Examiner The Whidbey
First-place winner, 2014 WNPA General Excellence
Football coach resigns after three years ... Page 6
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Thursday, November 20, 2014
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VOL. 20, NO. 15
Transit’s choice has sordid past By Jessie Stensland Co-Editor
Mired in financial problems and on the heels of a scathing state audit, Island Transit officials are looking at a new interim director with controversial baggage of his own. Board members unanimously voted Friday night to authorize the chairman to enter into contract negotiations with Kenneth J. Graska, former assistant general manager of MV Transportation. Graska was executive director of Community Transit in Snohomish County in 1993 when it was investigated by the FBI over a bribery and kickback scandal. Graska resigned after receiving “blistering criticism” in a management audit that described an “‘often autocratic and intimidating’ treatment of employees, resulting in ‘very thin’ support for him at all levels of the organization,” according
See Transit, page 12
Camp Casey iconic house gets upgrade By Ron Newberry Staff Reporter
The grounds are sacred to Steve Kobylk. His interest in the history and protection of former military reservations such as Fort Casey runs deep. As the Whidbey Island field representative of the national Coast Defense Study Group, he is always keeping a watchful eye, which isn’t difficult. “I can see it from the house,” said Kobylk, a resident of nearby Admiral’s Cove in Coupeville. These days, Kobylk is delighted to see the grandest quarters of the former fort getting an overdue touchup. Popularly known as the Colonel’s House, the former commanding officer’s quarters on the property of Seattle Pacific University’s Camp Casey Conference
See Upgrade, page 12
Megan Hansen photo
David Day was selected as the new executive director for the Port of Coupeville. He and the port are currently negotiating a contract and he will begin his new position Monday, Dec. 15.
Port selects new executive director By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
A well-known community volunteer in Central Whidbey will be taking the reins at the Port of Coupeville. David Day begins his new position as executive director Monday, Dec. 15. “I’ve always been interested in the port and the fact it owns two very iconic historic properties on Whidbey Island,” Day said. “I came here because it’s a beautiful little town and I wanted to contribute to the best of my ability. “This job is an extension of that.” The Coupeville resident moved to the island in 2000 after owning a restaurant in Skagit County. “I was pretty clear I wouldn’t own another restaurant, but I knew I wanted to be involved,” Day said. He went on to serve on the Town of Coupeville’s Planning Commission, the Ebey’s Forever Fund Board and the Friends of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, serving as board president. Since last spring, Day has volunteered his time to help the port apply for a National Heritage Preservation Grant. He has also been shadowing Director Tim
McDonald, who’s leaving the job, on various projects, including the fuel float replacement project, drafting the request for proposals for Greenbank Farm management and other various port operations. “If we had chosen any of (the candidates) we’d have gotten a great executive director,” said Port Commissioner Bill Larsen. The three members of the board said they chose Day based on his familiarity and experience with the port and community. Day will work alongside McDonald for two weeks prior to his departure. “Tim really has gotten a lot accomplished in a year,” Day said. “He brought the moorage floats and fuel floats back to viability — that’s just one aspect.” Owning and maintaining two iconic structures — the Coupeville Wharf and Greenbank Farm — with very little money and making it work is an accomplishment, he said.
Ongoing projects include negotiating a new management contract with the Greenbank Farm Management Group, negotiating with parties interested in the Greenbank Solar Project and managing ongoing maintenance and repair projects such as the port stairwell and port office foundation. Running the port affords Day the opportunity to learn and manage all types of subjects. His experience working on the planning commission and with the reserve should give him some familiarity with what goes into working with historic structures. “It’s some pretty interesting and pretty important historical references,” Day said. “I would like to think I have a reasonable understanding. “I’m looking forward to the challenge.”