LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council September 30, 2024

||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS |||

The Council recognized September 30 as Orange Shirt Day, known in Canada as Truth and Reconciliation Day, to remember the children of first nations and tribes who were forced into residential boarding schools where many died.

The county manager briefed the council on the $1 million in emergency relief funding for ferry transportation that the governor’s office approved. The funds are to provide interisland passenger ferry service and barge service when WSF is not running, and to provide scheduled passenger-only service services from the county to and from Anacortes. The Governor’s office will provide an additional $500,000 for extra WSF crew in the area to alleviate crew shortages through June of 2025. The money will come via the state Department of Commerce and be managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. There are still many details to work out.

The county manager reviewed options for providing coroner services starting January 1, 2025, when the prosecuting attorney can no longer act as coroner under a new state law. The options are 1) to create and fill a new office or position, 2) to contract with a coroner from a neighboring county 3) to continue discussions with attorney general’s office about retaining the current practice, 4) seek legislative relief to amend the new law 5) seek state funding for the unfunded mandate or 6) seek a court judgement overturning the law or injunction delaying enforcement. Item 3 is ongoing, and a coalition of affected counties is pushing for a version of number 5, asking the state to fund 50% of the cost for the first five years. Option 1 would likely cost $150-180k per year. Council members asked for the number of cases and the impact of delays due to travel issues. They asked to look into the possibility of contracting locally.

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.