By Lance Evans

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative’s 75th Annual Meeting on the ferry is scheduled for Saturday, May 5. There is also an election for the two District 2 directors, voted on by all members, regardless of their home district.

I am one of the three candidates running for those two positions and would greatly appreciate your consideration when casting your vote.

This is an important time for OPALCO and San Juan County.  On the horizon is perhaps the largest initiative undertaken by the Cooperative, and certainly one of the most critical for our County.  Bringing broadband internet connectivity – at very high speeds – has the potential to make a real difference in the success of our business community, both now and into the future.

Serving my sixth year as the Executive Director for the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce, and as a current board member of the San Juan County Economic Development Council, I am in touch with a large portion of the business community, and realize there are many businesses in our County that will benefit from this new technology.

A healthy economic future for our islands requires a business community that has the technological tools it requires. Broadband service for our county means we can offer the type of businesses vitality needed to compete in the 21st Century.

On another front, the broadband project stands to greatly improve the radio communications used by our Emergency Services agencies. As a 10-year EMT volunteer with the Orcas Island Fire Department, I have experienced the technological limitations we face on Orcas Island when communicating in the field. OPALCO’s leadership on this issue will provide another community benefit for all of San Juan County.

OPALCO has done – and continues to do – tremendous outreach to all the islands in recent years. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Cooperative. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at levans@rockisland.com or at 376-4376.

I hope to see you on the ferry on May 5!