— from Susan Malins —
In early 2018 many of us assumed that the Orcas airport was running smoothly, keeping it simple and providing good services. The Port of Orcas is loved and valued in this community, though our confidence is now shaken.
The Master Plan process came to my attention in the early summer of 2018. Of course I went to the Port website to learn more, expecting to find a variety of Port documents, and information about the Master Plan. Documents were sorely lacking, as was any current information. I became concerned, knowing how the Port had mishandled earlier wetland changes, and that they were now mid-way in the MP process without providing sufficient public information. So I went to a public meeting, where it was explained that the Port was saving money by not keeping its website information current. That did not seem plausible.
Neither did it seem plausible that, after repeated public requests over many months, the Port was still dragging its feet about releasing the names of the Master Plan Advisory Committee members. Today we know that they are almost exclusively owners and representatives of companies that do business with the Port, and told that they had four meetings. Where are the minutes or actions recommended by the Advisory Committee to our Port Commissioners? Unfortunately the answer to this and many questions are available to the public only through a Public Records request. We the public are apparently not considered stakeholders in this matter?
The consultant DOWL, for the Port, requested public input about four options moving forward, from “no build with minor improvements” to “full buildout.” The overwhelming public response favored “no build with minor improvements”. Now we are told by DOWL, and apparently the Port, that “no build with minor improvements” was never really an option at all. They have selected, & are proceeding to formalize, basically a “full buildout”.
The plans are now taking off toward FAA finalization with the speed of a jet plane. The potential ramifications for Orcas Island are beyond startling. The MP does not consider legal or other constraints, & DOWL claims that those will be considered after the Master Plan is finalized. Unfortunately it’s impossible to verify such a statement. That is truly the cart before the horse, violating common sense & constraining future public or commissioner involvement in Port decisions.
I know that our neighbors the Port Commissioners are dedicated to serving the greater good of the Port of Orcas and the people you’re elected to represent. I thank you for your service!
Because you are responsible for how this all moves forward, and for directing the consultant DOWL and your staff, I want to share with you some of the best advice I’ve ever received:
“When in doubt, pause.”
There are many doubts and valid public concerns about the current trajectory of the Port Master Plan. The irregularities in this process have been and are significant! I understand that your Executive has resigned, and this may be a window of opportunity to shift gears. The Port has caught our attention. We the public care about the Port, and public support can be a wonderful thing.
So, Please. Pause. And save us all a lot of grief.
PS I have tried to send this to all port commissioners, but am told that their addresses are incorrect. Tony Simpson has said that he copies commissioners on all letters, so I entrust this communication to him for forwarding. Thank you!
“…The overwhelming public response favored ‘no build with minor improvements.’ Now we are told by DOWL, and apparently the Port, that ‘no build with minor improvements’ was never really an option at all. They have selected, & are proceeding to formalize, basically a ‘full buildout’.”
…And once again, as it was for the Haven Road sidewalk, we are being told that, “We know better than you, what you need and want.”
Beware of public agencies and governments which ignore the will of the people, and which ignore the needs that the people perceive for themselves.
If you let public agencies and governments get away with it a few times, you will very soon find that the people no longer have any power at all.
If you want practical examples of the results, read-up on the political history of the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Venezuela.
Where do you get off Steve Henigson? I served my country for 20+ years and swore an unending oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States and now you associate me with the Soviet Union, Cuba and Venezuela.
This is a representative democracy, providing you ultimate power, and the next election is your way to influence the commissioners. You have a lot of resources to do so. Accusing the commissioners and me of being communists is beyond the pale.
Yes, Susan; good points. “Pause” doesn’t seem to be a word that describes the process we’re seeing with the Port. It seems like “full speed ahead” is the M.O. here; when someone wakes up and notices, before the deeds are done, then a battle ensues. Still, there were several opportunities for the Port to turn back from this; they were not chosen:
1) public outrage and resistance to the idea of expansion of footprint and big plans for major buildout
2) The first comment period where at least 95% of the comments chose an option that DOWL and the Port never intended to allow; then more public outrage at being told our opinions meant nothing
3) The resignation letter of the Port Commissioner (not necessarily meaning resignation since no one knows what Commissioner actions are being or will be taken)
So…. now what?
A question for Steve H;
Since we in the U.S. seem to be at a place in history where we are on the cusp of something, for simplicity’ sake I’ll label “tyranny,” what should a people do when it’s not a matter of us “letting” a governing body get away with these things, but more, that body has already taken away our right to effect outcome while the majority of people were sleeping, and the people who saw it coming, blamed? What then? And doesn’t it depend who’s in power, and how well vetted and educated the people are in Public affairs?
We’re all cut from the same cloth.
I see Susan’s well made points as two sides operating within fairly normal parameters.
Side 1–The Community
We’re Orcas Island; we’re small, rustic, rural and inclined towards being more self-reliant and independent as much as humanly possible. This means we generally don’t adopt standard operating procedures found on the mainland in everything from general infrastructure to a local airport. Essentially, we run “against the grain” deliberately and most would say, wisely.
Side 2–The Port
It appears to want to alter the airport’s capacity and this future capacity implicates “safety,” not the airport’s present capacity or configuration; and also to obtain funding that will ensure its future viability given this more complex, capacity-focused modeling — though the increased funding becomes its own driven necessity as maintaining a more complex airport that provides more services requires more funding. It’s a fairly straightforward “growth” formula that runs “with the grain” of most mainland development.
That’s the clash and those involved are all sincere in their different visions.
The question would really seem to come down to can we effectively inform the Port that the majority of the community prefers the former as it better reflects the small rural island and its desire to maintain a less complicated, less capable small airport; that is, a deliberate desire to import the best from the mainland but leave the mediocre rest off-island…as in being more selective, creative and original in how we design, improve undeveloped land, and preserve where necessary to sustain a an island-wide human family long into the future.
My main assumption? That Susan and the rest of us reflect the priorities of the majority of the island.
Mr. Simpson asked: “Where do you get off Steve Henigson?…you associate me with the Soviet Union, Cuba and Venezuela…” and Communism.
No, Tony, I don’t “get off,” and I don’t associate you with Communism…or even Socialism.
You see an ad hominem attack where none exists. Why do you assume that I was writing about you, personally?
Rather than Socialism or Communism, I see “creeping Progressivism.” Although it is very different from Socialism and Communism, it still involves the refusal of governing and managerial people and councils to bend to the wishes of the people who elect them and whom they serve.
My gorge rises with fear and loathing when I see decisions which run against the will of the people, that are made “because we know better than you do, what you really need.”
I know from historical example that when the people allow managers and governments to ignore their wishes, the people’s power will eventually be lost forever. And that’s quite enough. No concrete example is actually necessary.
An Answer for Sadie:
What must we do, when tyranny raises its ugly head?
Well, the first thing is to vote the offenders out of office. But that has to be done as soon as is practicable. Otherwise, they may just shut down the voting process.
And if that doesn’t work, I suppose that the final step is that we could treat them exactly as historical Americans treated the British.
Well said, Susan. I agree that it is critical that the Commissioners take a stand for what even they said they wanted to see happen in the last regular port meeting, which was minimal changes to the current airport in the future. The MP appears to fly in the face of this desire (which most of the community shares), and it is difficult to trust that once the MP is finalized there will be a way to stop its implementation (impact studies aside), and still receive the coveted FAA funding. For what else would the FAA pay if it weren’t in the MP? To re-quote Clark Cundy from a week or so ago “So the ‘preferred’ Master Plan runway is wider, longer, terminal is bigger, more tie downs, new bigger better cargo hanger. Maybe the initial intention was not to expand the Airport but it looks like that’s exactly what happened. The unintentional consequences of the Master Plan morphed into unintentional Airport Expansion and the original now dubious intent of the Master Plan to fix Safety Violations has had scope of project creep … The community really needs to discuss this Master Plan Scope Creep before letting all that in here. Once here we will be hard pressed to have it removed.”