one little year, it was a doozie!

Maintaining the level of service of San Juans’ route ferries was an ongoing challenge, with the “Steel electrics” pulled from service, and the FAC chastised for failing to announce their meeting. Chair Alex MacLeod was fired by the Council midst reports of higher-ups in WSF and state government displeased by the activism of the San Juans’ ferry advisory group. FAC member Charlie Glasser resigned from the committee in protest, and Council member Alan Lichter likewise resigned as liaison between the FAC and the Council. In May, the local ferry task force was dissolved. The interisland ferry was the scene of meetings with WSF and state officials in October, and another such meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2009.

This highly-charged election year started in the San Juans with voter caucuses on Feb. 9, and the mail-in primary election on Feb. 19. The County Democrats cast most of their votes for Barack Obama, and the Republicans favored John McCain.
In state and county elections, San Juan Islander Kevin Ranker was voted State Senator for the 40th Legislative District, and Richard Fralick took over County Council member Alan Lichter’s post.
County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord faced off against John Linde in the newly-created San Juan County District Court Judge race, but in the end Linde retained the position to which he’d been appointed earlier this year.

We were saddened by the sudden deaths of several of our young people, who seemed to be in good health. Anthony Richardson collapsed in late April, Darlene Pohl died suddenly in September, and Dana Mullan passed away in October. The loss of these good young people in our community gave us all the charge to make each day with purpose and awareness, and appreciate those who travel this journey of life with us.

The Fire Department expected to be challenged by the community, as it stated in a Jan. 18 press release that announced Buddy Wright was to be hired as Battalion (Assistant) Chief at $7,500 per month. Chief Harris justified Wright’s salary, claiming he would have had to pay a computer consultant over $30,000 just to put one year of training in an online format, as Wright had done. Wright was also assigned scheduling duties.
By mid-February, a petition was circulating protesting the salary plus benefits for Battalion Chief. A second petition from past and present volunteers and employees of the Fire Department was also circulated. Wright resigned, and in May, the three fire/medics proposed dividing the assistant chief duties among them. This proposal was adopted by the Fire Commissioners, beginning in 2009.

“Border” checks started in early spring, prompting meetings with federal Border Patrol agent Joe Giuliano on San Juan and Orcas Islands. The checks detained undocumented immigrants, some of whom were transported to Bellingham, Blaine and Tacoma before being allowed to return to the islands while their cases are pending. The County Council sent a letter to our congressional delegation protesting the stops at Anacortes. A weird turn came to the situation in October, when Giuliano was arrested for child rape after admitting having sex with a 14-year old girl.

Entertainment for the year was stellar, beginning with the 3rd annual Orcas Idol competition, won this year by Locket Goodrich. Later in the spring, a huge community cast presented the Walt Disney musical, “Beauty and the Beast,” to sold-out crowds for three weekends.
The Parent-Teacher-Student Association hosted welcoming and fund-raising activities, from the “Moms and Muffins” and “Dads and Donuts” morning treats to Friday night roller-skating.
The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival brought violinist and music educator Monique Mead as “Artist in residence” at the school in March. The festival, held at summer’s end, packed the Orcas Center for two weeks with concerts, lectures, receptions and dinners during its 11th year.
Literary lights shone brightly here as well: Waldron Island resident Sam Green was named Washington State’s first poet laureate. KindlingsFest, a free, three-day workshop celebrating the writings of C.S. Lewis, was sponsored by the Orcas Island Community Church in July. Barbara Lewis and a team of “writing gurus” initiated the Orcas Island Writers Festival in September

After staring back at the abysmal 2006-2007 School budget, once again the Orcas Island School District (OISD) faced the challenges of a projected $667,000 deficit. Once again, the community-district partnership, spearheaded by the Orcas Island Education Foundation, and with the mighty assistance of the volunteer Budget Advisory Committee, which identified $365,000 that could be removed from the deficit, and community contributions of $200,000, the district was able to balance the books and maintain most programs.
In the process, the OISD presented a strong profile to state legislators and executives, including Governor Chris Gregoire, who promised (and delivered) a meeting with the state Basic Education Task Force and the director of Rural School Districts in the state.
In September, Barbara Kline was named half-time superintendent and half-time High School Principal, with her Middle School Principal duties taken on by Elementary Principal Tom Gobeske.

One year after its Resort Master Plan was approved, Olympus Properties closed Rosario Resort and sold it for $5.45 million to an Anacortes-based real estate development and rehabilitation business. The closure of the resort left some 200 islanders without employment.

Growth continued to stretch – and fray — our seams as a new stormwater funding proposal was researched and vetted by a Council sub-committee. The Orcas Village Plan was approved. OPAL continued its latest housing project off Mt. Baker Road, while Homes for Islanders sought teams of home builders for property near Rosario.
A legal settlement announced in March set an end-of-year deadline for the county’s comprehensive plan to update the housing and land-use elements, a necessary component for compliance with the Growth Management Act. John Campbell, a founder and board member of Homes for Islanders, contended that the update would force the county to reconsider the amount of affordable housing needed. By years’ end, the Hearing Examiner had extended the deadline into 2009, and public hearings on the matter are scheduled in January.
Coming next: You said it! Quotes on Orcas in 2008.