OPAL welcomes four new board members

Annual Meeting and Election Results

||| FROM QASIM ALI DINO for OPAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST |||

OPAL Community Land Trust warmly welcomes four new members of the Board of Trustees, who were elected by unanimous vote of the members in attendance at OPAL’s 36th Annual Meeting on April 23.

The newest additions to the OPAL Board include: Timi Most, Karimah Salaam, Carla Shanks Morales, and Brett Lensing. Incumbent Board Member Bob Morris was re-elected. Retiring board members were celebrated at the meeting with gifts and a standing ovation: Margaret Mills after 9 years of service, and Minor Lile with seven years of service. Board member Mallory Hagel left the board to move off-island.

More than 50 people attended the annual meeting on a sunny afternoon at the Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall. Executive Director Lisa Byers provided a “state of OPAL” address that began:

I believe that OPAL and other community land trusts nationwide are, in fact, revolutionary approaches within a capitalistic system to re-organize our relationship to land. They are one of the models that are breathing within the current broken system. A system that results in a few people having exclusive rights to vast property while many people lack any or adequate shelter. Community land trusts put into action the value that we borrow the land from our ancestors and that each human being deserves a home.”

The full address is available online. The annual report is also online.

Attendees heard from Raymond Faber of Faber Construction and West Coast Homes of Lynden, WA, who are contracted to build five new modular homes for the Lydia Lane neighborhood in Rosario. Raymond explained how modular construction works, and answered questions about the benefits and efficiencies of stick-built homes in a factory setting. “Each of the five homes bound for Lydia Lane,” Faber explained, “will arrive in two modules – or ‘mods.’ Once on site, it will take the West Coast crew approximately three weeks to complete the homes.”

Staff gave an update on the Pea Patch Community Campus, drawing applause for the progress to date: having started the site work and raised $32.4M (toward a goal of $40M). Gratitude for Representative Debra Lekanoff’s advocacy in Olympia brought a standing ovation: Lekanoff, with the support of her District 40 peers Representative Alex Ramel and Senator Liz Lovelett, helped the project to secure $5,824,000 in funding over the past two sessions. Senator Patty Murray was celebrated for her advocacy in Washington DC, which secured another $4M in federal funding.

Affordable Homes • Healthy Community

Former Pea Patch Project Lead Suzanne Olson introduced Heather Stansbury, who stepped back into the project this past January as the Food Bank’s Capital Campaign Fundraising Director. Suzanne announced that she has transitioned into a new position at OPAL, serving as Director of Advocacy and Fund Development, and will still serve on the Pea Patch capital campaign committee.

Board President Rusty Diggs presided over the the business meeting and election, answering member questions from the floor. Retiring board members Margaret Mills and Minor Lile reflected on their years of board service and expressed gratitude for the ways in which OPAL levels the playing field for islanders to stay rooted in their home community.

OPAL Community Land Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing permanently affordable housing opportunities on Orcas Island. Through stewardship, community partnerships, and innovative housing solutions, OPAL works to ensure long-term housing stability for island residents. www.opalclt.org

PICTURED ABOVE: OPAL Board Members (L-R): Margaret Mills, Eros Belliveau, Karimah Salaam, Mandy Randolph, Rusty Diggs, Timi Most, Bob Morris, Bonnie Burg, Brett Lensing, Minor Lile. Not pictured: Anne Marie Shanks, Carla Shanks Morales, Jami Mitchell.