South Whidbey Record, July 20, 2013

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RECORD SOUTH WHIDBEY

INSIDE: TICTOC class builds skills through theater ...A10

SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013 | Vol. 89, No. 58 | WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM | 75Ā¢

Holmes Harbor Golf Course slated for Aug.1 opening By CELESTE ERICKSON Staff reporter Golfers will be able to tee off at Holmes Harbor Golf Course for the first time in years this weekend as new operator Craig Moore prepares to open. The golf course will be in full operation by Aug. 1 after a contract was signed for the Langley resident to be the new operator. Moore signed an interim contract with the Holmes Harbor Water and Sewer District to

temporarily maintain and operate the 18-hole golf course for $1 a year Thursday. The contract includes provisions for 30-day extension periods through the end of the year, said Stan Walker, president of the sewer board. ā€œWe’re entering into this understanding that there’s details to work out in the contract and a lot of work to get done. I’m optimistic that the details will get ironed out,ā€ he said. Moore, owner of First Carriage House Realty in Freeland, said he was tired of seeing person after person failing at operating the

course. The course has a long history of misses. Most recently when Patrick Kent of Seattle backed out of his operating deal in May. ā€œI’m not looking at this to make money, I’m trying not to lose money,ā€ he said. ā€œIf the parks district wanted to take over operations, I would consider it. If they never come into it, I am prepared to run the course as long as necessary.ā€ The South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District board decided to hold off adding

a levy for the November ballot for maintenance and operation of the Holmes Harbor Golf Course during their monthly meeting Wednesday. The district would potentially seek a $0.09 levy on property taxes to generate the estimated $360,000 to operate the golf course. For the area to be operated as a general park, the district would need a $0.04 levy generating $160,000. For a home with an SEE GOLF, A6

Commissioners approve law and justice levy for Nov. election By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter

Supported Agriculture and sell their crops at the Bayview Restaurant and the Star Store. Talbot and Jesperson started their path to becoming farmers about three years ago. Back then, they lived in Portland. Talbot worked in watershed restoration and Jesperson was a social worker. While in Portland, they cultivated an interest in gardening and learned they wanted to change their careers to agriculture. The duo wanted to get some training and learned about Greenbank Farm’s training center through the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, which had a listing of the Central Whidbey-based program.

The fate of a much discussed law and justice levy is now in the hands of Island County voters. The Board of Commissioners greenlighted a resolution Monday to put a modified version of the property tax measure on the November general elec- Helen Price Johnson tion ballot. It was passed in a unanimous 2-0 vote by District 1 Democrat Commissioners Helen Price Johnson and District 2 Republican Jill Johnson. ā€œI think the Island County voters deserve a chance to vote on this levy,ā€ Price Johnson said. Jill Johnson Commissioner Kelly Emerson was not present at the meeting. As proposed, the measure carries a fouryear sunset and mandates that every penny be spent on law and justice needs. If passed, the levy would also prohibit the commissioners from reducing existing funding from 2013 levels. The $1.9 million levy would hike property taxes by 17 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation — about $42.50 for a $250,000 home. It would raise the total rate to an estimated 81

SEE FARM, A6

SEE LEVY, A6

Nathan Whalen / The Record

Nathaniel Talbot and Annie Jesperson show the strawberries they are growing at Deep Harvest Farm, which they started after finishing their studies at the Greenbank Farm farmer training center.

South Whidbey farmers utilize program to start Deep Harvest By NATHAN WHALEN Staff reporter Nathaniel Talbot and Annie Jesperson started from square one.

The pair of farmers spent the past couple of years gaining the skills and finding the land to get their farm, Deep Harvest Farm, off the ground. After studying for several years at the farmer trainer center operating at the Greenbank Farm, they leased property on South Whidbey Island. They grow crops on 3 acres of land with hopes of someday finding a bigger farm. ā€œIt was a timely match,ā€ Talbot said of finding the property to farm. ā€œThey were hoping someone would maintain the fields.ā€ Talbot and Jesperson grow strawberries, salad greens, vegetables, seed crops and more from a plot of land located near Bayview. They started a winter Community


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