JAZZY STRINGS Accomplished quartet brings a fun sound to town. Page 12
NEWS | Large property in town purchased by store owners. [3] BUSINESS | Island-raised dentist takes over practice. [5] COMMENTARY | Make MLK Day meaningful this year. [6]
PIRATE VICTORY Girls and boys begin the year with wins. Page 14
BEACHCOMBER VASHON-MAURY ISLAND
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2013
Vol. 58, No. 2
www.vashonbeachcomber.com
Library staff gear up for a big move After years of effort, KCLS is about to break ground.
Auditor’s report questions costs of Chetzemoka By NATALIE JOHNSON Staff Writer
By LESLIE BROWN
mit was finally approved. Now, library officials are gearing up for the move to their temporary digs at Vashon Plaza. They expect the move will take place at the beginning of February, closing down the
Washington’s ferries are among the most expensive in the nation, and the Chetzemoka, which serves Vashon, was especially costly to build, according to a recent state audit. The Chetzemoka was highlighted in a 70-page special audit on ferry construction released last week by the State Auditor’s Office, which recommended several moves that could bring down the cost the state pays for ferries. In the audit, the $80 million Chetzemoka — which has been criticized by some Islanders and lawmakers for its high fuel consumption and perceived mechanical problems — was highlighted as an example of a vessel the state paid a high price for. The 64-car ferry, which was built in 2010 and replaced the Rhododendron on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah run early last year, cost the state nearly twice as much as the Massachusetts ferry it was modeled after, the Island Home. What’s more, in an auditor’s study that compared what ferries should be expected to cost with their actual costs, the Chetzemoka topped the list of 39 ferries nationwide, costing more than $25 million more than expected. The report went on to explain that the Chetzemoka’s high costs were largely due to the tight timeline under which the state built the vessel. Three other ferries — the Chetzemoka’s two sister ships and one other — also cost more than expected, according to the report, while two ferries built in the late 1990s cost less than expected.
SEE LIBRARY, 19
SEE AUDIT, 17
Staff Writer
The shelves are barren and empty. A checkout counter has yet to be installed. And on a rainy morning last week, it was icy cold in the cavernous space at the southern end of Vashon Plaza. But in a matter of weeks, said Jan Riley, operations supervisor for the Vashon Library, she expects that this long-vacant storefront near the Vashon post office will be transformed into a vibrant and busy hub, with thousands of volumes lining the shelves, posters adorning the walls and readers young and old leafing through books. “We think this space will work well,” she said last week, as she walked through the empty site. At 4,800 square feet, it won’t be as spacious or easy to use as the current 6,000-squarefoot library, she said. “But we have a really competent staff. They’re quick learners.” And soon, she added, the stark storefront will be much like the current branch adjacent to Ober Park — “a com-
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Leslie Brown/Staff Photo
Jan Riley, operations supervisor at the Vashon Library, says the temporary site will be small but still workable. She and the staff plan to add “little touches to make it homier,” she said. munity center for a lot of people.” The King County Library System (KCLS) is close to breaking ground on a longawaited remodel of the bustling Vashon branch, a $6 million project that will nearly double the size of the build-
ing. Last week, according to Greg Smith, the library system’s director of facilities and development, KCLS marked two significant milestones: It selected a general contractor — Beisley Inc., based in Belfair — and got word from King County that its building per-
Yacht club plans to replace its aging dock The costly project will benefit Quartermaster, members say By NATALIE JOHNSON Staff Writer
Natalie Johnson/Staff Photo
Club Commodore Dennis Williams and Rear Commodore Buzz Blick.
The Quartermaster Yacht Club’s docks have long been a labor of love. The small, nonprofit club built its first docks in Burton by hand decades ago, added onto them as club numbers grew and in recent years have painstakingly maintained and repaired the aging, 100-slip structure. But recently, faced with a set of rapidly deteriorating docks that are increasingly difficult
and costly to patch together, the club decided to take an unprecedented move. It plans to install a new, state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly dock system as soon as this fall. The $2 million project will cause yacht club rates to increase significantly, but club leaders say installing new docks in inner Quartermaster is not only in the club’s best interest — it’s the responsible thing to do. “The club is very concerned with the environment,” said Commodore Dennis Williams. “We love the water. We’re all boaters of various types, and we’re very excited to do something good for SEE YACHT CLUB, 8