Council passes plastic bag ban

In a unanimous vote, Town Council passed an ordinance banning plastic bags at retail stores at its June 12 meeting. Beginning August 1, “No retail establishment in the Town, or any of its employees, managers or owners, shall provide a disposable plastic carryout bag to any customer” the ordinance reads. There are exceptions; named are a variety of bags used for holding small items, nuts and bolts, flowers and plants, frozen foods, meat, fish, unwrapped prepared foods or packaged multiples of bags for a variety of wastes.

The Council’s extensive and vigorous debate followed residents Marilyn Johnson’s and Dan O’Donnell’s strong statements against the ban during the public hearing segment.

Johnson, who, in introducing herself, said she “would put my carbon footprint up against anyone in this room,” spoke in defense of Pioneer Market, where she works as a contract employee. She termed the store a “quick stop” for tourists, suggesting that visitors from the marina would not have reusable bags. “That’s not the kind of people we get,” she said, naming students and parents of vising sports team as another customer base.

Johnson pointed out that paper bags take up eleven times more space for storage and that the store lacks such room. She worried that there would be exceptions and said “I see some real problem issues in this. It’s just not going to work” and told Council they treat some businesses differently.

O’Donnell said the whole idea of a bag ban was “inappropriate” and would punish the grocery store. A bag ban needed to come from the county government, he said and suggested council pass a resolution to that end, converting the ordinance.

Carol Sullivan, organizer of the county wide campaign, spoke in support of the ordinance. A Mount Vernon resident, she came with seven other women, most of them also from out of town. Sullivan calls herself the Skagit BAG Lady and her effort the Skagit BAG BANd Wagon. Sullivan had addressed the Council in May.

Sullivan noted La Conner’s location on the Swinomish Channel, “a public waterway,” and so “doubly important” for the town government to act to reduce plastic waste, which kill marine life worldwide. She urged the Council to act.

Mayor Ramon Hayes shared his research efforts: Pioneer Market owner Sean Skiles is supportive, not opposed. “They want to be a good team player,” Hayes reported, and want a roll out period of six months to prepare. The “schools” also support a ban he siad.

Council Member Jacques Brunisholz opened Council’s discussion, offering the draft ordinance as a motion with two modifications to strengthen it: changing the start date to August 1 and the length of the waiver period to four months for hardship requests, making January 1, 2019 the latest start date.

Council members raised issues while speaking in favor. The primary concerns were the number of months to prepare by claiming a hardship – and how to apply; stores charging for bags; supplying reusable bags; and education outreach to merchants.

When Hayes called the question, the vote was unanimous. Council Member Bill Stokes had the last word, criticizing the state government for not taking action. “The state bombed out on this,” said. “To make a ban effective, you have to make a big effect, statewide.”

Sullivan and her supporters then unveiled blue paper letters spelling La Conner and held these up to the Council.

Later in the week, Sullivan told the La Conner Weekly News: “Informal discussions with a few La Conner residents convinced us that the time was right to approach La Conner Town Council. And obviously, they were ready. La Conner is to be congratulated on taking that first step, and will be regarded as a leader in the campaign to rid our county of single-use plastic bags. This is a great way to demonstrate our concern for the environment – not just locally, but on a worldwide basis as well.”

She expressed her disappointment that there was not a provision for charging a five-cent fee for selling a recycled paper bag. She believes that “motivates people to remember their own bags and the fee could be kept by merchants as a way to offset the greater costs of the paper bags.”

Skagit BAG BANd Wagon plans to ask both Anacortes and Sedro-Woolley city councils to consider a bag ban ordinance in the near future, and return to Mount Vernon in the fall

Sean Skiles, Pioneer Market owner, did not return calls for comment.