I saw a bumper sticker, “If you don’t exercise your rights, you will lose them.”
We pay taxes for services such as fire protection, and we have elected commissioners to oversee the funded services, and we have public meetings to be aware of how things are going.
The fire and emergency medical technician services budget is some 3.3. million dollars. Elected commissioners are to reflect the interest of the taxpaying people of Orcas.
Only a few people attend the public meetings such as the last one July 14. I have been to several this year. I implore you to attend as many as you can. Meetings are big on rhetoric, light on substance, but very enlightening.
Often it is difficult to be enlightened. Go to the meeting (next August 11 regular meeting). Your interest in continuing good fire and emergency medical technicians is important.
My opinion is that we need replacements for the existing commissioners more responsive to the “average us”. Go to the meetings, look at the budget, ask questions, make up your own minds. Go.
Larry McNair
Deer Harbor
