La Conner businesses in line for added CARES Act funds

Bill Reynolds | Sep 16, 20200

More help is on the way.

It will not be part of a new federal economic stimulus package, but instead additional CARES Act funds from legislation passed last spring and which will be earmarked for support of La Conner businesses.

Town officials last week said La Conner is receiving about $15,000 in added Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) monies after a previous $28,800 award.

The earlier funding was dedicated to Town staff’s wages and other COVID-related items, including placement of a port-a-potty in front of the Morris Street public restrooms which have been closed during the virus crisis due to budgetary issues.

This funding will provide a boost to businesses here that have been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Ramon Hayes said the Town will contract with EDASC (Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County) to develop criteria for eligible businesses to make application for the next round of CARES assistance.

“We’re happy to do this for La Conner,” EDASC CEO John Sternlicht told Town Council members at their Sept. 8 video-conferenced meeting.

The Town can also put forth as part of those criteria its own guidelines such as businesses complying with mask wearing mandates.

EDASC has filled a similar role on behalf of Concrete and other Skagit County communities, Town Administrator Scott Thomas said.

“If there is a real need,” Hayes told the Weekly News, “we want to make sure those businesses here in La Conner get that money. We want them to know we’re here to help.”

Thomas said Gov. Jay Inslee announced prior to Labor Day weekend that an additional $190 million in CARES Act support is slated for the state’s counties, cities and towns.

“We’ve had to move on this pretty quickly,” said Thomas.

The CARES Act funds approved in March sent direct aid to counties with populations greater than 500,000. The state was allowed to keep 55 percent of its allocation and distribute the remaining 45 per cent to smaller counties, including Skagit.

Council member Mary Wohleb said the timing could not be better for the La Conner business community to receive CARES Act support.

“We all have concerns about heading into fall and business dropping off,” Wohleb said. “This way we can promote our businesses into the fall with protective measures.

“It’s a wonderful vehicle,” she added, “to move into one of our great seasons, and that’s fall, in a great way.”

During public comments, La Conner resident Kara Stamback suggested the Town follow the example of Fairhaven, in Whatcom County, which is being promoted as a safe place to shop amid COVID-19 concerns. She said Fairhaven businesses and offices have almost universally embraced numerous public safety measures. “If you want to bring people to La Conner,” she said, “talk to Fairhaven and find out what they did to get everyone on board.

Maybe we can brand La Conner as a safe place to shop.”

Citizens Patrol training hits COVID-19 roadblock

Bill Reynolds

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools, businesses, agencies and organizations to adopt a new normal by conducting daily work remotely.

But not everything can be shifted to the virtual world.

One of those directly impacts La Conner – plans to develop a Citizens Patrol here to fill gaps when Skagit County Sheriff’s deputies are on call elsewhere and away from their detachment office at Town Hall.

A Citizens Patrol is being eyed as a remedy for the rash of vandalism and graffiti tagging that has plagued the community for several months.

“It would be a good way to curtail the tagging,” said Town Administrator Scott Thomas.

However, training sessions necessary to launch a Citizens Patrol need to be conducted on an in-person basis, Thomas said following a meeting last week with Sheriff’s Office officials, including Sgt. Jeff Willard, who administers the La Conner detachment.

“A Citizens Patrol requires training and it has to be done in-person and not remotely,” Thomas told Town Councilmembers at their video-conferenced Sept. 8 meeting. “Hopefully, by next spring, we’ll be able to proceed with this.”

That timetable aligns with acquiring a surplus vehicle that can be used for code enforcement and to deter traffic violations, an option advanced last month by Councilmember Bill Stokes.

“Sgt. Willard put me in contact with the person who manages the county fleet,” Thomas said, noting that La Conner is on a list for a potential acquisition.

“Hopefully,” Thomas said, “by the end of the year we’ll have a surplus vehicle.”

Thomas’ meeting with the Sheriff’s Office staff addressed Council participation in a Citizens Academy instructional program taught by area police officers.

“There might be room for a Councilmember to join in,” said Thomas. “It’s a program whose topics relate to law enforcement. It’s an overview of the responsibilities of law enforcement officers and it includes a weekend mock scene event.

“Other jurisdictions,” he said, “look favorably on it. It’s a good way to learn how police operations work. Broadly speaking, it’s about law enforcement. It’s good information to have.”

Willard, for his part, emphasized the need for information to flow in two directions. He thanked La Conner resident Rick Dole for sharing details during the Council meeting of increased night traffic on North Sixth Street near where a landmark oak tree was recently tagged with graffiti.

“We encourage the public that if they are seeing suspicious behavior to call the sheriff’s office,” Willard said. “Those calls by citizens help makes us more effective.”

In related notes:

• Councilmember John Leaver requested, and Council voted 4-1, to have minutes from the Aug. 25 meeting revised to include details of the discussion that led to acceptance of new contract terms with the Sheriff’s Office for local law enforcement services. Stokes dissented.

• Willard said calls for police service were fewer in August, by a 56-41 ratio, from July.

• Thomas said the Town has contacted the owner of property north of the La Conner Schools campus where a ring dike section would be built as a flood control measure. The land has been appraised at $13,000-$14,000. Thomas and Mayor Ramon Hayes said appraisal and purchase are planned by the end of the year. “I would say we’re on track,” Hayes said. However, the owner has not yet responded. “I would like to see it on the front-burner,” Councilmember Jacques Brunisholz said. “I would like to see the land purchased. We’ve been talking about it for a long time. I consider it a public safety matter.”