Letter to Editor | Local democracy at work

||| FROM JEFF STRUTHERS |||

This week, I watched an Examiner’s hearing on OPALCO’s proposed upgrade to its facility on Decatur.  A room full of islanders, including many from Decatur, expressed a variety of concerns.  Some participants were certified technical experts, some were official representatives of our county government and our power co-op.   Also present were co-op board members Wendy Heister, representing Orcas, and Tom Osterman, representing Decatur and Lopez.

All of the issues were complicated: technology, environmental regs, laws, policies, historical precedents.   Property owners were passionate and articulate.   

Yet, everyone who wanted to speak did so.   

There were a few outstanding issues that will take a bit more time to resolve.  

What I found remarkable was watching our local democracy, our local institutions, get to it and work through it.  We have the talent, much of it local.  We have the energy.  We have the will.  Yes, there will be winners and losers, but we will work our way through it, together.  At least here and now, we can still do it.