||| FROM LEITH TEMPLIN |||
This past Saturday I had the distinct pleasure of wearing my Cemetery Commissioners hat to attend the Haffey/Reddick service at Woodlawn Cemetery. It was such a pleasure to hear the minister speak about Madeline and her kindness and longevity on Orcas Island. Then to hear and see the four generations present to talk about how important Orcas Island is to them all. It really touched me in a way that will be hard to explain but I will try.
I was remembering back to all those old families that lived here on Orcas and how hard they worked to survive here and most importantly how they supported each other and how important it was being a part of this community. It took everybody, especially in those early days, to make it work here. Don’t get me wrong, there were many differences of opinion but the fabric that held this community together was varied and strong. We struggled to make ends meet and we also danced and celebrated with each other because of our collective love of Orcas Island.
Working together as a community, we did not just live together but worked together to create the institutions that we enjoy today. To mention a few the medical center, library, senior center, Orcas Center, Sewer Association, Water Association, museum, and that does not include all the service organizations like the Lions, Garden Club, Madrona Club and more.
Never would my elders or my generation ever think of suing one of our community institutions let alone attack them publicly. So, attending this service on Saturday, it made me think of all the good people of Orcas that are trying to maintain the goodness of what it means to live and work and take care of the island we love. Unfortunately, there have been some tears in our community fabric with people that seem to want to destroy what we all have worked so hard to achieve and have had the privilege to enjoy the fruits of that labor. These fruits continue to be shared with all community members, new and old because we all know that we are truly blessed to be able to live here. It is time to mend our social fabric. It is not acceptable to sue our organizations or print misleading information about our friends and community members.
The other unfortunate part is that we cannot sit back and wait for it to work itself out. We need to stand up and pay attention or that tear in our community fabric will become a giant hole that I don’t think we will be able to mend. We will lose the organizations that we have worked so hard to build. Stand up, speak up before it is too late.
Thank you to the Haffey/Reddick/Nicol family for reminding me about why I continue to fight the good fight for my community and my love for Orcas.
BTW I most certainly never did or would ever tear down any signs at the Farmers Market or anywhere else for that matter.
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Great, I agree. Let’s make the Eastsound water association into a real district. Then NONE OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN. Yep no more issues with voting, money is watch to the penny.
Or keep it the way it is and nothing will change..
As I understand it, the EWUA uses wells owned by the sewer district long in existence. The water function could return to the sewer district, and that district would simply become a water and sewer district, with its financials audited by the State Auditor, and any serious problems with expenses, if not resolved locally, would trigger action by the State Auditor acting through the State Attorney General.
Short of this, a judge might bang heads together and order mediation. This is an unhappy scene to watch.
If water services were turned over to the Eastsound Sewer and Water District, (the taxing district with governing authority) it would theoretically prevent the issues surrounding misappropriation of funds and disclosure issues that plague the current cooperative.
Mandatory annual audits, Open Public Meetings Act requirements, Public Records Act requirements and regular, publicly governed elections.
Seems to me that there might be a majority of the members that would rather see the organization run that way instead of continually bringing in board members who are governing for personal gain rather than public good.
Let me know when that vote happens. I’m in.
I agree with Bill Appel. Somehow folding EWUA into ESWD — which holds most of the water rights, after all — would help it function more like OIFR. After attending several OIFR monthly meetings, the orderliness and businesslike atmosphere strike me as a remarkable contrast to what happens at EWUA meetings. It helps that OIFR has state-mandated standards of accountability and open meetings, and that its commissioners are subject to district-wide elections overseen by the County Auditor. The same conditions thankfully apply to ESWD. Now that EWUA has become responsible for maintenance functions for three other water associations, it needs the oversight of such higher authority.
Hi Bill, Sewer only owns the water rights of a well we use for about 18% of our water; one of our seven well sites.
Let me know if you have any more questions,
Dan
Thanks, Dan. I was perhaps misinformed by an article on the history of the Association which referred to more than one well: http://ww.eswd.org/1852/index.html
Nevertheless, with the larger local population and consequent wider Bell Curve spread of personalities and intentions, a different governing structure might, sadly, be appropriate.
Bill I suggest you call The sewer district and get the correct numbers or better yet go ask them and have a chat with their GM. The correct numbers from the sewer district are important as it would seem to me the numbers Dan just quoted are incomplete or missing.
But don’t take my word for it or Dan’s, please go to the sewer department and ask.
Anyone who has questions about the sewer department go ask, they are very responsive.
The GM of the sewer district has All the major qualifications to run any water or sewer district.
Go to the district and search out.
Interesting that some don’t say that….
But I ask questions directly in many cases, or try too if I can.
But what do I know.
Thanks, Melissa, but I think I’ve intruded enough. This affair isn’t mine; I live in Friday Harbor.
My interest arises from having represented municipal corporations, counties, cities and various districts and a PUD in various capacities, it occurred to me that a lot of time, expense, and for us in this county, loss of community, might be spared with clearer rules of the road. Add to this, a disinterested outsider (State Auditor represented by the State Attorney General) overseer whose oversight could forestall what is now going on. What is going on is both unnecessary and destructive to the Association. In my opinion, a battle among the few is harming all.
I’ve also represented cooperatives over the years, and found them occasionally subject to internal passions that can not only destabilize them, but irretrievably destroy their financial viability. People need to cool down. From my standpoint, I can see valid arguments on both sides, but won’t state them here.
And no, I’m not looking for work. I’ve practiced law for 60 years and am now an old tomcat sitting on the fence watching the alley below.
I couldn’t get the zoom meeting to open for today’s court hearing… I would love to do so if anybody has the correct link to offer.
To make a blanket claim that “it is not acceptable to sue our organizations” in the face of an accounting audit which appears to have uncovered misappropriation of EWUA member funds borders on the absurd. Emotional appeals to bring back the good old days do not address today’s problems.
Those of us who didn’t inherit vast acreage, waterfront homes, or historic businesses from the pioneers of generations past would really appreciate it if the EWUA board would just keep the water flowing, keep the rates low, and keep the drama to a minimum.