Contributed photo
INSIDE
Lopez School spring sports are here. Read more about this season’s teams on page 7.
Letters to the editor
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‘Knife’s Edge’ class
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
National Monument news
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www.islandsweekly.com 360-468-4242 • 800-654-6142
Featuring Grisha Krivchenia
Performing classical and original compositions
Saturday, April 6 at 7pm Lopez Center • By donation
✓OTE YES FOR
OUR LOPEZ SCHOOL
SCHOOL RENOVATION BOND A 30-Year Fix, Upgrade, and Investment for our Kids, Families, and Community What will it cost? • Why do it now? Find 5 answers inside… www.yesforlopez.org • www.lopezislandschool.org (360) 468-2474
The
Islands’ eekly W
VOLUME 36, NUMBER 13 • March 26, 2013
Council Candidates Q&A Part 2 By Weekly Staff
This is part two of a threepart series of Q&A segments with county council candidates running in the April 23 election. The revamped three-person council, and the upcoming elections, are the result of revisions to the county charter proposed in 2012 by the Charter Revision Commission and approved by the voters in November.
The revisions returned the council to three members elected countywide from “residency districts” comprising San Juan, Orcas and Lopez and their respective nearby smaller islands. Lisa Byers and Rich Hughes are running for the Orcas Island District 2 position. Byers is the director of OPAL Community Land Trust on Orcas. In November, Hughes was elected to councilman position 4, Orcas West. He is also the owner of Ray’s Pharmacy in Eastsound.
Lisa Byers
Our Buns are Back! Stop by and say hello! Opening Wed. April 3 Wed.-Sat. 7-5 • Sun. 7-4 Closed Mon. & Tues.
468-2133
Weekly: What do you bring to the table that is different from the other candidates and why did you decide to run? LB: My career has been to serve my community through public service. I have successfully managed a complex nonprofit business that develops real estate for affordable housing. I have used a combination of private and public funds to achieve a public purpose, and I have
Easter Sunrise Service
Paid for by Yes For Lopez, 1937 Bakerview Rd., 98261
Sunday, March 31 • 7:00 AM at Spencer Spit State Park
Everyone invited • Dress warmly • Group area shelter • Free Parking • BREAKFAST at 7:45 AM at the Community Church Fellowship Hall
worked with volunteers as well as paid staff to get the job done. This is similar to the county in many ways. Much of the county council’s work relates to adopting regulations related to land use. I have obtained five landuse permits for sub-dividing properties, and overseen projects that required more than 100 building permits. I understand the frustrations of the permitting process, and I have the experience to help make it better. I have many skills that are the right match for the county council. I have been a frugal manager of budgets – maintaining an organization with less than 6 percent in administration and fundraising expenses during good times and bad. I am a creative and thoughtful decision-maker – gathering the information necessary to make investments and take calculated risks that have succeeded time and again. And I am a leader who gets the job done – I have repeatedly been elected to serve as the chairwoman or president of volunteer organizations. Weekly: How do you plan to balance the county budget? Do you support renewal of Prop. 1, the voter- approved property tax increase that expires at the end of 2015? LB: It is too soon to make a determination about the renewal of the Proposition 1 property tax increase that was approved in Nov. 2009 by 57 percent of the voters for
For Straight Talk abouT The
School bond See baCK PaGe
Paid for by Lopez School Facts Committee, 856 Shark Reef Road, Lopez, WA. 98261, nolopezbond@gmail.com
the period from Jan. 2010 – Dec. 2015. The services supported by that tax increase are important. The tax funds a portion of senior services, the fair, county parks, extension programs, public health, the sheriff and the prosecutor’s office. However, the tax increase was necessary, in part, because of a loss of revenues from other areas. As the economy recovers, it is possible that these revenue streams may also recover. In addition, the county should continue to look at ways to streamline functions and partner with other entities to keep costs down. Weekly: What is the single most critical issue facing county residents? LB: The biggest issue facing many county residents is the viability of the economy and the community. “How do I continue to live here? Will my kids be able to live here? What will happen to my business? Will I be able to get the services I need to stay here?” There are many ingredients necessary to tackle this problem. We must diversify and strengthen our local economy. The council needs to work with representatives of all local business sectors to reduce barriers to their success, and to promote opportunities, such as local co-ops and OPALCO’s efforts to bring broadband to the county. We need to support businesses by zoning adequately so that they may have space to grow. We must insure that farmers are able to work the land and that producers of all products made in the islands are able to get their goods to market-both locally and on the mainland. See Q&A, page 8
World Class Traditional String Music, Tight Vocal Bluegrass Harmonies with
Saturday, March 30 — 7:30 pm Woodmen Hall Adults $15 Youth $10 Tickets available at the usual venues and at the door