Government
SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 18, 2023 – San Juan County Auditor, Natasha Warmenhoven, is seeking people interested in writing arguments against the San Juan Island School District No. 149 and Orcas Island School District No. 137 ballot measures for the voters’ guide.
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank is seeking public input on its recently completed Draft Strategic Plan. The purpose of the strategic plan is to guide the Land Bank in conservation efforts, stewardship priorities, and community engagement for the next six years and to assist the Land Bank in meeting its mandate: To preserve in perpetuity areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic or low-intensity recreational value and to protect existing and future sources of potable water.
You can download a copy of the Draft Strategic Plan from the Land Bank’s website by following this link: https://sjclandbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WEB_SJCCLB-2024-2030-Strategic-Plan.pdf
Public Comment Period: April 24 – May 8, 2024
The public is invited to submit comments:
- Via email to Tanja Williamson at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Via mail: 350 Court Street, No. 6, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
Please submit your comments by May 8, 2024.
After the comment period closes, Land Bank staff and commissioners will review comments. An overview of comments will be provided at the May 17, 2024, commission meeting.
Questions? Email
Contact: Tanja Williamson, Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator,
About San Juan County’s Land Bank
San Juan County’s Land Bank, funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property at closing, acquires and preserves areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic, or low-intensity recreational value. The department offices are located at 328 Caines Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Land Bank, visit www.sjclandbank.org.
The county government starts out the new year with an informative meeting on January 4 at 9AM. They will be meeting with the Marine Advisory Committees; the MRC, the CAG, and the LIO.
They will discuss what they currently do and what they plan on doing with our taxes to improve the marine environment. Click here to see their agenda: Marine Resources Committee • San Juan County, WA - Agendas & Minutes • CivicClerk where Kari Koski, Lovel Pratt, Sam Whitridge, Adam Parrot, Beth Tate, Katie Johnson, Karin Roemers-Klevens will make their presentations to the county council.
$1,000,000.00 from tax payers. $1,000,000.00 handed out for a job never done.
Early in 2023 San Juan County contracted with an off-island construction company to fabricate a 100-foot-long fish passage on Orcas Island for one million dollars. Few of us know about the project.
The January 10th issue of the Journal included an excellent letter of opinion submitted by Mark Fishaut, titled Moving forward with the Land Bank (LB). Mark noted the Town to Zylstra Lake Trail (TZLT) fiasco as reason for review of the entire LB operation. The January 24th issue of the Journal included three rebuttals. Jim Skoog wrote “the mysterious Zylstra Lake Trails fiasco has absolutely nothing to do with the Land Bank”. Cynthia Brast wrote “The mysterious Zylstra Lake Trail was NOT a Land Bank project” and “The Land Bank is completely transparent with their purchases and finances”. Amanda Azous wrote “The Conservation Land Bank did not promote or pursue the Zylstra Lake Trail project”
Now look at pages 3, and 24-27 of San Juan County Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas Plan 2023-2028;
SJCP_Plan_Design_PublicReviewDraft-101022
Seven members of the LB Commission are listed on Page 3. LB Director Lincoln Bormann is listed as a member of the Planning Team.
Page 24 lists 5 trail projects with Lincoln Bormann as the Key Contact for 4 of them. The LB is listed as a funding source. The 2nd listed project prescribes “increase long-distance trails and trail connections on all islands via cooperative agreements with landowners, with a target of 10 miles. Does this sound a lot like the TZLT project? It does to me and it doesn’t square with the statements of Jim Skoog, Cynthia Brast, and Amanda Azous or their assertions of transparency. Lincon Bormann is the Key Contact for four more projects on pages 25-27. Maybe the LB didn’t initiate the effort for federal funds for the TZLT but to say the LB had nothing to do with it, was not a LB project, and did not promote or pursue the project is disingenuous at best. LB fingerprints are all over trail development. After island residents and County Council soundly reject the TZLT the LB attempts to distance themselves from being a part of the TZLT. That’s the opposite of transparency. It’s a smoke screen that all can see through. And…It’s gonna resonate this November!!
Ron Whalen
San Juan Island
By Cindy Carter
I was called last night by Rep. Rick Larson for a town hall. Doubtless, Rep. Larson will claim he held a town hall to hear constituents concerns. What he did was cut anyone off who started questioning anything not related to the US VA, even if it did relate to the Veteran's healthcare, such as military aid to Israel, and even if it was from a Veteran.
During the hour of calls, we heard from persons who were afraid their veteran would die before getting "rated" which comes prior to getting funding or healthcare. Another who complained they needed to get "rated" every time they had some issue, which took forever. So the veteran's healthcare was not that great apparently and Rep. Larson would not even discuss any other issue. Yet we can be sure he will be touting this as how he "listens" to people from the NW, even while he does not live here any longer. Why does this person keep getting elected to represent the people of the 2nd Congressional District? Who actually votes for this person? Definitely time for a change.
San Juan County Council appointed Dr. Herbie Duber as the County’s new acting Health Officer. Dr. Duber is the Washington State Department of Health Regional Medical Officer for Northwest Washington. In this role, he supports the development of healthcare policy and programs across the state and serves as a key liaison between local public health in Northwest WA and the Department of Health.
“Dr. Duber’s CV speaks for itself,” said Councilmember Cindy Wolf in reference to his extensive medical experience. “Having watched him at the Board of Health, I’m very comfortable appointing him.”
Responsible for maintaining the health and wellness of the community, the County’s Health Officer works with local organizations such as schools and medical centers, to ensure the health and safety of county residents. The Health Officer conducts outreach programs and provides counseling and education on various health topics.
Dr. Duber will serve as the acting Health Officer as the County recruits a permanent replacement.
“I feel we are very fortunate to have him in this interim position,” said Council Chair Jane Fuller before approving the motion to appoint Dr. Duber.
Dr. Frank James, the outgoing Health Officer, announced his resignation after 31 years of service at the March Board of Health meeting. Dr. James’s last day as Health Officer will be Apr. 20, 2024 and his years of service will be recognized at a future date.
Contact: Kyra Jahanfar, Program Coordinator – Emergency Preparedness & Communications,
About San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services
San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services is responsible for community and environmental health, mental health and substance abuse programs, senior services, affordable housing projects, and more. The department has staff and offices on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services, visit www.sanjuancountywa.gov/1777/Health-Community-Services.
In total, the job posting yielded 39 applications from around the country.
San Juan County is moving forward in its interview process for a new County Manager which will culminate with a community meeting in each district on May 6 and 7. The job posting yielded 39 applicants from around the country that have been screened and vetted via a variety of steps including resume reviews, video interviews, and written responses.
The County’s core hiring committee which consists of the Human Resources Director, Interim County Manager, and the Council have been working with the recruitment firm Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to narrow the applicant pool. During the April 16 Council meeting, Council selected the finalists who are invited to participate in the final interview phase.
The selected finalists are invited to in-person interviews as well as a community meeting in each of the three districts on Monday and Tuesday May 6 and 7. During these community meetings, the public will have the opportunity to meet and learn about the candidates via a moderated Q&A. The exact times and locations of community meetings are still being finalized and the public will be notified of further details as soon as possible.
The final round of interviews will be conducted by panels comprised of Council members and other elected officials, County staff, and board members from various County committees. The County Council is the ultimate hiring body for the County Manager position.
Currently, San Juan County’s Health & Community Services Director, Mark Tompkins, is serving as the Interim County Manager and the County’s Parks and Fair Director, Brandon Andrews, is serving as the Interim Assistant County Manager.