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Thursday, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
Steady as it goes, mayor tells town
VOL. 20, NO. 7
Scared stiff
By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
Sales tax revenue in the Town of Coupeville continues to stay steady, reflecting a pretty healthy local economy, Mayor Nancy Conard said. During her annual State of the Town Address, Conard said she watches tax revenue closely. In some areas the town is holding steady — others are steadily low. “I’m a numbers person,” she said. “I track this as an indicator of how the economy is doing.” While the town has historically collected more than $300,000 in sales tax since 2003, the town budget remains steady as Conard said she is conservative in her estimates. Several factors can cause an influx in collected taxes, and the town sees an increase in revenue when a major capital project is happening, she said. In 2011, the town collected more than $370,000 because of a school construction
See Address, page 16
Transit head resigns, Clay interim CEO By Jessie Stensland Co-Editor
The embattled executive director of Island Transit quit Friday after a tense meeting with the board of directors and an hour-long executive session. It was unclear whether the board asked Martha Rose to turn in her keys during the closed-door session, or even whether she retired or resigned. The board members voted unanimously — with Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson participating via speakerphone — to accept Rose’s letter of resignation. Afterward, Rose said she was retiring, not resigning. Rose previously said she had no plans to leave but changed her tune after the Oak Harbor City Council appointed Mayor Scott Dudley to the transit board on a temporary basis. He is filling in for Council-
See Transit, page 16
Megan Hansen photo
Lyla Snover works on directional scarecrow signs that will be used throughout town next month for the Haunting of Coupeville. A group of volunteers has been hard at work getting the signs ready. The month-long program will feature activities all over Central Whidbey and involve many different groups and organizations. An article with complete pre-coverage of the Haunting will appear in next week’s Examiner. Stay tuned.
Donor boosts food bank fundraiser Drama troupe team could raise $15,000 By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
Fundraising for one Harvest Fest Relay Race team is getting a dramatic boost. An anonymous donor offered to match donations up to $10,000 total for the Coupeville High School Drama Troupe. Teams are forming now for the Oct. 11 event and proceeds go specifically to Gifts from the Heart food bank. As the troupe’s sponsor for the last six years, the Coupeville Historic Waterfront As-
sociation is helping raise the money. “I sent out an email to anyone I could think of,” said Vickie Chambers, executive director for the association. “I wanted to let people know about this opportunity. “We live in a community with such generous people. It just takes that one person to do something so incredible.” Drama troupe advisor Peg Tennant said the donor is someone she knows personally but declined to comment further on how the pledge came about. In years past, Tennant said the troupe had
been fairly lax in fundraising but wanted to step it up this year. “I’m fairly confident we’ll come up with the $5,000,” Tennant said. And while $5,000 is the main goal, both Tennant and Chambers said they hope to exceed that goal. Gifts from the Heart has two major programs. The organization, which operates regular food distribution program, serves 110 families and last year it started a program
See Relays, page 16