Editorial: Not too late to save Orcas Rec

Are we going to sit idly by and let the Orcas Recreation Program be the first local casualty of the Great Recession of 2009?

This would be unconscionable, but here’s how it could happen, as soon as next week:

The County Council meets on July 1 to finalize the budget cuts – for THIS year’s budget —  that have become necessary due to the decline in sales tax revenues.

On the table is $933,000 in cuts to the county budget, including $10,000 to the Orcas Rec Program – the entire county subsidy of the island’s rec program. Already $6,000 has been cut from the bare-bones $16,000 first budgeted for the Orcas Rec program this year.

Orcas Rec is maintained through the county Parks Department. In 2008, its budget – for the entire county – was $769,000. In 2009 it was awarded $661,000.

In looking at other county department funding, it is ironic to note that what comes closest to the Parks budget is the fund for District Court/Probation, at $696,000 this year. A Juvenile Probation Officer is funded at $49,000. (Source www.sanjuanco.com/docs/Adopted 2009budgetdetail.pdf ).

Orcas Rec’s mission statement reads, in part: “Individuals will be supported and encouraged to play and develop skills at a level that reflects individual personal achievement. We are committed to creating an environment that supports individuality, cooperation, safety, trust and respect.”

Maybe if there was a little more of that attitude in the early part of one’s life, there’d be less need for funds for legal prosecution and probation later on.

Last December, when the Council was finalizing the 2009 budget, County Auditor Milene Henley and County Administrator Pete Rose warned us that, should sales decline (and their attendant tax revenue), these additional cuts would be required.

So we’ve been warned. In the interim, there has been revived talk of the Orcas Rec Program becoming a separate, junior taxing district, as the recreation program is on San Juan Island. On Lopez Island, the Rec Program is run by the Family Resource Center.

The current catalog of summer events provided by Orcas Rec acknowledges the support of private businesses and individuals, who, needless to say, are also dealing with the impact of declining revenues:

With apologies to any who are not credited here, these supporters of the Rec Program are:

Jazzercise of Orcas Island
Bay Head Marina
Salt Spray Window Cleaning
Olga Café
Orcas Golf Course
Kendall Taylor Construction
Orcas Net
Island Thyme Natural Bodycare
Patrick Bennett and Good Earth Works
Orcas Excavators
Dalgarno Construction
Island Hardware Employees
Orcas Island Community Foundation
United Way of San Juan County

There are ways of sustaining the Orcas Rec program outside its current model, and these alternatives must be explored. But we need not re-invent the wheel. Instead we can inherit the structure of an already vibrant and valuable program and adapt its business model to meet the changing times.

In the meantime, can we sit on the sidelines and let a 16-year old program with a catalog of events, productions and classes for our kids (and often adults too) die a silent death?

The business of politics at the grassroots level is to get the attention, the ear and the vote of our government representatives. That’s the simplest, most direct act of citizenship.

The July 1 Council meeting will be a public hearing, giving private citizens the opportunity to express their views on Council decisions. The hearing will be in Friday Harbor.

Before that date, Council members will consider communications from the public regarding this, and other budget matters. It is not too late to call, email, fax or write the members of the County Council in support of funding Orcas Rec. At the very least, forward this email to them. Here again is their contact information:

Pete Rose, County Administrator, peter@co.san-juan.wa.us

Council Members: Howie Rosenfeld, Lovel Pratt, Bob Myhr, Rich Peterson, Richard Fralick, Gene Knapp.

350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor WA 98250 – street address for all
Phone 360-378-2898 for all
Fax 360-378-7208 Fax number for all
Lovel Pratt
lovelp@co.san-juan.wa.us

Rich Peterson
richp@co.san-juan.wa.us

Howie Rosenfeld
howier@co.san-juan.wa.us

Richard Fralick
richardf@co.san-juan.wa.us

Gene Knapp
genek@co.san-juan.wa.us

Bob Mhyr
bobm@co.san-juan.wa.us
See:www.sanjuanco.com/council/AboutTheCouncil. for contact information.

But do it quickly. On July 1, they may vote to pull the plug on Orcas Rec’s “life support.”