News-Times
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2013 | Vol. 114, No. 30 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢
Dudley takes aim at health benefits
‘One big fish away from the line snapping’
OH mayor says city needs cheaper plan By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley wants to eliminate health insurance for himself and council members. Dudley told the Whidbey News-Times that he also wants to cut salaries for the mayor position and city council members. That would require a salary commission. Dudley argues that the positions are all part-time and that serving the community shouldn’t be about getting paid. He added out that the council claims the city is in a financial emergency. Each payday, Dudley writes a check to the City of Oak Harbor, giving back 20 percent of his salary. The mayor earns about $51,000 per year. Dudley’s proposal will likely further estrange him from council members, who’ve been critical of many of the mayor’s decisions. The proposal to cut elected officials’ pay and benefits comes amid discussions about possibly downgrading the city’s health insurance coverage. Dudley proposes moving to a cheaper plan, and that is upsetting employees. Councilman Rick Almberg, who’s on the health care plan, said that council members only make $7,200 a year. “I would be happy to give up mine when he gives up his entire salary,” he said. “We work a lot harder than he does.” Councilwoman Tara Hizon, who is also on the city’s health plan, echoed Almberg’s sentiments. She said the See Mayor, A11
Photo by Justin Burnett/Whidey News-Times
Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks addresses the Island County Commissioners last week. He and Island County Sheriff Mark Brown, right, want the board to support a fall ballot measure that would seek millions for law-and-justice funding.
Law-and-justice leaders want $2.6 mil measure on ballot
By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Law-and-justice leaders are once again lobbying the Island County commissioners. They are asking the commissioners to sign off on a proposal allowing them to ask voters this fall for more than $2.6 million in funding. “I feel like we’re one big fish away from the line snapping,” Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks told the commissioners. During a presentation to the board last week, Banks led a panel of law-and-justice officials that laid out their case with a litany of service shortfalls, from overburdened attorneys
to reigning officer safety issues and delayed response times. Banks describes law and justice in the county as “woefully underfunded.” Things are being held together by a thread, he said, and the consensus among leaders is that the system is in the process of “unraveling.” Changes in the economy forced the commissioners to cut about $6 million from the budget over the past five years. Though law and justice, which includes police, courts and the prosecuting attorney’s office, still receives the bulk of funding —
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more than 55 percent of the general fund — the cuts hit the departments hard. The jail, under the umbrella of the Island County Sheriff’s Office, is no exception. Following the presentation to the board last week, jail administrator De Dennis listed problems facing his facility during the commissioners’ annual tour of the jail Monday afternoon. Low staffing and all the headaches that brings — including overtime costs, officer burnout and problems with security requirements associated with big court cases — are
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