RECORD SOUTH WHIDBEY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2011 | Vol. 88, No. 3 | WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM | 75¢
INSIDE: Life with Alice Island Life, A10
Brian Kelly / The Record
Marilynn Abrahamson, a new member of the Freeland Water and Sewer District board, explains the board’s new hands-on approach at Monday’s meeting.
Craig Coonrad photo
Mugsy, a Boston terrier from South Whidbey owned by Frankie Petitclerc, has become a favorite in the local Occupy movement. Occupy South Whidbey will hold its first protest this Friday in Freeland.
OCCUPY SOUTH WHIDBEY:
Protest movement will make its first stand in Freeland BY BRIAN KELLY South Whidbey Record
They don’t have a leader, but hot dog, what a mascot. Inspired by Occupy Wall Street and the “Occupy” demonstrations in large cities across the country, dozens of South Whidbey residents have been gathering each week to map out how they, too, can make a difference. Later this week, members of “Occupy South Whidbey” will gather for its first political action: a sidewalk protest outside the Chase Bank branch in Freeland. According to Occupy South Whidbey member Jim Hyde, the protest is meant to draw attention to the massive profits of Chase — $4.26 billion in the third
quarter of 2011 alone, he said — and the financial giant’s role in the ongoing financial crisis. The demonstration starts at 3 p.m. Hyde, in an earlier interview, said the Occupy movement does not have specific goals, and is not unified around a political party or a leader. “There are some general ideas, like restoring control of the democracy to people, the 99 percent, and getting the corporations out of government,” he said. “So that obviously involves reversing corporate personhood,” Hyde said, referring to the Supreme Court decision that lifted restraints on corporate donations to political campaigns. Occupy South Whidbey got its start
after a group of South End residents participated in a protest in Coupeville that encouraged people to pull their money out of major banks to show their discontent with the Wall Street bailout and the political influence of big money. The group has been meeting each Monday night at Bayview Community Hall. About 30 people came to the first meeting, and the crowd has been growing since, with some new, and some returning, members. Hyde said people are upset with the ineffectiveness of the current political system. “People are fed up with corporate control of government. They want a SEE OCCUPY, A14
Doctor quits amid online criticism of WGH officials BY JESSIE STENSLAND Whidbey News-Times
COUPEVILLE—Whidbey General Hospital CEO Tom Tomasino is mad as heck and he’s not going to take it anymore. Tomasino announced to the hospital board Monday that Dr. Matthew Marquart, an orthopedic surgeon, quit his job because of a website that is critical of Whidbey General Hospital administration and features unflattering
information about surgeons and their salaries. “I can’t allow our physicians or surgeons to leave this organization because one man has license to say what he wants about this institution,” Tomasino said. He was referring to Greenbank attorney Rob Born, who started an investigative blog, whidbeygeneral reformers.org, last year to highlight what he claims are myriad scandals involving
the hospital’s administration. According to Tomasino, the top-notch surgeon felt it would be harmful to his reputation and future job prospects if he stayed at Whidbey General while Born continued publishing damaging reports. In addition, Tomasino discussed another surgeon who was so upset about the blog that he threatened to sue Born for defamation.
Tomasino said the hospital’s attorneys had advised him not to get into a public debate with Born, but he said he now feels he needs to “engage” him. He said a public entity like a hospital has little legal recourse to do anything about such critics. Tomasino added that the only thing that will make Born happy is if board member Dr. Paul Zaheruha leaves SEE DOCTOR, A3
New board takes over sewer district with velvet gloves BY BRIAN KELLY South Whidbey Record
FREELAND — Voters cleaned house in the November election for the Freeland Water and Sewer District board, but with the installation of a new majority Monday, two new commissioners moved gingerly amid cushioned talk as they took steps to put the district’s house in order. Lou Malzone was sworn in as a new commissioner and joined his campaign running mate Marilynn Abrahamson on the threemember board. The pair won office in a landslide after raising alarm over the incumbents’ handling of a controversial $40 million sewer expansion project in Freeland, but the tough talk of the campaign trail was gone like water through the pipes at Malzone and Abrahamson’s first meeting. The new commissioners tried to cultivate a climate of congeniality as they took the reins on two onerous issues: consultant contracts and the district’s finances. After Abrahamson and Malzone asked District Commissioner Eric Hansen to serve as president of the
board — a surprise move — the discussion soon moved to items Abrahamson had added to the agenda. First up, the transfer of grant money that had been allocated for the proposed $40 million sewer system. Abrahamson said she had learned that funding had been shifted from the sewer construction account to the district’s water operations and maintenance account. “The commissioners didn’t know anything about it,” she said, adding that a recent transfer of funds amounted to $35,000. The transfers are basically loans that should be paid back, Abrahamson said, and added that commissioners should be authorizing the transfers. She asked that all future transfers be first approved by commissioners. Malzone praised the assistance that they had been given by the district’s accountants, and said they had been going over records that date back to 2004. “Everybody should have confidence that every penny is there,” Malzone said, adding that a resolution covering SEE SEWER, A14