I note that the new county budget proposes to:

Close Public restrooms at Eastsound Village Green, Eagle Cove, Shark Reef and Reuben Tarte Parks.

Increase fees charged to farmers market at Village Green by $3,000 per year.

So the public restroom at the Eastsound Village Green will close, while the park will continue to fulfill its many community functions. The other parks will close along with their restrooms.

The Eastsound Village Green is urban, serving as a focal point for free concerts, the book fair and the highly functional and attractive farmers market. It is an essential gathering place for friends and temporary visitors alike. It is one of the principal tourist attractions on Orcas. It is impossible to imagine a visit to Orcas without it.

Will we deny our visitors a place to relieve themselves? Islanders know where to find a place in private facilities. Visitors often do not. They come into town, far from their hotel or B&B. Often they arrive on the ferry for just a day. And often they bring children.

The Village Green restrooms should be kept open and should be maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. We certainly don’t expect visitors to relieve themselves in public. They have the right to expect as a civilized community that we recognize they are biological creatures.

Sincerely,

Rick Steinhardt

Deer Harbor