Council may expand Emergency Management Commission

Should the Town of La Conner’s new Emergency Management Commission have five or six members? Town Council tabled adding a sixth person last week. An alternate might be added, though.

Resident Linda Talman nudged officials toward that compromise position during a lengthy discussion.

Mayor Ramon Hayes proposed adding a sixth voting member after Jamie Throgmorton applied. Her background makes her an asset to the commission.

Town Administrator Scott Thomas was tasked with drafting a resolution modifying membership.

Former council member Bill Stokes, a commissioner, expressed concerns about having six voting members.

“I think the idea of expanding the commission to six won’t work well,” Stokes said. “All the Town’s other commissions have five members and if you have a tie vote, who’s the tie-breaker?

“I’ve been on commissions here a long time,” he continued. “There’ve been times when we’ve had split votes. Who decides how to advance forward?”

“I don’t know that it’s a big problem,” Thomas replied. “The commission would be advisory in nature and the council would make the ultimate decisions either way if there’s a split opinion.

Hayes and Council member Mary Wohleb, noting the urgency of emergency management planning post-December flooding, favored putting as many well-qualified applicants as possible on the commission.

“I think the important thing is to get the best and smartest people at the table, “said Wohleb. “It doesn’t matter to me if it’s five, six, or seven. It’s the brain power that matters. It’s very rare when there’s a dissenting vote. I say, ‘the more, the merrier.’”

Councilmember Ivan Carlson sided with Stokes.

Councilmember Annie Taylor predicted that perfect commission attendance will be unlikely.

The compromise brings Throgmorton onboard with voting privileges when a commissioner is not present at meetings.

“Her voice,” Hayes said of Throgmorton, “would be too great not to have at the table.”

Hayes also weighed in briefly with an overview of current events in the nearby Shelter Bay residential community, whose 75-year master lease with the Swinomish Tribal Community expires in two decades.

“It’s extremely complicated and it affects all of us,” said Hayes. “The lessees in Shelter Ba pay seven per cent of the raw land value and have a master lease that expires in 2044, 21 short years away. Lenders won’t advance 30-year mortgages. They’ve been negotiating as long as I’ve been mayor.”

“The real issue,” said Hayes, “is they have to come to terms with that lease. It’s something we need to be following. It’s important to the La Conner community.”

Also at Council, resident Sandy Stokes reported at least two recent home burglaries in her neighborhood.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Hayes responded, “but I think a citizens’ patrol is a good idea for this community.”

Waterfront property owner Chip Hall thanked officials for facilitating a meeting between him, a neighbor, and Department of Natural Resources staff over a disputed undisclosed shoreline lease.

Hayes said the issue has been discussed at Town Hall and ultimately will be acted upon by council.

Lastly, Talman cautioned the Council that the emergence of vacation rentals can have a significant adverse effect on La Conner’s already tight housing market.