Not long ago the Sounder had a cartoon caption entitled, “In The Argument Over Airport Access Rights.”  It was a two panel drawing of “The Losers,” and “The Winners.” The “Losers” were the Port of Orcas and property owners adjacent to the airport. The “Winners” were the “Lawyers.”

A new group now needs to be added to the “Losers.” That will be the “Taxpayers.” It is regrettable that the cartoon was so prescient.

In order for the owners of the property adjacent to the airport to protect their deeded access to the runway it appears the Port of Orcas and the FAA are backing the landowners into a corner which will inevitably lead to expensive lawsuits defending the Ferris Deed. This will not only be costly to the landowners; it will ultimately result in taxpayers paying to defend the Port’s and FAA’s position.

In all likelihood, the landowners will prevail. The 1959 Ferris Deed is a legal document clearly stating that the property owners shall have the right of access and the use of the airstrip for aviational purposes only.

In the last election I had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people who willfully subject themselves to public scrutiny simply to provide for the educational needs of our children.  First, as a critic of the School District’s bond proposal and then after due consideration, a supporter, I came to appreciate the hard work and dedication that our volunteer School Board members have put into this process.

The Orcas voters have now made a clear statement that they cannot/will not support the current School District development plan.  Those of us who supported the initiative may not like the outcome of the vote, but I do believe that we understand the resistance to the project as it was proposed.  We know that in order to make many of the badly needed repairs and improvements to our campus we will need to reach farther out to the community to develop a new plan that balances the economic, educational and functional needs of our schools.

The Orcas Island Recreation Program would like to thank the United Way of San Juan County for helping support our summer programs with a generous grant. Because of their support Orcas Rec was able to plan, organize, and implement a variety of great programs this summer.

Some of the programs included a Nature Day Camp at Moran, the Young Writers, Artists, and Scientists Weekend at Canoe Island, the Ceramic and Pottery Workshop, Mosaics Fun Class and more! Orcas Rec would also like to thank all of the helpers, volunteers, and skilled instructors who helped with these programs. Thank you for being such great role models for our kids and for sharing your passion with them, we appreciate your time and talents.

Orcas Rec would not have been able to offer these fabulous programs without support from the United Way. Thank you for caring about our Island kids!

Linda Sheridan
Orcas Rec Coordinator

Haven’t sent in your ballot yet?  Good!  Vote for Tom Pasma for State Representative!  We haven’t heard much about this race here, possibly because none of the candidates comes from San Juan County, but Tom Pasma has strong ties to our islands.

For many years Tom has volunteered his services as 4H auctioneer.  He’ll be at the San Juan County Fair next Saturday working hard – for free – to help 4H kids gets top dollar for their lambs, pigs, steers, rabbits, poultry and eggs.  The auction supports the kids and the 4H program.  Tom is an expert at using his charisma and energy to get the crowd involved in the kids’ stories, and in supporting their work in local agriculture.  If he can get people to bid over $600 for a dozen duck eggs, imagine what he could do for us in Olympia!

Tom believes deeply in helping kids work with animals, understand where their food comes from, and learn about farming and ranching as a way of life.  Over the six years I have seen him in action, I have been continually impressed with his commitment, his intelligence and his professionalism.  Tom really cares about sustainable agriculture and about the kids in his district.

Larsen votes to pay for wars

Ballots have arrived in the mail.  Please, before you vote for U.S. Representative, be aware that the incumbent, Rick Larsen, has voted “yea” for $1 trillion for wars.  Taxpayers of San Juan County are responsible for $53.7 million for military occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.  What do Larsen’s “yea” votes really mean for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, for our own soldiers and their families?

Each time I try to write about all that war entails – the troop deployments and air strikes, military contractors, money spent for military base building, armaments, and fuel, the training and arming of foreign soldiers and police, destroyed civilian infrastructure, night raids and check points, detentions and interrogations, people fearing for their lives, traumatized, burying dead family members, sickness and poverty – words fail to capture the fullness of the fear, devastation and suffering of war. Representative Larsen, our incumbent, has consistently voted “yea” for us to pay for all of this.  Can you imagine other ways, more effective ways, to spend our money to increase human security?

By Amanda Azous, Land Bank Commission Chair
and Lincoln Bormann, Land Bank Director

The Land Bank’s Proposed Historic Preservation and Conservation Easement on the Erickson Property in Friday Harbor

Given the continued discussion over this project, we wanted to update the community on the process and clarify some of the details.  As we wrote last fall, after much public discussion the Land Bank Commission voted to approve purchase of an historic preservation and conservation easement over the Erickson property in the summer of 2008.  The goal was to protect (and see restored) the last remaining industrial building in Friday Harbor, and provide public access to green space in the downtown core.  The Friday Harbor Brick and Tile Building was constructed in 1921, and the building materials produced there are evident in a number of other structures around town.  The site currently is mostly hard surfaced and surrounded by chain link fence and barbed wire.  Creating a public green space, so close to downtown shops, the marina and the ferries would dramatically change the feel of the town and encourage more pedestrian traffic to downtown businesses.

Chinook School in southwestern Washington

Reprinted from March 9, 2010 by request

As I drove past Chinook Elementary School in southwestern Washington State last weekend, I suddenly remembered the wet night that my gentle Dad burst angrily through the front door, rain dripping from his 1950s hat.

“What’s the matter Dad?” My college-age brother asked.

“That darn car was stuck in first gear all the way from Tacoma to Seattle!” he said. This was before I learned to drive, and didn’t understand how being forced to go a maximum of 15 miles an hour was such a handicap. He got home safely, didn’t he? Our 1956 two-tone Chevy, with the doors on the driver’s side held shut with wire, hadn’t quit on him, it just slowed him down on his way home from a job.

Dad was frequently unemployed in those days, and having a job – or a car – at all was the big deal, not how fast it went or how good it looked.

I imagined similar thoughts were put before the people of Chinook some years ago, while the school was still populated with elementary students.

Dear Editor,

I want to make a few observations about the school bond election coming up soon and hope the school board and the educators on our island will take heed.

First, I will vote approval because I am a firm believer in public education and trust the administrators of the system.  At the same time I am disappointed in much of the rhetoric they are delivering to the public in support of their request for additional funds.  Too much attention to the brick and morter and pitifully little about improving the quality of the educational opportunity being offered the students.

Orcas Island Schools rank 51st of the 275 schools within 75 miles of Orcas Island.  Not bad?  No, but consider that of the 40 developed nations in the world, the U.S. ranks 25th.  How bad is it that the world’s most affluent nation is in bottom half of educational rankings.  So is being the best of the worst OK?  I don’t think so.

By Tom Welch

We hope that everyone will plan on coming to the traditional San Juan County Pioneer’s Picnic at the Orcas Island Historical Museum next Saturday, August 7^th, from 12 to 3 p.m. Longtime residents (20+ years) of the San Juan Islands will greet old friends and neighbors as we gather to celebrate our shared history, while newer residents will have a wonderful opportunity to meet some of the descendents of our pioneer settlers. Come and hear those old stories that made us laugh or cry, discover what happened to those longlost pals, learn what life was like in these islands in earlier days, and make some new friends!

Trophies will be awarded for the Eldest Man and Eldest Woman present, and for the longest continuous resident of the county present. A videographer will be on hand to record your story for our museum archives, and we’d love to see those old photographs you keep thinking about bringing out!

The history of the San Juan County Pioneer’s Picnic is in itself a fascinating story, particularly as related by Charles McKay, originator of the tradition.

By Madie Murray

It’s no secret the school cafeteria, located in the 1960’s middle school building is old.  And, if you took the tour of the school offered by the School Board and Yes Committee recently, you saw for yourself a tiny, cramped area with skimpy prep areas, mostly old equipment and refrigerator/freezer locations scattered around in the cafeteria commons area and into the delivery area.   This space, which has adapted to the easily forgotten times of plastic bagged sandwiches and deep fried processed French fries, now produces up to 300 delicious meals mostly made from scratch with locally produced fresh food products.

Like our school as a whole, the cafeteria is making the best of a difficult situation.  Because it does, it prompts the belief that we don’t need refurbished buildings to produce a quality end result.   That’s true.  Because the cafeteria employs an incredibly efficient, dedicated staff who devote themselves to the health of our children, they succeed in their tasks.

By Keith Whitaker
Orcas Island School District Business Manager

I think it’s great that more people have gotten involved in the discussion of the school bond. However, I am disappointed to see the same questions or concerns repeated, often by the same people, even after they have been thoroughly addressed. This doesn’t promote genuine dialogue.

I would like to clarify a few key points that have generated many questions and comments.

The bond plan was not predicated on increasing enrollment. The plans arose out of the real need to repair or replace existing buildings to provide a safe and healthy environment for our existing students.

Plans do not call for ‘an expansion’. The current version anticipates only a small increase in the square footage of the school facilities, calling for repair and replacement of existing program spaces, not ‘new buildings’ for ‘new programs’. The specific needs were determined based on a detailed set of educational specifications, available for public review since 2007.

Renovation of the middle school was considered, but would cost more than new construction.

Maintenance has been an issue, but did not create the need for this bond.

I find that I too must add my name to the growing list of San Juan Co. Sheriffs Department employees who DO NOT support Asher for Sheriff. I have been with the Sheriffs Office for 34 years and a sergeant for the past 20 years. I have been asked so many times about who I like and dont like that I feel this may help those that are unsure.

First, I agree with the recent letters to the editor from Under Sheriff and Sgt. Brennan and their non -support of Asher. In fact I know of no support for Asher from any of the officers in our department and that alone should speak volumes to the voters. Yes the dive team has written letters of support for him and I would expect nothing less from them since they are on the dive team. I know many of them and they are good, hard working men and women who spend a ton of their own time and money training.

By Barbara Kline
Superintendent/Principal, Orcas Island School District

For five years we have been studying the condition of our buildings. Thanks to the many experts who have worked with us, and the many committees we have all served on, we know what needs to be done to our facilities for the future health and safety of our students and we know that it will never cost less than it does now.

In five years of study we have carefully considered the needs of all of our students and of the programs that serve them. We have looked at enrollment trends, and preschools, spaces needed for English Language Learners, special education, Readiness To Learn, Farm to Cafeteria, Title 1, technology, and vocational or Career and Technical Education. Over five years, we have looked at every class and every program and carefully calculated the numbers of students who use our spaces now and will into the future.

From our experts, we know how much the needed work will cost and that it will never cost less than it does now. That cost is 54 cents per thousand of assessed value.

By the Orcas Island School District Board of Directors

In the 1940′s the island school enrollment was around 100 students. Orcas residents recognized the need to build a new school.  At the time, the island economy was based on farming and logging.   WWII was over and there was a feeling that education was critical to moving the island, and our county forward.  Orcas voters had the vision to put their money into a new, well-constructed building. So in 1949 they built the Nellie S. Milton and they filled it. Almost 70 years later, the foresight to invest in a well-built facility bears this out; that building is our current elementary school.

In the 1970′s the community again recognized a need in our school district.  So in 1979, with about 370 students on campus, they embarked on building a new high school, library, shop, cafeteria, a home ec classroom, and offices. Again voters appreciated the importance of providing better learning facilities for our island’s children.  And they did this during a time when our country had high unemployment, historically high inflation, and mortgages rates in the 15% range.  Without succumbing to the fears that this might be the worst time for expansion, these voters had the vision to improve their schools, and they made that vision a reality.

By Corey Wiscomb

After reading both Janet Knowles’ guest column and Chris Bultler’s letter to the Editor in the July 7th, 2010 issue of The Sounder I felt compelled to reply to statements made by the authors that attacked the necessity of the upcoming school bond.  In a thankful way their statements may project questions and/or doubts that other community members may be feeling towards the bond, and so this is a great opportunity to supply the correct information and answers.

First, let me remove the ambiguity about the safety issue that Mr. Butler calls, “the wool over our eyes” being used as propaganda for the new bond:  The Orcas Middle School structure is not up to seismic standard.  When it was built nearly 30 years ago as a new high school the intent was for the building to last 15 years until the next bond would pass.  Why?  Simple, the first bond attempt failed and rather than build a smaller facility at high quality, the decision was made to build the same facility at lesser quality to match the smaller bond that did pass – a mistake that will not be made presently.  Regardless, we are stuck with a large portion of our school facility that, I repeat, does not meet seismic standard.  Take a moment with that.

By Barbara Kline,
Superintendent, Orcas Island School District

Here is a table that shows the enrollment over time. I decided to start it in October 2000 which is the year before OASIS was started. Because Janet [Knowles, see link] was concerned about counting students who did not actually come to the school campus, I subtracted OASIS K-8 from the OISD total in the final column.

OASIS 9-12 and Waldron Island Elementary students are part of the Orcas Island School District and attend classes on campus. Some of the OASIS K-8 students also attend classes on campus. As of the end of the school year 2009-10, a minority of the OASIS students are from off island families.

I used headcount as the best measure of the students who will be using the facilities. Headcount is a count of the actual students who are in each grade. A student’s “head” can only be counted one time even if he/she is attending classes in two schools. For example a student at Orcas High School taking classes in OASIS will be counted in the headcount in the school in which he/she is attending the most classes.

Growing up with a father who was a Superintendent of Schools in a district of  small schools,  the largest of which was about the size of Orcas, and with a mother and siblings all teachers through portions of their lives,  I am strongly in favor of creating an environment for learning that supports the school administration and teachers.   Without this, student learning suffers.

Here on Orcas, the board, the superintendent, the teachers, and the Parent- Teacher Association,  through many meetings, have repeatedly told us that there are serious safety and maintenance problems as well as insufficient classroom design or space for certain courses in some of the school buildings.  Because these people have the most detailed knowledge about the needs of the school, I have faith in their judgment.

Furthermore,  the architectural plans they have worked out with the Mahlum group, who specialize in school design, seem sensible and well thought out.  If we can buy Turtleback, we can vote “yes” in August for the School Bond, and feel equally proud of ourselves for enabling a better life for future generations.

Rachel Adams

Scott Lancaster
Orcas Island School District Board President

I’d like to clear up a few things that have appeared in the Sounder. Keith Whitaker has responded very effectively online, and in the paper to Janet Knowles opinion piece and corrected her misunderstanding of the data. I’d like to add a couple of things to his response.

The figures that the ESD and the school district work from are a snapshot at any given moment in the school year, of our enrollment. The final figures that create our funding source from the state are audited and verified by the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Education (OSPI).

I can see how someone coming to a single board meeting and taking away what can sometimes be a huge packet of data, could easily misunderstand the numbers. It is complex, and we are fortunate to have a staff and administration that keeps impeccable track and care of this data so that our district is fully accountable. I, or any other board member would be happy to go over these packets with anyone who has a question about them.

By Keith Whitaker,
Business Manager (part-time) Orcas Island School District

There are significant inaccuracies and wrong assumptions in Janet Knowles guest column in last week’s Islands Sounder [reprinted below] regarding transparency in the school bond process. Her conclusions are not based in fact, and betray a lack of understanding of the issues in question.

The data she attributes to me were actually taken from the financial report provided to the Board at the May 12 meeting, prepared by Ben Thomas of Educational Service District 189. The statistic ‘395 students,’ though it is in that Board report, does not refer to the entire enrollment of the District – not even all of the ‘real’ students, as she calls them. In her calculations, she simply eliminates the entire enrollment of OASIS, despite the fact that nearly half of the OASIS students are Orcas residents, as ‘real’ as the students in the District’s other four schools.

Our actual total ‘on-island’ enrollment was 473 at that meeting time, only about a half dozen lower than it was five years ago. It is higher now.

Ms.

By Janet Knowles

(Please see editorial note below, following this opinion)

Bond Transparency

This Bond proposal is huge in good times, but inconceivable in hard economic ones.  In my experience as a school Business Manager and Board member at all school levels, I had to ask why a District with declining enrollment would propose such a Bond measure.

Historical Numbers

Apparently the Middle School, which is less than 30 years old, is in such disrepair that it needs replacing due to lack of maintenance for many years. But based on enrollment, it doesn’t need replacement.  The enrollment of Orcas students is in decline. School peak in 1998-99 was 585 full time students.  In 2005/06, there were 500 students, the next year 465, then 430 then 417 (State of Washington website – Office of Superintendant of Public Instruction).  Currently, there are 395 students (stats from Keith Whitaker). If 585 students used to occupy this space and we now only have 395 students (388 for 2010/11), there is no need for a replacement building. The Middle school students could be merged with the Elementary and High School buildings.