Advisers play major part in Orcas school board's budget success

An active citizenry elects boards to represent their interests in a responsible, informed manner. A conscientious board considers regulations, expert advice and improvements in addressing their issues; they also listen to the public and weigh their input respectfully. Most boards form advisory committees to assist them in specific projects.

It is well-known that the Orcas Island School Board has grappled with a budget that appeared to be slipping through their fingers like water, most notably in 2007, when the 2006-2007 budget had to be re-created and documented after the fact (chiefly the work of the district business office under the leadership of Ben Thomas). That budget showed a dangerously low fund balance of $17,000 and necessitated three separate state audits, costly in themselves.

But that crisis also brought about the formation of a Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), members of the public who recognized that they would need to examine the minutiae of the District budget in order to maintain support of the high quality of Orcas Island’s public education.

To their credit, the Orcas Island School Board and the Business Office listened, and realized the value of the BAC’s contributions, which is not to say that either the Board or the Business Office relinquished their responsibilities to formulate the school district’s budget.

All concerned took great pains while showing respect for each others’ viewpoints, in the long, drawn-out process of hammering out their priorities to produce a balanced budget.

It is impossible for someone standing on the sidelines to give proper credit to each BAC member – Gregory Books, Steve Diepenbrock, Phil Heikkinen, Nancy Loomis, Dave Parish, Carol Sutton, Keith Whitaker and Sam Windsor – but it’s apparent from those of us who attended the School Board meetings that Steve Diepenbrock shouldered the difficult task of steering the BAC, coordinating efforts and effectively communicating among the advisory group, the Business Office, and the School District board.

We join the OISD Board in thanking the BAC for their service to the Board, to the District, and to the future of public education on Orcas Island.

Not that the OISD’s work is done. The School Board’s calendar is packed this next week with meetings on July 31, Aug. 1 and Aug. 5 to meet with State officials to refine the budget, and to replace Superintendent Glenn Harris, who resigned earlier this month.

The public is encouraged to attend those meetings. (See Public Meetings calendar, A7.)

A deliberate choice

The August 19 primary will decide the Superior Court judge contest, and will narrow the choices for the County Council Orcas West position to two candidates. It will also decide the top two candidates for the 40th Legislative District Senate Seat being vacated by Senator Harriet Spanel.

The County has gone to voting by mailed ballots only, and the ballots will be available Aug. 1; there will be no public polling on Aug. 19.

There is a risk that the voting process will be rushed, pre-empting the candidates’ campaigns for the first three weeks of August. During those weeks, there will be election forums, county agency deliberations, campaign rallies, public hearings, and board meetings where the public can study the candidates, their judgment, their interactions and their positions. This is the window of opportunity for the public to keep an open mind, educate themselves and make a deliberate, even-tempered choice among the candidates.

As the Orcas School’s Budget Advisory Committee studied, worked and persisted, and as the School Board and Business Office listened and debated, we urge voters to give all candidates every opportunity to tell us their plans and their considerations during the next three weeks, as we weigh our votes.

James Madison, our fifth President, once said, “ Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.”

Don’t rush to judgment, but take the time to listen to the candidates, and get the full value of the right to vote.

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