Town plans, now and then

La Conner’s town government – elected officials and staff – created a long task list for the second year of implementing the five-year strategic plan they adopted last September. Credit them for being ambitious: 31 tasks came out of their June retreat, with over half of them placed on Mayor Marna Hanneman and Administrator Scott Thomas’ shoulders.

The fire department, with five tasks, has made progress, getting a $150,000 commitment from the town council to buy a fire boat.

Public works and finance staff are assigned these tasks: improving interdepartmental communications and cooperation for public works. Finance Director Maria DeGoede is responsible for creating a Facebook announcement page and engaging a grant writer.

Director of planning Michael Davolio and assistant Ajah Ellis have the most intractable and complex project leading their six-item list: They are to facilitate increased housing diversity and affordability. Their first step is to develop and implement a housing strategy, with a strong focus on partnerships.

As for the public – residents within and beyond La Conner – the administration will lead with enhancing community engagement and communications. The first step is to study models of engagement. Reviewing “existing channels” is part of that. Great. An internal look at residents’ participation, most particularly at planning commission meetings and linking and integrating the community mingles to advance findings and suggestions generated at them will enhance residents confidence that their voices are useful as well as heard.

The Weekly News strives to fulfill its role as a community watchdog. News editor Bill Reynolds is a consistent presence, reporting every possible meeting. This editorial sheds light on the June-generated 31-item task list. Connecting the dots back to 2023’s five-year plan offers needed follow up. “Focus[ing] our efforts over the coming five years, reflecting what we have heard from the community about what matters most” was the pledge made in stating the plan’s purpose.

Its first page last year led with desiring a town that is “welcoming and affordable to all ages.” Recognizing constraints, it pledged community engagement, first, then collaboration and partnerships. Listed under the first focus area of a “robust affordable and inclusive economy” were the housing issue and parenting with The Port of Skagit to develop Port-owned properties.

None of us know what behind-the-scenes discussions the mayor and town staff are having with Port officials. Little if anything has been reported at council meetings.

The town government and some residents might not want analysis from this page. But given the complexity of progress in any housing that is not developer and market based, if housing is at the top of the list for the administration and planning departments, their list would be lightened by dropping or de-emphasizing “support[ing] the regional agricultural economy.” Skagit County farmers, the Port and maybe EDASC are on top of moving agriculture forward regionally. The strategic plan states “we can’t ‘do it all’” and “real world constraints.” The town government may best reduce its load by letting go of assisting with agriculture.

Similarly, it is a huge stretch from the strategic plan’s “seeking partnerships and opportunities to support our local businesses” to the half dozen administration items, from creating a farmers’ market to exploring a Shelter Bay Day. Put all of that on the Chamber of Commerce. The town has no economic development staff. It funded the Chamber at $90,000 in 2024. Instead of 17 administration tasks, better they focus on engaging residents and making progress with The Port of Skagit.

For engaging the community, the new item on the task list of exploring the sale of Town Hall needs to be pushed to the front to be fully aired and vetted.

The Weekly News will continue to report on the La Conner government and continue editorial analysis of progress or diversions from strategic plans, always championing advancing engagement with residents and diversifying housing.