Residential property owners foot the bill | LETTER TO THE EDITOR

To the editor: The recent Washington state audit found that Island County lacked sufficient oversight to administer $2.5 million Rural Economic Development Funds.

October 10, 2011 5:36 pm

To the editor:

The recent Washington state audit found that Island County lacked sufficient oversight to administer $2.5 million Rural Economic Development Funds.

The funds were awarded by Island County to the Freeland Water and Sewer District to construct sewers according to a five-phase Comprehensive Sewer Plan. The plan languished for years because the first phase was estimated to be $15 million to $18 million. Freeland commercial property owners refused to fund the first phase.

In 2009, the Freeland Water and Sewer District learned through consultants that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was offering a $10 million grant and a $30 million loan to finance the sewers. The stipulation was the Freeland Water and Sewer District plan needed a large residential component. A small group quickly rewrote the Freeland Water and Sewer District Comprehensive Sewer Plan, collapsed the five phases to two, hired firms for public relations, financial analysis, lobbying, and benefits calculation.

The USDA money chase was in full swing with permit applications, changes to the Freeland Subarea Plan, Freeland meetings, Island County Planning Commission meetings, special benefits analysis, mailers, etc., all accomplished in record time.

Objections were summarily dealt away with under the broadly applied requirements of the Growth Management Act and the myth that sewers would clean up Holmes Harbor.

One irony of failing to secure USDA funds is the cost required of the commercial property owners remains the same. The big difference is the $30 million loan would give developers the benefits of sewers without having to fund the effort independently. The residential property owners would never realize a benefit until property was sold, if ever.

The Freeland Water and Sewer District commissioners will consider on their Oct. 10 meeting agenda canceling the local improvement district resolution authorizing them to assess every property in the district. Please take the time to attend the meeting, 5:45 p.m. at the Freeland Library. You cannot afford not to.

Emyle Malzone

Freeland