Meeting Summary for Decatur Island Alliance September Meeting: September 21, 2025
Meetings with County Government Officials
Roz Solomon presented an update regarding the September 9th, Advocacy Committee meeting with Jane Fuller, the 3rd District County Council member. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a relationship with her in order to improve communication between Decatur Island residents and County government.
The Advocacy briefly raised several concerns with Ms. Fuller. These included road maintenance, dead tree removal in County road rights-of-way, communication with County departments, the Opalco solar farm project, the parking congestion proposal, and emergency services.
As to emergency services, Ms. Fuller explained that a fire district may be needed to improve 911 emergency responses because the County Sheriff (the office responsible for responding to 911 calls) is legally prohibited from dispatching calls to the Decatur Emergency Brigade (DEB).
The Committee plans to continue to expand its connections to County officials through meetings in mid-October with the two other County Council members – Kari McVeigh and Justin Paulsen - and with County Manager Jessica Hudson.
Jane Fuller volunteered to take part in a future DIA meeting. She is scheduled to attend the October 19th meeting.
Decatur Island Resident Survey Discussion
Angela Krisinger presented a draft of an island-wide survey designed to gather demographic information and input on which issues are of most concern to Decatur Island residents.
The demographic questions address respondents' relationship to the island - the length of time a resident has lived on the island, whether part or full-time, and whether the resident is registered to vote in San Juan County. The substantive questions address issues such as road maintenance, derelict vehicle removal, and public access to the Island. The group discussed potential additions to the survey, including dangerous tree removal, zoning issues, and the imposition of speed limits for commercial construction vehicles.
Angela plans to distribute the survey to the all-Island email list and to follow-up it up with a reminder to encourage participation. DIA is aiming for a 50% response rate.
Community Projects and Outreach
Bill Hurley reported that, according to the OPALCO website, no progress has been made on permits for the proposed solar farm project on Decatur Island. He said that OPALCO staff have reached out to property owners of potential alternative sites, but no information regarding those meetings has been communicated – online or otherwise.
The group agreed to pursue placing a DIA community bulletin board on Lopez Island School District property. Roz Solomon volunteered to complete and file the application.
The group brainstormed about several winter outreach activities, including a bonfire with hot chocolate, a potential karaoke night, and participation at the upcoming Decatur Island Christmas markets.
Angled Parking and Truck Access
The group discussed a parking proposal presented by four Decatur Island residents (Mark Wall, Jon Allen, Jen Orth, Michelle Ross) to County Council members. Jane Fuller asked that DIA seek broader input from residents about the proposal.
The proposal provides for angled parking along the road leading to the County ramp, within the County’s existing right-of-way. Key concerns raised at the meeting included:
· Accommodation of trucks with trailers not addressed
· Accommodation of construction vehicles and heavy equipment not addressed
· No enforcement mechanism
· No engagement with island residents in preparation of the proposal
· No record of who has had an opportunity to provide input on the proposal
· No information regarding the nature of the input – other than that provided at the DIA meeting
The group agreed to compile its feedback and submit recommendations to the four-person team and to Jane Fuller.
The discussion then turned to concerns about road damage caused by the excessive weight of large construction vehicles and heavy equipment on County roads. Concerns were also raised about the lack of speed limits for construction vehicles.
Emergency Response System Communication Breakdown
The group raised concerns about the breakdown in communication between 911 calls and the IMR system.
Rob Grant shared a personal story about how his 911 call for emergency services resulted in a helicopter being misrouted to Decatur Northwest rather than to the closer airstrip, causing confusion and inefficiency. The discussion highlighted the need for better coordination between dispatch, helicopter services, and local responders, as well as the importance of accurate communication during emergencies.
Roz Solomon suggested discussing these issues with the Sheriff to improve dispatch protocols. The goal: Ensure that helicopter pilots and/or other first responders receive proper location information.
Community Open Forum
The group continued to discuss challenges with emergency services on the island, including ways to improve 911 and IMR communication. Scott Phillipi addressed the group with findings from his recently completed informal survey indicating that there are now enough volunteers to support a fire protection district for Decatur Island. Following discussion included past efforts and concerns about taxation and overall trust issues as potential barriers. The discussion highlighted that creating a fire protection district could improve emergency services, potentially lower insurance costs, and allow the community to retain tax revenue locally. The group thanked Phillippi for his input to DIA and agreed the subject is worthy of a continuing the conversation.
Next steps
· Advocacy Committee: Review and provide feedback on the Davis Bay parking proposal to Jane Fuller.
· Advocacy Committee: Conduct meetings with Kari McVeigh, Justin, and Jessica Hudson.
· Outreach Committee: Finalize the island survey content.
· Outreach Committee: Distribute the finalized survey to Decatur Island residents and property owners.
