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THURSDAY, January 17, 2013
VOL. 18, NO. 24
Boys basketball breaks 33-game losing streak By Jim Waller Staff Reporter
It’s over. The Coupeville High School boys basketball team defeated host Mount Vernon Christian 51-41 Saturday to endw a 33-game losing steak. The string was extended to 33 when the Wolves lost to the Cascade Conference’s best
two teams earlier in the week. Tuesday, Jan. 8, they fell 54-16 at King’s and Friday they lost 71-28 at Cedarcrest. Coupeville’s last win came in 2011 when it stopped Meridian in the subdistrict. The win was the first for second-year coach Anthony Smith. See WIN, page 5
Town hires Kwarsick back for consulting services By Justin Burnett Staff Reporter
Justin Burnett photo
Janet Burchfield of Front Street Realty handles an old real estate sign, stained with time, in front of the former Mad Crab restaurant. The historic building has been purchased by Thom Kroon, who also has a part ownership of the Knead and Feed Restaurant.
Coupeville regular takes over Mad Crab ownership By Justin Burnett Staff Reporter
A building on Coupeville’s Front Street with nearly 150 years of history is about to begin a new chapter. In a deal closed late last year, Seattle businessman-turned-property-investor Thom Kroon purchased the John Robertson Building from Fairway America, LLC., a hardmoney group based out of Portland, Ore.
Kroon, who plans to act largely as a landlord and shepherd of the historic building, said this week that a future tenant has not yet been identified, but that the “bones” of the building are in great shape and that it’s full of untapped potential. “We’re just really excited,” Kroon said. “I think it’s a great opportunity and we ready to step up and do a great business, and one that’s See SOLD, page 12
Larry Kwarsick has pleaded guilty to falsifying city records in Langley and will spend two weeks in jail next month for the crime, but he still has a job in Coupeville and will be earning $50 an hour. On Tuesday, the Coupeville Town Council agreed to terminate Kwarsick’s existing contract as town planner, an action he requested last month, but then agreed to rehire him to provide interim consulting services while officials search for a permanent replacement. The council also green-lighted Mayor Nancy Conard’s strategy for finding that replacement, a plan in which she appoints herself the town’s official planner until the position is filled. It’s unclear how long the recruitment process will take or how long Kwarsick’s services will be retained; Conard said it would be at least a couple weeks but could last a few months. “I wish I could say,” said Conard, responding to questions from council members. Laying out all three proposals, the mayor made it clear that Kwarsick’s interim services will not be as a planner or as the town’s designated SEPA, state Environmental Protection Act, responsible official. Instead, the agreement is for Kwarsick to aid in the transition process mainly by doing administrative work.
He has been a oneperson department for nearly 10 years and it would be helpful, said Conard, to have him work on an hourly basis to “clean up the files” and “get the computer records in order” for his replacement. Kwarsick In December, Kwarsick plead guilty to the misdemeanor crime of altering the conditions of permit for a family members home in 2011. At the time, he was also the city’s planning chief but the conditions were set by his predecessors, one of which was Town Councilman Larry Cort. Kwarsick stepped down from the post after being elected Langley’s mayor but that position was short lived as well. Last year, an online blogger wrote a series of articles, titled “How many hats are too many,” about Kwarsick’s role in government. It led to a whistleblower complaint from Langley’s new planner and ultimately a review by Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks. In a series of events since, Kwarsick was sentenced to two weeks in jail, a term he will serve in February, and resigned as mayor. Based on state law that restricts anyone See HIRED, page 12