Editor,
Wow! Where to start as there is quite a load here to move.
Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve’s request to meet with the new base commanding officer is, at best, another attempt to defend an indefensible position.
Personally, I believe in the old adage, “keep your friends close and you enemies closer.” In that respect, the C.O. could have met with COER and listened to their indefensible position in a neutral area and be done with it. The next words out of their mouths, and presented to the world, will be “the base C.O. refused to meet with us — see, the Navy really doesn’t care.”
Those of us who live here know better, but elsewhere they don’t. I would also like to know where these “thousands” of people are that COER claims to represent.
Are you counting the people who signed an Internet petition? Most of those people don’t live in the county much less the United States and don’t have a clue where Whidbey Island or the Olympic peninsula is located.
As for the influx of more Navy personnel and their families, they will need homes and apartments, making this is a plus for Oak Harbor, Island County and the surrounding area. New homes mean new property taxes, jobs for contractors and their employees and a boost in sales taxes.
They volunteer in our community and we are lucky to have these hard- working men and women. The negativity is beyond belief.
We as a community will find solutions to the housing and school problems. We have in the past and we will in the future. I believe part of the reason for the new treatment plant was in anticipation of the growth.
The “Superfund” site was cleaned up, the aquifer has clean fresh water and there hasn’t been anything “dumped” there for 30 years.
Now, on to the misconception that the EA-18G is dumping fuel on approach. The “vapor” you see from the wing tips is just that — water vapor. Under certain atmospheric conditions you will see vortexes on the wing tips, the only reason an aircraft has to dump fuel is in an emergency and will be carried out as far away from human population as possible. But, then again, it’s an emergency and, if they are dumping fuel, there is no way to mistake that.
Last, but certainly not least, “how it used to be” doesn’t matter. Dorothy Neil and the vast majority of the people living here welcomed the Navy with open arms, saw economic opportunity, thought it their patriotic duty and were duly compensated for their land.
It is not 1940 anymore nor will it ever be again, we are lucky the Navy is here and will be for quite some time if I and people like me have anything to say about it.
Mike Van Voorst
Oak Harbor
