• The Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners was held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026; video recording here: https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/3f587f0d-1910-49cc-aa14-35636223b002.
  • There were no public comments.
  • The Board scheduled public hearings for Ordinance C-34-26, In the Matter of Amending Island County’s Comprehensive Plan, and for Ordinance C-35-26, In the Matter of Adopting Amendments to Titles VIII, XI, XIII, XIV, XVI, and XVII of Island County Code to Implement the 2025 Periodic Update of the Island County Comprehensive Plan. Both public hearings are now scheduled for June 23 beginning at 10 am. Mark 00:01:46 in the video recording. The drafts for the comp plan and code changes are available under the “related documents” tab in the agenda.
  • The Board continued the three franchise public hearings shown below for June 16. Mark 00:10:55 in the video recording.
  • The agenda for the Tuesday June 9 meeting is here: https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/27bcc587-0bab-44cd-8ab4-a22bfec37b09. On that agenda: the two public hearings shown below regarding animals. The resolution on kennels also syncs the code to the noise ordinance.
• Tentative Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during board meetings, beginning at 10 am, unless otherwise noted):
  • Tuesday, June 9:          Private/commercial kennels
  • Tuesday, June 9:          Potentially dangerous dogs
  • Tuesday, June 16:        SE Camano Franchise
  • Tuesday, June 16:        Olympic Marine Franchise
  • Tuesday, June 16:        Higgins Franchise
  • Tuesday, June 23:        Establishing a Farm & Ag Committee (Assessor)
  • Tuesday, June 23:        Comp Plan
  • Wednesday, June 24:   Comp Plan continued (if needed) – at 2 pm
  • Tuesday, July 7:            TIP/CIP
  • Tuesday, July 7:            Rockaway Park Franchise       
  • Tuesday, July 7:            Wiedmann & Fuller Franchise              
• There was no work session held this week. The next Work Session for the Board of Island County Commissioners will be held Wednesday June 10. The agenda for that meeting: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter – docaccess-001fa84dc80176e2f9de293fa54c7ddb. On that agenda: A discussion on openings on committees; review and discussion on using a Notice of Unknown (Undocumented) On-site Septic System (OSS) letter; a discussion on formation of a Climate Impact Advisory Committee; a discussion regarding awarding grants for Historic Preservation; and Department Heads will update the Board on progress on their 2026 Work Plans.
• Island Transit News: The Executive Board of Island Transit met today. We authorized the purchase of eleven 24’ gasoline-fueled light-duty buses as approved in the 2026 budget, and began discussion on an A.I. policy for the agency.
• Island Senior Resources (ISR) is currently seeking dedicated volunteers to support essential services for older adults across Whidbey Island. They have immediate need for:
  • Meals on Wheels drivers in Oak Harbor and Coupeville, as well as relief drivers for the South End.
  • Medical Transportation drivers throughout Whidbey Island, with opportunities for both on-island and off-island trips.
  • SHIBA (State Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) volunteers to provide Medicare counseling and support.
  • These roles make a direct and meaningful impact by helping seniors maintain independence, access nutritious meals, and navigate critical healthcare decisions. In addition to these priority roles, ISR offers a variety of other volunteer opportunities that may not be in response to direct needs but are still vital to the success of their programs.
  • All volunteers are required to complete an application at https://tinyurl.com/isrvolunteerapplication, attend an orientation, and pass a background check before getting started. If you are interested in giving back to your community and supporting local seniors, ISR would love to hear from you at reception@islandseniorservices.org.
• Yesterday I sailed on the maiden voyage of the Harbor Hopper, a pedestrian ferry pilot program sponsored by the Port of South Whidbey in partnership with the Port of Everett, using boats from the Hat Island Ferry. It was pleasant and very easy, with comfortable seats. These boats will run two trips a day, two days a week, Thursdays and Saturdays, through the summer. The boat docks at the Langley Marina on Whidbey and in front of Anthony’s Restaurant at the Everett Marina. For tickets, go here: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/portofeverett/items/?flow=1349476&full-items=yes.
• I don’t generally mention private businesses here, but the Grocery Outlet at Ken’s Corner will be hiring 30 people, which is an important economic benefit to South Whidbey. They will be holding a job fair for part-time and full-time jobs, at Ken’s Corner on Sunday June 7 from 1 – 5, and Monday June 8 from 10 – 2.
• The 2026 Thunder Run will be held on Saturday, June 13^th from 10 – noon at the W10 Airpark on Venturi Way off Crawford Road in South Whidbey. The Thunder Run is a community emergency preparedness exercise designed to strengthen Whidbey Island’s response capabilities and resiliency during a large-scale disaster. This year’s drill expands beyond the airfield, beginning in local neighborhoods and moving through communication channels that include the fire department and the Department of Emergency Management. Attend to learn more about how the community responds in times of crisis.
• I will be at the WiFire Community Space in Freeland on Monday, June 8 at 3 pm to meet with interested citizens.

Melanie

I’m looking forward to the ribbon-cutting for Generations Place next Tuesday at 3:30, 631 Second Street, Langley.

“Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.”
~Matthew Desmond

In 2018, voters approved a rate of $0.47 per $1,000 of assessed property value to support the Library District’s services. The current levy rate is $0.3039084203 per $1,000 of assessed value. 

“The 2018 library levy is at the end of its life. Through careful stewardship, the Trustees have used public funds responsibly and extended the levy as long as possible. If we did not advance this ballot measure, our Library District would look very different. After careful consideration, the Board has decided to ask voters to determine the future of their library services,” said Board of Trustee President Jennifer DePrey. 

A levy is a voter-approved property tax that helps fund civic infrastructure like schools, libraries, or fire stations. Voters deciding whether to restore the library levy is a normal part of long-term public funding. The levy funding makes up 91% of Sno-Isle Libraries operating budget.   

State law limits the Library District’s annual property tax revenue growth to 1% a year. In 2018, Library Leadership projected the library levy would support services for seven years. The Library District has exceeded its commitment to voters by maintaining the current levy despite rising costs and a greater demand for its services.   

This August 4th, voters will decide whether to restore the library levy to its previous rate. It’s an important decision that will help shape the future of Sno-Isle Libraries. 

https://www.sno-isle.org/levy

https://www.islandcountywa.gov/209/Comprehensive-Plan

We are transitioning our website documents to a new format to make them all ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and like most new software implementations we’re finding a few glitches. So if you encounter wonkiness with some of our links for a while (I found two just this morning) please be patient with us while we work this out.

• The Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners was held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026; video recording here: https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/742573bd-7eeb-4e0f-8a28-b2661f9d7d1c.
  • There was no public comment this week.
  • We held two sewer franchise public hearings; both franchises were approved.
  • The agenda for the Tuesday May 12 meeting is here:  https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/0a0802e4-30c2-4397-b3ee-a491e150d9e4. On that agenda: the two franchise public hearings shown below.
• Tentative Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during board meetings, beginning at 10 am, unless otherwise noted):
  • Tuesday, May 5:         St. Peter Franchise  
  • Tuesday, May 5:         Hellum Franchise  
  • Tuesday, May 12:       Curbside Recycling
  • Tuesday, May 19:       Procurement   
  • Tuesday, May 19:       Amending Record of Proceedings code
  • Tuesday, June 2:        SE Camano Franchise
  • Tuesday, June 2:        Olympic Marine Franchise
  • Tuesday, June 2:        Higgins Franchise
  • Tuesday, June 9:        Private/commercial dog kennels
  • Tuesday, June 9:        Potentially dangerous dogs
• The agenda for the Wednesday May 6 Work Session is here: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter – docaccess-40c6752ab804bc1b9d8dc968c49a719e; the recording is here: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14670/05062026-WS-Audio.
  • We had a robust conversation and presentation about the proposed new Jail, beginning at mark 0:1:54 in the recording. The presentation begins on page 5 of the agenda; in this presentation we talked about the issues driving this project and the timeline for next steps.
  • The second part of the jail conversation was a discussion on the selection of the site. We opted to not move forward with the resolution proposed (which selected a specific site); instead we tasked the Facilities Director to work with a jail consultant to perform a comparative validation of the three sites to ensure the County fully understands the known variables, risks, and cost implications before committing to a site.
  • The scheduled Human Services presentation was tabled for a future date.
  • The agenda for the Wednesday May 13 Work Session is here: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132026-1170. On that agenda: a discussion on the final drafts of the Island County 2025 Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations, and discussion of budget status, revenue concerns, and Commissioner goals and direction for the 2027 Budget Process.
• On Wednesday the Board also interviewed applicants for interim Superior Court Clerk. We appointed Michelle Schisler who served as the final Deputy Clerk under Debra Van Pelt. Ms. Schisler is not running for the office in the upcoming election, which we feel will provide the office with consistency for the next five months while also placing all of the candidates on an equal footing for the voters. The interviews can be heard here: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14669/05062026-Clerk-Interviews-Audio; one of the candidates scheduled was unable to be interviewed due to a family emergency.
• Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Update:   After two years of in-depth work, this month the Planning Commission will finish their involvement in the development of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan. The Board is very grateful to everyone who served on this essential board during this time. Here is a link to the Planning Commission page:  https://www.islandcountywa.gov/235/Planning-Commission. You can find details on their meetings and minutes, including Zoom info, here: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Commission-4. The agendas are published at least a week in advance. They intend to hold three Planning Commission meetings in May as shown below, in the Commissioners Hearing Room in Coupeville:
  • The final draft Comprehensive Plan is here: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/209/Comprehensive-Plan.
  • Wednesday May 13 – Workshop @ 6 PM (this replaces the usual first-Wednesday meeting in order to give the Planning Commission and public sufficient time to review the final draft Comp Plan)
  • Wednesday May 20 – Public Hearing @ 6 PM
  • Wednesday May 27 – Public Hearing @ 6 PM
• Island Transit news: https://www.islandtransit.org/
  • Island Transit Executive Director Melinda Adams was featured in the People Forward Leadership Podcast, where she spoke about Driving Culture Change: Trust, Growth, and the Power of People:  https://www.carolparkerwalsh.com/podcasts/the-people-forward-leadership-podcast/episodes/2149094287.
• Island Senior Resources news: https://senior-resources.org/.
  • Benefit Dinner and Auction, Sunday May 31, Whidbey Golf Club, 2430 Fairway Ln, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. For more information: https://senior-resources.org/benefit-events-2026/.
  • Golf Tournament, Monday, June 1, Whidbey Golf Club, 2430 Fairway Ln, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. For more information: https://senior-resources.org/benefit-events-2026/.
  • Island Senior Resources is actively recruiting for a full-time Executive Director. You can find details on the position here: https://www.facebook.com/prothmanco or here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prothmanco.
• Message from WSDOT: SR 20 to close for three nights starting Monday, May 11, for roundabout paving near Oak Harbor
  • OAK HARBOR – Eastbound and westbound State Route 20 will close for three nights beginning Monday, May 11, at West Fakkema Road north of Oak Harbor.
  • These closures will allow contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation to remove and replace pavement at the new SR 20 compact roundabout at West Fakkema Road. The project was suspended over the winter.
  • What to expect:
  • From 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Monday, May 11, through Thursday morning, May 14, both directions of SR 20 will close between Regatta Drive and Ault Field Road.
  • People traveling through the area should use one of the following detours:
    • Eastbound and westbound SR 20 travelers should use West Ault Field and Goldie roads.
    • Local traffic on the east side of SR 20 should use Sleeper and West Crescent Harbor roads.
  • Some of the work requires dry and warm weather and may need to be rescheduled.
  • The new roundabout was designed to slow vehicle speeds near the intersection, calm traffic and help create easier decisions for drivers. The project is expected to finish in June, when crews return to install permanent striping.
• I will meet with interested citizens at the WiFire Community Space in Freeland at 3 pm on each Monday through the month of May.

Melanie

Today is National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, which recognizes the significant contributions, support, and sacrifices made by the spouses of the men and women in the Armed Forces. 

“The resilience of our families…and our children…is absolutely what has allowed us to do things that we’ve asked our force to do. The strength of our U.S. Armed Forces, the strength of our nation is in…our military families.”   ~ General Joseph Dunford, retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff