Editor,

I am writing this letter as a concerned resident about the situation at the Mutiny Bay boat launch. I am also writing because I called Editor Jessie Stensland May 13 and said I thought the situation should be looked into after talking to Island County on May 12.

At that time I was told that it was only the two homeowners closest to the boat launch were against the county’s plan.

Unfortunately, I never heard from Stensland again by phone. I was trying to reach her to give her new developments on the situation and called 15 to 20 times and never heard back. Jessie did write a story about the sand build-up and closure on May 27, which was the final day for comments to the county on the dispute. However she didn’t tell the whole story.

In desperation and frustration, I drove to the South Whidbey Record office on the 27 and was able to talk to publisher Keven Graves, who also had not returned phone calls or answered my email, and was urged to write to the editor.

I talked to Terry Ojala and/or Matt Lush of Island County several times and they were helpful. One of the important items that I wanted to inform Stensland about was:

The evening of May 19, I walked out on the sand-covered boat launch and was stunned by what I saw. There were large logs scattered haphazardly on the beach basically down to the water and several small boats strewn along with the logs higher up on the beach.

There were also at least two signs with the words “no dumping allowed” attached to the “Private Beach” signs. It appeared this “mess” only went north from the boat launch to the 11 residences.

My immediate reaction was, and still is, a “blockade” to stop the county from spreading sand northward from the boat launch. All this was done before the hearing to determine the future of the boat launch.

I contacted Matt Lush and he was not aware of the homeowners’ actions.

Among many merits for the opening of the boat launch is public safety. The county’s rescue boats would be severely restricted without the Mutiny Bay launch site.

Gary Dunn

Freeland