Editorial
No plan for Mother’s Day? Tell her to take a hike PAGE 7
Island Scene
Guest column
Musical for the ages; ‘Bet your bottom dollar’
Farmers, farmland produce benefits often ignored by critics of property-tax deferment programs
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Journal
The 75¢ Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Vol. 107 Issue 19
of the San Juan Islands
www.sanjuanjournal.com
Incumbents win in Co-op election Hudson 50 votes shy in race for director post By Steve Wehrly Journal reporter
Journal file photo
The Carter Avenue ballfields are intended to be the new home for many of Friday Harbor athletic teams, including the Dragons, a high school club sport sponsored by Friday Harbor Athletic Association.
Town: sidewalk to stay 2-of-3 approved, change in ballfields sidewalk rejected By Steve Wehrly Journal reporter
“Play ball!” may soon be heard at the new community sports fields on Carter Avenue in Friday Harbor. But first, the San Juan Island School District asked for changes to the original conditional-use permit approved in 2005 by the Town of Friday Harbor. The three proposed amendments included relocation of a required sidewalk on Carter Avenue, from Guard Street to the ball fields, construction of a 1,440 square-foot pump-house and maintenance building, and
relocation of the family playground area to an area nearer the restrooms and parking lot. Construction of the maintenance building and moving the playground area were tentatively approved by the town council at an April 24 public hearing, and were later formally approved by the council at its May 1 evening meeting. But the council rejected the sidewalk relocation plan. John Kurtz, chairman of Friday Harbor Fields Board and of the Friday Harbor Athletic Association, which is undertaking the ballfields construction, said that constructing the sidewalk on the west side of Carter Ave. might cost about $150,000 more than originally estimated, requiring postponement of the softball fields. Kurtz said the board “will of course comply” with town requirements.
The original plan, as proposed and approved in 2005, envisioned two soccer fields, three softball and baseball diamonds, a multi-use field suitable for football, lacrosse and soccer, a family playground area and a clubhouse for restrooms and a concession stand. To date, the clubhouse and the multi-use field have been completed. The other buildings and fields, except the postponed softball fields, are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Sidewalks, stormwater retention and other project elements must be completed before a town permit for use of the ballfields can be issued, according to Town Administrator Duncan Wilson. Wilson said that a maintenance and operation agreement See STAY, Page 4
In the middle of his welcome speech at the 78th Annual OPALCO membership meeting, Board of Directors President Chris Thomerson shocked many of the 300 or so attendees by announcing that General Manager Randy Cornelius would be retiring, then casually referring to Foster Hildreth as Cornelius’s successor. Some members of the audience didn’t know that a decision on future leadership was even in the works. County Councilman Bob Jarman, Foster Hildreth who had considered and rejected being a candidate for the board, said he was troubled by the secrecy of the succession process. “They should have at least told the membership that they were going to pick a successor without a search,” said Jarman, who also said he had submitted a question on the issue to the annual meeting that morning, but it was not brought up at the meeting. The high point of the annual meeting came with a standing ovation for Cornelius when he was introduced to give the “state of the cooperative” address to the assembly. The crowd of 210 members on board the ferry Hyak greeted Cornelius with a standing ovation, and repeated the ovation at the end. Incumbents Vince Dauciunas and Glenna Hall were re-elected to
2011 Special Award; Second Place: General Excellence from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
the OPALCO board of directors, but Steve Hudson pulled within 50 votes of Hall in the closest election with the largest turnout in recent memory. Dauciunas racked up the most votes, 1,658; Glenna Hall polled 1,112; Steve Hudson made a strong showing with 1,062 votes. Doug Glenna Hall Rowan polled 497, Brian Hoyer 386 and John Sheehan 128. Two changes to the bylaws presented by petition to the co-op were rejected. The first amendSee ELECTION, Page 4
Be Prepared Seven-hour planned power outage begins May 8, at midnight