NEWS | VISD board tentatively agrees on bond amount. [5] COMMUNITY | Mountain bike trails proposed for Dockton. [12] ARTS | Local artists help raise [10] awareness about AIDS.
ORCAS COME TO VASHON Whales were seen in harbor last week. Page 12
BEACHCOMBER VASHON-MAURY ISLAND
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 Vol. 60, No. 45
www.vashonbeachcomber.com
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In historic decision, gay islander wins legal battle for military benefits
Feasibility study begins for new affordable housing project
By SUSAN RIEMER
By ANNELI FOGT
Staff Writer
An island widower made history this fall when he was awarded military benefits following the death of his husband, a decorated Vietnam veteran. Joe Krumbach is the first known gay person in Washington to have his marriage retroactively recognized by the state and the Department of Veterans Affairs and receive survivor benefits because of it. The awarding of the benefits — provided to survivors of military members who die on duty or are disabled for service-related reasons — came after a two-year fight that included legal assistance and help from Sen. Patty Murray’s office, all while the laws governing gay marriage changed in Washington and across the country. David Ward, of the Seattle law firm Legal Voice, helped Krumbach with his most recent appeal, and earlier this week spoke to Krumbach’s tenacity and the progress that has been made regarding marriage equality. “He was a squeaky wheel, and he was persistent. He
Editor
Krumbach, however, made clear his fight was never about money, but about principle.
It has been 10 years since islander and graphic designer Mike Masi bought his 7-acre plot of land on Gorsuch Road with the intention of turning more than half of it into an affordable housing development. After recently purchasing 18 water units, Masi now has a total of 31 from Water District 19 and has entered into a contract with Bellevuebased affordable housing developer Shelter Resources Inc., which will conduct a six-month feasibility study on the property. “It was 10 years to the day (last Friday, Oct. 30) that I signed the contract and bought the 18 additional water shares,” Masi told The Beachcomber last week. “Yes, it’s very exciting, and hopefully it will be a great benefit to the island.” The water district offered Masi the 18 units, previously called shares, earlier this year after deciding to release 20 units in large part because its conservation efforts had provided ample water. Masi said the 18 units have been added to the 13 he already had, for a total of 31. He was awarded the units in June and said he “went down to the wire” on the 120-day deadline to purchase them because he had been trying to secure an agreement with a development company to help him with the expense. Each water unit costs $10,650. Shelter Resources Inc.’s Managing Director Joel Ing said that the development company is working with islandbased nonprofit Shelter America Group in a joint venture. As a nonprofit, Shelter America is able to secure funding, while Shelter Resources, which is a private company that has built or renovated more than 4,600 apartment units in five states, provides the manpower and large-scale materials. As part of the development agreement, Shelter Resources Inc. will fund the nearly $192,000 cost of the water shares in exchange for Masi entering into a contract. He said the
SEE VICTORY, 19
SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 18
Courtesy Photos
Vietnam veteran Jerry Hatcher, left, and Joe Krumbach were married in 2002 before 200 family members and friends. After Hatcher’s death in 2008, Krumbach buried his remains at Arlington National Cemetery and plans to go back next month, now that the legal battle is over. “I owe it to him,” Krumbach said. made a point of doing this for himself and for others,” Ward said. “His story illustrates the kind of injustice that same-sex couples had to live with for years but no longer have to live with.” Krumbach and Jerry Hatcher were together for 19 years and married for five of those, until Hatcher’s death from liver
cancer in 2008. Following his death, as states began legalizing gay marriage, the door opened for Krumbach to request, fight for and ultimately receive the benefits, which provide everything from health care to permission to shop at any military post exchange (PX), as well as a monthly financial stipend.
Election: Islanders choose several new members for public boards By SUSAN RIEMER Staff Writer
Nearly 55 percent of Vashon’s more than 8,300 registered voters cast ballots in last week’s election, unseating two incumbents and sending several islanders to seats on community boards, where they will be sworn in this December and January. The election will not be certified until Nov. 24, and results are not considered final until then.
Vashon Island School District At the Vashon Island School District, current school
board chair Laura Wishik is losing her race against Toby Holmes. As of Monday, there were nearly 500 votes that still need to be counted, but Wishik said that she believed there was only a “slim, slim chance” that she could win. At press time, Wishik, an attorney who has been a strong presence on the board throughout her two terms, had garnered 1,654 votes — 49 percent compared to Holmes’ 51 percent with 1,750 votes. Looking to take his seat next month, Holmes, who does business development and marketing for a software company, said the biggest challenge facing the district right now is the Phase 2 bond, which the current school board is launching, but the new board will carry forward, as
new members will be seated Dec. 10, and the election is in February. “We need to support that and communicate well with the community,” he added. Beyond the bond, he said it will take some time to ramp up and understand what issues have been under the radar at the district. He also hopes to focus on what he calls “resisting the culture of standardization” in testing and beyond. “We should protect the idea that students are in school to learn, become engaged and good citizens,” he said. SEE ELECTION, 17