The
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Letters to the editor
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A day in the life
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Mason jar vessel
Anne Willlis photo
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www.islandsweekly.com 360-468-4242 • 800-654-6142
Friends of Lopez Island Pool
THANK YOU BOB PARRISH SURVEYING for getting us closer!
VOLUME 36, NUMBER 5 • JANUARY 29, 2013
Future of Broadband up to members buildings that we will own,” said said J. Foster Hildreth, OPALCO’s assistant general manager, in a recent letter to co-op members. “The monthly broadband subscription fees would cover the cost of operating the system and thus would be borne only by those who use it. For that reason, we are leaving the decision about whether or not to build the system to our members.” If about half of OPALCO members support the plan by making a “pre-subscription commitment” then the board will move forward. In order to help people reach this decision, OPALCO is
By Cali Bagby Weekly editor
The future of OPALCO’s Broadband Initiative to bring high-speed Internet to the islands is in the hands of the co-op members. OPALCO’s Board of Directors has the power to make the decision of whether or not to move forward with the initiative, but they have decided to hand over that choice to the people. “The resulting system would be owned by the membership, just as the membership owns the electrical system, thus all members would contribute to
launching a six- to nine-month member engagement effort to explain the plan, get input and measure response. Suzanne Olson, communication specialist for OPALCO, said that people should be able to “pre-subscribe” or say no thank you on the co-op’s website in about a month. “The benefits are not just broadband – that’s just the frosting,” said Olson. She said the main advantages are system reliability, public safety communication and the potential improvement of cell phone signals. See broadband, page 12
Fire, EMS Levy meeting sheds light on Prop. 1 By Anna Haefele Special to the Weekly
Last Wednesday, Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione spoke to a small group of Lopez citizens in an effort to shed light on Proposition 1, a levy initiative set to appear on the
Celeb
Our 5
rate!
th An iver Dinnn er sary
Feb.12 ballot. The initiative would fund a ten- year plan that accounts for inflation, broadens the department’s volunteer resources, and arranges for the replacement of several crucial pieces of equipment,
Lopez School Renovations Community Summary Presentation Come and hear what we have learned from the community about the Lopez School capital bond options under consideration by the school. Come share your thoughts!
Wednesday, February 6 6:30 pm
Lopez Center Your participation is very much appreciated as the school considers critical renovations to the school to best support our children, families and Lopez community.
Lopez Island School District
For more information call the District Office: 468-2201 ext. 2300
all while keeping the department’s services free of charge for all residents. “This plan is designed to fund the department from 2013 through 2022,” said Ghiglione. To finance this, the Lopez Island Fire and EMS Department is asking for a property tax increase of 16 cents per thousand dollars of a home’s assessed value. Should the initiative pass, the
department won’t be seeking additional funding from voters within the next decade. “We feel the additional 16 cents will fund what we need to do for the next ten years,” said Ghiglione. On the department’s list of items that are critical to replace is an ambulance. The department also wants to develop a fitness program and college-level programs to benefit their volunteers. “We’re looking into continuing education for our volunteers, and we’re looking at Running Start for our high school student volunteers,” said Ghiglione. The department is also planning to hire a third paramedic. While tax revenue from the levy would fund a wide variety of improvements, it would also fund maintenance projects. Ghiglione was quick to See levy, page 12
Lobo Basketball Home Games
THE
BAY
1/31 Girls 4:45 Boys 6:15
LOPEZ ISLAND
Thank you for the amazing support in our first year!
Re-opening Friday, February 1st Dinner • Wednesday through Sunday 5pm – 9pm Lunch • (oh yes!) Sat. & Sun. 12pm – 4:30pm Reservations: 360-468-3700 or reservation@bay-cafe.com
Did you know? Lopez EMTs responded to 346 calls in 2012 295 were for island residents 131 required Advanced Life Support (Paramedic-Level) Skills