Vol. 125, No. 31
News-Times Whidbey
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015
WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75 CENTS
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A11
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Council appears ‘all in’ to run again
Union asking OH mayor to get rid of police captain
By JESSIE STENSLAND
The executive board for the Oak Harbor Police Department Association presented the mayor with a letter Tuesday asking him to remove Capt. Teri Gardner from her post. “The Association is lacking faith within the leadership and confidence of Captain Gardner to make fair, impartial and honest decisions, real or perceived, concerning the line officers and the department,” the letter states. Mayor Scott Dudley said he and the city administrator met with the union’s executive board Tuesday and listened to their concerns. But, he said, his confidence in Gardner has not been shaken. He said he still fully supports her and Chief Ed Green and doesn’t plan to make any changes. The members of the union passed a no-confidence vote against Capt. Teri Gardner earlier this month. Minutes from the meeting show that 16 members voted in favor of the no-confidence vote against of Gardner, 10 voted against it and two abstained. A no-confidence vote was also taken in regard to Chief Ed Green. It failed to pass with 14 people voting against it, 11 voting for it and three abstentions.
By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Staff reporter
It looks like all of the Oak Harbor City Council members whose terms expire this year will seek reelection. At the same time, Councilman Bob Severns is going full-speed ahead in his campaign to unseat Mayor Scott Dudley. Councilwoman Beth Munns announced this week that she will seek reelection. She said her campaign will focus on safety and future investment, noting that the sewage treatment plant is a major investment that “will benefit our city for decades to come.” In her announcement, she noted that she is a 30-year resident of Oak Harbor with a long history of supporting the Navy and those in need. She serves on the boards of Island Thrift and the Help House, is a key organizer of the annual Military Appreciation Picnic and past president of United Way of Island County and the Navy League. As a councilwoman, Munns said she works to build consensus into action and believes that the city isn’t a place for personal agendas. “We must firmly decide the best direction and move forward,” she said. “Inaction is costly. I want to improve our community.” Councilwoman Tara Hizon hasn’t formally announcement, but she said she does plan to seek reelection barring any unforeseen circumstances. It’s a job she said she finds very rewarding. “It’s so gratifying to be able to SEE CITY, A15
SEE LETTER, A15
County leaders pressing for share of pot revenues By JANIS REID Photo by Debra Vaughn/Whidbey News-Times
Aidan Wright, 12, helps a team of Oak Harbor kids paint over graffiti on Erie Street Thursday, ahead of the Whidbey Marathon.
Volunteer crew paints over graffiti after suspect’s arrest By JANIS REID and DEBRA VAUGHN Staff reporters
Two Oak Harbor city councilmen organized a graffiti clean up Thursday after the arrest of a suspect at the same Erie Street location.
Councilmen Rick Almberg and Joel Servatius decided they wanted to do something about the graffiti because of the thousands of people expected to visit Oak Harbor for the Whidbey Marathon SEE ARREST, A24
Staff reporter
Island County leaders are banding together to pressure state leaders for a fair share of marijuana sale tax revenue. The move is part of a larger protest from law enforcement and county leaders from around the state tired of the state and federal government rolling out new requirements that counties must fund, implement and enforce. “Counties are agents of the state,” said
“Bringing independence to living and quality to life” Limited Availability
Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, who was on the capitol steps in Olympia Thursday advocating for increased funding for counties. “These things continue to thwart the county’s abilities.” Washington became the second state to implement legalized recreational marijuana last year through I-502, but not all leaders agree on where the newly generated sales tax money should go. SEE POT TAXES, A24
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