Wednesday, July 4, 2012 • The Islands’ Sounder
www.ISLANDSSOUNDER.com
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Island visitors from afar July 4th and beyond WedS., July 4
Paul and Peter Kamin photo
Paul Kamin and his son Peter walked the streets of Eastsound on Saturday, June 23, capturing the many out of town license plates on cars visiting Orcas Island.
County budget report reveals tough choices ahead San Juan County Administrator Bob Jean told the county council at its June 26 meeting that the county has not yet reached the point where current revenues and expenditures for current services meet. Even with the proposed Public Safety Sales Tax, cuts in non-public safety services will be needed. “Because Property Tax growth is limited to 1 percent per year and sales tax revenues have been declining since 2008 due to the recession, the county budget has lost real ground to inflation, and it is ground that cannot be made up without some additional revenue,” Jean said. Jean said that if the county simply continued services at current levels, next year’s expenses would exceed revenue by nearly $800,000. He said that financial projections show the average shortfall would average $1.2 million per year from 2013 through 2015. In response to budget shortfalls, the council has placed a Public Safety Sales Tax proposal on the August 7 primary ballot. Jean said that passage of the proposed sales tax would enable the county to avoid personnel cuts in the sheriff ’s office, essential court services and prosecutor’s office, but it would only make up about half the annual shortfall. The administrator’s budget report projects that if
the proposed sales tax is approved, the county’s work force will need to be reduced by seven positions. If the proposition fails, 14 positions will have to be eliminated – that amounts to more than 10 percent of the work force funded by the county’s general fund. “It’s going to be tough,” Jean said. “Over the past four years, the county has gone through five rounds of budget cutting and 32 fulltime positions have been already been eliminated.” He praised county employees for their willingness in recent years to take furloughs, re-open contracts, and reduce insurance benefits; and the voters for approving a property tax levy lid-lift in 2009, much of which was earmarked for specific county programs such as parks, senior services and the extension services. “The Public Safety Sales Tax won’t get us all of the way there, but it is an important next step toward long-term stability,” he said. His budget plan calls for taking enough cuts in the 2013 budget to make it possible to continue without further reductions for the next three years. “That would give the council enough time to work with the community to decide what level of service the community wants and how it wants to pay for it,” he added.
Festival on the 4th: Old Fashioned Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Village Green with food vendors, a dunk tank, tug of war, music, games for kids and hay rides. Loggers from Deming, Wash. will demonstrate their craft. Eagle Forum will lead a sing-along at 11 a.m. with patriotic speeches and fiddling. FIREWORKS: Music from the Community Band at 9:15 p.m. The Eastsound show is around 10:15 p.m. Rock and soul dance: The Odd Fellows are having a Rock and Soul fundraiser dance to help raise money for its Community Giving Fund. The dance is at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $10. There will be music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, and video performances from Woodstock, Cream, Concert for George and more.
Sat., July 7
In 2015, the 2009 levy lid-lift would need to be renewed or county revenue would drop by another $1 million per year. While Jean’s report identified areas where positions might be eliminated, he said that his report was intended to be just the start of the discussion. The council has scheduled a follow-up discussion for July 10 and will invite comment on the report and budget priorities from both the public and elected officials. Jean will also provide more information about program budgets and how county services would be different with and without the passage of the Public Safety Sales Tax. Jean summed up his report by saying, “San Juan County is not alone. Local governments nationwide have been struggling to find the ‘new normal’ – the point where revenues and service expenditures match. With the county’s budget cuts since 2008, the voter approved levy lid lift in 2010, and other budget and service cuts in non-public safety areas for 2013-2015, the Public Safety Sales Tax is an important next step toward achieving that goal.”
5K Fun Run/Walk: The FunhouseCommons will host its first annual July Fourth 5K Fun Run/Walk. There will be ribbons for age class winners. The race starts at 8 a.m. in the Village Green. Registration is from 7 to 7:30 a.m. The cost is $35 per person.
Anne Willis photo
FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 a.m. in the Village Green. HISTORICAL DAY FAIR: Join the Orcas Island Historical Museum in celebrating the 2012 Historical Day Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Eastsound Village Green. Rows of booths will feature crafts, food vendors, various nonprofit organizations and the popular “Pie Booth.” Community Parade: “Celebrate Orcas Farms” is the theme for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual community parade in Eastsound. It runs down North Beach Road and Main Street starting at 11 a.m. Orcas Fire’s PANCAKE BREAKFAST: At the Eastsound Fire Hall, 7 to 11 a.m. Adults $7, kids $5, free for those five and under. Lions’ Club Barbecue: 37th Annual Salmon BBQ, 1 to 7 p.m., Eastsound Fire Hall. Advance tickets are $15 adults and $10 for kids at San Juan Vision Source, Kay’s, Cherie Lindholm Real Estate and Windemere Real Estate. At the door: $18 and $12. Barbecue chicken also available.
UW student at med center “These weeks on Orcas Island will be the most time I’ve ever spent in a small, rural community,” said Conor Senecal, a second-year University of Washington medical student who is nearing the end of a month-long study program at Orcas Medical Center. “It’s obvious that a family practice that’s on an island has to be ready to address a wide range of medical issues,” he said. “I’m learning a lot by observing how Dr. Tony Giefer and Dr. Jim Litch go about understanding and responding to so many different patient needs.” Senecal is here as part of the Rural/Underserved Opportunities Program (R/UOP), in which Orcas Medical Center participates with the University of Washington School of Medicine. The program is a four-week immersion experience in community medi-
cine for students between their first and second years of medical school. Students live in rural or urban underserved communities throughout Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. They work sideby-side with local physicians. Senecal, now 26, grew up in Tacoma, Wash., one of five children in his family. His father is an oncologist, and his mother an oncology nurse. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at Gonzaga University, majoring in business administration. After graduation, he taught math and science to middle school kids for a year as part of a Jesuit Volunteer Corps team in New Jersey. OMC Medical Director
contributed photo
Conor Senecal, second-year UW medical student is completing a study program at Orcas Medical Center. Dr. Tony Giefer enjoys participating in the UW program. He believes that experienced family physicians have a responsibility to help educate future doctors.
Jean Henigson’s ballet, creative, modern and folk classes for toddlers through adults
376-6549
360-507-5443 or 360-376-8000 wally@windermere.com laurah@windermere.com