News-Times Whidbey
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2014 | Vol. 124, No. 74 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Oops! Parks board rescinds appointment Commissioners jump the gun in seating former office manager
By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Commissioners with the North Whidbey Park and Recreation plan to rescind the recent appointment of one of two commissioners to the elected board. It’s not because of their choice of candidates, though one of the commissioners admits he’s concerned by the other com-
missioners’ selection of the former office manager, who was fired, filed a lawsuit against the district and was accused of questionable bookkeeping by the state Auditor’s Office. Rather, the problems arose in the process followed in making the appointment, according to Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider. The board has had veritable musical chairs of commissioners over the last few years. Only one of the current commis-
sioners was actually elected; the others were appointed. This summer, Commissioner Kirk Huffer resigned because he was moving out of state. He was appointed to the board the prior year after another commissioner resigned. The district advertised the open position and received four “viable” applicants, said commission Chairman Allan SEE PARKS BOARD, A10
Island Transit study to look at charging fares By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times
Island Transit Director Martha Rose discusses financial problems at the agency during a special meeting of the transit board of directors Friday morning.
Island Transit will hire an outside consultant to conduct a study on whether it makes sense to charge fares on the island’s buses. When that study will happen and how it will be funded are unanswered questions, but members of IT’s board of directors made it clear during a special meeting Friday that the study will happen. “I think the community deserves to have this study,” said Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, a member of the transit board. Price Johnson requested the special meeting in order to discuss the ongoing financial problems that forced the agency to take out loans, cut routes and lay off employees. She is going to be absent from the regular meeting next Friday. Board members and Rose briefly discussed the state audit. SEE BUS FARES, A10
Patriots honored during Sept. 11 ceremony at NAS Whidbey By JANIS REID Staff reporter
NORTIER
Service members, firefighters and first responders bowed their heads in silence at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Thursday as a show of respect
for the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. “We are warriors, whether we are civilians or military,” said Ron Hancock, chaplain for the Oak Harbor Fire Department. During his prayer, Hancock said that
he has toured the site where the Twin Towers fell and his impression was that those who died would say “to live our lives in a worthy way” that would make them proud. Navy Region Northwest Fire and
Emergency Services Chief Sean Merrill thanked the Oak Harbor community for being inclusive of the military personnel. “This is a premier military community,” Merrill said. “There’s no line drawn; SEE PATRIOTS, A10
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