Here’s an idea to help the county’s financial problems. Despite years of trying to gain financial independence, Greenbank Farm is still a money pit. The 2010 county budget includes about $22,000 for their losses, plus tax money for similar county-owned land.

The Island County Fair is a problem soon needing more funding. Its value to citizens vs. cost needs to be re-evaluated. The county fairgrounds is located on very valuable property near downtown Langley, but the facilities are greatly in need of repair or replacement.

Many from the North Whidbey no longer go to the fair because of traffic congestion and parking problems. They go to Monroe, Skagit and Lynden where facilities and other amenities are superior to those of our county fair.

We have many Navy families from small towns all over the U.S. that love to have their children experience the fun of a county fair. Most of us do no chose Island County Fair.

The county should do some creative leveraged financing using the value of county fair property and build a first-class fair facility on the excess land at Greenbank Farm. Sell the old fair property to pay off the expense of relocating to Greenbank. Apply any excess funds on the debt of other county open space (instead of taking funds away from mandated county services, as historically done).

With more people attending the Island County Fair and Greenbank Farm events, the combined increased income may alleviate some tax burden.

Please don’t react to this with the same old clichés about why this can’t be done. Knock down the walls surrounding those fiefdoms.

For once, let’s try to think of reasons of why and how it could be done!

The quaint beauty of Langley will be even greater once the fairgrounds are gone.

Bill Strowbridge

Oak Harbor