A small crowd gathered on Oct. 16 for the League Of Women Voters of the San Juans election forum at the Orcas Senior Center.

Sheriff candidates Rob Nou and Brent Johnson were present to answer questions on their candidacies.

Representatives from the Orcas Island Park and Rec District spoke on behalf of the levy proposal, and with island resident Cindy Carter speaking in opposition to the levy. This article covers the Park and Rec District portion of the forum.

Park and Rec Levy

Orcas Island Park and Rec District commissioner Jim Bredouw spoke in support of the proposed six-year levy, saying park and rec districts were “a godsend” during his own childhood years, spent in 11 different neighborhoods as the child of a working single mother.

“We’ve done our best to reduce overlap, to combine efficiencies between existing organizations and to distinguish essential parks and programs,” he said. “The average property owner will pay about four bucks a month.”

Commissioner Ian Lister said the district will focus on Buck Park, Orcas Rec program, and the FunHouse. Bredouw said the district will support varied activities for all ages, from children to seniors, and could help save money otherwise spent on dealing with teen pregnancies, crime and more.

Orcas Islander Cindy Carter spoke against funding the district with a levy, arguing financial hardship for local families during tough economic times.

“Taxes are permanent and indiscriminate; they tax those who can’t pay and those who can pay,” she said. “249 families that have signed up for help from the food bank. That’s 10 percent of the families on Orcas Island.” Carter argued for instead funding the district through grants and donations.

Bredouw said the district has no funds with which to hire a fundraiser.

“We don’t have a dime. There’s not really any money to do anything without some kind of public support,” he said. Bredouw said it took $4,000 in donations just to get the levy measure on the ballot.

He also said those needing the food bank could be in greatest need of the recreational activities the district would provide.

Bredouw said the district cannot find someone willing to donate 35 hours per week to coordinate logistics for the programs. In addition to funding a director and assistant, and paying subcontractors to teach certain classes, the district would purchase a liability policy to cover activities sponsored by the district. The district would also continue to pursue grants and donations and charge fees for some activities.

Lister said the school’s budget has shown a past cost for maintaining Buck Park of roughly $30-50,000 per year. Bredouw said that the district must be funded before it can negotiate with the school for control of Buck Park, and that the district could allow volunteers to help improve the park without the union restrictions the school district is bound by.

Carter said if the levy doesn’t pass, “Perhaps if they are denied, they will see they need to get more active… the loss of resources gets people active again.”

Bredouw said, “We will do our best to maintain programs, but (on November 1) the county shuts off all funding for Orcas Rec.”