The
INSIDE Crime briefs
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Dump changes
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‘Intensive’ classes
Anne Willis photo
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Islands’ eekly W
VOLUME 38, NUMBER 10 • MARCH 10, 2015
What’s rough-skinned, small & trekking across our roads? By Shona Aitken
Contributed photo / George Willis
Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
We counted eight of the little animals – dead and squished flat by cars – on just one short stretch of road. We also found two others, slowly making their way across the road, so we carefully scooped them up and moved them into the long grass at the side of the road. Most people driving along would never have noticed these tiny creatures, only three to four inches long. The little creatures were rough-skinned newts. At this time of year the females are moving from the woodland, where they spend the winter, to their breeding ponds and wetlands. Sadly their route often takes them across roads where many are killed by cars. These little newts are quite abundant on the islands, but most people have never seen one because they are so small (a really big one is about six inches long), and they spend most of their time hidden in vegetation on the forest floor or in ponds and wetlands. They look a bit like lizards, with long bodies and long tapering tails, but they are actu-
Rough-skinned newt. ally amphibians, with moist skin. Their top side is covered in small bumps (hence the name “rough-skinned”) and can be a range of shades of brown, but their belly is bright orange or sometimes yellow. Several years ago we were driving on Orcas and came across a newt slowly crossing the road. Of course I had to rescue it so it wouldn’t get run over. When I approached, it curled its front end up in an exaggerated push-up, flashing its bright orange underside at me. That is newt-speak for, “Try to eat me and you will die!” This is no empty threat, as the newt’s skin produces a potent neurotoxin that will kill most predators if they eat one. The exception is the common garter snake that seems to be immune to the toxin and regularly has newt for breakfast. I had no intention of eating the newt and knew I wouldn’t die from briefly touching it, so I ignored its warning, gently scooped it up and moved it off the road. And then I washed my hands.
For the next few weeks, and again in fall when they return to the woodland for the winter, rough-skinned newts will be on the move and will be vulnerable when they have to cross roads, so look out for these little creatures when you are driving, and let
friends and neighbors know too. If you know of an area where newts are breeding or crossing roads, we’d love to know. Give us a call 378-5000 or send an email to wolfhollow@wolfhollowwildlife.org.
Building official on administrative leave By Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
Tannur Ali – Poet, Performer and Founder of iLOGIC Antonio Gutierrez – Chicago Housing Activist
LCLT ANNUAL MEETING with THE BOLD ONES
Monday, March 23
Grace Parish Hall 7 p.m. Featuring a Dessert Auction All welcome!
The only Symphony Orchestra in the San Juans!
ISLAND SINFONIA Founded in 1984 • Musicians from San Juan, Lopez, Orcas and Shaw
Presents a concert of beautiful and beloved orchestral works Sunday, March 22, 3pm at Grace Church Free Admission And Plenty oF PArking For more inFo CAll: 468-4422 donAtions WelCome • tAx-deduCtible
San Juan County’s chief building official remains on paid administrative leave and his employment with the county in doubt. And, the merits of his report of improper government action, a so-called “whistleblower” claim, would appear to be up in the air as well. An eight-year county employee, John Geniuch was escorted out of his office at the Community Development and Planning Department on Feb. 11 by two senior-level managers and placed on administrative leave pending the out-
come of an internal investigation involving a trio of concerns over employee conduct. He left the building without incident, according to Friday Harbor attorney Nick Power, who represents Geniuch in the labor-management dispute, and who described his client’s exit from the building as civil, a matter-of-fact affair and “no big deal.” “He packed up his stuff and left,” said Power, who joined his client at CDPD prior to his departure. “That’s about all there was to it.” Hired as a plans examiner, Geniuch was promoted
to deputy building official in late 2010 and appointed chief building official in early 2014. He contends that revenue generated by building permit fees has been improperly funneled to other CDPD-managed programs and that the ongoing practice is out of compliance with state law. Geniuch said he repeatedly notified CDPD management and others of his concerns in the latter half of the previous year and was repeatedly told that his interpretation of RCW 82.02.020 is incorrect. On Feb. 4, he filed a whistleblower claim with the county human resources department and the prosecuting attorney. On Feb. 17, Power and Geniuch met with the county manager, human resources manager and CDPD Director Sam Gibboney to discuss the concerns leveled by management about his job performance and that reportedly led to his dismissal. Power said that such a meeting, known as a
Loudermill hearing, is standard protocol for government employees facing potential termination and functions as a “due process” hearing in which an employee can contest, rebut and clarify facts surrounding allegations in question. Power declined to describe the allegations, but said that two appear to border on “fabrication” and the third, while even if true, would amount to a “very minor” transgression. Power is unsure how long the county intends to keep his client on administrative leave and said they have yet to receive notice about the status of his employment. Calls by the Sounder seeking comment from the county manager have not been returned. As chief building official, Geniuch manages the regimen of county building inspections and oversees building plans and permit reviews. Duties of the position include handling disputes over local building code and SEE LEAVE, PAGE 4