LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Funds would continue services

Published 8:38 am Wednesday, July 15, 2009

To the editor:

Culminating a nearly three-year process, the Whidbey Island Conservation District will later this year be asking the Island County commissioners to approve a $5-per-parcel assessment.

If approved, these funds will be used to continue services to county landowners and municipalities, including farm and forest planning and preservation, support for low-impact development and general cost-sharing with individuals for conservation practices.

Of course, the conservation district currently does a lot more than this — it provides engineering services and technical support for salmon habitat restoration. It partners with other local agencies, funneling state and federal funds into local conservation efforts. And it has pursued grants that help landowners keep Puget Sound cleaner through water conservation and proper stormwater retention.

By using assessment funds as matches for other grants, assessment revenue has the potential to more than double the return for Island County property owners. There are not many investments, especially in these economic times, which can fairly make this claim.

The county commissioners will be holding public hearings on this proposed assessment later this summer. Your conservation district is supervised by a volunteer board of elected and appointed supervisors. If there are questions or concerns that you would like addressed individually about the assessment, or the assessment process, please contact any one of us below. And thanks for your support.

Duke LeBaron, Erin Borden, Fran Einterz, Karen Krug, Rob Hallbauer

WICD Supervisors