Small taxing districts generally hold publicly announced meetings as a routine matter. But that hasn’t been so with Diking District 3 at Dugualla Bay — until Bob Lang decided not to put up with it any longer.

After two years of research and political persuasion, Lang has arranged for the district commissioners to meet Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Dugualla Bay Heights Clubhouse, on Beacon View Drive next to the boat ramp.

Island County Commissioner Bill Byrd, who represents the area, said he will try to be in attendance for the occasion. “I probably will be but I’m not sure politically it’s the thing to do,” he said, alluding to the complexity of the situation.

Diking District 3 was formed in 1914 to maintain the dike across which Dike Road runs. On the east side is Dugualla Bay and on the west side is low-lying farmlands, a small lake called Dugualla Pond that years ago was a popular trout fishing spot, and further away is Highway 20. The pond’s level is controlled by the Navy whose Ault Field property drains into the area.

At one point a couple of years ago, all three Diking District 3 positions were vacant for one reason or another, so the county commissioners filled them by appointing Lang, Dave Burbank and Joe Cirillo to fill unexpired terms. Although they talked among themselves, they never did arrange a public meeting.

As an election neared last February, Burbank and Cirillo neglected to file, not knowning they were required to do so to retain their seats, according to Lang. A couple of other residents, former commissioner Bonnie Newkirk and Joe Ducken, did file, but they didn’t immediately take office.

No election was required because only one person filed for each seat, but Byrd said Newkirk and Duncan balked at two requirements, that they each post a $1,000 bond as is required, and that they take the oath of office. Eventually they agreed, however. Byrd said Island County Auditor Suzanne Sinclair swore them in about two weeks ago. That allowed a meeting to be scheduled.

Neither Newkirk nor Duncan returned phone calls.

In researching the diking district’s history, Lang found a 1914 map that showed the original boundaries were larger than depicted on modern maps, so a correction was made by the county commissioners. With expanded boundaries, there are now 121 tax parcels within the district.

The first order of business at the Sept. 26 meeting will be to formally change commissioners, with Burbank and Cirillo being replaced by Newkirk and Ducken. Lang still holds the third seat.

“It’s been a real task to get a meeting set up,” said Lang, a retired telephone company employee, showing off a briefcase and file case filled with papers accumulated during the effort. “Now we have to get the district set up.” The district’s books are apparently in the hands of Newkirk’s mother.

“We’re getting our feet on the ground,” Lang said. “The district will be run by the RCWs of the state of Washington.”

At present there is no tax assessment on Diking District 3 property owners. Joe Ducken in a 2003 interview with the News-Times said he did whatever repair work was needed. The county maintains the roadway.

Whether there should be a tax assessment will ultimately be discussed by the commissioners. “You’ve got to have money to run things,” Lang said.

Lang said the diking district owns one acre of land on the south side of the pond.

There have been recent efforts to reopen Dugualla Pond to anglers, with Byrd and other local politicians supporting the idea. But Lang said that’s unlikely to come up at the first organizational meeting.

Byrd expressed hope that the diking district will now proceed as public entities are supposed to operate, with regularly scheduled open meetings. “Now they’re doing things as they’re supposed to,” he said. “There hasn’t been anything happening there for a long time but some folks seem to think there is work to be done.”