Other News
Apr 25, 2025: New Daily Service Schedule, Growing Ridership & Other Insights on County’s Pilot Transport Services
Apr 24, 2025: Building and Land Use Permits, Long-Range Planning Projects, & Staff Recruitments: DCD Leadership Provides Spring Update
Apr 4, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Transportation Element, Plan Intro, & Administration Piece Ready for Review
Mar 19, 2025: San Juan County Establishes Interim Inter-Island Transportation Services as RFP Process Continues
Mar 7, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Climate Element and Draft Official Map Amendments Available for Review
Mar 6, 2025: Governor Ferguson announces plan to restore Washington State Ferries to full service by this summer
Mar 4, 2025: Public Meeting: Land Bank Using Prescribed Fires to Manage Wildfire Risks & Restore Ecosystems
Feb 19, 2025: San Juan County Seeks Proposals from Transportation Service Providers for Pilot Project
Feb 12, 2025: Call for Candidates: Three-Day Special Filing Period for Lopez Metropolitan Park District Commissioners
Jan 19, 2025: Four districts, six unions, three PTAs, and county leadership all agree: legislators must take action to fully fund education no
Dec 19, 2024: San Juan County Parks and Fair Announces New Camping Software; Delaying Reservation Availability
Dec 10, 2024: County Council Considers Extending Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste to Allow for More Collaboration
Dec 5, 2024: San Juan County to Consider Updated Interlocal Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District
Dec 2, 2024: San Juan County Council Sets Public Hearing for Cultural Access Sales Tax at Dec. 10 Meeting
Nov 25, 2024: San Juan County Celebrates Completion of Lopez Skate Park and Calls for Inaugural Skaters
Nov 7, 2024: How Has Extreme Weather Impacted You? Participate in the County’s Climate Resilience Planning Effort
Nov 1, 2024: UPDATE: Sea Wall Repairs Temporarily Close MacKaye Harbor Dock and Boat Ramp on Lopez Island
Oct 22, 2024: DRAFT North Shore Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Oct 21, 2024: Reminder: You’re Invited to Attend Open Houses for the 2025 Comp Plan Update This Fall
Oct 1, 2024: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE SAN JUANS SPONSORS OCTOBER COUNTY COUNCIL VOTER FORUMS ON SJI, ORCAS, AND LOPEZ
Sep 24, 2024: County Hosts Community Meeting on Lopez Island to Discuss Public Safety during Hunting Season
Sep 24, 2024: SJC Reviews Shoreline Habitat & Infrastructure Adaptation Strategies in the face of Sea Level Rise
Sep 23, 2024: DRAFT Watmough Bay Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Aug 29, 2024: San Juan County’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Survey Sets Baseline for Ongoing Change
Aug 27, 2024: 2024 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Gardening Workshop Series, October 15-24, 2024
Aug 27, 2024: County Representatives Discuss Solutions to Ferry Service Disruptions with Governor Inslee
Aug 21, 2024: County Council’s Request to Governor for Relief from Ferry Service Disruptions Not Fulfilled
Aug 20, 2024: San Juan County Certifies Primary Election Results & Celebrates Highest Primary Turnout in Years
Aug 13, 2024: WSF Commits Additional Crews to Interisland Route to Ensure Service During County Fair Week
Aug 13, 2024: Ferry Data from Staff and Local Partners Shapes Council Request for ‘Executive Relief’ From WA State
Aug 5, 2024: The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival returns to Lopez for its 27th Summer Concert Season
May 2, 2024: WA State Governor and Assistant Secretary of WSF Talk Ferry Service & Solar Power with SJC Officials
Apr 11, 2024: Community Meeting: Sea Level Rise Adaptation for Outer Bay and Agate Beach Areas on Lopez Island
Mar 11, 2024: Queers in Unexpected Places: Searching for (and Finding) Gender and Sexual Non-Conformity in the Rural and Early PNW
Mar 7, 2024: DRAFT Richardson Marsh Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Dec 5, 2023: County Council Member Jane Fuller and Senator Liz Lovelett to Host Public Meeting on Lopez
Nov 3, 2023: County and Town Send Open Letter to State Officials Regarding Impacts of Poor Ferry Service
Sep 29, 2023: Conservation Land Bank Announces Special Meeting to Discuss Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
Sep 14, 2023: The mobile dental van is coming to Lopez! // ¡La camioneta dental móvil ya llega a López!
Aug 22, 2023: San Juan County Adopts 32-Hour Work Week in the Name of Fiscal Health, Recruitment, and Islander Wellness
May 25, 2023: Recap of Lopez Neighborhood Meeting Regarding the Relocation of Public Works Facilities
May 23, 2023: District 3 Councilmember Jane Fuller Opens Office on Lopez and Hosts Community Conversation
Apr 17, 2023: Give Lopez Starts April 17th - A two week fundraiser benefiting 15 Lopez Island Non-Profits
Sep 22, 2022: Interim Watmough Preserve Addition Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
County Council October 28-29,2024
Nov 6, 2024
By League of Women Voters of the San Juans
SJ County Council Meeting Notes October 28-29, 2024
The county climate coordinator updated the Council on climate action planning including the newly required climate element for the next comprehensive plan update. The climate element will lay out goals and policies and the Climate Action Plan will have strategies and actions. The goals are resilience and mitigation while equity issues were identified as a gap in the existing plans. A vulnerability assessment that looks at exposure, risks, preparedness and responses is underway. With public input the county has identified water resources, transportation and mobility, and buildings/energy infrastructure as the three focus areas.
The council completed their review of the county code on council procedures and set a public hearing for December 3.
On October 29 Orcas, the Council recognized November as Native American Heritage Month. During public comment, one Orcas resident spoke in appreciation of council plans for the framework for tribal engagement on the agenda and asked for more time for public input. During discussion Council member Wolfe noted that the framework sets policy for intergovernmental engagement as opposed to wider social and cultural engagement. As the framework will set policy to allow county staff to begin discussing with tribal governments how to manage their intergovernmental relationships, they questioned whether it was more appropriate to simply approve the policy or pass a formal resolution. They postponed their decision to November 5 to allow for further consideration.
The county budget analyst did the third quarter budget review. Revenues and expenditures were running very close to target and end year revenue is expected to be at or very slightly above the budget. The real estate excise tax is running significantly behind budget but interest significantly above budget.
The council did a second touch on property tax levies that are scheduled for an upcoming public hearing. The council approved the resolution for a local state of emergency with ferry service. The Department of Health and Community Service is beginning work with the Department of Commerce to manage the grant for supplemental services from the Governor’s office and had a meeting with stakeholders to understand the challenges facing water taxi services.
The Council toured county facilities on Orcas.
League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.
The council completed their review of the county code on council procedures and set a public hearing for December 3.
On October 29 Orcas, the Council recognized November as Native American Heritage Month. During public comment, one Orcas resident spoke in appreciation of council plans for the framework for tribal engagement on the agenda and asked for more time for public input. During discussion Council member Wolfe noted that the framework sets policy for intergovernmental engagement as opposed to wider social and cultural engagement. As the framework will set policy to allow county staff to begin discussing with tribal governments how to manage their intergovernmental relationships, they questioned whether it was more appropriate to simply approve the policy or pass a formal resolution. They postponed their decision to November 5 to allow for further consideration.
The county budget analyst did the third quarter budget review. Revenues and expenditures were running very close to target and end year revenue is expected to be at or very slightly above the budget. The real estate excise tax is running significantly behind budget but interest significantly above budget.
The council did a second touch on property tax levies that are scheduled for an upcoming public hearing. The council approved the resolution for a local state of emergency with ferry service. The Department of Health and Community Service is beginning work with the Department of Commerce to manage the grant for supplemental services from the Governor’s office and had a meeting with stakeholders to understand the challenges facing water taxi services.
The Council toured county facilities on Orcas.
League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.