Wednesday, May 8, 2013 • The Islands’ Sounder
WWW.ISLANDSSOUNDER.cOM
county administrator for Flathead County, Mont., for the past eight years. He has over 32 years of city and county management experience and has been the City Administrator for Kemmerer, Wyo., city manager for Ocean Shores, Wash., city administrator for Sibley, Iowa, auditor for Hardin County, Iowa, and deputy auditor for Grundy County, Iowa. Pence was also commercial development manager for the Quinault Land and Timber Enterprise, Ocean Shores, Wash. for five years. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management from Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa. Suzanne Sinclair lives in Seneca Falls, N.Y., and is currently senior capital projects accountant for Finger Lakes Health, Geneva, N.Y. Prior to that, she was county manager for Seneca County, N.Y. from 20082011. Sinclair was Island County (in Washington) auditor for 10 years and served as accounting super-
visor for the county’s public works department prior to becoming auditor. Early in her career, she also worked for Edwards and Associates, CPAs, in Freeland, Wash. for almost 10 years. Sinclair has a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Central Washington University and a bachelor of arts degree in history from DePauw University, Ind. Michael Thomas has been the city administrator for the City of Enumclaw, Wash., for over three years. Prior to that he served the city as community and economic development director for five years. Thomas has 24 years of experience in local government in Washington and he has been a senior policy analyst for the King County Executive’s Office-Office of Management and Budget, senior planner for the cities of Burien and Federal Way, and he was assistant director of planning and economic development for the City of Aberdeen. He has a bachelor of arts degree in geography from the University of Washington and a master’s degree of public administration from
Seattle University. David Wilbrecht is from Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and was most recently town manager for that community where he was hired to deal with the town’s financial crisis and potential bankruptcy due to a lawsuit. Prior to that, he was county administrative officer for Mono County, Calif. for eight years, and he was also director of parks, recreation and community services for Mammoth Lakes from 2000-2003. Wilbrecht has 18 years of local government experience in Washington, including deputy director of parks, recreation and cultural services for the City of Federal Way and parks division manager for the City of Redmond. Early in his career, he also worked for the City of Auburn and for the Snohomish County Sheriff ’s Office and Planning Department. Wilbrecht has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Central Washington University and a master of public administration degree from Seattle University.
LETTERS FROM 4
Thank you to OCS
of plants just where you’ve completely cleared them the year before! Margot Shaw West Sound
MANAGERS FROM 1
Center in so any ways, and last month, you did it again with our Granny’s Attic Sale. A huge number of you donated your items and then more of you came and purchased them. This sale, as with other fundraisers, would not happen without the support of wonderful volunteers. My volunteers are absolutely the best you can have and they worked tirelessly for six weeks, cleaning, pricing and boxing all of the items. No one could ask for better helpers. A huge Thank You also goes out to Vance at Shinola for his help with pricing, the Christian School students who helped move those boxes and to the Lighthouse Christian Ministries who helped with the clean up. We are so fortunate to live in such a special place where we try to take care of each other. Everyone who was a part of this, took the time to take care of our elders. The money that was raised will help keep the senior center open and give our seniors a wonderful, safe place to enjoy. Jane Heisinger Senior Center Advisory Committee Coordinator
On May 1, a nice young man knocked on our door and presented me with a lovely flowering plant. It was the nicest thing that has happened to me on Orcas. I immediately planted it and will smile every time we enjoy it on our deck. Thank you Cyrus and Orcas Christian School for making my day. Kathy Dilling Orcas Island
Pull out Scotch Broom Never too late; there’s still time to pull that persistent Scotch Broom before the flowers turn to seed. Borrow the appropriate size weed wrench from the Noxious Weed Board office at the Senior Center: 376-3499. Good to keep around for the annual emergence
ORCAS ISLAND HARDWARE North Beach Rd. Eastsound Mon-Sat 8 - 5:30 Sundays 10 - 4
376-3833
Medical marijuana dispensary? I am thinking about starting a Medical Marijuana Dispensary. I already have proper legal paper work and legal backing. My question is: what does the community think? I am in San Juan County, Orcas Island to be specific. I am in need of community perspectives, support, donations, etc. to get the ball rolling. I appreciate thoughts, criticism, all of it is accepted and welcome. Thank you! Gh izmo_420@hot mai l. com. Dylan Ghiz-Sunn Eastsound
SOLID WASTE FROM 1 Friday Harbor for operation of the town-owned Sutton Road solid waste facility. “We have some things we want in that contract,” said Town Administrator Duncan Wilson, “but the county is doing the negotiations and we think the results will work for us, the county and Lautenbach.” Privatizing solid waste operations was mandated by the council after voters in 2011 rejected the council’s property tax parcel fee to fund solid waste handling. In mid-2012, the Department of Public Work solicited proposals from private companies interested in operating the Orcas and San Juan Island transfer stations. Meanwhile, community activists on Lopez Island devised and won council and voter approval for a Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District to operate the Lopez dump. In late 2012, the council instructed Public Works to negotiate contracts for the Orcas and San Juan Island facilities with Orcas Recycling Services and a partnership of Lautenbach Industries of Mount Vernon and Kentec Energy of Seattle, respectively. Public Works Director Frank Mulcahy at that time projected that private operations would commence by April 1, but operational and contractual problems have pushed start dates into June or July. Adding to the problems Professsional Design Services www.bentrogdonarchitects.com 206.343.9907
(Saturday Pharmacy 10:00 am – 4 pm No Sunday Pharmacy Service)
376-2230
for the Orcas Island group are fallout from the fire that destroyed the Exchange, criminal charges now being faced by a director of ORS, and a delay in completing an operations plan by URS Corp., the consultant hired by ORS to prepare that plan. Councilwoman Patty Miller said the Orcas contract is in danger of being canceled, but, “It’s time that ORS provides the council with its plan of operations and an accounting of its tax liabilities.” County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Gaylord said the tax liability ORS faces is an estimate and that the council wants a complete and thorough accounting before they decide to go forward with a contract. “The council must be satisfied that the contract and the plan of operations is financially sound and in the best interests of the citizens of San Juan County,” said Gaylord. He added that because the allegations against ORS board member Errol Speed involve making false statements to county offices regarding permitting, the council should take the charges into consideration in their deliberations over ORS’ operation of the Orcas facility. Moe said he recognizes the need to deliver the plan and says that full accounting and explanation of the tax situation will be provided to the council. He said that consultants retained by ORS have finished a “draft” oper-
ations plan and are working on emergency and contingency plans, all of which will be delivered “in the next few weeks.” Moe supports Speed as a “valuable” member of the board, which, he noted, is not asking Speed to resign. “We’re aware of the situation and we will wait to see what the council says,” he said. “I’m extremely confident the project will proceed as planned.” Meanwhile, the county is paying Waste Management and Cimarron Trucking almost two-and-one-half times the amount paid under its previous contract with Waste Management, which expired at the end of 2012. But because of 2012 increases in the solid waste tax and in recycling fees, Mulcahy said, “we’re just about breaking even.” The problem with contract negotiations for the Sutton Road facility is wrangling between Lautenbach and county Public Works about construction of a roof on the tipping floor and compliance with state environmental requirements for the site. Rick Hughes, Orcas Island’s representative on the council, is working to resolve the operational and financial problems. “I’ve been working with Pete Moe and the ORS board since before I was elected last November and I think they’re doing things right,” he said. “Orcas will be best served if local people do the local work. We’ll figure out a way to make it work.”
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