Weigh in on chip seal controversy | Letter

Published 4:40 pm Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The chip-sealing of Watmough Head Road on Lopez Island was scheduled to begin in late June, without proper public notice.

In the weeks just prior to the date when work was to begin, the Department of Public Works and the County Council began to hear strong  opposition to the plan. On June 14, the council moved to postpone the paving for one month.  Surprisingly, it also proposed that those opposed to the project come up with a private funding strategy to pay for the county’s projected “lost” savings over a period of ten years. (The private funds would support the continued maintenance of Watmough Rd. as gravel.)

If not, the county will still spend over $114,000 now to chip-seal the road. The county would do better to spend that money on other projects.

The plan to pave this “transition” road deserves serious reconsideration by both the council and the public. The Watmough/Colville area has a long history of public involvement and community financial commitment in the interest of preserving the natural and scenic values of this special area.  It appears that the “battle” needs to be waged repeatedly. It is my hope that conservation-minded Lopezians (and other islanders) are not viewing the paving of Watmough Rd. as a “done deal,” and will express their opinions to the council before the July 26 meeting.

Angie Ponder

Lopez Island