Page A20
www.WhiDBEYNEWSTIMES.com
Scoping
Corporate Tree Sponsors in ounta Blue Mric · Island Tire Elect s Schwab or & arb · Le Drug rs of Oak H y Island e e b t Cen n · Whid rmere Clintonk · WindeSouth Ba Estate/ Real hidbey W
CONTINUED FROM A1
Thank You!
Corporate Team Tree Sponsors
Beck · Edwa Carpet Cle aning rds & CPA pany s · Guild M Associate · · Islan Hanson ortgage s, Aaron Servic d H20 Sys 's Building Comes te S Syring & Nur , Inc. · The ms, Inc. · Te upply · Annie G s e r e r Storag y · Walm enhous chnical Cash · e a e Mana · Windermrt · WatermFlorist Audrey Butler g an e e r m · Barb Eldridge Real E ent · Win e Property d s · Betsy Zick · Bette tate /W ermer Swietzer · Bill Roth Island hidbey e
· Brad Wallen · Carolyn Brady ·Carrie Breilein · Charlie Moore · Chris Johnson · Chris Skinner · Christy Swartz · Chuck Edwards · Cindy Munger · Connie Steadman · Corey Johnson · Coupeville High School & Chris inner · N.H.S. · Craig McKenzie · Cynk S t· ie thia Mason · Dale Folkestead · Debb te Nor’wes Title Darlene Dando · Debbie Bruner · e r r e c i n Co ~ Prem aldez Debbie Carothers · Debbie Skinner t V r · a y w t e St d Coun Wallin · Debra Waterman · Dee Boothe · Islan truction · e & Dee Breilein · Deena Janssen · Dellann s Con eral Hom Blackstock · Destini Harris · DeVere Dudley Fun emation · Diane Reed · Dina Blockstock · Dom Amor · Cr Don Howat · Donna Jones · Dr. Gary Berner · Dr. Raymond · Eric Mitten · Erica Syring · George ThompLive Tree son · Glenn Anthony · Gloria Carothers · Greg Goebel · Sponsors Greg Smith · Hope McCormack · Jacki Wyatt · Jane Fiske · Jane Koetje · Janet Pullen · Janet Rogers · Jason McFayden · Jeff McMahon · Jeni Headings · Jennifer Reetz · Jim Jaeger · Jim Hen Riney · Joan Huffman · Joe Gaydos · Joe Mosolino · Tree Fnrich John Dyer · John Kingsbury · John Pendleton · Jones Pacific arm · Accounting · Julie Bruner · Karel Vanderltaak · Karen W Tree F inds Conner · Karla Freund · Karlyne Larson · Katherine Neiarm man · Kathi Phillips · Kathy Hughes · Kelli Mellish · Kelsey Streifthau · Ken Bixler · Kenny McGuire · Kerry Allen · Keven Graves · Kim Braelens · Kristy Anderson · Kristy Etzell · Lexi Ochoa · Lisa Boyer · Lois LaBarge · Lucas Yonkman · Lyn Bankowski · Lynn Bixler · Marilee Paddock · Mark Brown · Mark Mouw · Melissa McCumber · Michael Swietzer · Mike Miller · Mollie Anthony · Molly Negal · Nigell Hutson · Nora O’Connell Balda · Nori McAninch · Patty Cohen · Peggy Dyer · Rhonda Wallace · Rickie Higbee · Robin Seth Meyers · Rosalie Ornowski · Rubin · Ryan Valdez · Ryan Wallin · Sandra Kuykendall · Sandy Willmett · Scott Dudley · Scott Frasier · Scott Fromme · Skip Boyer · Stephanie Goetsch · Stephanie Smith · Steve Metcalfe · Sue Blouin · Sue Riney · Teddy Bear Breakfast Volunteers · Therese Kingsbury · Tim Mangas · Tom Leuhr · Tony Peplinkski · Tony Steadman · Tracy Shultz · Trina Coe · Vic Hansen · Wayne Locke · Yuan Hernandez · Yvette Esparaza
Table Top Tree Sponsors
Garland Sponsors
Edward Jones - Greg Smith · Oak Harbor Yacht Club Buccaneers · Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Wreath Sponsors AA Electric · Banner Bank · Cascade Insurance Agency · Coldwell Banker Tara Properties · Island Trollers · Peoples Bank Basket Sponsors Flower’s By The Bay · Koetje-Leavitt Insurance Centerpiece Sponsors Darlene Dando & Jacki Wyatt Teddy Bear Breakfast Sponsors Lyn Bankowski · Alaska USA Mortgage Co.
Thank you to our volunteers, supporters and donors! We deeply regret any errors or omissions, and kindly request that you let us know so we can correct it and acknowledge your contributions.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
FUND A MATCH SPONSORS Ron and Gayle Wallin P&L General Contractors, Inc.
MEDIA SPONSOR
Festival of Trees
you grew up with, that didn’t want you as their friend, they had you pegged as a problem from the beginning, and you remain so now,” Toulgoat said. Toulgoat said later he was referring to Kunzler’s postings describing how he was teased by kids at school because of his disabilities, which includes Aspergers syndrome. Toulgoat said he was not aware that Kunzler had Aspergers at the time of the argument. During the confrontation, Kunzler shouted that he was “trying to discuss with you and you talked over me 75 percent of the time.” He was escorted out of the scoping meeting while continuing to shout, “I’m not leaving.” Both parties expressed regret Thursday about the altercation. At the public meeting the following night in Oak Harbor, Kunzler said he regretted that he “got so emotional” and that it was a “very frightening” experience to be thrown out of the meeting. “I feel shame and guilt if that officer felt threatened by my actions,” Kunzler said. “What I want to know is what gave that man the right to personally insult my disabilities and not listen to me attempt to explain that actually I said repeatedly we need the costing for a new OLF,” he said in a written statement. “I’m not putting crosshairs on Coupeville and I’m certainly supportive of mitigation conversations.” Toulgoat said he is “embarrassed and ashamed” of his part in the argument. “I apologize to Joe Kunzler,” Toulgoat said. “I’m sorry. It was hurtful and disrespectful.” Still, Toulgoat said his anger on the issue was ignited by Kunzler’s comments online. “We have a right to say,
Saturday, December 7, 2013 • Whidbey News-Times
‘I don’t think it’s a good choice,’” Toulgoat said. “But I’m sorry and I wish it hadn’t happened.” The following night, during the Oak Harbor forum, community leaders both for and against the basing of Growlers at NAS Whidbey and usage of OLF Coupeville for pilot training, presented a series of documents to Capt. Mike Nortier, commanding officer for the base. Traditionally, scoping meetings do not include formal presentations, but involve a series of informational stations at which visitors can ask questions and speak with Navy staff and pilots. Tables are placed in the center of the room where comment sheets can be filled out. At the Oak Harbor meeting, Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson, Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley, and Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce President Jason McFadyen presented to Nortier letters, a resolution of support, an economic impact study and petitions in support of the EIS, the base and its operational missions. “It was important for me to demonstrate to the base captain the level of support out there,” Johnson said Friday. “There has been some strong visuals from the anti-OLF side, and I wanted there to be a visual representation that there is strong support.” Hearing that a pro-OLF presentation might occur, organizers of the Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve, or COER, the group that filed a lawsuit over jet noise, decided to present their own materials to Nortier. “We decided to present our materials in a formal manner as opposed to just slipping them in the comment box,” said Michael Monson, COER president. “We wanted to present them with our documents in a way that they were unable to just shove into a corner.” “That we were organized, had intelligently gathered materials, and not to be dis-
missed.” Johnson said that COER has had ample opportunities in the past to present its views on the issue and characterized COER’s presentation as “grandstanding.” During the meeting in Anacortes, Monson said COER members were told to leave by an Anacortes School District representative as they set up an information table outside the scoping meeting. After COER members refused to leave, Nortier and Ted Brown, the Navy’s Installations and Environmental public affairs officer, talked with school officials and the group was allowed to stay. “I gained great respect for Capt. Nortier and Ted Brown,” Monson said. “Gentlemen and professionals.” Mike Welding, NAS Whidbey’s public affairs officer, confirmed the incident in Anacortes, but said it was a “non-issue” that was resolved quickly. Monson said COER members weren’t aware they needed a permit to set up their information table. Welding indicated that some forum-goers commented that Monson and his associates were “intimidating,” and the COER members were asked not to be aggressive in their approach. “We didn’t want anyone to feel they couldn’t walk freely into the meetings without issue,” Brown said. “As long as they followed those guidelines, they were allowed to stay.” Monson said that his group was disappointed by the meetings. “Most of the people we spoke to that attended were insulted by the quality and presentations, and lack of knowledge of the navy personnel,” Monson said. “They were angry that the Navy would dismiss us as not worthy of a quality or thoughtful presentation.” “The most heard comment was, ‘just how dumb do they think we are?’”
dinner CONTINUED FROM A1 nized by a small group of Oak Harbor businessmen as a way to thank the community. Volunteers served free full turkey and ham dinners to the masses. In total, 200 turkeys were smoked, roasted or deep fried and 150 hams were smoked. Tim Ryan, owner of the Barbecue Joint, smoked 40 of the turkeys, while Roger Anglum smoked the hams. Scott Fraser was the chef in charge of the kitchen. “We pretty much cooked everything outside,” said Fraser, owner of Frasers Gourmet
Hideaway. “The kitchen is only meant to serve 100 people. When you are in the 3,000 range, we really have to use the outdoors.” Fraser and Stiltz have helped run the event since the idea was hatched by the late Keith Bartlett, former owner of the Pot Belly Deli in Oak Harbor. The unseasonably warm weather made the long lines that stretched outdoors all the more bearable. “It gets better and better every year,” Fraser said.