Future Electorate Concerned About the Smell of Orcas

by Lin McNulty

San Juan County Council Candidates Greg Ayers, Lisa Byers, and Rick Hughes addressed concerns at the Funhouse Forum on Monday.

Orcas Island County Council Candidates Greg Ayers, Lisa Byers, and Rick Hughes graciously made themselves available for a rousing Forum at the Funhouse on Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. The event, conceived by former Funhouse employee and Greg Ayers Campaign Manager, Kate Hansen, was hosted by Funhouse Assistant Director Krista Bouchey.

Approximately 15 attendees, ages 5-12, peppered the panel with questions of a sort not necessarily routine for a candidate’s forum.

There is a lot of concern, it seems, among our future voters about smells on Orcas—specifically diesel fumes and cigarette smoke; they want the Council to consider making Orcas a smoke-free island.

Candidates said they were not sure if the limit and scope of the County Council would allow them to proceed with an ordinance to ban smoking island-wide; they said they would look into it.

Other issues needing attention, according to these students, are more money for the fire department, more bike paths, and lots of upgrades to the Funhouse, e.g., replace broken stuff, more video games, and installation of a haunted house.

From the flight-of-fancy department, there is a bit of interest from these taxpayers of the future for the Council to support  floating cars.

At the end of the 30-minute gathering, the audience was invited to “vote” for which candidate they wanted to be County Councilmember. They all voted, turned in their ballots, and headed off to the next task—with no interested whatsoever in the result.