Other News
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 Attempts Take Over of Lopez Dump
Dec 4, 2024
By Rhea Miller
Once again San Juan County is attempting to take operational control of the Lopez Dump.
This effort is led by Councilmember Fuller and the Director of the Environmental Stewardship (ES) Department Kendra Smith. Fuller and Smith want to wrest management of Dump operations from Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District (LSWDD). They are supported by the Prosecuting Attorney and County Manager. LSWDD was established as the managing entity of the Dump by Ordinance 11-2012. According to the Ordinance, San Juan County cannot take over management without a public hearing.
In December 2023, the existing Interlocal Agreement (ILA) between San Juan County and LSWDD expired. LSWDD submitted a draft of an ILA in December 2023 to help move the process of renewal along. The County granted a one-year extension and stated that they would get back to LSWDD with any changes.
Eleven months later in November 2024, Fuller, Smith and the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney released their draft ILA to the District Manager and Board Chair, but instructed them not to share the draft with the entire LSWDD Board. On November 26, with the LSWDD Board still unaware of the changes to the ILA, Fuller and Smith asked LSWDD to sign the new ILA by December 9th. LSWDD countered that the County held numerous meetings between May and September (including at least one on the LSWDD site without LSWDD’s knowledge) to formulate this proposal - all without LSWDD input.
On December 4th, the LSWDD Board Chair and District Manager were told that the new ILA would be enacted without the LSWDD Board’s signature. The new ILA gives operational directives from San Juan County despite the Ordinance clearly stating that LSWDD is responsible for operations. The County also proposes a new annual fee ($19,000 in 2025 to $36,000, by 2030), which they would hold in a special fund to “pay for purchase” of the adjacent public works site that the County would still own. LSWDD views this as an unfair tax specifically on Lopez residents. LSWDD is puzzled by the motivation for this attempted takeover. LSWDD is fiscally sound, award-winning, known for environmental stewardship, and provider of services required of San Juan County by the State. In the last 30 years San Juan County has made multiple attempts to wrest control of the Lopez dump. Each time Lopez residents have rallied to protect their “Dump.”
In December 2023, the existing Interlocal Agreement (ILA) between San Juan County and LSWDD expired. LSWDD submitted a draft of an ILA in December 2023 to help move the process of renewal along. The County granted a one-year extension and stated that they would get back to LSWDD with any changes.
Eleven months later in November 2024, Fuller, Smith and the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney released their draft ILA to the District Manager and Board Chair, but instructed them not to share the draft with the entire LSWDD Board. On November 26, with the LSWDD Board still unaware of the changes to the ILA, Fuller and Smith asked LSWDD to sign the new ILA by December 9th. LSWDD countered that the County held numerous meetings between May and September (including at least one on the LSWDD site without LSWDD’s knowledge) to formulate this proposal - all without LSWDD input.
On December 4th, the LSWDD Board Chair and District Manager were told that the new ILA would be enacted without the LSWDD Board’s signature. The new ILA gives operational directives from San Juan County despite the Ordinance clearly stating that LSWDD is responsible for operations. The County also proposes a new annual fee ($19,000 in 2025 to $36,000, by 2030), which they would hold in a special fund to “pay for purchase” of the adjacent public works site that the County would still own. LSWDD views this as an unfair tax specifically on Lopez residents. LSWDD is puzzled by the motivation for this attempted takeover. LSWDD is fiscally sound, award-winning, known for environmental stewardship, and provider of services required of San Juan County by the State. In the last 30 years San Juan County has made multiple attempts to wrest control of the Lopez dump. Each time Lopez residents have rallied to protect their “Dump.”