by Lin McNulty
SJC3 Council Community Conversation began on Feb. 5 on Orcas Island
The Orcas community was invited by members of the County Council to participate in SJC3: Council Community Conversations about the future of the San Juan Islands and the role of County government. The first of three conversations, Quality of Life, was held at the Orcas Fire Station on Tuesday, February 5.
The three-hour gathering was very much about “listening” to what the community has to say. With a brief introduction by County Council Chair Jamie Stephens, and facilitated by Interim County Manager Robert Jean, the stage was set for productive, energetic, thoughtful round-table discussions that addressed the following pre-determined areas of concern:
How would you define our island quality of life?
- Are basic needs being met?
- Health and wellness needs met?
- Educational opportunities?
- Access to arts and culture?
- Neighborhoods and island character?
- Healthy environment?
- Other?
What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in sustaining quality of life?
- What’s working?
- What’s at risk?
- What are the greatest unmet needs?
The sixty-plus attendees discussed each topic within individual table groups, before sharing their thoughts with the full audience.
Current County Council members, as well as San Juan Island candidate Lovel Pratt, were in attendance. All candidates and current members have indicated they will abide by the findings of this ongoing communication, that the effort is not being wasted on what has come to be called “the winter Council,” in advance of the upcoming primary and elections of a new three-member council.
The Community Conversation is a series of four county-wide round-table discussions on (1) Quality of Life, (2) Public Services, (3) The Economy and Jobs, and (4) Priorities of Government. Each topic in the series will be repeated in sessions on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands over a two-and-a-half month period. An additional session encompassing all four topics will be held on Shaw Island.
The next Conversation on Orcas will take place on March 5 at the Orcas Fire Hall from 6-9 p.m. Input from all islanders is encouraged.
Results of the SJC3 Conversations will be published on the County website, following meetings on San Juan from 6-9 p.m. on February 6 at Friday Harbor HS Commons, and the Lopez gathering on February 7 from 6-9 p.m. at Lopez Arts Center. Orcas Issues will follow up and make results available.
This was a very worthwhile exercise to attend and participate in. More members of the community need to to attend the upcoming meetings so your voice is heard.
To allow parents of young children attend there was the suggestion of using the fun house on Orcas so kids could be supervised during the meetings. I hope this can happen.
Also I sincerely hope Jamie Stephens and rest of the sitting council members and running candidates follow up on a commitment to sign an open letter stating their individual/collective commitment to this process and a willingness to follow through on what is gathered. Sadly the current level of cynicism within the county regarding government is too high. A collective public statement committing to getting in front of the issues and leading the county forward is needed.