Whidbey News-Times, May 29, 2013

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News-Times Whidbey

LIVING: After her own cancer journey, resident gives back A10

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013 | Vol. 114, No. 43 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢

LEST WE FORGET

Utility tax goes under scrutiny By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter

Island County’s controversial clean water utility will be under a microscope of scrutiny next week. At the request of the county’s newest commissioner, two department heads are charged with giving the board a detailed presentation about the program, its funding and projects, at the commissioners’ work session next Wednesday, June 5. In short, the department leaders were asked to justify the unpopular utility before a skeptical majority of commissioners. “The idea is to tell them what the program is doing,” said Bill Oakes, director of Jessie Stensland / Whidbey News-Times

A bugler stood in the rain, barely moving an inch, until he played Taps at the end of the Memorial Day ceremony in Oak Harbor.

Honoring those who served By JESSIE STENSLAND

A solemn crowd gathered at a soggy Maple Leaf Cemetery on Memorial Day to honor those who died serving their nation. Some braved the rain while others huddled under a tent or umbrellas to observe the ceremony and listen to the speakers. In a poignant display, the graves of servicemen and women surrounding the ceremony on all sides were each marked with a small American flag. The speakers focused on all the nation owes to the brave men and women who fought in wars since the American Revolution. Dave Hollett filled in for the commander of the Veterans of Foreign

VWF riders, from left, Bob McCulley, Richard Church and Tom Catoire salute during the Memorial Day ceremony.

Island County Public Works. “The gist of this is, ‘Do you want us to continue?’” Adopted in late 2010, the utility was created to address water quantity and quality concerns by generating revenue — about $600,000 a year — for surface and ground water programs. While the utility uses a fee system, collecting about $40 See tax, A5

Neither the mayor nor his chief critic on the City Council pulled any punches during last week’s meeting. The issue was money. Mayor Scott Dudley asked the council to cut salaries and medical insurance for all elected officials, which include himself and the council members. The council members weren’t very keen on the ideas. They all agreed that it wasn’t a good time to take up the issues, especially since they are in the process of considering cost-cutting

changes to the city’s skyrocketing health insurance costs. Councilman Beth Munns was absent. Councilwoman Tara Hizon objected to the mayor’s insistence that council member are part-time employees. She said they work closer to full-time and should be considered “salaried” employees. Councilman Rick Almberg, however, was more pointed in his comments. He said Dudley’s proposal was a political move during the campaign season. He said the amount the See salaries, A4

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See memorial, A4

Staff reporter

Jessie Stensland / Whidbey News-Times

Jill Johnson, Island County commissioner

Council tables cuts to salaries, benefits By JESSIE STENSLAND

Staff reporter

“It’s not my favorite fund but I’m more and more convinced it’s necessary.”


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