Editor,

This is not my preferred format for dialogue. However, I feel I should at least provide a little clarity regarding the Sebastian sculpture that has so generously been offered to the City of Oak Harbor.

While I thought the article in the Whidbey News-Times was accurate and positive, I was alerted to hundreds of posts on Facebook both for and against the proposal. One of the most prevalent posts pertained to the creation of a windmill in Windjammer Park, because Oak Harbor is a Dutch town.

I do not dispute that the Dutch had a huge presence in the founding of Oak Harbor, but like the rest of the country we have evolved into a more diverse community of cultures. I know that phase two of the Windjammer Park plan allows for 18 sculptures, none of which has been predetermined as to the type of sculpture — that includes windmills.

At this point the City of Oak Harbor needs only to agree to accept the gift to be placed on the waterfront. Since the gift also comes with a substantial amount of money to install the sculpture, the cost to the city, for such a huge opportunity to have a world- class piece of art, will be minimal.

I would ask that if you are interested in this project, go online and look up Sebastian’s work, I am sure you will be impressed. Would a little culture hurt anyone?

John Kingsbury, president

Whidbey Island

Arts Council

Oak Harbor