OPINION Islands’ Sounder
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Editorial
To the Editor:
Reject CRC Prop. 1 and 2 on ballot
April will be missed
W
e think it’s too soon to reverse the changes that county voters endorsed seven years ago. In 2005, voters endorsed, by 63 percent, the “Basic” Home Rule Charter and by 55 percent, an amendment to the charter that divided the county into six legislative districts, created a council of six part-time legislators, and established district-only elections for each of those part-time posts. Now, county residents will decide how much to reorganize that structure in this November’s election with a vote on three propositions put forth by the Charter Review Commission. The propositions would cut the council from six part-time members to three full-time members (prop. 1); replace the executive county administrator position with a county manager (prop. 2); and mandate that all county council meetings are open to the public (prop. 3). The Sounder is encouraging a “no” vote on Prop. 1 and 2. At this point in time, we don’t feel it’s the right direction for our county. Here is why. • The county legislative body is now more diverse in its representation and has evolved into a more collaborative and effective decision-making unit with six members, rather than three. • With an annual budget of roughly $45 million, county business deserves to be managed by a professional administrator, not by three elected officials who also set policy and make laws. That’s too much power vested in too few hands. • Many argue that in county-wide elections for a three-person council, the legislative body would be more accountable to the voters. We think our council members care equally about island-specific issues regardless of which community voted for them. The charter has brought about positive change and it’s far too soon to unhinge it from its foundation. The next review is in 10 years. While we think that’s a bit too far into the future, it doesn’t mean that now is the right time to reverse all the growth that has occurred. Reject Prop. 1 and 2.
Public meetings Friday, Oct. 12
• Special School Board meeting to approve OEA collective bargaining
agreement and other items, noon, school library. Friday, Oct. 19
• OPALCO Board of Directors, 8:45 a.m., Friday Harbor office, 1034 Guard Street.
Correction A letter by Charlie Bodenstab, Richard Fralick, Jeff Bossler, Lola Deane, Stephanie O’Day, Jeri Ahrenius, Greg Hertel, David Bayley, Bob Querry and Gayle Rollins was mistakenly put beneath the wrong headline last week. The letter was against the charter review changes, not in support of the propositions.
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Former Mayor of Eastsound, April, passed away last month, and I want to express my personal sympathies to all of her friends who mourn her passing. She was an outstanding mayor and a “pastural” fixture to those visiting Eastsound and she will be sorely missed. And thanks to Joann Frances of the Trading Company, caretaker of April, and her assistant Sylvia Biddick for their loving care of this beautiful bovine. April’s service to the community and to Children’s House was exemplary. Indeed, she set the bar for mayoral leadership for years to come. Let us, on this occasion, commit ourselves to be responsible citizens and turn out to vote in November. It is our civic duty to participate in the election process so that we remain a country of, by, and for the people. As mayor, I am working on dog suffrage – I’m not sure about cats! Mayor Murphy
Thanks for fundraiser A big thank you to everyone who came to the Ali Z fund raiser dinner, and to those who where unable to attend but still participated. I hope everyone had a great evening! A special thanks to Amy Masters, John Gibbs, Wilma Sale, Cindi Gould and my mother Nancy Miller. Without your help, Ali Z would have never made it! Alicia Miller Deer Harbor
Leave political signs be During the campaign season, many of our neighbors actively participate in the democratic process by posting political signs on their property. Let us all respect our neighbors’ first amendment right to express their political preferences by not removing their political signs. For those who are not dissuaded by the notion that we do a disservice to our political freedom when we suppress the rights of others, please keep in mind that trespassing on our neighbors’ property and sealing their signs are criminal offenses. Charlie Silverman Friday Harbor
Publisher/Editor Colleen Smith Armstrong editor@islandssounder.com Staff Reporter Cali Bagby cbagby@islandssounder.com County Reporter Scott Rasmussen srasmussen@sanjuanjournal.com Advertising Sales Colleen Armstrong carmstrong@soundpublishing.com
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Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012 • The Islands’ Sounder
Editorial made sense In response to your editorial “Please put it in writing,” I’d like to chime in with a view from the East Coast. I am a frequent visitor to Orcas and believe that the addition of PIMC will be a good thing. But you are so right – you need to “get it in writing” what the future will hold with regard to potential controls on reproductive health services, genetic testing, and for that matter, abortion services. Please Google “Abington Memorial Hospital” to see a recent and similar Pennsylvania case. Their plan to merge with a Catholic hospital, Holy Redeemer, would have meant the end of all the above services. Luckily, over 200 docs at AMH protested, as well as thousands of local citizens, including one lovely lady who started a Change.org petition that really got the media’s attention. Luckily, the merger failed. Please be careful, citizens of the San Juan Islands, as you could face a fight like this down the road if you don’t know exactly what the hospital relationships have in store for you. Tracy McQueen Newark, Del.
Frustrated with school lunches The state government has changed the school lunch nutrition standards once again. As a sophomore who eats school lunch daily, this really ticks me off. If you visit their website, ChooseMyPlate.gov, you’ll see that the Orcas Island School District is
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now required to serve every student a portion of fruit or vegetables equal to the amount of grains and protein we receive. They also must reduce the saturated fat content of their foods, and now they cannot serve trans fats at all. I expect this will result in an elimination of all or most fried foods on the menu in the near future. I find it very depressing that soon, I will no longer be able to enjoy my beloved corn dogs and chicken nuggets. Weekly pizza is already out. And seriously, a 50 percent fruit and vegetable lunch? Last year, they might constitute a fourth of our total meal. And at that time, they would often be hard, greenish apples or boiled broccoli. Not really fare that children enjoy. I don’t see the vegetable options getting any better, so I assume we will just have to eat twice as much of something that was only palatable because it came in a small amount. I can eat a few bites of something I find unpleasant, but half my lunch? Also, vegetables are much less filling than more high-starch foods. Last year, the lunch portions would be just enough to keep me going to the end of the day. If 25 percent of the filling food is gone, what am I supposed to do? I could supplement my meal with food from Island Market, but the fried burritos and energy drinks I would buy there would be more detrimental to my health if I ate them daily then if the school simply went back to last year’s menu. And the new regulations are also very wasteful. I’ve seen many small children eat just the “unhealthy” part of their lunch and throw the
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