News-Times Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012 | Vol. 113, No. 23 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢
SPORTS: WILCATS TOPPLE STANWOOD. A9
Cemetery district dispute erupts
Big stores on Whidbey make a run for liquor
By JESSIE STENSLAND
Booze will soon start flowing out of some of Whidbey Island’s largest stores. Thanks to Initiative 1183, which voters approved in November, the state has to get out of the liquor business by June. At that time, stores greater than 10,000 square feet can start selling hard alcohol in addition to the beer and wine they currently offer. At least nine Whidbey Island businesses have applied for licenses that will allow for the sale of spirits. They include Albertson’s, Safeway, Saar’s Market Place, Walmart and Walgreens in Oak Harbor; Prairie Center Red Apple in Coupeville; and the Goose, the Star Store, Payless Foods and Bailey’s Corner Store on South Whidbey Island, according to information from the Washington State Liquor Control Board. Greg Saar, owner of Saar’s Market Place on Highway 20 in Oak Harbor, said the initiative transformed the state from one of the most restric-
By NATHAN WHALEN Staff reporter
Staff reporter
Two commissioners for the Island County Cemetery District 1 held a special meeting Monday night to deal with the resignation of the third commissioner and instead faced an uprising over their decision to suspend three employees without pay. The commissioners aren’t saying exactly why cemetery supervisor Michael Dougliss, secretary and treasurer Joan Dougliss and groundskeeper David Watson were suspended, but it came the day after an alleged physical altercation between Michael Dougliss and the commissioner who resigned. More than 20 concerned citizens crowded into the little office at Maple Leaf Cemetery, just north of Oak Harbor, for the meeting called by the commissioners. Many of the people expressed anger and frustration about the suspension of the employees — who are members of the same family — and the lack of information about the reason behind the suspensions. Gary Wallin, owner of funeral home next to the cemetery, spoke in support of Dougliss and questioned why the commissioners weren’t allowing public comment at the meeting, which they eventually did. He accused them of “impugning the integrity” of the
David Watson, Joan Dougliss and Michael Dougliss stand in Oak Harbor’s Maple Leaf Cemetery at the gravestone of Michael’s great-grandfather. They were recently suspended from their jobs at the cemetery, but claim they don’t know why. employees. Cemetery Commissioner Ann Abrahams stood up to the angry crowd. She and her husband, who was also attended, reminded everyone that the commissioners are essentially unpaid volunteers just trying to look after a public cemetery. She claimed that the employees haven’t been truthful. “They are suspended without pay because they brought a situation on themselves that has to be investigated,” she said.
“We have an incident here where boundaries were crossed. Serious boundaries were crossed,” she said later, adding that the commissioners are going to review how the cemetery is being run. Abrahams and Commissioner Bob Little said there’s going to be an investigation, but wouldn’t say who’s going to do the investigation or what will be investigated. They explained that they See dispute, A4
tive places to sell alcohol into one of the most flexible. He is planning to have 40 feet of shelf space devoted to liquor and doesn’t have to provide any additional training for his staff. He was proud to say that his staff never once sold to underage buyers whenever the Liquor Control Board conducted stings. Ken Hofkamp, owner of Prairie Center Red Apple in Coupeville, acknowledged he has applied for a liquor license, but he isn’t sure yet if he will expand into alcohol sales. With so many businesses on Whidbey Island planning to expand into liquor sales, Saar noted that it won’t be a big boost to business. There will be more businesses meeting a demand that was originally filled by one liquor store in Oak Harbor. Meanwhile, small liquor operators are scrambling to figure out the new regulations and whether the change will be a benefit to their operation. “It’s going to be a hassle,” See Liquor, A4
Island County plans more asphalt on roads this summer By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Island County is expected to spend more than $3.9 million taking care of roads this summer. According to Bill Oakes, director of Island County Public Works, this year’s paving and oiling program will see the maintenance of more than 46 miles, or about 8 percent, of the county’s total 582 miles of roadway. Last year’s program saw
less than 30 miles of roadwork, costing about $3 million. Oakes said additional money was taken out of the six-year capital projects fund this year to pay for the extra miles. While more is being spent, Oakes said regular maintenance on roads when it’s required is actually cheaper in the long run. Delaying the work can be more expensive because roads deteriorate to the point that they need to
be replaced, which is much more expensive. “It’s cheaper to keep good roads good than letting good roads go bad,” Oakes said during a recent work session with the Island County commissioners. There was some discussion by the board concerning cost. Commissioner Angie Homola supported the proposed work, but worried about the future impact of taking money from the capi-
tal projects fund. “There are lots of other things that need to be fixed,” Homola said. Commissioner Kelly Emerson offered an alternative of spending a little less, saying that some of the work could be delayed until the Keystone oil pipeline is built and oil prices drop, which may result in cheaper asphalt and increase county gas-tax revenue. Her proposal saw little trac-
tion among her colleagues. Commissioner Helen Price Johnson and Homola both said they thought that was too big a gamble to take, that delay might mean the transition from a road that can be maintained to one that must be replaced. Homola said the compromise would be to have fewer people driving on roads. Regular use and weather are what cause them to require repair and both are hard
things to manage. “So we’d have to change the weather or we’d have to limit the people on the road for the roads to somehow not mature,” Homola said. See Roads, A4