||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS |||
During public access, Lovell Pratt of the Friends of the San Juans asked the council to support HB 1652 and SB 5519, two bills in the state legislature to require ocean-going ships to use low sulfur fuels, which are readily available. Ships using scrubbers keep the sulfur out of the air but dump it in the water.
The council cancelled a public hearing on vacation rental permits in Eastsound set for February 11 to allow the ordinance to be amended and will reschedule a hearing in March.
OPALCO leadership gave a presentation on the state and county’s electricity situation and challenges. Demand for electricity is growing rapidly. With national, state and local policies and mandates to replace fossil fuels with renewables, fuel-based generation is being removed faster than renewable generation is being installed. This is mainly due to severe permitting limits and delays stalling renewable energy projects. If not resolved, the county and state face power shortages and much higher prices soon. OPALCO proposed that the county consider making OPALCO an essential public facility, which will provide more planning security. They asked the county to consider allowing renewable energy projects on land designated rural-farm forest, where they are currently prohibited, rendering many suitable sites unavailable. Many farmers believe that combining renewable energy projects with continued agriculture activity can support farm viability. The county is looking at potentially making a portion of a public works property on Decatur available for community solar to help maintain a grant for low-income energy users.
The District Court provided an update on a pilot program to better connect people intersecting with the legal system to social services. Actions they are taking include ”warm handovers” where people are directly introduced to service providers, an information system that helps provide targeted and updated information for referrals, information releases to support communications among courts and service providers, and training.
The Council approved putting a ballot proposition on the April 22 special election to create a parks district on Lopez Island, and appoint commissioners empowered to set a levy. They approved funds for the cost of the ballot proposition.
The council discussed and agreed to procedures for regular contact with the county lobbyist in Olympia, and coordinating council action on legislative advocacy.
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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