||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS |||
During public access an Orcas resident sought a way to share and reserve space at mooring buoys to reduce anchoring. The County Land Bank and private non-profit SJ Preservation Trust explained their different roles and how they collaborate. They have done 29 joint projects including Turtle Back Mountain, Beaverton Valley Marsh, North Shore Preserve. Mt. Ben is a new project.
The sheriff reported 2024 department statistics. Of about 19,000 calls to dispatch, 8300 were law enforcement calls. There were 101 felony charges, 346 misdemeanors, 179 traffic stops of which 33 were criminal. There were 591 mental health calls, 77 attended by law enforcement. There were 22 overdose calls with no deaths. A total of 205 people spent time in county holding cells–185 residents and 20 non-residents. Most numbers were down, due partly to staff shortages. Three new deputies start soon, so coverage will improve. There were three occasions of use of force in 2024, less than 1% of arrests. The sheriff’s office improved handling of calls on outer islands.
The solid waste coordinator described the new state Recycling Reform Act. There was a steady rise in county solid waste tonnage in the last decade; the county diverts 15% of waste from landfills with a goal of 45%. The act’s state-wide goal is 66% and it provides strong producer-funded support. Composting, recycling wood waste and construction debris; crushing more glass on Orcas and connecting all homes to recycling are areas for progress in the updated Solid Waste Plan under way. The state will produce a state-wide standard recyclables list.
The Marine Resources Department has been collecting data and mapping mooring buoys, identifying nearly 2000, which are nearly a third of all mooring buoys in the state. Legal buoys must have federal state and local permits; most enforcement is the responsibility of the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), but they have no resources for enforcement. Residential buoys may not be leased. Commercial mooring buoys have steep permitting and insurance requirements. State law needs clarification and updating to allow more rational and environmentally friendly use.
The Killibrew Lake Rd. culvert replacement project will run Sept. 2-Oct 18. Materials will be staged starting August 20. The detour and emergency access have been organized. The council consulted with the state lobbyist as it looks to prepare its priorities for the next legislative session.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.
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