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Examiner The Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010
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News from the Heart of Whidbey Island
WHIDBEY ISLAND’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED, INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
New ferry is worth the wait Family members of workers at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle recently got a sneak peek at the ferry Chetzemoka. By Patrick J. Sullivan Port Townsend Leader The M/V Chetzemoka is a ferry well worth the wait, said a Port Ludlow man who got an on-board tour at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle. “The boat is impressive,” said Richard Smith. “It appears to be much more capable to handle the rough crossings of the Port Townsend run than the current ferry. The workmanship also appears topnotch.” The shipyard hosted employees, subcontractors and their families on a tour last month at its facility on Elliott Bay in Seattle. The Chetzemoka is moored at Todd while Washington State Ferries awaits final U.S. Coast Guard permission to officially take possession and begin crew training. Richard and Judi Smith of Port Ludlow were invited aboard because their daughter, Amber, is a project manager at Todd Pacific. She is a graduate of Western Washington University’s manufacturing management program. “The company was a very gracious host, letting visitors see all parts of the boat and stationing experts at key points to explain all of the features,” Smith said. “They are proud of their work.” Proud for a good reason, noted Tom Perrine, Todd’s director of production, in a Leader interview last month. “There’s absolutely a lot of pride by Todd and our workforce to build a boat that people will ride on for decades,” Perrine said. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the ferry’s unique features, as seen by Smith, explained by Tom Perrine, and as shown on WSF construction plans. See FERRY, page 8
Toni Grove/Whidbey Examiner
Amanda Cerise is one of two water quality specialists whose job it is to monitor the condition of fresh water resources in Island County. She collects samples from this site above the beach at Ebey’s Landing every two weeks.
Proposed utility district aimed at boosting water quality, quantity By Toni Grove Examiner Staff Writer Growing concern about water quality in Island County – and a state mandate to take action on the issue – prompted the Island County commissioners to move ahead with plans to create a countywide clean-water utility district. Establishing the district would enable the county to collect taxes to support water-quality monitoring and protection programs. The program is designed to replace the county’s highly unpopular voluntary septic-system inspection program, which was established in May 2009. At the commissioners’ Sept. 13 meeting, about a dozen local taxpayers raised objections about establishing any
new fee during an economic recession. But Chairwoman Helen Price Johnson said the clean-water utility district is needed to bring a unified approach to solving water quality problems that affect every Islander. The county’s water concerns mirror many on the state level. Gov. Chris Gregoire and the state Legislature recently received a report listing the state Department of Ecology’s top recommendations for ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the statewide water-resources program during a period of reduced funding. The program’s mission is to support community efforts toward sustainable management of water resources. Island County has about 200 watersheds, and 39 of the 51 watersheds
that have been sampled enough to calculate a statistically valid result contain levels of fecal coliform bacteria that exceed state standards, said Keith Higman, health services director for Island County Public Health. The presence of these bacteria are seen as an indication of either a failing septic system or contamination by animal waste. Also of significant concern are areas on both Whidbey and Camano islands where the availability of fresh water appears to be waning. Johnson said storm-water management and problems for beachfront communities deluged with runoff from upslope development must be addressed. See WATER, page 7