20 Apr 2017

Weekly email 4/20

by | posted in: Chair's Corner | 0
Greetings fellow Conservatives!

Our next Central Committee Meeting is April 29th
 
Heritage Bank, Friday Harbor
 
11:45 am
 
If you have not heard about the special election for the 45th legislative district, it matters because it will determine which party will control the state Senate. You can read about it here. It has tremendous significance for all residents of our state, and because it is a special election it will have the attention and effort of both parties across the state. We are considering a vote at our Central committee meeting to make a modest donation as SJCRP to support GOP candidate Englund. Do you agree/disagree? Let me know.

 

We will also be planning our events for this summer, our fair booth, potential 4th of July parade float, upcoming ezine, new database tools, and more. All conservatives are welcome to attend. If you are confused about what the central committee is, we have an article about it on our website here.

OPALCO Election:

 
As many of you are aware, OPALCO is going through an election cycle. Ballots should be arriving this week. OPALCO must receive your vote by May 4th. There is no voting on the ferry as has been done in the past.

 

This is a nonpartisan race, and SJCRP is not endorsing anyone. However, we want to make sure that the public is aware of the race and knows how to vote in a procedural sense. We also want to help facilitate candidates in getting their message out, as in these down ballot issues it can be hard to get information adequately disbursed.

 

I received the following from Herb Meyer endorsing Vince Dauciunas:

 

“The OPALCO board elections are coming up, and I’m writing to urge you to vote for Vince Dauciunas.  Vince has enormous financial and technical skills, and we really need him on the OPALCO board. Vince says we should also vote for Mark Madsen. Please pass on this endorsement to as many voters as possible. A link to the OPALCO ballot is attached here. Thanks, Herb Meyer”
 
We are happy to accommodate other endorsements or comments.

Vince and Mark ably advocate for themselves in the San Juan Journal here as well. I looked but did not see any letters or endorsements for the third candidate, William Seversen. The voter’s guide is posted here. Note that this is all handled through OPALCO, not through the County Auditor’s office, so you will find no information on MyVote and the ballot does not look like the ballots for state or county elections.

 

I have seen only one letter about this, by Councilman Rick Hughes, in the Sounder here (his bio here)

 

There’s lots more information on the OPALCO website.

 

Lopez Public Hospital District Vote
 
Ballots for Lopez-only measure are due by 8 pm on April 25th. The Island’s Weekly is full of letters about it, mostly “for,” which probably reflects the fact that proponents have succeeded in casting it as a referendum on whether the clinic will stay open.

 

Those who oppose the measure generally don’t want the clinic to close either, but want to delay a decision on the matter until next year so that a more substantial proposal can be put together. Based on what I’ve read, the clinic will continue to be solvent for 3-5 years.

 

You can review some of our past coverage of this issue here. This remains a non-partisan issue and SJCRP does not have an official position. I certainly do not pretend to know what is best, and if any readers have input let me know (although my next newsletter will likely not come out until after the deadline I can post things online).

 

The Island’s Weekly covered this issue a few days ago as well.

 

We aren’t the only county with a special election, as the Wire reports.

 

Some other Links:
 
A group of people (including several prominent dems) are blaming vacation rentals for the lack of affordable housing in our county. You can read the statement here. (Journal)  Do you agree?

 

Community Treasures has cancelled it’s state e-recycling contract. The Journal reports. Many of you may have read Frank Penwell’s article in our ezine on this subject last month.
 
WA State legislature passed a distracted-driving bill to take effect in 2019. Seattle Times provides coverage here. Distracted driving (such as texting) has indeed been shown to be every bit as dangerous as drunk driving.

 

WA State has streamlined the process of getting a business license. The Guardian reports.

 

Dinesh D’Souza created a minor stir lately, when, as the person who sent this to me said “Dinesh D’Souza destroys Everyone in live speech.”

 

A PCO sent me this timeline of Obama-era Surveillance. From the Fast and Furious gun scandal to various wire-tapping revelations this unnerving timeline which may be a little discouraging. Journalist Sharyl Atkisson is no fringe reporter or conspiracy theorist, but a hard-nosed, award winning journalist.

 

County Council Calendar (further details here)
Land Bank Commission Meeting — 
April 21, 2017, 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM @ Grace Church
 
SJC Council Monday Meeting
April 24, 2017, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM @ Council Hearing RoomCitizens’
 
Salary Commission Meeting
April 26, 2017, 12:00 PM - 2:05 PM @ Council Hearing Room
 
Building Advisory Council Meeting
April 27, 2017, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM @ Orcas Ferry Landing Building
 
Veterans Advisory Board Meeting
April 28, 2017, 11:45 AM - 1:45 PM @ Large Legislative Conference Room

 

April 22nd is the Great Islands Clean-up. We occasionally get flak for this by people claiming “No Republicans show up,” which is certainly factually inaccurate. I do not know how island clean-up could be a partisan issue, but it occasionally is. If you have time it’s a good cause, even if some of the people may be insufferable.

—

Nathan Butler

Chair, San Juan County Republican Party
Cell: (360) 298-4489
 
“No matter how conservative your views may be, unless you do something about it you really aren’t that conservative.”