If last week’s attendance was any indication, Orcas is ready for regular town hall meetings.

More than 100 citizens packed into the fire hall to ask questions of Councilmen Richard Fralick and Gene Knapp and County Administrator Pete Rose.

Audience members were eager to voice concerns and have their county government listen. And Fralick and Knapp were clear that’s what they’re here for.

“It’s not our government, it’s yours,” is a mantra that Fralick uses often – and we should listen to him. Our county council is inviting us to talk to them, write letters, tune in when online feeds of council meetings become available, and attend town hall meetings.

Knapp and former Councilman Alan Lichter offered a town hall forum in late 2007, which was much less well attended. We’re glad the council members decided to give it another shot, and that Orcas responded in full force. We hope the councilmen hold a town meeting at least quarterly.

Rose told the Sounder that he sees a lot of people in Eastsound who are ready for change and “ready to work with the county to make those changes. We often get people who say no when we want to get a project done, but we receive a lot of positive feedback from Eastsound.”

With Eastsound UGA compliance just a few months away, preparing for growth will be a significant issue for Orcas Islanders, especially those living in Eastsound. There are so many other vital issues in play right now – ferries, affordable housing, and the county budget are just a few – that we must take every opportunity to get involved with our government. And that means putting warm bodies in seats and actually talking to our officials.

Can we hope for more than 200 in attendance at the next town hall meeting?