Editorial | Community Institutions Depend on Your Vote

— by Margie Doyle —

Orcas Island residents have the opportunity to have their say in our local government when they cast their ballots in the special election. Most island residents have received their ballots and as they cast their votes, due February 14, there is still time to witness firsthand what the election is all about:

• at the School Tour which will happen Monday, Jan. 30 from 3:30 to 5:30.
• at the Special Meeting of the Fire Commission at 5:30 on Monday, Jan. 30 where the budget is the sole item under consideration and the public can see the board in operation.

For those who can’t make those meetings, or are pondering their decision, we at Orcas Issues are encouraging all voters to mark the boxes to approve the 20-year, $8-miilion school bond and to approve the addition of two members to the Board of Commissioners for the Orcas Fire and Rescue District.

We say this after attending all but a handful of school board meetings over the last 10 years — yes, since 2006– and attending many Fire District meetings, through the tenures of Chiefs Bennett, Harris, O’Brien, Preysz, and Williams.

First, to address the school bond. The history of the most recent school bond, for $11.9 million to reconstruct the 1980s buildings (the library, kitchen, cafeteria, middle school, tech ed rooms, school traffic routes and courtyards) has been one of diligence, competence, and excellence, thanks to the current school board (and previous members ); public input (thank you Fred Klein and the Orcas Island Community Foundation); and Superintendents Eric Webb and previously, Barbara Kline. We (the Orcas Island School District) know how to do this right. (See: https://theorcasonian.com/we-did-it-and-orcas-school-district-begins-a-new-era/ )

Yes,  it was something of a surprise to have a new bond proposed so soon after the completion of that construction in 2015. And yes, the gift of $1million towards a track is the driver of this bond proposal. The gift requirements that the track meet competitive standards and that it be open to all the community drove the price up so that the price to complete the track, which includes the regrading of the football field and baseball diamonds, figures into the $1.3 pricetag for “the track” on the proposed bond.

The remaining $6.7 million goes toward nine other items including upgrades to the elementary and high school buildings and the old gym. An additional music room to accommodate the growing strings program (and which can be multi-purposed) will also “free up” the existing music room in the elementary school building.

Taken all together, these 10 items do address the school students’ and the public — taxpayers and non-taxpayers — safety and health. And if the bond is rejected because one or two items are seen as “frills,” then the remaining $5 million towards maintenance and upgrades will not be addressed either.

Our community has long come to the aid of our public schools when the state and federal government has let us down, even as teachers, parents and administrators struggle to meet state and federal regulations. Just 10 years ago, the same donor who gave $1 million toward the track funded the school’s all-day kindergarten program for five years — before it was mandated for the entire state. The Orcas Island Education Foundation contributed $350,000 during the 2006-2008 budget crisis and has continuously subsidized critical school programs such as the Theater as Literature high school classes. The Orcas Island Community Foundation, too, through its Partners in Philanthropy program has funded a school counselor and the Primary Intervention Program, among other important school programs. Members of the building and finance professions have worked hard to advise the school through builders and financial advisory committees. We can expect that this generous spirit will continue, but the matter at hand is the public vote for the $8 million bond.

Is the timing of this bond unfortunate? Do the track and music room seem to be “wants” more than “needs?” We’ve consider these questions, but what tipped our decision in favor of approving the bond, after considering months of meetings, discussions and documents, were the voices of the parents of current and future school students who attended the September 21 public bond discussion groups (orcasissues.com/commmunity-discusses-school-bond-priorities/). These young 30-40-somethings were concerned about ongoing maintenance, about developing a well-rounded curriculum that addresses the minds and the bodies of their children, about finishing the job so that the school continues to attract great and diverse  teachers, administrators, coaches, artists, musicians. These are the people making the “middle class” incomes, working two jobs, volunteering AND raising families, and they said it just made good sense to invest in the future, to take care of what island elders have built, protected, and passed on.

Island demographics may say that the senior (in age) population is dominant, but school enrollment holds steady, young families come and stay and education is still highly valued. These young wage-earners are willing to pay their share of keeping our schools sustainable. We should all follow their lead. For if we turn down the $5 million portion of the bond for maintenance, upgrades, and repairs, now, in all likelihood we’ll be looking at a bond for twice that amount just for those same items in a short matter of time.

As for the Fire District proposal to increase its board from three to five commissioners, this is democracy at work, fixing a problem that is obvious to those paying attention to the board’s labors over the last decade. A three-member board simply doesn’t have the bandwidth to review, discuss and decide all the matters that come before them, from a county safety boat to participation in a community health program (Orcas Cares), to the volumes of regulations and financial accounting and reporting that comes before them. Illness and vacations have meant many of the meetings are attended by just two members. This is not to decry the quality of work, qualifications, intentions or decisions of any Fire Commission board; rather it is just to say there’s a problem, and now, with the election proposal, there’s a solution.

And those who attended the meetings last year to decide on a replacement for Commissioner Jim Coffin were heartened and impressed by the candidates who came forward. (See orcasissues.com/fire-commissioners-deliberate-appointee-increased-number-commissioners/)

A vote for two more commissioners on the Orcas Fire and Rescue Board serves the commissioners, the Fire and Rescue District and Volunteers, and the public. Vote yes on this one, too.