NEWS-TIMES WHIDBEY
Inside: Weddings on Whidbey. A11-A18
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012 | Vol. 113, No. 7 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Doomsday scenario would ax ferry run By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Washington State Ferries’ funding problems are now so dire that without additional revenue the state agency would need to close five routes, including the Port Townsend-to-Coupeville run, to make ends meet. That was one of two doomsday scenarios state Department of Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond presented to key transportation legislators in Olympia early last month. Neither is a working plan, but were meant to demonstrate the gravity of the problem. “We are not talking runs anymore, we are talking routes,” said Hammond, in a presentation to the
Senate Transportation Committee, headed by 10th District Democrat Mary Margaret Haugen. Hammond also gave a presentation to the House Transportation Committee. Hammond made it clear that closing routes was a worst case scenario, as was another plan that would severely reduce state road maintenance. Under that proposal, the 93 percent of state roads that are presently in fair and good condition would be reduced to 30 percent over 10 years. Hammond said neither was a “reasonable solution” for a healthy economy and ferry officials have
Justin Burnett/Whidbey News-Times
The Salish sails by a breakwater as it ventures into Keystone Harbor. Washington State ferries continual funding problems prompted officials to come up with a scenario that would eliminate the Port Townsendto-Coupeville route to help make ends meet.
SEE FERRIES, A8
Council hopefuls trimmed to four By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Chosen in secret, four candidates have been selected as finalists for an open seat on the Oak Harbor City Council. They include Richard Devlin, James Reynolds, Jeff Wallin and Joel Servatius. Each are now possible appointments for position 5, the spot recently vacated by Scott Dudley when he was elected mayor. The decision was made Monday during a special meeting at City Hall. The council retired to executive session, which is closed to the public, to discuss the qualifications of eight applicants and emerged about 30 minutes later to announce their decision. “The council has made an unanimous decision for a shortlist of candidates,” Councilman Danny Paggao told the crowd as the council emerged from behind closed doors. Although the council did not appoint a replacement, which is expressly prohibited, the selection of four finalists may violate the state Open Public Meetings Act. Case law maintains that “final action” must be made in open public session, said Tim Ford, assistant attorney general for government accountability.
“You can’t imply other actions under (the statute) is what the court is saying,” said Ford, referring to the Miller vs. Tacoma. Devlin, who is well known in the community, is a veteran educator with 30 years’ experience as a high school principal. He currently works as a clinical supervisor for student teachers with the Washington Governors University and is a ranking member of several community groups, including Navy League and the Rotary Club. Reynolds recently completed a 30-year career with the Navy, serving in a variety of roles that ranged from curriculum development supervisor to an executive advisor. He is now a work and family life consultant for the same service. Wallin, also well known in Oak Harbor, has served on the Oak Harbor Planning Commission since 2010 and is the vice president for a local general contracting firm he has been with for more than 20 years. Finally, Servatius is a financial advisor who has been self-employed for the past 16 years. He has been member of the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s board since 2001 and is the current president and a coach of the Whidbey Wild Cat Wrestling Club.
Justin Burnett / Whidbey News-Times
Political hopeful William (Skip) Pohtilla speaks with Oak Harbor City Councilman Jim Campbell after a special meeting Monday. Four finalists were selected for position 5 on the council. Per state law, the council is empowered to appoint a replacement to fill out the remaining two years of Dudley’s four-year term. The successful candidate will serve until 2012 before having to run for reelection to retain the seat. The process to fill the vacancy began in early January when, following a lengthy discussion about the need for an open and public process, the council agreed upon a schedule that would see the position filled by Feb. 21. Since then, a total of 10 candidates submitted applications. Aside
from the four finalists, they include Michelle Mae Dowell, Larry Eaton, Ron Apgar, William (Skip) Pohtilla, Raynette Parks and Ana Maria Schlecht. Dowell and Parks, whose provided addresses were outside city limits, were immediately disqualified as potential candidates. Although the council in January agreed upon a set schedule and to form the shortlist together as opposed to charging the task to a smaller committee, it was clear Monday that there was uncertainty about how the finalists would be
selected. Lacking any recommendations from city staff or Mayor Dudley, Paggao suggested a point system based on candidates’ written responses to seven questions included in their application packets. SEE COUNCIL, A8