Whidbey News-Times, June 22, 2013

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News-Times Whidbey

ISLAND LIVING Iconic Oak Harbor building turns 100 years old

SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2013 | Vol. 114, No. 50 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢

Overflow crowd says, ‘close OLF’ Results of public meeting will be shared with Navy

and suggest mitigation strategies. However, the majority of the crowd made clear their feelings about alternative solutions.

By JUSTIN BURNETT

“THIS COMMUNITY, Whidbey Island, has outgrown OLF field, close it,” said Frank Scharwat, earning a round of thunderous applause and cheering. A handful of airstrip supporters were peppered throughout the crowd but they by far numbered in the minority. In fact, of the 150 inside the room, a vote showed that 138 want to see Outlying Field closed. Only 12 said the air field should remain open. One who wants OLF to remain open is Larrie Ford, who retired from the Navy after 20 years and made his home in Coupeville. Wearing sweatpants with

Staff reporter

With the crowd numbering more than 200, a rallying cry to close the U.S. Navy’s Outlying Field south of Coupeville spilled into the parking lot Wednesday. Held at the Recreation Hall on Alexander Street, the building’s 150-person fire capacity was quickly reached and entrances blocked. The 60 or so people unable to get inside the Recreation Hall huddled near the tapedoff doorways or peeked in through open windows. The meeting was called by Coupeville Mayor Nancy Conard and Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson to identify impacts

See OLF MEETING, A12

Board OK with alcohol at park events By NATHAN WHALEN Staff reporter

Councilman Bob Severns was the target of Dudley’s assertions. Severns is the only member of the council married to a city employee. It turns out the last-minute charge may have been a faux pas. Dudley delivered the accusation and was set to

A proposal to allow alcohol to be served during special events at three Oak Harbor parks took a step forward this week. The Oak Harbor Park Board recommended Wednesday that the Oak Harbor City Council sign off on a proposal to allow the sale of alcohol at approved special events at Windjammer Park, Fort Nugent Park and Catalina Park, which is located near the Oak Harbor Marina. The Park Board voted fourto-one in favor of the proposal. Helen Chatfield-Weeks, Dee Harbour, Mike Wright and Daisy Sapida voted in favor of the proposal. K.C. Pohtilla voted against it. The city council will vote during an upcoming meeting whether to allow the sale of alcohol at specified park events. Chatfield-Weeks noted that the alcohol sales would be carefully monitored by law enforcement and drinking areas would be cordoned off to prevent sales of alcohol to minors. The proposal would last for 12 months and then it will be reviewed by city officials. JoAnn Hellmann, who heads the Impaired Driving Impact Panel of Island County, said she was disappointed by the park board’s

See REBUKE, A12

See PARKS, A12

Photo by Justin Burnett/Whidbey News-Times

Meeting attendees who couldn’t get into the Coupeville Recreation Hall Wednesday for the meeting on OLF Coupeville strain to hear what’s being said inside the building.

Mayor rebukes councilman for casting vote

Severns maintains vote not a conflict of interest By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter

Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley took a council member to task at the close of Tuesday’s meeting,

but the scolding may have been unwarranted. Dudley accused a council member, whom he did not identify by name, of misconduct for failing to recuse himself from an earlier vote concerning city employees and their pay. The mayor then encouraged the council to be more cautious about conflicts of interest in the future and examine their roles and duties before casting votes.

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