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the right to sell it.” An appeals court official ordered on Thursday that Matthews and the current board of Island Landmarks file a response by tomorrow. A hearing in the appeals case was previously scheduled for Nov. 19. “It was good news that the court responded so quickly,” Greiner said. Matthews could not be reached for comment, and Matthews’ attorney, Bob Krinsky, declined to comment on the situation. Jim Kelly, the director of King County 4Culture — the cultural arts agency that helped fund the farmhouse’s purchase a decade ago — said he, too, was concerned about the potential sale and the mystery surrounding it. 4Culture has been supportive of the friends group’s efforts, and Kelly said it was in the public’s best interest that the farmhouse stay tied to a nonprofit organization. “Nonprofits don’t typically sell their assets,” he said. “It would be akin to a museum selling part of their collection.” The surprise move follows last month’s quiet sale of the historic fruit barreling plant adjacent to the farmhouse. Matthews and her husband Nelson Happy, purchased the fruit barreling plant in 2006 with their own money, citing plans to keep the two properties together. According to King County records, the two sold the property in early September to Zellerhoff Construction, owned by islander Frank Zellerhoff, Jr., for $270,000. Zellerhoff, reached by The Beachcomber, declined to give details on his plans for the 2-acre property and large historical
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
structure, but did say he believes he has with the property, he is happy to oblige by the option to move his construction busi- the requirements of its historical landmark ness to the site. He placed an offer on the status — which requires the property be farmhouse as well, he said, but it was not maintained but not necessarily opened to accepted, and he doesn’t know who the the public — and he believes he had the island’s best interests in mind. current buyer is. “Bottom line, I am for the community,” “I bought it for a couple reasons,” he said, referring to the fruit barreling plant. he said. Member of Friends of Mukai said last “I don’t want to disclose too much at this week they were wary of the possibility of a point.” Zellerhoff said he was interested in the construction business or a noisy operation property both for its physical qualities and moving to the site. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. It’s kind its historic nature. Though not a historiof a serene atmosphere,” cal preservationist, he said Glenda Pearson, said he’s always been “The fact that they’re doing who heads the Friends of interested in history. In fact, he once interviewed this at all is a problem, and Mukai. Pearson also Masa Mukai, who farmed the fact that they won’t say saidHowever, that someone from strawberries at the Mukai who the buyer is is raising their group had been in farm with his father B.D. touch with Zellerhoff and Mukai, for a project he all kinds of red flags from he seemed welcoming to did as a high schooler, various parties, including their ideas. he said. the state.” “He’s sympathetic to “I knew him way back, though not as well as a lot Lynn Greiner the property, and I think of other people,” he said. Friends of Mukai he’s someone who could be cooperative to that For several years, extent,” she said. Zellerhoff has been in a Both Pearson and Greener noted that dispute with King County over whether he can operate his small construction Zellerhoff was already making some drainbusiness — an operation that includes age improvements at the property. “We’re pleased he owns it. From our perheavy machinery, a shop and stump grinding — on Cemetery Road. In 2008, The spective, it’s good news that Matthews and Beachcomber reported that Zellerhoff ’s Happy don’t own it anymore,” Greiner said, noisy stump-grinding operation was in adding that the group hoped to eventually reunite the two properties and see them in violation of King County code. An official with the county Department public ownership. For now, though, the group is focusing of Permitting and Environmental Review’s code enforcement office could not be its efforts on stopping the sale of the farmreached for comment, but Zellerhoff said house, which by Greiner’s estimate could be he is still trying to work with the county. finalized as soon as Nov. 6 if a judge doesn’t Moving his business elsewhere, however, step in. Island Landmarks notified the state of may be his only option in the end. Zellerhoff said that whatever he does the pending property transfer, a requirement of the property’s historic preservation easement, in late September. In a letter to the state Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP), Island Landmarks secretary Theodore Nikolis doesn’t list a buyer or purchase price, but simply says the property will be transferred. Pearson said documents she obtained through a public disclosure request show that a sale of the property is planned, though Matthews has been unresponsive to requests to identify the buyer. In the letter, Nikolis — who Greiner notes was not previously a known board member
— writes that neither Matthews nor Happy participated in the group’s approval of the property transfer, something that Pearson said has led her to suspect that perhaps Matthews and Happy could be the buyers. Greiner said it was possible that Island Landmarks could legally sell the property, but any profit would have to remain with the nonprofit. She called the sale questionable, considering that Island Landmarks, under Matthews, purchased the property largely with public funds, and said the Friends of Mukai as well as the DAHP were concerned by Matthews’ refusal to identify the buyer. If the purchaser were a party that planned to restore the place and open it to the public — something the group argues that Matthews and Island Landmarks have failed to do — then they would expect Island Landmarks to be more forthcoming, she said. “The fact that they’re doing this at all is a problem, and the fact that they won’t say who the buyer is is raising all kinds of red flags from various parties, including the state,” Greiner said. Pearson noted that in the past the friends group has offered to join Island Landmarks, to help Matthews with the property and even to take control of the house, but Matthews has consistently said that only a large organization such as the National Park Service could property maintain it. The group was baffled, then, by their move to sell the barreling plant to Zellerhoff, she said, and concerned about who the buyer of the farmhouse may be. “This seems disturbing, to say the least,” Pearson said. As the Friends of Mukai waited for a decision on the emergency motion, they said they believe their appeals case, set to go before a three-judge panel, is only getting stronger. Earlier this month, four local, state and national agencies filed an amicus, or “friends of the court” brief in the lawsuit, backing up the group of islanders and arguing that they should be granted control of the Island Landmarks. The agencies siding with the Friends group include the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Seattle and 4Culture. “It carries a lot of weight in court,” Greiner said of the brief. “It shows the court there are a lot of parties and people that are concerned about it, concerned about what’s happening.”
ARTS EDITOR The Vashon Beachcomber is looking for an experienced, detail-oriented and creative arts editor to join our editorial team. The part-time arts editor provides quality coverage of Vashon Island’s vibrant visual and performing arts scene and contributes to other parts of the newspaper as well. The job is 10 to 15 hours per week. Responsibilities include managing the arts pages, conducting interviews, writing event previews, arts briefs and arts features, designing the arts pages using Adobe InDesign, proofreading and sometimes writing lifestyle features and taking photos. Applicants must live on Vashon Island and be familiar with the local arts scene. Applicants should have strong writing and editing skills, headline writing abilities, the ability to juggle multiple tasks and an eye for page design. Photography experience and experience using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop are a plus.
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