Meeting Summary for Decatur Island Alliance October Meeting: October 19, 2025

Community Board

The meeting began with a discussion about the community bulletin board project, which is moving forward with Karen Pearson's design and will be located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Decatur Head Dr. and Thatcher Pass Rd.  All participants agreed to call it the Community Board.

 Outreach Committee

Several outreach initiatives were proposed, including a potential chili cook-off at the next DIA meeting, a Boxing Day bonfire, and a Decatur Island cookbook. The website will be updated with those event dates and they will be also be noted in the next newsletter.

 Advocacy Committee

The Advocacy Committee reported on their efforts to build relationships with county representatives, including meetings with Jane Fuller, Kari McVeigh, Justin Paulsen, and Jessica Hudson. They discussed the challenges of 911 response issues and the need to engage with the Sheriff's Department.

 Survey Committee

The group reviewed survey results from Decatur Island residents, which showed that fire protection, and emergency services and road maintenance were the top two concerns.  DIA sent out 313 emails and posted the survey link on the Decatur Island Facebook Page. 125 people completed the survey out of 200 views. The survey results will be shared with county officials and posted on the website. 

OPALCO Solar Project Concern

The group discussed the inevitability of change and the importance of collaborating to address it, using as an example the OPALCO proposal to expand the existing solar array. For example, the group discussed the need for expert testimony in an upcoming land use hearing. Preparing for the hearing will take collaboration among Decatur Island residents. The group also touched  on attending hearings in person versus virtually and when it is appropriate for either one, while emphasizing the importance of having designated expert witnesses to effectively present the community's position.  

While OPALCO has addressed some concerns, such as not purchasing the county property and conducting an alternative site assessment, OPALCO has not addressed many mitigation issues. The group discussed their opposition to the solar farm project and emphasized that moving forward, they would take a clear "opposed" position rather than seeking mitigation of project impacts. They agreed that their legal strategy should focus on demonstrating why the project is not justified from both an energy policy and land use perspective, with expert witnesses to support their case. The discussion also touched on the broader implications for utility-scale renewable projects in the county, with some suggesting that OPALCO may need to reconsider their strategy given community opposition. 

Decatur Island Solar Survey Plan

The group discussed conducting a survey to gauge community sentiment about a proposed solar project on Decatur Island. They agreed to create both a physical and electronic survey, with distributing survey results using a property-owner mailing list. The group decided to frame the survey as a simple yes/no question about the project as currently proposed, rather than including mitigation options. They also discussed the need to maintain a neutral and positive tone in the survey introduction, emphasizing data-driven decision making. 

Island Public Works Committee

The group agreed to form a Public Works committee to better coordinate with the county on road maintenance, with plans to meet with San Juan County Public Works to understand current maintenance plans and explore chip sealing options. The committee will include several volunteers and aim to educate residents about different road maintenance approaches, particularly regarding chip sealing which was previously opposed but may be reconsidered given current maintenance challenges. 

Emergency Services Coordination Meeting

The group discussed emergency services and fire protection on the island, particularly following an incident where emergency responses were delayed.  The need for better coordination between different emergency entities was agreed upon, noting that the Sheriff can no longer provide direct 911 response to unincorporated areas due to changes in state law. The group agreed to reach out to DEB and DICERA to explore how to improve the current emergency services and to plan for the future (e.g., fire district). They also discussed the importance of including emergency response organizations in future discussions.

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