INSIDE: In the captain’s chair ... Island Life, A10
RECORD SOUTH WHIDBEY
SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2013 | Vol. 89, No. 28 | WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM | 75¢ SWR code
Port reviews Langley Marina bids, again Original low bidder re-submits lowest bid By BEN WATANABE Staff reporter Picking the company to begin expansion of the Langley Marina is days away after a formal protest in March stalled the Port of South Whidbey from acting. Pacific Pile and Marine of Seattle filed a formal bid protest against Mike Carlson Enterprises of Anacortes. Both bids were close to the port’s estimated expansion cost of $1.6 million for Phase 1. Mike Carlson Enterprises had the apparent low bid, however, and was poised to receive the contract. The bid protest halted the process and Port of South Whidbey commissioners scrapped the bids and started over March 20. Now, almost a month later, the new bids are in. Carlson Enterprises is again the apparent low bidder at $1,590,584.28. Pacific Pile’s bid was $1,684,791.30. Port of South Whidbey commissioners will vote on the bids Tuesday, April 9. “Unless problems are encountered, staff would expect to ask the commission to make notice of award at the upcoming April 9 commission meeting,” said Ed Field, Port of South Whidbey’s operations manager. Three other companies filed bids all higher than $1.7 million. Redside Construction submitted the highest bid at almost $2 million. Razz Construction and Orion Marine Group each proposed the work for $1.77 million. Washington state law requires taxfunded agencies like the port district to accept the lowest qualified bid. Delaying the start of Phase 1 was not expected to prolong the project’s Feb. 15, 2014 completion. Included in the first phase are reconditioning and reconfiguring a 400-foot breakwater, running supporting utilities and adding an 80-foot gangway to join the existing marina. The Port of South Whidbey meeting will be at the South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District office, located at 5745 Maxwelton Road, Langley.
Flowering trees fall, complaints erupt By JIM LARSEN Record editor Removal of flowering trees as part of Langley’s First Street waterline project prompted an explanation and apology from Mayor Fred McCarthy. Krieg Construction of Oak Harbor cut down trees on the west side of First Street, across from the Inn at Langley, Wednesday to continue its work of replacing the old water line. Some people were upset to see the stumps surrounded by downed limbs sprouting a plethora of spring blossoms. The flowering plum tree stumps were quickly removed by Krieg. Kitty Walker, clerk at the nearby In the County women’s clothing store, said she heard one complaint. “One customer was quite concerned about it,” she said. The fallen blossoms lying sadly on the sidewalk seemed to be the main concern. “Why couldn’t they wait until it wasn’t blooming,” Walker said, quoting her customer. Mayor McCarthy said he received email inquires about the issue. In an emailed explanation he wrote, “Many of our citizens believe trees are sacred and therefore to be treated with the utmost reverence and respect … Some people felt personally violated.” However, McCarthy noted the city owns the right-of-way to facili-
Jim Larsen / The Record
A Krieg Construction worker crosses First Street where flowering plum trees were removed Wednesday. At left is the entry to the Inn at Langley. tate the installation of utilities. In this case, he said an arborist recommended removal of two trees because they were lifting the sidewalk.
Planner slaps Emerson with fines before leaving By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter Years of waiting ended last week when Bob Pederson, in one of his final acts as Island County’s planning chief, ordered Commissioner Kelly Emerson to pay $37,000 in fines or face action. In a second supplemental enforcement order signed March 28, Pederson gave the commissioner, his former boss, and her husband, Ken
“The trees presented a liability to the city and it was appropriate to remove them at this time to complete the waterline,” he said. Susie Butters, daughter of John
and Lisa Butters who own the home at 409 First St. where the trees were cut, drove down from SEE TREES, A8
Emerson, a tight deadline of 14 days to pay the ful” action had finally been taken, maintaining as she has for some time that the next steps and fines. “If you fail to pay this fine and civil penalty, resolution were in Pederson’s hands. “We’ve been waiting Island County will initifor over two years now,” ate the process to file a Emerson said. lien against the subject In 2010 during a property,” the enforcecharged campaign batment order said. tle with her predecessor, It added that the planning department planning department officials learned the “may institute any Emersons were building appropriate action to a patio without a permit collect the civil penalat their Camano Island ty,” including prosecuJill Johnson home. tion under provisions Island County commissioner Department officers of county code. issued a stop-work order. S i m u l t a n e o u s l y, In a visit to the property, Pederson denied the officials said they found Emersons’ application for a building permit. The decision was based evidence of a wetland, which makes acquiring a on grounds that not enough information was building permit more onerous as it adds critical areas requirements. submitted to complete the application. Over the past two years, the hot-button Pederson resigned last month to pursue other interests and his last day on the job was issue was fought in court. The Emersons sued March 29. Emerson said this week that she was “thankSEE EMERSON, A9
“I don’t care what the outcome is, I just want this resolved. It’s a cloud hanging over the county and has been for two and a half years.”